Summary: What would've happened if Kurosaki Ichigo awakened his powers in his first encounter with a hollow…. without taking Rukia's? Will anything be the same, or will the world of bleach change as we know it?
AN: Ok, so I noted that I might have made some of the characters like Ichigo and Rukia a bit O.C. I didn't mean for this, but I guess that's just how my mind wrote it. Anyways, I'm starting at the point where Ichigo runs in front of his first hollow. Plus, I only just started reading Bleach a few days ago, so if I'm a bit confusing, anyway, onto the story.
"Hey! If you want me, come and get me!" Ichigo yelled, running out in front of the hollow who had attacked his family.
"Kurosaki, that won't solve anything!" Rukia yelled out, running to jump between the two. She stopped as a strong wave of spiritual power pushed her backwards, kicking up dust and causing her to close her eyes. When she opened them, she was expecting the worst, not to see Ichigo carrying a large blade, cutting at the hollow.
"How do you kill this thing?" Ichigo yelled, slicing off the beast's arm. Rukia stood there, stunned, not expecting this. "Earth to Shinigami! How the hell do you kill this thing?" Ichigo asked, causing Rukia to be interrupted from her thoughts.
"Slice its head! And my name is Rukia, not shinigami!" Rukia yelled, watching as the orange-haired man dodged an attack by jumping above it, and brought his sword straight down through the beast's head, causing it to instantly disintegrate. She watched helplessly as this man, no, shinigami, collapsed on the ground, exhausted from overuse of his spiritual power.
"Ichigo!" she yelled, running over to the now unconscious teen, seeing his human body sprawled out. 'Hmm, interesting. He escaped his human body without any assistance. If I thought I had to report this earlier, I definitely have to bring him in for the report,' Rukia thought, dragging Ichigo's human form into his house, putting each person that lay unconscious in their respective beds, leaving Ichigo's soul form out, in preparations for a trip to Soul Society. 'I bet he's the cause for the recent hollow activity in this town. He's the only one I sense with a high Spirit Power,' Rukia thought silently, opening the door to Soul Society, dragging Ichigo with her. She pulled out her pager, and called Ukitake-taichou, explaining the current situation.
"Alright, fine, bring him in. but only because he appears to have become a shinigami by some feat. Did you say his name was Kurosaki?" Ukitake asked, genuinely interested.
"Yeah, I think his dad's name is like Kurosaki Isshin or something like that. What does this have to do with him?" Rukia asked.
"Interesting, very interesting. It seems the database on all shinigami, past and present, have an Isshin Kurosaki registered, and his strength was registered at just above a captain's," Ukitake said. Rukia proceeded to head through the door.
"Halt, why have you brought an unknown man?" a guard asked, seeing Ichigo being dragged behind her.
"I have brought him in under direct orders of Captain Ukitake of the 13th division," Rukia said, keeping a stone cold face.
"Very well, Ukitake-taichou is currently at the barracks of the 13th division in his office," the guard said, watching as Rukia flash-stepped away. She reappeared in front of the barracks, stopped by Captain Ukitake.
"Hmm, so this is the Kurosaki boy. It seems he has already achieved his initial release for his Zanpakuto," Ukitake noted, the large cleaver like sword on his back clearly visible.
"Yes, Ukitake-taichou. He defeated a hollow that was targeting him as soon as he entered shinigami form," Rukia said, remembering the moment when he looked as though he was going to suicide for a hollow.
"Ahh, I can sense his spiritual power, even though it is nearly drained, he still seems to have such large stores. Take him inside and settle him on the empty bunk near yours, we shall talk to Captain Yamamoto in the morning," Ukitake stated, turning to head back inside, but was interrupted.
"He broke through a Kidou binding, before he gained his powers, Ukitake-taichou," Rukia said, causing Ukitake to turn back around.
"Hmm, he must be a powerful individual to be able to do that," Ukitake said, before walking away, deep in thought.
The Next Morning, Captains Meeting
"So, has the captains decided what they shall do with Mr. Kurosaki?" Yamamoto asked, causing the group of captains that were in deep thought to turn.
"I say we make him fight me, to prove his worth!" Kenpachi exclaimed, smiling arrogantly.
"I say we have him tested to enter the Gotei 13, and decide where he should be placed afterwards," Ichimaru stated, receiving several nods of agreement from the Captains.
"I say skip the testing, he already proved his worth by defeating a hollow the moment he gained his powers, that's proof enough to enter the Gotei 13, however, I also agree he should be tested, not to enter the Gotei 13, but to see where his skills lie," Toshiro announced, receiving a nod from everybody but Kenpachi.
"Alright, we will go with Captain Hitsugaya's idea, for it seems the best defended and most agreed upon," Yamamoto stated. "Bring in the kid," he ordered 2 guards who immediately went to the hall and dragged in a very fidgety Ichigo. "Kurosaki Ichigo, you have been brought before the heads of the Gotei 13 for a very important reason, and that is to see where you will be placed in out of these 13 divisions." Ichigo bowed in fear, but found some courage to talk.
"May I ask a question, Yamamoto-sama?" Ichigo asked, receiving a nod from said captain, "Why am I here? Not in a disrespectful way, of course, I'm honored to meet such powerful people. But why? I was living a normal life until I was attacked by the hollow," Ichigo said, nervous because he was afraid he'd stepped on toes, but hadn't.
"I see, well, if it was just the attack, then your memories of last night would've been wiped, and you would still be home, however, when attacked, you came out with shinigami powers and a victory that would take a seasoned shinigami do. You, Ichigo, are a special human, for, you withheld your powers for so long," Yamamoto said. Ichigo bowed in respect to the compliment given by the strongest man in Soul Society, "and, you have been brought here to be trained, so you may return to your human body at some point in the future and protect those souls of your town. You will become a shinigami, and I've already sent for your body, this way your family think you not dead, but simply missing." Yamamoto approached the orange-haired boy, causing Ichigo to flinch, thinking he did something wrong, however, was surprised when he felt a hand on his shoulder. "My boy, get ready, for you are going to be tested out by the most fearsome captain of the Gotei 13, Captain Kenpachi," Yamamoto told him, as he turned around to see a humongous man with an eye patch smiling evilly, cracking his knuckles.
"He he, draw your weapon, boy, for today, shall be your last," Kenpachi said, laughing when he saw the boy faint. The captains turned, all glaring at him. "What, I didn't mean to make him faint; I only wanted him to fear me." Toshiro stepped forward, offering to help Ichigo up, which was gratefully accepted by Yamamoto, who at the time was keeping Ichigo from falling.
"Captain Hitsugaya, could you please take Ichigo-san to your barracks, for I sense that is where he will be placed after his testing is over," Yamamoto ordered Toshiro, who carried Ichigo in the direction of his division.