-1Incarnate, Chapter Two.

A Bleach Fanfiction

Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach, it's characters, or anything belonging to Tite Kubo.

"The Arrancar is none of your concern." Byakuya replied curtly, gesturing for them to follow before sweeping out of the room.

"What the hell do you mean, none of our concern?!" Renji moved out to the hallway connecting their room, his voice raising with each syllable.

"We're not going anywhere without her." Ichigo added, staring defiantly at the back of Byakuya, who had stopped in the hallway.

"Very well, then the meeting shall be held in her cell." with that, the Kuchiki Noble vanished. Unohana stepped in front of them and began walking down the hall.

"Come with me, we shall see your friend."

They made their way down the hallway, taking several turns during which Ichigo lost his sense of direction. She soon came upon a pure white door, gesturing towards it. Ichigo stepped forward and opened the door, revealing Nel strapped to a hospital bed, with monitors connected to her at several places.

Renji moved forward, to Nel's side, shaking her shoulder. Her eyes fluttered open and then flew wide open, staring at him. "R-Renji!"

He threw his arms around her hugging her tightly. He scrutinized her at arms length, looking at her mask for a moment. "What's up with the headgear, Nel?"

She looked at him for a moment, a questioning look on her face, as it is described. Rukia had walked in, standing at the edge of the bed with Ichigo's arms curled around her from behind. Unohana stepped forward, speaking.

"The others have not yet regained their memories. So they only have 18 years worth of their memory." she said quietly, looking at Nel.

"Oh, I see." she responded, looking downcast.

Several new faces suddenly joined the room. Captains of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads. Captain-Commander Yamamoto, Byakuya, Kyouraku, Kurotsuchi, Soi Fon, Ukitake, and Hitsugaya. The Captain-Commander stepped forward, his cane clacking against the tile. The foursome turned and watched him closely.

Rukia took Ichigo's hand again, to Byakuya's chagrin.

"Rukia Kuchiki, Renji Abarai, Ichigo Kurosaki..." the General paused "And the Arrancar Neliel Tu. We are here to stimulate memory recall. The only way we can do that is with this." as he spoke, he nodded, and his Vice-Captain stepped forward from nowhere, procuring three small black orbs that he held out to the three.

They took them...wearily, staring at the pure black orbs apprehensively. "What do they do?" Rukia asked the assembled Captains.

It was Kurotsuchi that answered. "You must focus on the orb, and try to push your energy into it. God knows you're incompetent now, but I'm sure you can at least accomplish this."

Ichigo scowled. "What. Does. It. Do?"

"It will send you to your inner world and allow you to talk with your Zanpakuto, Mr. Kurosaki." Unohana answered before Kurotsuchi could snap at them.

"So say I believe this Zanpakuto bull, and all this other crap you're feeding me. What the hell makes you think I want my memories back? I rather like my life the way it is." Ichigo said, staring at the group with his usual angry expression.

"You have no choice, Ichigo. Soul Society needs you." Hitsugaya added, in a not-authoritative tone, for once.

"Fine, we'll try this crap. But one condition," he said, holding up his index finger. "Nel stays with us here no matter what. I know her, she won't attack anyone." he finished, firmly.

"Kurosaki, you have an accord." Yamamoto said, his gaze flickering to the Arrancar. "Release her, if she moves to attack, kill her."

Unohana and Kotetsu moved forward and released the cuffs and bindings, and Nel sat up, rubbing her wrists.

"Now, the lot of yeh. Sit down and try to use the orbs." Kurotsuchi instructed waspishly. It was quite obvious he did not like the ex-Ryoka, and was likewise anxious to 'examine' Nel. Not that it was allowed.

Ichigo sighed, sitting down and leaning against the bed. He stared at the orb for a second before speaking. "Ya know, nothing's gonna happen."

"Shutup and at least try Ichigo." Rukia snapped, staring at her own orb.

Renji was likewise concentrating, defeated, Ichigo sighed and continued staring at the orb, his mind wandering.

Why do they honestly expect this to work?

And what the hell is all this talk about souls and Zanpakuto?

You there, Mr. Zangetsu?

Why yes, Ichigo. I'm glad you asked.

"Buah!" Ichigo yelled outloud, staring at the orb. That was NOT his voice in his head.

"Shutup, stupid." He received a punch to arm courtesy of Rukia.

It has been a long time, Ichigo, let us have our reunion.

The world dissolved around him, and he suddenly found himself in an extremely familiar world. His inner world. Just as he remembered it.

Zangetsu stood atop the flagpole, staring at him behind his visor. "Hello, Ichigo."

"Hey, Old man."

"It has been many a year since you arrived here. And in that time, I have weakened. This is your Zanpakuto as it is now." he raised one arm, drawing from midair the hilt of a sword. He tossed it forward, and Ichigo caught the hilt deftly in his hand.

"It's sealed? This is from when Urahara cut it."

"Yes, Ichigo. And now, you must go back. Break the seal, Ichigo, and you can take your memories back with you." Zangetsu said, suddenly tense. "There is not much time."

"I know, Old man." Ichigo took the hilt and brought it back, holding it for a second before speaking.

"Slice through the Heavens, Zangetsu!"

As the blade glowed brilliant blue, he was suddenly transported back to the hospital room, Zangetsu literally exploding into his hand, the massive cleaver swung around and found itself securely on Ichigo's back.

"Took you long enough, Ichigo." Renji said, smirking. He was sitting on a chair, the only Captain still there was Hitsugaya who was conversing with Rukia. They both walked over to him, greeting him.

"You've been out for a few hours, Ichigo." Rukia said, moving forward to hug him. "It's good to have you back. Or at least, all of you." she added with a small smile. Nel entered the room a few moments later, promptly diving on Ichigo and smothering him with a hug.

The room, including Hitsugaya, burst out laughing. She was wearing an outfit very similar to an Arrancar suit, mainly for her pride. They wanted to give her a shihakusho.

Ichigo was soon back on his feet, asking Renji and Rukia how they got their zanpakuto back. He remembered something, as they spoke.

"I think I can seal my blade." he said suddenly, earning a deadpan from Rukia and Renji.

"If he accomplished that, I'll walk around with Zabimaru released for a month."

"I agree." Rukia added.

"Oh, I don't know. I think he can." Nel said, smiling. "How about 1000 yen, and the Zabimaru thing?"

"Deal!" Rukia and Renji said simultaneously.

Ichigo drew the cleaver, staring at it intently for a moment. His reiatsu compressed, and the blade glowed blue before shrinking to a red-wrapped hilt.

Nel squealed, "Payyyy up!" while Renji grumbled and released Zabimaru.

Ichigo tucked the hilt back into the obi on his outfit just as the Captains returned. Ukitake came first, frowning at Ichigo, "Where is your cleaver?"

"Right here, Captain Ukitake." he said, drawing out the hilt for examination before stowing it back.

Commander Yamamoto, Kyouraku, Soi Fon, and Kurotsuchi were next.

"Well done, Ichigo Kurosaki. You took, by far, the longest. As expected of the one with the most reiatsu." Yamamoto praised. "We will take the meeting to the Captain's meeting room. Please, come with us. He stepped off smartly, flanked by the Captains. As soon as the group exited the Fourth Division, the entire group Flash Stepped away.

After a few moments, the Captains were assembled in their meeting hall. Yamamoto was at the head, and Ichigo and the others were opposite him, at the end of the line of Captains. Yamamoto was speaking, something about valor and the like, but Ichigo was not listening. He was glancing from Byakuya to Rukia.

Byakuya seemed annoyed, it was an irrelevant emotion, or so he said, but Ichigo could see it in his eyes. The cause? Probably Rukia's closeness to Ichigo, of course. Even though she seemed more shy since she regained her memories(Ichigo felt a bit awkward as well, even though he remembered the 17 years they'd spent together.) she was still standing awfully close to him.

Not that he minded.

Finally his attention turned to Yamamoto, who had paused for a second.

"This is why, Kurosaki Ichigo, that I want you to take the place of Aizen as Captain of the Fifth Division." he said, his voice echoing dimly in the hall.

He felt 16 pairs of eyes on him, most staring in a rather shocked state. The Captains had not been informed why they were looking for Ichigo, nevermind the others in his group.

"Unfortunately, when you fought and defeated Aizen 19 years ago, there was not Two Hundred Fifth Division members observing. You have achieved Bankai in less than three days. So you are qualified. Do you have an objection?" Yamamoto's steely gaze never strayed from Ichigo.

"I'm not fit to be a Captain...sir." he added the last part after a second. "I don't have the proper leadership skills nor do I even reside in Soul Society."

"That can be remedied. As for the leadership skills, I believe you led an attack force on Hueco Mundo. That alone proves your skill."

Zaraki was grinning, staring at Ichigo with that 'evildeathkillingmurdereyes' look.

"Captains in favor?" Yamamoto declared.

Kyouraku and Ukitake's hands raised, as did Zaraki's, almost instantly. Hisagi Shuuhei, who had been made an official Captain when he attained Bankai, followed soon after. Byakuya's hand raised slowly, his face impassive as usual. Hitsugaya was watching Ichigo with a skeptical look, but when he saw Ichigo looking rather determined at the Captain-Commander, his hand raised as well.

Kurotsuchi spoke "I will refrain from voting until I have seen the applicant in battle. I believe Captains Soi Fon and Komamura agree."

Unohana's hand raised, making it eight.

"Very well, Captain Zaraki, you will fight Kurosaki, at Soukyoku hill. The Captains will meet there in a half hour." the General finished, stepping away from the meeting room and into the door behind him.

The Captains filed out, their Vice-Captains joining them when they got outside. Only Unohana and Ukitake stopped by Ichigo, smiling. "You will be approved, I am sure." Unohana said gently, while Ukitake said in a rather determined tone. "You'll be a fine Captain, Ichigo."

Zaraki stood in front of Ichigo, Yachiru perched on his shoulder. "This, Ichigo, will be fun." he said simply before heading off, undoubtedly for the Soukyoku hill. Ichigo turned to Rukia, a very odd look on his face. Was it...apprehension? Ichigo was nervous? Impossible!

"Are you okay, Ichigo?" she spoke quietly, peering up at him.

"Yeah. I'm fine." he responded.

"Ya' don't look it, Strawberry." Renji added, leaning against the wall with Nel.

"Worried about the fight, Ichigo? It was Zaraki who saved you in Hueco Mundo the first time." Nel said, frowning.

"No. I'll beat him. Which is why I'm worried. I don't think I'll make a good Captain. I can't lead hundreds of Shinigami!" his voice rose as he spoke.

Rukia took his hand in hers, pulling him to the door, where the whole of the Seireitei stood at their feet. "There are hundreds of Shinigami there, in what will be your division." she said, pointing towards the fifth. "If you can handle Renji and I, you can handle the Fifth."

Ichigo was staring at the Fifth Division, from their vantage point he could see tiny ant-like shinigami in the training yard, probably practicing hard with their Vice-Captain.

Ichigo felt a warmth spread through him. "I'll do it, then."

"You don't have a choice, Strawberry. Now let's get to the hill." Renji said, Flash Stepping away. Nel and Rukia followed, and, with a smile, the strawberry stepped off.

The Captains were already assembled, deciding they didn't want to miss any fight. Yamamoto was the last to join them, simply appearing by Soifon's side with an impassive look on his face. Zaraki stepped forward, drawing his blade out and laying it on his shoulder. Ichigo pulled the hilt from his obi, holding it tightly as he glared at Zaraki.

"You may begin when ready." Yamamoto's voice floated over the soon-to-be battlefield.

Zaraki dove forward with his sword stretched behind him, he swung the blade down toward Ichigo's shoulder. Ichigo raised the hilt, blocking the attack with the inch of hilt above his hand. The impact pushed his feet down into the ground, breaking the rocks and creating a rather large dust cloud.

Zaraki pushed down on the blade, spinning it sideways in order to slide it into Ichigo's grip and cut his hand. Ichigo responded by deftly changing the direction of the hilt to point diagonally, so the serrated blade simply slid off. Ichigo took several steps backwards as Zaraki growled.

"Release your sword already! Ain't no fun fighting a hilt."

Ichigo flashed a grin, raising the hilt to the sky. "Cut through the Heavens, Zangetsu!"

The blade came crashing down, a blue crescent of compressed reiatsu flew towards Zaraki. He raised his blade and parried the energy sideways, his smile broadening. "NOW we can fight!"

With that sentiment, he dove forward again. Ichigo's cleaver met Zaraki's blade, stopping it an inch before it cut through his throat. Ichigo smiled, deadlocking Zaraki's strength. "Getsuga Tenshou."

The pair exploded in a bluewhite ball of reiatsu. They were soon jettisoned from the dust cloud, Zaraki with a gash along his right shoulder, Ichigo with a cut on his chest. Both were smiling still.

"I know ya' got Bankai, Ichigo. Why not use it?!" Zaraki yelled, ripping his eyepatch off. The yellow reiatsu spiraled around him, and he was off. He disappeared for a split second before reappearing above Ichigo, his sword coming down hard toward the Strawberry's shoulder. Ichigo's head tilted up, his body perfectly still. A pair of yellow and black eyes were staring into Zaraki's.

"Bankai."

Zaraki felt the reiatsu threaten to sling him away, but with an application of his own, his sword continued on it's path.

Tiiiiiinnnnngggg.

Ichigo's forefinger was extended, pointing towards the blade. In fact, it was touching the blade, or better describing, he had blocked the attack with the tip of his finger. A hollow mask was forming from black reiatsu onto his face, and the yellow and black eyes never left Zaraki.

"Tensa Zangetsu."

As he spoke, he swung the black blade sideways, aiming for Zaraki's midsection.

"Captain Soi Fon, intervene."

"Sting all Enemies to Death, Suzumebachi."

The diminutive Captain flash stepped into the battle, blocking the black blade with the tiny blade of Suzumebachi. Her body was crushed between the sword and Zaraki, but she had stopped it from sliding through Zaraki's body.

Zaraki, meanwhile, was grinning. His reiatsu leapt up another level, a drip of blood fell from Ichigo's finger.

Ichigo applied pressure from his finger, then to the blade, propelling both Soi Fon and Zaraki sideways. A red ball of energy was forming on Ichigo's finger as he watched them.

The Captain-Commander spoke, with urgency. "Captain Kuchiki, intervene."

The stoic Captain flash stepped in front of the still flung Captains. "Bankai." he dropped the blade, and the massive blades appeared behind him as he spoke "Senbonzakura Kageyoshi."

The blades split apart into their hundreds of millions of tiny blades, diving in front of Byakuya and the two vulnerable Captains.

"Cero!" the red ball erupted from Ichigo's finger, forming a large cone-like shape before slamming into Senbonzakura's petals. The petals came whipping around, attacking Ichigo in earnest. Soi Fon was darting in and out, having recovered gracefully. She was trying to get a mark on Ichigo, but no matter how many times she seemed to attack in time with the petals, he still blocked.

Zaraki was simply lunging forward, keeping Ichigo on his toes, and keeping him on the defensive. Ichigo kept backing up, evading and blocking everything that was thrown at him. Until-

"Captain Kyouraku, join them." The Commander said, watching as the lazy Kyouraku stood and drew his dual blades.

Soon enough Ichigo had four swords and a billion petals attacking him. Kyouraku's attacks were swift, his swords seemingly acting of their own free will and striking from hard-to-block places. Soi Fon's attacks were very fast, but not very strong. Zaraki was swinging with all his might, and the petals were dancing around trying to find an angle before they swept in.

Ichigo was finally sick of being on the defensive.

"Ginkai!"

His reiatsu leapt to levels generally unheard of. The force of it pushed away the four Captains, and created a cloud of dust some fifty meters high. When it was forced away, Ichigo was holding a pure white blade with a white bandage coming from the end of the hilt. His right side was covered with hollow bone, including half of his face. His entire sword arm was that of a hollow. The bone stretched down his neck, over his shoulder, and down the length of his arm, encasing it in the super strong material. A yellow and black eye along with a normal amber eye peered at the four Captains.

He seemed to vanish from thin air, several copies of him reappearing behind each Captain before they could react. They felt the touch of cold steel to their throats and realized that he defeated them all without even trying. Ichigo faded back to his position, now facing the Commander.

"That's four of your Captains, incapacitated." he said, his voice ringing calmly.

"I am aware, Kurosaki. But do not get overconfident. While they are Captains, they are by no means the strongest." The Commander's reiatsu spiked, flowing his robes.

"Kurosaki Ichigo has defeated Four Captains in the presence of the remaining Captains, I assume this will be enough for you?"

Komamura and Soi Fon nodded quickly, as Soi Fon rejoined the line of Captains.

Kurotsuchi was smiling, rubbing his hands together in anticipation. "Oooooooh I would love to experiment on this one!" he said, shaking with 'diabolical' laughter.

"Very well, let him become a Captain." he finished, eyes never leaving the hollow half of Ichigo's upper body.

Said hollow half disintegrated as his sword changed form. It changed to the black blade, then to the meat cleaver, and finally to the red hilt, which he stowed in his obi belt. He stepped over to Rukia, smiling. She pulled him into a hug while Renji clapped him on the back.

"Abarai Renji." the Captain Commander called.

Renji froze, turning towards him.

"You have been unanimously approved for Captaincy of the Third Division."

The four deadpanned, staring at the Commander. "What, seriously?" Renji asked, staring at the old man.

"Indeed. All the Captains have witnessed your skill in battle. Not only did you fight on Captain level, but you helped in both assaults on Hueco Mundo."

Renji grinned sheepishly. "Well, I guess I accept graciously, then. Thank you."

"Vice Captain Hinamori has resigned from her position, taking the third seat in the third division. The third seat of the Fifth division, likewise, has resigned. Kurosaki, or rather, Captain Kurosaki, you must pick a new Vice-Captain and Third Seat." The Commander announced solemly, peering at him. "Personel files will be sent to you of all applicants."

"No need, I've already decided. That is, if they will consent." He turned his eyes to Rukia and Nel. "I would like Rukia to become my Vice-Captain and Nel my Third Seat."

The Captains outcry, was, as expected, loud and obnoxious. "We can't have a hollow as a third seat!" "Impossible!" "Rukia is not capable!" (Kuchiki Byakuya was frowning, oh noes, emotion!)

"Rukia, as you well know, has achieved Bankai, she is more than capable. And as for the Hollow thing, Nel is half and half, and in case you forgot, I'm half and half as well. I don't see the problem." Ichigo said seriously, staring at the assembled Captains.

The Captain Commander sighed, his eyes returning to Ichigo. "Very well."

Rukia had latched onto Ichigo's hand while Nel smothered him in a death hug, squealing her thanks.

"This is gonna be hell, you know that, Strawberry?" Rukia inquired with a smile at her 'niisama's' very disapproving look, which was centered on Rukia and Ichigo's intertwined fingers.

Ichigo, who was released by Nel, smiled at her "I know, midget."

It seems most of the backstory concerning Soul Society is occuring here. Fufilling the section in my story 'Outcast' where Hamano mentions Squad Five being incredibly hard to get into.

Read and Review, or else I'll be sad!

Blarggy