Chapter One – And So Falls The Blade Of Fate…
A/N; This is my second Fanfic, which shall now be considered my main story (until I get ideas for my first one). Updates will be a little slow, but I hope to do at least one chapter a month, if not two a month. As for the start of this story, I have taken it from Canon Material and altered it slightly to fit with the plot. Most ideas/events in this story will touch on Canon Material, but this part is the only bit that has been fully copied from the Anime. However it will take some time to get into the guts of the story. Think of the first scene here as a Prologue, and the story will take place in a past setting until I come full circle and reach this point again, in which the story shall continue. Please enjoy.
"This is the end…" Head Captain Yamamoto declared.
"What, did you say something?" Aizen asked, looking at the Head Captain.
"Don't you understand, Sōsuke Aizen? There is no place left for you. No place you can escape to." Head Captain Yamamoto answered, as all the Captains and Lieutenants of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads arrived on top of Sōkyoku Hill.
"Captain Aizen, how could you?" Tetsuzaemon asked.
All the Captains and Lieutenants were now all looking at the three traitorous Captains, who had all been captured. Shūhei had apprehended Tōsen, Rangiku had hold of Gin, and Soifon had Aizen in her grasp.
Even with a blade against his throat, Aizen kept his cool and let out a humourless chuckle.
"And just what is so funny?" The Head Captain asked, raising an eyebrow as Aizen's peculiar response.
"I'm sorry to do this, but the time has come." He replied, causing the Head Captain's eyes to widen in realisation of what Aizen meant.
"Captain Soifon, get away from him!" He shouted, causing Soifon to release her hold on Aizen and jump back, seconds before the sky above Sōkyoku Hill ripped open, a seething mass of Gillans spilling forth, along with a golden light that covered Aizen.
"That's not… It's impossible!" Captain Kyōraku said in disbelief as he watched the scene before him unfold.
"It's Menos Grande!" Soifon said, looking up at the seething black mass that was spewing out from the maw in the sky.
"The Gillians?! How many of them are coming through?!" Ōmaeda exclaimed.
"No, wait, it looks like there's something else in there!" Shūhei said as he saw something that looked like a massive eye behind the clutch of Gillians.
A few seconds later, two more beams of light shot down from the sky, one aimed at Captain Tōsen and another aimed at Captain Ichimaru. Both Shūhei and Rangiku released their respective captives just before they were engulfed in the light.
"Well, that's a bit of a let-down. I was enjoying that. I wouldn't have minded being your captive a little longer." Gin said after Rangiku had released her hold on him. He turned to face the strawberry-blonde Lieutenant, a sad look on his face. "So long, Rangiku. Maybe next time."
No sooner had those words left his mouth; the earth beneath him and the other two Captains was ripped out of the ground as they all began to float up towards the sky and into the hole above them.
"You're just going to run away? That's it?!" Tetsuzaemon yelled out, pulling out his Zanpakutō, preparing to charge in and attack.
"Stop!" Head Captain Yamamoto yelled.
"Head Captain, sir?" He asked, turning to look at the aged Soul Reaper.
"That light is a weapon, with the name of Negación. It is a technique the Menos use when they are rescuing their fellow Hollows. Once enveloped by that light, it is impossible for those within and without to interact. It is an isolated world inside the beams. All those who have fought the Menos know it well. Once that light fell on Sōsuke Aizen, it became impossible for us to reach him." The Head Captain explained as everyone present watched in awe as the three traitors ascended into the sky.
"Rrrraaaaggggghhhh!" Growled Captain Komamura, as his giant fist smashed into the earth, creating a small crater. "Kaname! Come back, Kaname!" He roared looking to the man he had called 'friend' all these years. "Have you forgotten? You once told me why you became a Soul Reaper! Wasn't it for your friend who lost their life? Wasn't it to carry out your justice? Where is your sense of justice now, because I don't see it!"
"I thought I made it clear to you; these eyes can only see one path and that is the path with the least amount of blood. Justice is always there, and the path I follow is justice." Tōsen replied.
"Argh, Kaname…" Komamura said in disbelief.
"So, you have joined with the Menos… Why would you do that?" The Head Captain asked as he looked at Aizen.
"I need to keep reaching higher." Aizen replied simply.
"Have you become that corrupt?" Yamamoto questioned.
"You're blinded by your self-righteousness. From the beginning, no-one has ever stood at the top. Neither you, nor me, nor the Gods…" Aizen stated as he took his glasses off and ran a hand through his hair, pushing it back. "But soon, that unattainable vacancy at the top will be fulfilled. From now on, I alone will stand at the top." He stated with finality as all the Soul Reapers gazed upon his new look. "Goodbye, Soul Reapers."
"Do not think you have won so easily, Sōsuke Aizen!" Yamamoto declared. "You think the Thirteen Court Guard Squads will sit idly by and allow you to succeed? We will stop you!"
"My, my… You are indeed blinded by your self-righteousness, Genryūsai Yamamoto." Aizen stated, looking back at the Head Captain with a slight grin on his face as he watched what was about to unfold.
Yamamoto was about to reply until he found the words die in his throat. The only thing that came out of his mouth was blood. He looked down at his chest, and saw a long, black blade sticking out of his chest, where his heart should have been. With a slight gasp, he collapsed to his knees, dropping his cane, causing everyone to look over at him in disbelief.
"No… That… That's not possible!" Captain Kyōraku gasped as he watched his mentor fall to the ground.
"Head Captain!" Soifon yelled out.
"How could you do something like this?! Don't tell me you've thrown in with that bastard Aizen too!" Roared Komamura, as he looked at the man who had just pierced the heart of the Head Captain.
The response that came from the assassin was a twisted, evil laugh.
"Answer me! Captain Kurosaki!" Komamura bellowed, looking at the man standing over the body of Yamamoto.
Captain Ichigo Kurosaki looked up and everyone who gazed upon his face was filled with horror and shock. Half of Ichigo's face was covered in a Hollow mask. The sclera of both his eyes were as black as his Zanpakutō, while his irises were gold.
"For all your self-righteousness and damnable superiority you thought you held over the Hollows, not once did any of you think a Hollow was present among you, especially not one of your precious Captains." Ichigo cackled, his voice distorted by his Hollowfication. "Now that your beloved Head Captain is gone, you cannot hope to defeat Captain Aizen, or the Hollows!"
After he had finished speaking, several Soul Reapers lunged at Ichigo, in an attempt to exact revenge on the man who killed the Head Captain, but were subsequently stopped when he too was also immersed by the light of Negación.
All the Soul Reapers watched in horror as the four Captains ascended into the sky and were swallowed up by the hole the Gillans had opened. The last thing the four men heard before the rift was sealed was Shunsui shouting "Someone get Captain Unohana, now!"
Ichigo Kurosaki was just your everyday normal teenager. He went to school, hung out with friends, played sports and studied for tests. Despite the fact he had been able to see spirits from a young age, he was about as normal as anyone else at his school. Was.
Unfortunately, Ichigo Kurosaki died at the age of fifteen. He was walking home from school one day when a driver of a car was texting on his phone and wasn't watching to road. He hit Ichigo, killing him instantly.
Upon death, his soul left his body and he began to wander around Karakura Town, trying to understand what happened to him and why no-one could see or hear him when he asked for help.
It wasn't long before he was approached by someone that could see him. Someone who wore a black robe and carried a sword with them.
"Hey, you there! Can you help me?" Ichigo asked as the man walked up to him. Ichigo noticed he had a large afro.
"Ah, so I've finally found you." He said, looking directly at Ichigo.
"Finally! Someone who will listen to me! Look, can you help me? I've tried asking other people, but they act like I don't exist." He said.
"That's because they can't see you, kid. You're dead." The man replied, nodding his head.
"I'm what?!" Ichigo shouted.
"You're dead, kid. How many times must I say it?" He asked, sounding annoyed at the fact he had to repeat himself.
"I can't be dead! I mean, I was just on my way home from school when…" Ichigo trailed off, when he remembered the car that was heading right for him. "No… It can't be…" He whispered in disbelief.
"Yep, you're dead. Sorry, kid." The man said as he took out his sword.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa! Wait a second!" Ichigo yelled out, jumping back a holding his hands up. "Let's not do anything rash here!"
"Shut up, kid! I'm doing my job. I'm going to cleanse your soul so that you can pass over to the Soul Society." He snapped, as he lifted his sword up into the air.
"What? Your job? This is your job? Just what do you do, and what is this 'Soul Society' anyway?" He asked, raising an eyebrow.
The man sighed and lowered his sword so he could explain himself to Ichigo.
"Look, kid, my name is Zennosuke Kurumadani and I am a Soul Reaper!" He said, holding his thumb up and grinning at Ichigo proudly.
"You're a what?" Ichigo asked.
"A Soul Reaper! I'm an elite warrior who saves spirits like you from the evil Hollows that want to eat you!" He chuckled to himself, clearly proud of himself.
"You're an elite warrior? You don't look that 'elite' to me." Ichigo deadpanned.
"Shut up kid! Gah, why do all the kids have to give me sass?" Kurumadani sighed as he raised his sword once more.
"Just what are you going to do with that?" Ichigo asked, pointing to the sword.
"You mean my Zanpakutō? I'm going to use it to help you pass over to the Soul Society." He said.
"Your Zanpak-wha? How's a sword going to help me pass over, and you still haven't told me what this 'Soul Society' is." Ichigo stated, receiving an exasperated sigh from the afro-haired Soul Reaper.
"Ok, strap yourself in, as I'll give you a crash course on who Soul Reapers are and what the Soul Society is." Kurumadani said. "The Soul Society is a place where all souls pass over to when they die. A Soul Reaper is a warrior that protects human souls from being eaten by Hollows, souls that have lost their hearts and become monsters. Any soul who has enough spiritual pressure can become a Soul Reaper, and by the amount of spiritual pressure I'm sensing from you, I'd say you'd make a decent Soul Reaper. Maybe not as good as yours truly, but that doesn't mean you wouldn't make for a good Soul Reaper." Kurumadani said, giving Ichigo a thumbs up.
"Uhh, right… So, the sword?" Ichigo asked, pointing to Kurumadani's Zanpakutō.
"Oh, right. This here is my Zanpakutō! It allows me to perform Konsō on Human souls and cleanse the sins a soul committed as a Hollow. Now, if there are no more questions, can I do my job and help you pass over?" Kurumadani asked, tapping his foot impatiently.
"Yeah, yeah, do what you gotta do, uhh… Imoyama, was it?" Ichigo asked, scratching the back of his head.
"Imoyama?! Look, kid, the name's Zennosuke Kurumadani and don't you forget that! Now, let's do this thing!" He shouted, tapping Ichigo on the forehead with the pommel of his Zanpakutō, causing Ichigo's soul to begin to break down and turn into spirit particles as his soul began to cross over. "See you on the other side, kid." Kurumadani grinned, once again giving him a thumbs up.
"See ya around… Imoyama." Ichigo said, grinning as the last of his soul disappeared and headed to the Soul Society.
"Dammit, kid! I told you, my name is Kurumadani! Zennosuke Kurumadani! Don't you forget it – Ah, to hell with it, he's already gone." Kurumadani sighed as he sheathed his Zanpakutō and walked away.
"Ah, it would appear he is on his way to the Soul Society. Perhaps this will work out better for me in the long run." A man with shaggy brown hair said to himself as he watched the soul of Ichigo Kurosaki pass over to the Soul Society through a monitor.
"Hmm, what was that, Captain Aizen?" A man with silver hair and a perpetual grin on his face asked the man looking at the monitor.
"Well, Gin, it would appear Ichigo Kurosaki is on his way to us right this very moment. I believe this will be easier for my plans, as he is at the centre of it all." Aizen replied, a small smile appearing on his face.
"Oh, how do you figure that?" Gin asked, growing even more curious than he was before.
"It's very simple, it's no secret that the boy has amazing levels of spirit energy for someone his age, and the fact he has a mix of Soul Reaper, Hollow and Quincy powers means he's a very special case indeed. I believe he will be a valuable asset to our cause." Aizen remarked as he got up out of his seat and left the room he was in, followed by Gin.
"I'm afraid I don't follow. I get it, he's got the potential to become very strong, but how would that help us? Can you even be sure he'd ally with us?" Gin said, raising an eyebrow.
"All will be revealed in time, but for now just know this… No matter how this plays out, I can assure you; Ichigo Kurosaki will become our ally." Aizen stated as he made his way out into the Seireitei. "Gin, would you mind going to fetch Kaname for me? I have a job for him."
Without a word, Gin vanished via flash step to go find Captain Tōsen, leaving Aizen to his thoughts as he wandered the maze-like streets that formed the Seireitei as he made his way back to his quarters.
While it might take me more time than I had first anticipated to locate Kisuke Urahara and the Hōgyoku, it is very likely this will work much better than having Ichigo as an enemy… Maybe this way, I can use his powers to my advantage. Aizen thought as he continued to walk through the streets, until he heard the familiar sound of flash step and knew Gin had returned with Kaname.
"You asked to see me, Captain Aizen, sir?" Kaname asked, bowing his head slightly.
"Indeed, tell me Kaname; do you still have contacts within Squad Two and the Stealth Force?" Aizen asked, although he already knew the answer.
"Of course, sir. What is it you need?" Kaname asked.
"I need your contacts to head out into the Rukon District and look for Ichigo Kurosaki. Normally, I wouldn't bother, as I'd do it myself, but I have too much work and it would look rather strange if a Captain was wandering the Rukon, don't you agree? Oh, before you go; give your men this picture, so they know who to look for. I can't take any chances in there being more than one citizen from the Rukon with orange hair." Aizen said, handing a picture of Ichigo to Kaname.
"I understand. I'll go and have the men search for him right now." Kaname bowed his head one last time before taking his leave with flash step.
"Ah, Kaname, you are a good subordinate." Aizen said, nodding his head. "Come along, Gin. We have much to plan for when Ichigo is brought to us…"
Kaname arrived outside the barracks of Squad Two and made his way inside, towards the training grounds. While he didn't know the schedule of the Stealth Force, or his contacts within its ranks, he did know that Captain Soifon was a hard taskmaster and would likely have them running basic drills in the training grounds.
He had found the training grounds easily enough and began to observe the men that were currently training. While he was blind, he was still able to see each man through their spiritual pressure and could tell each one was pushing themselves to their absolute limits.
"What are you doing here, Tōsen? Last I checked, this wasn't Squad Nine." A voice said from behind the blind man. He knew exactly who it was and turned around to greet them.
"Good day, Captain Soifon. I am well aware this isn't my own barracks. I was actually hoping I could request a few of your men to perform a simple task for me." Kaname stated, bowing out of respect to the petite Captain standing before him.
"Oh, and just what task would that be?" Soifon asked, raising an eyebrow.
"I believe a few of my men have been shirking their responsibilities in favour of going into some of the poorer districts of the Rukon to get drunk and hassle a few residents there for so called 'protection money' and the very idea disgusts me. I wish to seek justice and have these men reprimanded for their transgressions." He lied, as he wasn't about to tell Soifon what the true nature of his visit and request to commandeer a few of her soldiers.
"Very well, I'll accept this request. Though I expect a favour in return, one which I shall collect when I believe the time is right." Soifon stated, earning a nod from the blind Captain.
"I can agree to your terms, Captain Soifon. Would it be alright if I were to pick the men myself? I have worked with quite a few of your men in the past and know exactly who would be ideal for this job." He asked.
"Do you not trust my judgement on the matter? Do you not think I know my men better than anyone else in the Soul Society?" Soifon asked, sounded irritated.
"Please forgive me, Captain Soifon, I meant no disrespect." Kaname said, bowing his head in apology.
"Alright, I'll let it slide… This time. But only because the favour I want from you is very important and rather large." Soifon stated. "I'm going back to my office; go ahead and pick the men you wish to dispatch and if my fool of a Lieutenant so much as questions your actions, feel free to give him beating, or come and tell me and I shall do it myself. That imbecile thinks he can do as he pleases, simply because I picked him to be my Lieutenant. He's so dense that he doesn't even know I'm just using him for his money, much like she did with his father." Soifon growled as she walked away, mumbling the last bit to herself as she left.
Kaname simply shook his head as he went to find his contacts within the Stealth Force. They were easy to find. When they weren't training, they would always sit under a large tree that was in the centre of the barracks, which had been planted by the previous Captain before her disappearance over 100 years ago. Though, Kaname was well aware of how and why the previous Captain had left.
Kaname arrived at the large tree in the middle of the barracks and could sense the spiritual pressure of the three men he was seeking. He walked over to them and cleared his throat, a sign to get their attention.
"Captain Tōsen, sir! How may we be of assistance to you, sir?!" The three men all shouted in unison, bowing as they spoke.
"I have a request for you. I need you to head into the Rukon District and find this boy." Kaname said as he handed one of the men the picture of Ichigo that Aizen had given him.
"At once, sir! What shall we do when we find him?" One man, who was clearly the leader of the three men asked.
"You shall report to me and tell me of his location. I shall handle it from there." Kaname stated before he spoke again, knowing what the men were going to ask. "I understand this will take time; sifting through 320 districts in the Rukon will be tasking, but that's why I've come to you three. Do not disappoint me."
"Sir!" The three men all bowed in unison before leaving the area with a flash step. Kaname simply turned around and left the Squad Two Barracks.
"Hey, mister. Are you alright, mister?" A voice spoke, though it sounded very far away. Ichigo mumbled something incoherent and opened his eyes and saw a child standing over him.
"Huh? Wha–? Where am I?" Ichigo asked, sitting up and rubbing his eyes. He took in his surroundings and saw he was on the bank of a river, lying on the grass.
"You're in South Rukon District 78; Hanging Dog. Are you sure you're alright, mister?" The child said, looking at Ichigo.
Ichigo looked back at the child and noticed his bright red hair that was tied up in a small, spiky ponytail. He was wearing a dirty, ragged brown kimono-like garment and was barefoot. The child had a slight look of concern, but Ichigo noticed something else in his eyes, a look a mild trepidation.
"South Rukon? Hanging Dog? What…? Oh, that's right… I died." Ichigo said sadly as he remembered the events that occurred prior to him waking up here. With that, Ichigo stood up and began to stretch his limbs. "So, kid, just who are you?" Ichigo asked casually, causing the child to become startled.
"Aah! M-my name is Renji Abarai, sir! I'm sorry if I have troubled you!" He said shakily, bowing in apology.
"Whoa, whoa, chill. What's got you so worked up? I only asked who you are, no need to freak out." Ichigo sighed.
"But… I disturbed your nap, didn't I? Aren't you mad at me?" Renji asked.
"Nap? Look, kid, I don't know why anyone would be angry at you for waking them up, but I wasn't napping and I have no idea where I am." Ichigo said, scratching the back of his head and taking in his surroundings.
"Well, like I said; you're in South Rukon District 78, also known as Hanging Dog. All the grown-ups here are mean and treat us kids like we're crap. It's just not fair." Renji grumbled.
"Uh-huh… So, this 'Rukon District'… I'm guessing it's part of the Soul Society." Ichigo asked, getting a weird look from Renji.
"Y-yeah, that's right. So, that must mean you're new here, huh?" Renji asked.
"Yeah, that's right. I died on my way home from school and was sent here by a Soul Reaper called… Um, Imoyama? Eh, he had a giant afro, so he shouldn't be too hard to recognise." Ichigo said to himself more than Renji, earning a wide-eyed look from the red headed child.
"Whooooooa! You remember how you died and how you got here?! That's amazing!" Renji said in awe.
"Is it? I thought everyone knew how they died and ended up here." Ichigo replied.
"No way, very few people can only remember the year and place they died. Others can't remember anything. I don't think I've ever met anyone who could remember everything, including the Soul Reaper who sent you here! C'mon, you need to meet the rest of my friends!" Renji exclaimed, grabbing Ichigo's hand and dragging him up the hill away from the riverbank and towards the shacks that made up the houses of Hanging Dog.
"Hey, wait a minute, kid! What are you doing?! Can't we at least get something to eat first? I'm freaking starving here!" Ichigo protested, causing Renji to stop dead in his tracks and look back at him with saucer-like eyes. "Uhh, are you ok?"
"You're starving? Already?" Renji breathed in disbelief.
"Yeah, why is that such a big deal? People get hungry, so they eat." Ichigo replied casually.
"Not in the Rukon District. Here, the souls of the people that have died never go hungry, because they don't have any spirit energy. If you woke up here starving, you must have immense levels of spirit energy." Renji stated.
"How do you figure that?" Ichigo asked.
"C'mon, I'll tell you while we walk." Renji said, motioning for Ichigo to follow, which he did so. "Y'see, when the soul arrives in the Soul Society, it requires large reserves of spirit energy for the soul to materialise out of the reishi that is present in the air. Reishi is spirit particles that make up everything in the Soul Society."
"Uh… Huh… Reishi… I get it?" Ichigo said, clearly having no idea what Renji meant.
"Put it this way; in order for the soul to manifest in the Soul Society, it requires a large amount of spirit energy. The Konsō that a Soul Reaper performs imbues the soul with a portion of their energy to make manifestation easier upon arrival. However, most souls don't have lots of spirit energy to begin with, so when they manifest, it takes a long time and when they wake up they aren't hungry as any and all spirit energy has been bled dry by the reishi in the atmosphere that they used to arrive. Whereas those who do have spirit energy unconsciously use it to help increase the speed in which manifestation happens. Since you manifested and were already starving, it's safe to assume you had a crap-ton of spirit energy to start with." Renji explained as they walked down one of the many streets.
"Right, and what does that mean for me, exactly?" Ichigo asked, now understanding what Renji was telling him.
"It means you'd make a great Soul Reaper one day! I want to be one too, but I only have a little bit of spirit energy. It'd probably be enough to get me into the academy, but I don't think I'd ever become a seated officer…" Renji said dejectedly.
"Not with that attitude you won't!" Ichigo said sternly. "The way I see it, this spirit energy is the basis of strength for the soul; its power, right?" He asked, getting a confused nod from Renji. "Well, anything that a power or strength within you can be trained and enhanced. All you gotta do is keep working hard and try to find a way to increase your power!" Ichigo declared with determination, which seemed to fire Renji up.
"Yeah you're right, mister!" Renji said, clenching one of his fists together in determination.
"You can stop calling me 'mister'. My name is Ichigo Kurosaki." Ichigo said, looking down at the red head and smiling.
"Ichigo Kurosaki, huh?" Renji repeated the name to see what it sounded like when he said it. "Well, it's nice to meet you, Ichigo! I hope you're ready to meet the rest of the gang!" He said, grinning as they approached a small shack with a cloth curtain as a makeshift door.
"You have a gang?" Ichigo asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Well, it's just my four friends, but we do what we can to survive here, which usually means pissing off some of the adults and stealing from them." Renji said, shrugging.
Well, that explains why he flipped out when I asked him who he was. This kid has probably gotten on the bad side of every adult around here… Ichigo thought to himself as he was escorted, or rather he was pushed, inside the shack by Renji.
"Hey, you guys! You're not gonna believe this! This guy here just arrived in the Soul Society, and he remembers everything that happened to him after he died! He even has a huge amount of spirit energy!" Renji shouted causing all the people present to turn and look at Ichigo in awe, which kinda creeped him out.
"Whoa, you must be super strong and have lots of spirit energy if you remember everything that happened to you before coming here!" One kid with an afro said. Ichigo thought he looked a lot like Kurumadani, or Imoyama, in his case.
"Renji, are you sure? He doesn't look all that impressive to me, and besides, we'd be able to sense his spiritual pressure, like we can with the Soul Reapers, but I feel nothing from him." Another kid with spiky brown hair that covered his eyes and a scar on his left cheek said, causing Ichigo to scowl.
"Yeah, but that's because you suck at detecting spiritual pressure, Hiroshi." A third kid said. He had brown hair that was tied up in a similar fashion to Renji, albeit the ponytail was much smaller. He was much larger than the other kids, who were all skinny.
"Hey shut up, Kenta!" Hiroshi snapped, glaring at his friend, even though no-one could see his eyes under all that hair.
"Guys, knock it off. When have you ever known someone to make that stuff up when they've just arrived and know nothing about how things work here? He has to be telling the truth." The kid with the afro pointed out, causing Kenta to nod.
"You're absolutely right, Masaru. See, Hiroshi? Told you you suck at detecting spiritual pressure." Kenta said, grinning.
"Alright, alright, cut it out you three. Instead of bickering with each other like old ladies, how about you introduce yourselves to Ichigo." Renji said, effectively stopping another argument.
"Alright, I'll go first. My name is Masaru; nice to meet you." Masaru said, bowing in greeting.
"I'm Kenta. Happy to make your acquaintance." Kenta said with a polite wave.
"Hey, I'm Hiroshi. Nice to meet you or whatever…" Hiroshi mumbled, waving his hand in the air as if he couldn't care less about the current situation, only to receive a smack on the back of the head from Kenta. "Ow! What was that for, jerk?!" He shouted.
"You were rude to our guest. Where did you get your manners from, Zaraki?" Kenta admonished his spiky haired friend.
"C'mon, stop it. Seriously." Renji said in a stern voice, causing all three boys to fall silent.
"Hey, Renji, didn't you say there were four people you wanted me to meet? I only count three, unless you were including yourself in there as well." Ichigo said, looking from Renji to the three boys in front of him.
"Hey, you're right. Guys, where is– ?" Renji began to ask, only for him to be cut off midsentence.
"Up here!" A female voice called out from above the group. Looking up, Ichigo saw that the voice belonged to a girl with short black hair and dark blue eyes. She was standing up in the rafters of the shack, looking down and grinning happily at the group below her.
"What are you doing up there?" Renji asked.
"Eh, I heard you guys were coming back, so I thought I'd set up a little 'surprise' for you guys." The girl giggled.
"Uh-huh… And by 'surprise', you really mean 'ambush', don't you?" Renji questioned, inciting another round of giggling from the girl above the group. "Ah, well who cares about that. Come down here and meet our new friend!"
"'New friend'?" The girl asked as she gracefully leapt down off the wooden beam and landed like a cat before the group.
"Yeah, that's right. His name is Ichigo and if what he says is true, he's got a massive amount of spirit energy." Renji said with an impressed look on his face.
"Oh, really? How'd you figure that, Renji?" She asked.
"Well, when I found him, he told me he could remember his life back when he was alive, he remembered how he died and the Soul Reaper who sent him here, but that's not all; he said he was starving when he woke up too! If that doesn't scream 'massive spirit energy levels', I don't know what does." Renji stated.
"Hmm… So, you're Ichigo, huh? Well, I guess it's nice to meet you. My name is Rukia." The girl looked at Ichigo and smiled.
"Uhh, yeah, likewise. So, you must be the other person of this little group of Renji's?" Ichigo asked casually, scratching the back of his head.
"Yeah, that's right. Is that a problem?" Rukia asked, an edge of irritation evident in her voice.
"What? No, why would there be? If what Renji has told about this place, then it's actually impressive. Where I was from, adults were meant to look after kids and not treat them like dirt. I'm impressed that you five are trying to make a difference here." Ichigo said, smiling as she spoke.
"Six." Renji said causing Ichigo to look at him with confusion. "There are six of us now. You're gonna join us and help out and make this a fair place for everyone, right?" Renji asked; his eyes full of hope.
"Sure, why not? I've never liked it when grown-ups take advantage of kids and treat them like they don't matter, but I think we could do a whole lot better than just Hanging Dog…" Ichigo said, grinning as he began to stroke his chin in thought.
"Huh? What do you mean?" Renji asked.
"Well, if we're going to help make this place better for everyone, then we need to think big. Like, think outside Hanging Dog and to every district that is the same as this one." Ichigo replied, causing everyone to look at each other with uncertainty.
"Uhh, I don't know, Ichigo… That seems like a pretty tall order. I mean, we're only just doing enough here. I doubt we'd be able to make a change to the other 319 districts of Rukon." Rukia said.
"Oh, I see… Well, that's – Hold up. Did you just say 'the other 319 districts'?" Ichigo asked.
"Yeah, there are 320 districts of Rukon. 80 in the North, East, South and West. That's 320 in total." Renji said.
"Holy crap… I had no idea this place was so big! So, where are we exactly?" Ichigo asked.
"South Rukon District 78. In other words; we're pretty far away from it all. I reckon it'd take us several days just to reach South Rukon District 59." Renji said, shrugging casually.
"S-s-several DAYS?!" Ichigo exclaimed, his mouth hanging open in shock. "Damn it, we really are far away from it all."
"Yep, the Soul Society is a pretty big place; the Seireitei itself is huge, but the Rukon District is massive. Then you've got the forests, ravines, mountain ranges…" Renji began to ramble.
"Yeah, yeah, yeah, we get it numbskull. Would you shut up already?" Rukia interjected, cutting Renji off mid-sentence.
"Alright, then what about this; why don't we travel to some of the other districts and look for people willing to help? We can set up some sort of network that allows us to help everyone who can't fend for themselves, and we don't have to wear ourselves out trying to do it?" Ichigo queried, eliciting smiles from Renji and his companions.
"You mean, like a… A real gang?" Renji asked. He couldn't keep the awe and excitement out of his voice.
"Well, kind of. Except we will be doing good for the people, not evil… Well, good for those who need and deserve it, at least."
"I'm in!" Renji exclaimed without even giving it a second thought. "What about you guys?" He looked expectantly his four friends in front of him.
"We're in too! We can't let you guys have all the fun!" Kenta, Masaru and Hiroshi shouted together in excitement.
"What about you, Rukia? Are you keen to join our new gang?" Renji asked, looking at his female friend with pleading eyes.
"Looks like I haven't got much of a choice… Ah, what the hell; sounds like it could be fun!" She grinned and started giggling. "But don't even think about trying to give us codenames like last time, you dork!" She playfully hit Renji on the head.
"Hey, 'Red Warrior' is a cool codename! To hell with what you think!" Renji shot back in a joking manner, grinning as he did so.
"No way, Renji, your codenames suck. I vote we make Ichigo our leader so we don't get stuck with your crappy ideas!" Kenta said, causing everyone but Renji to start laughing.
"I suppose it would make sense, it was your idea after all, Ichigo. So, what do you say? Will you be our leader?" Renji asked, as he, Kenta, Masaru and Hiroshi looked at him expectantly.
"Yeah, sure, why not? It would be pretty stupid if this was my idea and I wasn't leading the charge for it. All right, you guys get some rest; we start tomorrow at dawn!" Ichigo declared, balling his hand into a fist at the word 'dawn'.
"Dawn? That's a little early isn't it? Can't we start a little later? Say, after lunch?" Renji asked, only to be whacked over the head by an annoyed Rukia.
"Idiot! The longer we put this off, the longer it's going to take to get anything done. Just how stupid are you?!" She growled, shaking a fist at Renji, who was cradling his head in pain.
"Alright, fine. Dawn it is…" He mumbled, causing the group to laugh at Renji's expense, once again.
"Excuse me, Head Captain; Captain Aizen is here and he wishes to speak with you." A man with short sliver hair and a thin handlebar moustache spoke as he appeared in the Head Captain's office by Flash Step, immediately bowing before his superior.
"Send him in, Lieutenant Sasakibe." Head Captain Yamamoto said calmly, but his voice was able to carry weight behind the order.
With a quick nod, Lieutenant Sasakibe made his way over to the large doors and began to open them. As the doors slowly opened, the figure of Captain Aizen stood there, before he began to make his way into the room.
"Good afternoon, Head Captain. I was wondering if – Oh. I wasn't aware you had company." Aizen stopped in his tracks and adjusted his glasses as he looked at the two men who were sat at a table with Head Captain Yamamoto, drinking tea before his arrival.
One man had long brown hair that was tied up in a loose hanging ponytail and had a couple of pinwheels threaded through his hair. He was wearing a wide brimmed straw hat that hid his eyes, but the lower half of his face, including his scruffy beard was still visible. Over the top of his white Captain's Coat he wore a pink, flowery kimono
The second man had long white hair that ran down the length of his back and reached his waist. He had emerald green eyes that had the same warmth as the smile he was giving Captain Aizen upon his arrival. He too, was wearing a white Captain's coat.
"Good afternoon, Captains Kyōraku and Ukitake. I hope I'm not interrupting." Aizen said bowing slightly to the three men before him.
"Nah, Jūshiro and I were just having some tea with Old Man Yama. Just a casual meeting between Master and Students." Captain Kyōraku explained, casually waving a hand dismissively.
"Yes, but it's getting late, Shunsui. I must head back to my Squad; there's a lot of paperwork I must do, and I still need to find someone to be my new Lieutenant." Captain Ukitake stood up and began to stretch his muscles. It was apparent they had been here for quite some time.
"Why don't you just ask Kaien to be you Lieutenant? He's hardworking, compassionate and everyone loves him. He'd be perfect for the role?" Captain Kyōraku asked, standing up and yawning slightly as he spoke.
"I've asked him many times before, but he seems reluctant to do so. He's been rather unsure of himself since his uncle vanished more than twenty years ago."
"I'm sure it's just down to stress of being the Head of the Shiba Clan. Kaien always looked up to Isshin, and when he vanished, he was the only one suited for the role as Head of the Clan. Maybe he's worried he won't be able to perform his duties as Lieutenant properly, due to his obligations as Shiba Clan Head, or vice versa?" Shunsui asked, before turning to the Head Captain. "Thanks for the tea, Old Man Yama. We should do this again soon."
"Yes, thank you, Master Genryūsai. It's always a pleasure to meet with you like this. Good day to you, Captain Aizen." Jūshiro bowed to his aged master, then to Aizen, before he and Captain Kyōraku headed to their respective destinations by way of Flash Step.
"I apologise for interrupting, Head Captain. I wasn't aware you were busy." Aizen remained where he was as he watched the Head Captain make his way to his desk and took his seat.
"It is of no importance. Captains Kyōraku, Ukitake and I were just about finished. Now, what is it you wished to speak to me about?" Yamamoto looked at Aizen, who remained motionless for a moment before he made his way over the balcony of the Head Captain's office that over looked the entire Seireitei.
"You can feel it, can't you?" Aizen said, giving nothing away, which caused the Head Captain to raise an eyebrow.
"If you're referring to that wild and untamed spiritual pressure that appeared a few hours ago, then yes, I can; it arrived shortly before Captains Kyōraku and Ukitake arrived here. They too commented on its power. For a normal human soul, it is most impressive."
"'Normal human soul'?" Aizen questioned, his gaze not leaving the horizon before him. "With respect, sir, that is no normal human soul. Who – or what – ever that soul is, it isn't normal, but someone with an incredible potential to be an unbelievable Soul Reaper."
"Whatever you have to say, Captain Aizen, just come out and say it." Yamamoto commanded, causing Aizen to break his gaze and turn to the aged Soul Reaper sat behind the large mahogany desk.
"I have come to suggest we seek out this soul and do whatever we can to make them a Soul Reaper. A being with that kind of spirit energy would be an invaluable asset to us."
"We will do no such thing." Head Captain Yamamoto declared, almost immediately after Aizen finished speaking, which caused Aizen's eyes to widen considerably behind his glasses. "The duty of the Soul Reaper is to keep balance of souls in the World of the Living; we do not go out in search of new blood." The Head Captain held up a hand to keep Aizen from protesting. "While I appreciate that you have the best interests of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads and the Soul Society in mind, it is not our job to recruit souls to our cause. It is up to them to decide if they want to join us, whether they are capable of doing so or not."
"With respect, Head Captain, perhaps we should put this to vote with the other Captains? I'm sure some will agree that we should make an exception in this case." Aizen said, keeping his voice even and calm.
The Head Captain sat in his large chair and mulled over Aizen's suggestions. His long fingers rapped on the top of his cane, a sign that he was deep in thought. After a few moments, he stood up and looked directly at Aizen.
"Very well. I shall put it to vote at a Captain's meeting, which shall commence tomorrow at noon. Keep in mind, Captain Aizen, this is a very unusual request, and were it not for your standing as both a Captain and a highly respected Officer of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads, I would have never approved such a thing."
"Thank you, Head Captain." Aizen said, bowing.
"Unless there is anything else you wanted to discuss, you are dismissed." Yamamoto said, before he watched Aizen bow his head before quickly leaving the Head Captain's office with Flash Step. "Lieutenant Sasakibe!" Yamamoto boomed and a few seconds later, his ever faithful Lieutenant appeared by the doors to his office, bowed down on one knee.
"Yes, Head Captain?" Sasakibe said, raising his head to look at his Captain.
"Send a Hell Butterfly to all the Captains to notify them of the meeting tomorrow at noon." Yamamoto demanded.
"At once, sir!" Sasakibe said before leaving the Head Captain to perform his duty.
"Man, it should be illegal to be up this early!" Renji moaned, as he rubbed his eyes to refocus his sight.
"Oh, quit your whinging, Renji. It's not even that early. It's only seven in the morning." Rukia admonished her red-headed friend.
"I didn't even know there was a seven in the morning." Kenta mumbled, earning his a whack on the head by Masaru.
"No-one asked you for your dumbass comments." He said, as Kenta rubbed the spot on his head where Masaru had hit him.
"Argh, you bastard! That hurt!" Kenta yelled, grinding his teeth in a mix of pain and anger.
"That was the point, you moron. Man, Masaru, I think you hit him too hard." Hiroshi said, grinning as Kenta glared at him.
"Go to hell, you bast–" He began, before being interrupted by a familiar voice.
"Geez, I really can't leave you idiots alone for more than five minutes, can I?" Ichigo said, causing everyone to turn around and see the orange haired teen walking towards them.
"Good morning, Ichigo!" Kenta, Hiroshi and Masaru said in unison, bowing as they did so, causing Ichigo, Renji and Rukia to sweat drop.
"Uhh, yeah… Good morning. Ahem, well, it's good to see everyone is up and ready to head out. Now, before we go, is there anything that anyone wanted to ask?" Ichigo grinned at the group, clearly impressed that they were so willing to do this.
"Yeah, something occurred to me last night while I was trying to go to sleep." Rukia said, raising her hand to get the group's attention. "As we're all now aware that Rukon is a huge place, how are we going to get anything done as a group?"
"Huh? What are you getting at, Rukia?" Renji asked, scratching the back of his head.
"What I'm getting at, you moron is; are we going to be in one big group, or are we going to split up into smaller groups?" She responded, causing Renji to growl in anger at Rukia, who simply stuck her tongue out at him.
"That's actually a really good point, but I've already thought of that. We'll head out as a group to begin with, but as we head into safer districts, we'll set up a meeting point where we'll all meet each week to give updates on how everything is going, but from there, we'll split off into three groups and each group will take a respective quadrant." Ichigo said.
"What's a quadrant?" Kenta asked, causing both Masaru and Hiroshi to hit him over the head.
"Ok, knock it off you three. Uhh, no pun intended. What I mean is, when we split into three groups, each group will head North, East or West; since we came from the South, we'll have already covered that area. From there you'll become independent leaders of our gang in that area and each week, we'll all return to the designated meeting point to discuss our progress."
"Hey, that's actually a good idea. The more we spread out and the more we help people, the bigger our network will become and eventually, we won't need to meet to keep updated; we can simply pass messages on to each other, using certain people and places to do so." Rukia said, smiling as the thought just occurred to her.
"Wow, I hadn't actually thought of that. That's a great idea, Rukia." Ichigo said, smiling as he tussled her hair, causing her to giggle.
"Alright, then what the hell are we doing just standing here?! Let's move out!" Renji declared, pointing towards the river that flowed through Hanging Dog.
"Yeah, but there's just one slight problem, Renji…" Rukia said, causing Renji to look at her in confusion. "You're pointing South."
"Oh, shut up! You know what I meant. Let's just get going…" Renji said, sounding somewhat deflated as he turned around and began the journey North, causing everyone else in the group to laugh as they too began their trek deeper into the Rukon District.
Sōsuke Aizen was never one to get ahead of himself. Everything he did had been meticulously planned and he had several plans for every situation, even if the outcome of any situation was unfavourable to him, he still had a plan that would cause the outcome to benefit him. Today was no exception.
Originally, he had hoped the Head Captain would have agreed that the Thirteen Court Guard Squads needed new blood and someone with such a high level of spirit energy like Ichigo would prove to be an invaluable asset in the future and allowed him to head into the Rukon District and find Ichigo. While it irritated him that the Head Captain refused him to do so, he was sure he'd be able to sway most of the other Captains into siding with him.
It had been just over seventy years since he managed to get rid of Kisuke Urahara, Yoruichi Shihōin and several other Captain and Lieutenant Class Soul Reapers, and since he was able to take down Isshin in the World of the Living during his confrontation with the Hollow Experiment known as 'White', who subsequently disappeared after said confrontation almost twenty years ago, the Thirteen Court Guard Squads were lacking young, talented Soul Reapers.
But even that didn't matter; even if the majority voted against the idea, he still had Kaname's men in Squad Two scouring the Rukon District for Ichigo. He would soon be in Aizen's hands and his plans could continue unhindered.
All these plans were being formulated by Aizen's incredible analytical mind as he made his way to the Squad One Barracks, where the Captain's Meeting would be taking place in less than ten minutes.
"Good Morning, Captain Aizen." A voice spoke, breaking Aizen out of his thoughts and future plans. He stopped walking and turned to look behind him, where he saw a face with a long, thin smile upon it.
"Ah, hello Gin. How is everything going?" Aizen asked as he turnedand began walking, with Gin next to him.
"Oh, quite well. I woke up this morning and felt incredibly well rested, the sun was just starting to rise and the birds were singing in the trees outside my room."
"That isn't what I meant, and you know it." Aizen said with no emotion in his voice, or on his face.
"Come now, Captain Aizen, you must really learn to lighten up." Gin said, causing Aizen to chuckle slightly.
"Perhaps you are right, but right now my main concern is getting Ichigo Kurosaki to become a Soul Reaper. It doesn't matter how long that takes, because I know he will join me; it's all just a matter of when now."
"Well, I'm pleased you say that, as I have a feeling Captain Tōsen's 'friends' within the Stealth Force won't be able to find him so easily. It would appear only us Captains can sense Ichigo's spiritual pressure. No-one in my Squad, including my Lieutenant, can't seem to sense it."
"Yes, I noticed that too. While it's wild and unrefined, I thought it was strong enough that at least anyone higher than a Fifth Seat would be able to sense it, but it seems only we Captains can feel it."
"Does this mean you'll need to put your plans on hold? What if the meeting today doesn't go in your favour?" Gin asked, slowing down as he and Aizen arrived at the gates of Squad One.
"No, that won't be necessary. Even if the Old Man refuses to send us to find Ichigo, we'll still have Kaname's contacts looking for him… Now that I think about it; that might prove to be more fruitful in the long run. We'll be able to closely monitor the boy and see if there are any changes in his spiritual energy. Either outcome is acceptable, as Ichigo will be delivered to me eventually."
The gates of Squad One opened and the two Captains ceased their talks as they entered the barracks and made their way to the Meeting Room. As they arrived in the foyer, they realised they were the last two to arrive, not including the Head Captain.
"Good day, Captain Aizen. Captain Ichimaru." Shunsui greeted the two Captains who had just arrived.
"Hello, Captain Kyōraku." Gin waved at Shunsui as the two men walked over to the laid-back Captain. "Do you know why the Head Captain called this meeting?" Gin asked, causing Aizen to shoot him a glare that no-one seemed to notice, except Gin.
"Well, I can't say for sure, but I think it might have something to do with that strange spiritual pressure that arrived in the Rukon District yesterday." Shunsui shrugged.
"I hope so. It feels wild and out of control. It feels strong enough that whoever it belongs to might prove to be a worthy opponent." A voice from behind Aizen and Gin spoke, causing the two men to turn around to see a large figure looming over them both.
"Ah, Captain Zaraki. I had a feeling you'd relish the thought of fighting whoever possesses that spiritual energy. It does feel very strong, if a little unrefined." Gin said, waving at the big man standing before him.
"Oh, settle down, you foolish barbarian! All you ever want to do is destroy things!" An angry voice sliced through the atmosphere. "Whatever is emanating that incredible spiritual energy would make for the perfect specimen for my research!" A man with a black and white painted face approached the four Captains, his hands were pressed together, and being rubbed together in anticipation of all the experiments he'd love to perform.
"Put a lid on it, Kurotsuchi! No-one gives a shit about you or your damn experiments!" Kenpachi growled, glaring at the shorter Captain as he came to a halt within the group.
"How dare you?! My experiments have proved to be invaluable to the Soul Society, or have you become so brain damaged that you forgot who made that eye-patch of yours that feeds off your own spiritual pressure?" Mayuri spat, returning the glare Kenpachi was giving him.
"Settle down, gentlemen. This is the Head Captain's office, not the training ground." Another voice spoke, and everyone turned to see an old man with grey hair and a grey moustache standing before them. He was wearing a Captain's Coat and a light blue silk scarf that was loosely draped around his neck and shoulders.
"Oh, good day Sir Ginrei. How are you today?" Shunsui asked, bowing to the Nobleman.
"Very well, thank you, Captain Kyōraku, but it would be much better if there was no arguing between fellow Captains." Ginrei looked at both Mayuri and Kenpachi, who stormed off in opposite directions. Just as they did so, the doors to the main Meeting Hall opened and all the Captains began making their way inside.
"I do believe Old Man Yama is ready for us…" Shunsui chuckled. He took a step to the side and bowed his head slightly. "After you, Captain Kuchiki."
"Thank you, Captain Kyōraku." Ginrei nodded at Shunsui as he made his way inside and took his place for the meeting.
After Shunsui allowed Ginrei to pass, he extended the courtesy to both Gin and Aizen, while he brought up the rear and was the last one to enter. Once Shunsui took his place, Head Captain Yamamoto stood up from his chair and banged his cane off the ground once.
"This Captain's Meeting is hereby called to order!" His voice boomed around the room; the acoustics of the room amplified his voice, making it seem like he was talking from everywhere in the room. "As I'm sure you are all aware, yesterday a very strange spiritual pressure was detected within the Rukon District. While it was strong, it was also untamed and unrefined. As far as I am aware, only we Captains could sense it. Has anyone outside the Captain Class made mention of this strange spiritual pressure?"
"While I do not think he could actually sense it, Kaien Shiba did make a passing comment about a particularly strange sensation he was feeling sometime after I first felt said spiritual pressure." Captain Ukitake stepped forward from his place to address the other Captains.
"Yes, my grandson also said he felt rather peculiar around the time I began to sense it. Whether or not it was just a coincidence remains to be seen." Ginrei affirmed.
"So, both Kaien Shiba and Byakuya Kuchiki may very well be attuned to this spiritual pressure? Is there anyone else who has approached you with similar comments?" Yamamoto looked at the rest of the Captains, who all shook their heads.
"Do we know what the source is? Could it be a new type of Hollow? This sprit energy does feel rather… Murky." A large man with a full faced helmet asked.
"That is rather unlikely, Captain Komamura." Aizen began. "If it was indeed a Hollow, then I'm sure Squad Twelve would have been notified." After Aizen had suggested this, everyone in the room looked to Captain Kurotsuchi.
"What Captain Aizen says is true. If it was a Hollow, my scanners would have picked it up and sent out an alert. However, Captain Komamura's suggestion is not without merit. I managed to retrieve the spiritual signature on my scanners and spent all night analysing it. While I have confirmed the source to be a human soul, I can also confirm this is no normal human soul we are dealing with. I would like to request that we find this soul that I might make further investigations into the matter."
"To hell with your investigations, Kurotsuchi! I vote we find this soul so they can become my new sparring partner!" Captain Zaraki grinned devilishly at the thought of having an opponent who might very well be strong enough to fight them at full strength; with the proper training.
"Who cares about you and your childish desires, you bumbling imbecile! We need this soul to better understand its power and how it managed to attain such a harsh spiritual pressure. It's inconceivable." Captain Kurotsuchi began to scratch his chin, using his exceedingly long fingernail.
"While I don't necessarily agree with Captain Kurotsuchi's desire to experiment on a human soul, perhaps it would be prudent to seek this soul out and make them a Soul Reaper. After the betrayal of Kisuke Urahara, we are not as strong as we could be." Captain Komamura said, causing a few other Captains to nod in agreement.
Seeing the Captains agree to Komamura's statement, Aizen inwardly smiled. Good, it seems everything is going as planned. Gin, however, noticed the Captain across from him began to scowl at the mention of the name 'Kisuke Urahara', and decided to make some mischief.
"Oh, but Captain Komamura, don't forget; Kisuke Urahara was not alone. He had help from Kido Corps Commander Tessai Tsukibishi…" He paused for a moment and looked across the room once more to see the Captain standing opposite him was now grinding her teeth. He knew exactly what to say next. "And let us not forget the other traitor; former Squad Two Captain; Yoruichi Shihōin."
"Don't you dare speak that name!" Soifon yelled at Gin as she lunged at him, only to be held back by Ginrei and Shunsui. Gin, however, had to stop himself from bursting out laughing at just how perfectly his little plan for mischief had worked.
"CAPTAIN SOIFON, CONTROL YOURSELF!" The Head Captain's voice thundered around the room, causing the entire room to go silent. Everyone present had even stopped breathing, "How many times must I tell you to control your emotions? Yoruichi Shihōin is a traitor to the Soul Society, whether you like it or not!"
"Y-yes, Head Captain. Please forgive me and my actions. They were unbecoming of a Captain. I apologise to you too, Captain Ichimaru." Soifon spoke in a voice barely higher than a whisper, but was clearly heard by everyone in the room.
"That's quite alright, Captain Soifon. Don't worry your pretty little head about it." Gin said, waving a hand dismissively. With a large grin on his face, he looked over to Captain Aizen, who merely shook his head.
"Ahem, returning to business at hand…" Yamamoto attempted to carry on the meeting from where they had been so rudely interrupted by Soifon. "Captain Komamura is correct, but this is not a decision for me to make, and with the Captain's Seat for Squad Ten currently vacant, I will not need to make a decision on the matter. All those in favour of tracking down this soul in an attempt to recruit them into the Thirteen Court Guard Squads, raise your hand now."
After the Head Captain spoke, Captains Ichimaru, Aizen, Komamura, Tōsen and Zaraki all raised their hands.
"Very well; those who vote we leave this soul in peace and allow it to do as it wishes, raise your hand." The Head Captain declared.
This time, Captains Soifon, Unohana, Kuchiki, Kyōraku and Ukitake raised their hands. Once the Head Captain noticed the vote was tied at five votes a piece, he raised an eyebrow.
"Captain Kurotsuchi. I notice you didn't vote for either decision." Yamamoto looked at the Squad Twelve Captain expectantly.
"That's because I choose neither decision. I vote we find this soul so that I may perform experiments on it to see what makes it so special." Mayuri grinned evilly, rubbing his hands together in excitement. Upon hearing this suggestion, half the Captains present groaned.
"Captain Kurotsuchi, while I understand your desire for knowledge, your experiments are both cruel and abhorrent. This is a human soul we are talking about, our duties as Soul Reapers are to protect humans, both living and dead; your 'research' violates those duties you, as a Captain, are sworn to uphold." Captain Unohana spoke for the first time, causing all the Captains present to agree.
"Fine! To hell with that damn soul! Leave it alone for all I care, I have far more important experiments that require my attention!" Mayuri growled before taking his place back in line, grumbling a few obscenities to himself about Captain Unohana. What Mayuri didn't know, was that Captain Unohana heard every word and made a mental note to herself to visit him later and reprimand him.
"Very well; it is decided. We are to leave this soul be and let it do as it pleases, and should it decide to become a Soul Reaper at any point, then we shall be lucky to have them as an ally. This meeting is dismissed!" With a final strike of his cane against the hardwood floor, Head Captain Yamamoto ended the Captain's Meeting.
"Well, that's no good. What will you do now, Captain Aizen?" Gin asked, once they had left the Squad One barracks and were alone.
"I will do as the Head Captain says, Gin. I will leave Ichigo Kurosaki be for the time being. Kaname, your men in Squad Two will be able to locate him?" Aizen asked, turning to look at Kaname, who walked on his left side.
"Of course sir, but it might take them some time, given the fact they cannot sense his spiritual pressure and they have to search the entire Rukon District." Kaname stated.
"Time is of little consequence. As long as they can find him, then that's good enough for me." Aizen said as a thin smile crept across his face. You will be mine, Ichigo Kurosaki. One day, I will find you and make you join me; one way or another...
A/N; Alright, I hope the way I have wrote this doesn't confuse anyone, in terms of the timeline and events that have occurred. I'm using details from flashbacks that appear in the Anime to write this story, but adapt it so that Ichigo is now residing in the Soul Society, but he meets Rukia and Renji as they're kids so I can (possibly) make a mini-story out of that while I write this as a whole.
I intend on making this some sort of 'Multi-Chaptered, Multi-Storied' Epic, wherein there are many new storylines that develop as this Fanfic progresses. Hopefully, it'll make more sense the more I write, but I can't promise I'll update regularly. Once I get writer's block, it becomes almost impossible for me to progress. I WILL finish this though. Just like my other one, but for now, consider that to be on indefinite hold until I figure out where I want that to go (Writer's Block is such a bitch). Right now, this is the one I'll be focssing on. I hope you'll all enjoy the adventure that we're about to embark upon.