Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach

Soul Society Chronicles

After Ichigo and his friends return from Hueco Mundo, life in Soul Society returns to normal, or as normal as it can get.

Soul Society Chronicles: The great hollow hunt Chapter one: On your marks

The summer sun blazed down on Karakura Town, its buildings and rooftops shimmering as if they were in a heat wave. If the town's spirit seeing inhabitants had cast their gazes up onto the rooftop of the old abandoned elementary school, they'd have seen something very out of place for a small town on a blazing hot summer afternoon.

The rooftop was crowded with shinigami, from every division in the Gotei 13, all of them had gathered there for one reason. To take part in the great hollow hunt. Since two division captains had left Soul Society with Aizens betrayal, there was a power vacuum within the 13 divisions, a quarter of their captain seats were empty, and nature abhors a vacuum. The lieutenants of the 3rd and 9th divisions, Izuru Kira and Shuhei Hisagi, had stepped up to fill Gin Ichimaru's and Kaname Tosens empty seats but the 5th divisions lieutenant, Momo Hinamori, had refused the post. She was still hurt over Aizens betrayal and General Yamamoto had decided to solve the problem to stop the endless arguments within the Gotei 13.

The hunt had been arranged, each division had sent a representative and the rules were simple, whoever killed the most hollows within three hours would be awarded the captainship of the 5th division. Despite the seemingly simple rules the contest was far from easy, a captains post was something many Soul Reapers would, and some had, killed to possess.

"Remember, the winner is the one who to kills the most hollows, not the most powerful hollow, if you have a choice of killing one high level target, or five minor ones, go for quantity over quality" Byakuya said to his companies representative

"Yeah yeah, I know, you've told me about fifty times already" Renji replied, leaning against the side of the building and adjusting his shades

"You'd better win, or people'll think we're going soft" Kenpatchi Zaraki said to the competitor of 11th division

"Don't worry, I won't let us down" Ikkaku replied to his captain, looking down at the thin bracelet on his left wrist, the bracelets would recorded how many hollows the wearer had slain, and bring them back to Soul Society when the hunt had ended.

"You'd better not bowling ball head, or Kenny won't like it" Yachiru said from her usual perch on Zarakis left shoulder

"I know you can do it Rukia, you've handled far worse lately" Jushiro Ukitake said

"I know, after nearly being executed, how bad can a few hollows be?" Rukia replied, her hand resting on the zanpaku-to's scabbard

"You had better not fail, my work is perfection, anything less than total victory would be an irredeemable insult to it" Mayuri Kurostuchi snapped at 12th divisions hunter

"Don't worry captain Kurostuchi, I will win, or die trying" Kio replied

"Well that's a start I suppose" Mayuri replied to his division's third seat.

"Are you sure I'm ready for this? I mean I don't think any of the other hunters are less than fourth seat, I'm only seventh" Hanataro Yamada asked his captain

"You will be fine, I have complete faith in you, you are ready for this, your actions during the Ryoka incursion have proved that" Retsu Unohara reassured him

"Don't worry, you might just be out of the academy, but if you're anything like your sister, this'll be a cakewalk for ya" Toshiro said to his divisions hunter, who merely nodded his head and looked down at Karakura town, wondering if he could sneak away to see his sister at sometime during the hunt.

"Give it your all, you'd make a better captain than I would" Momo Hinamori told the hunter from the 5th Division

"Victory is everything, failure is not an option" Izuru said to 3rd divisions competitor

"Relax, we've got this in the bag, don't worry boss, I won't make you look bad on your first day" she replied, shuddering at the sudden tremendous increase in spiritual pressure signalled the arrival of the final captain, General Yamamoto.

"The hunt is about to begin, after three hours the bracelets on your wrist will teleport you all back to Soul Society, good luck and good hunting" the General said, flames from his zanpaku-to rising behind him, creating an impressive display as he lifted the lid off the massive jar of hollow bait

"Trust old man Yama to make this all seem so dramatic" Shunsui Kyoraku said to Jushiro, who nodded in agreement, agreeing with his old friend for once.

As soon as the hollow bait flew into the air the thirteen hunters took off, all charging forwards, eager to start the hunt.

In chapter 2 – Things seem to be going fine until the contestants start to drop as fast as the hollows

To be continued, all reviews are happily accepted and greatley appreciated