I do not own the anime and manga series Bleach or any of it's charcters.
Enjoy chapter 1.
Normal speech
Private thought/Flashback Telepathy
Telepathy/Flashback
Hollow speech
Zanpakuto
Chapter 1 - Summons
Ichigo was walking home wondering what exactly was going on in the Soul Society. Urahara had been contacted while Ichigo was training to control his spiritual pressure and surprisingly the messenger was also to relay a message to him and Shiro. Ichigo's frown deepened at the memory.
Ichigo was sitting in the underground training grounds below the Urahara shop with Urahara and Tessai trying to keep his spiritual pressure under control when the messenger had arrived. Opening one eye he looked at the messenger that was standing a short distance away. "Former captain Kisuke Urahara it has been decided that you are to once again take the position of squad twelve captain." The messenger said to the surprised Urahara before turning to the very angry Ichigo, who still had his left eye open waiting for the messenger to go away, he was surprised when the messenger spoke again, "Ichigo Kurosaki you and the one known as Aojiroibou Kurosaki are to travel to the Soul Society for a meeting with the head captain at dawn tomorrow."
Ichigo had some misgivings about this sudden meeting but didn't have much say in the matter so he just shook it off.
When he reached his house he was greeted by an attempted kick to his face by his lunatic father which Ichigo dodged before punching his father's face with a "Hey dad" before walking over to the table and eating his dinner in silence, which didn't go unnoticed by the other Kurosaki siblings.
"Are you feeling alright Ichigo?" Yuzu asked her brother, who was punched by the albino next to him after he just kept eating in silence.
"Ichigo when someone asks you a question you're supposed to answer them, especially when they're worried." The white teen told his twin who simply blinked and gave him a very blank stare before finishing the food that was in front of him.
"Ichigo are you feeling alright?" Yuzu asked again, this time getting a nod from Ichigo before he started heading upstairs with Karin calling angrily after him but when he ignored her and continued walking, she rounded on her other brother with a worried expression on her face.
"Shiro do you know what's wrong with Ichi?" She asked.
"No, but I'll go talk to him. Probably won't tell me anything anyway." He grumbled as he walked up the stairs and along the hall to Ichigo's room, he knocked and walked in after he heard a grunt of acknowledgment. "Hey Ichi, what's got you so on edge?" Shiro asked his twin as he leaned against the wall.
Ichigo let out a sigh before turning to face his twin, "The head captain called a meeting with us tomorrow at dawn in the Soul Society," Ichigo said using their mental connection, "What if they want to execute you again?" He added worriedly
"Then we'll just have to kick their asses. Again. You worry way to much Ichi!"
"I guess...but I just can't help it! I couldn't bare it if you died again, especially if there was something I could do to help you."
"Like I said Ichi you worry to much." Shiro grumbled.
Ichigo rolled his eyes and looked to the digital clock sitting against the back of his desk, bright red numbers reading clearly, 20:00. An aggravated sigh left the orange haired teens lips at the time. Shiro could only smile understandingly at his twin before walking out the door to get a few hours sleep, knowing that Ichigo would wake him hours before they had to be at the meeting with the head captain.
Sometime before dawn - Soul Society
When the Kurosaki twins arrived in the Soul Society they quickly made their way to the squad one barracks. "Hello Ichigo, Aojiroibou." Said Captain Jushiro Ukitake as he walked up to the anxious teens.
"Captain Ukitake." They said in unison, small smile on there faces, Ichigo even lessening his usual scowl. Both twins liked the squad thirteen, and thought of the man as something between a kind uncle and caring father.
"Do you know why the head captain wants to see us?" Asked Ichigo, losing the small smile that he'd gained at the site of Ukitake. Shiro rolled his golden eyes at his brothers anxiousness.
"I've told you already you worry way to much."
"Shut up Aojiroibou you know why I'm so worried and you know what'll happen to me if you die." Ichigo thought back angrily, glaring at the unfortunate Ukitake, who shook his head apologetically before speaking.
"I'm sorry, but the head captain hasn't told us anything about why you were asked to come here on such short notice."
Ichigo mumbled incoherently for a moment before walking off, leaving his brother and a shocked captain behind him.
"Did I do something to upset him?" Asked Ukitake
"No, he's just worried that the head captain only called us over here because he wants to execute me." Shiro replied shaking his head before adding, "If that is why we were called over here, I suggest keeping your distance from him for a while, he's not capable of rational thought when someone he cares about dies, especially when he feels responsible."
"I'll keep that in mind," said an extremely startled Ukitake, "and I hope that is not why you're here, for everyone's sake." He added before saying goodbye and heading in the direction of the squad thirteen barracks.
"Shiro! Come on! It's nearly dawn! Move it!" Ichigo yelled in his mind, getting his twins attention.
"All right! I'm coming Ichi!" Shiro called back before flash-stepping after his brother.
When they reached the head captains office they looked at each other warily before knocking and walking into the large room to find the head captain sitting calmly at his desk, they were surprised to see Renji sitting in one of the three chairs facing the head captain and his desk.
Upon seeing him however Ichigo seemed to relax a little.
"It all makes sense now." He thought but simply shook his head when Shiro gave him a questioning look.
"Ichigo Kurosaki sit down, you two Aojiroibou Kurosaki. I would like to get this meeting over with." The head captain grumbled and both boys sat as they were told, Ichigo took the seat in the middle chair with his twin to his left and Renji his right.
"Head captain Yamamoto why are we here exactly?" Renji asked causing Ichigo to look at him with a hint of humour on his face before thinking to Shiro,
"And he calls me stupid."
Shiro looked at his twin out of the corner of his eye before shrugging and listening to Yamamoto as he was explaining the apparently obvious reason for them being there at dawn.
"Lieutenant Abari you and the Kurosaki twins are here because I wish to discuss the three empty captains positions."
Both Shiro and Renji were surprised, but Ichigo had figured it out when he saw Renji, and Shiro had to admit that Ichigo's previous statement had made a good point.
"Now then Ichigo Kurosaki will you be willing to take the position of squad five captain?" Continued the head captain.
"As long as I can remain in the world of the living for the next five years." Ichigo replied looking determinedly at the old captain who responded calmly,
"Very well then you may remain in the world of the living for five years." Before pulling a haori out of his desk marked as that of squad five and handing it to Ichigo who took it before standing up and pulling it over his shihakusho, waiting for the head captain to speak.
"You will need to seal your zanpakuto and learn to control your spiritual pressure and use kido within the next five years."
"Actually, head captain Yamamoto," Ichigo began nervously, "I can control my spiritual pressure and use kido. I think that I can seal my zanpakuto but I haven't tried yet." When he'd finished speaking, the orange haired teen lifted Zangetsu from where he'd placed the sword earlier. Ichigo closed his eyes as the white ribbon unwrapped itself from the large cleaver shaped sword.
After watching Ichigo concentrate for a few minutes Shiro and Renji noticed the densening of Ichigo's spiritual pressure and saw that his hair and shihakusho were moving as if a gentle breeze was blowing through the room, the ribbon on Zangetsu's hilt looked to be dancing as it curled and uncurled in graceful movements.
After another five minutes there was a soft glow around Ichigo and his sword, then there was a massive explosion of light that was tinted blue, when Shiro, Renji and head captain Yamamoto could see again they saw that Ichigo had sealed his sword and was examining it while the sheath formed in his left hand.
Zangetsu was now the size of a regular sword, the blade was tinted black, the guard was four crescent moons facing outwards while the hilt was a soft blue below the silver grip, when Ichigo had finished examining his blade he lifted the sheath and examined that as well, it was a deep blue, similar to the night sky and had several silver crescent moons scattered over it. Ichigo nodded to himself as he finished looking over his sealed Zanpakuto and sheathed his sword before looking at his shocked brother who was staring at Zangetsu a little slack jawed.
"Ya keep that up Zanhoshi's gonna give ya all kinds of grief." Ichigo thought as he sat back down.
"I'm just surprised you idiot." Shiro thought back to his brother, slightly defensively. "I thought it would of gone back to like it was before you unleashed your shikai." He added, earning him a snort and an eye roll from his aggravating brother.
Renji decided to speak up. "Interesting sheath."
Ichigo rolled his eyes again before speaking calmly. "Guess 'interesting' would be a good word for it." Before turning his attention back to the head captain who was still sitting silently. "If you don't mind head captain Yamamoto, Shiro and I didn't get much sleep before coming here so we'd kind of like to get home and sleep, so could we get done here please?"
"There is a captains meeting to be held in an hour and a half and you will all be required to attend." The head captain said with a hint of some emotion in his voice. "Aojiroibou Kurosaki you are also going to be required to seal your zanpakuto. Lieutenant Abarai, I suggest that you work on enhancing your kido skills. I will expect you in the captains meeting hall on time. Dismissed."
Ichigo and Shiro were inwardly laughing at the look on Renji's face when he was told to work on his kido, but since they didn't let it show neither of their companions noticed.
As the three walked out of head captain Yamamoto's office Shiro spoke.
"It's good to see you again Pineapple."
"Quit calling me Pineapple, Snowball." Renji retorted.
"Come on you two don't fight." Ichigo said trying to diffuse the situation. "Why don't we go out to Sokyoku hill and get some training in." He suggested before anymore insults could fly from either of his companions.
"Whatever." Renji responded and the three of them flash-stepped out of the squad one barracks and up to the old execution site where the remains of the Sokyoku still stood. Ichigo had had no problem destroying the stand and didn't really care what anyone had to say about it, but he could only take credit for destroying the stand, the spear had been destroyed by Captains Ukitake and Kyoraku.
"Hey Shiro you need any help sealing your sword before I keep the idiotic Pineapple from blowing himself up?" Ichigo thought to his brother while glaring at Renji, who was trying to find an appropriate target.
"Just tell me how you did it and I should be fine." Shiro grumbled in his mind, also glaring at the still searching Renji.
"I focussed all of my spiritual pressure deep into my soul and the rest just happened." Ichigo mentally explained before calling to Renji. "There's a rock right in front of you." "Pineapple." He added in his mind, causing Shiro to laugh as he walked over to the broken stand so he wouldn't be distracted by the Pineapple's attempts at firing acceptable kido spells.
Once Shiro was far enough away that he couldn't hear Renji's yelling he started focussing his spiritual pressure inwards.
He was surprised when he found himself standing in his inner world, he looked around before speaking quietly.
"I don't think I've been here since Ichi killed Aizen and destroyed the Hogyoku."
He smiled grimly as he remembered what had happened when the idiotic traitor had been pierced through the heart and the Hogyoku had been shattered by the power from Tensa Zangetsu.