Bleach ½.

Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach, Ranma ½.

Summary: As we all know, Ichigo Kurosaki's life was altered when he came into contact with one Rukia Kuchiki, what if Ranma Saotome experienced the same phenomenon at the exact same moment only with a different Shinigami?

First encounters and new arrivals.

Ranma Saotome, heir to the Saotome branch of Indiscriminate Grappling or Anything Goes as it's also called, was currently on the roof of the home of his uncute fiancée Akane Tendo, the "heir" to the Tendo branch of the same school. He calmly gazed at the stars as he thought peacefully, for however brief it lasted, about his life and all the changes it had gone through.

He had done so now for many days since he learned of a startling revelation in regards to himself, a part of him wondered why him of all people though another part thinks it was just par the course as far as his life went.

It had been four whole months after the battle with the Phoenix King and needless to say it left a profound effect on him and left him with many realizations.

The first was that his battles with strong opponents were getting more dangerous and were growing in intensity and ferocity that it worried him some innocent bystander would get hurt. Contrary to popular belief he preferred his fights away from people since his fights bordered on the super human…he never told anyone how scared he felt when he accidentally punched a child while suffering under the effects of the Moxibustion Happosai attacked him with.

Second was the sad realization that he had used his art with lethal intent and in lieu of that marked him forever more as a warrior not a martial artist. His father, strangely enough in a moment of utmost seriousness, explained to him the difference when he noticed a change in his son's attitude towards fighting in general.

A warrior used any and all means to defeat his opponents, including their death at his hands; a martial artist strived to do the same while avoiding that fate. Both defended the weak and innocent, but the results were drastically different.

Genma had asked him if he felt proud of what he had done, and Ranma immediately said no. His father then did something not even Ranma knew he could, he smiled and said he was proud of him for not falling prey to those dark feelings that come from the act. It was the first time Ranma didn't question the validity of his words as he listened to his father and sensei.

Unfortunately his father had no way of teaching him how to deal with the aftermath of such a thing, for though some of his techniques were dangerous, he had sealed them away for fear of how they could be used to destroy a life. Say what you will about Genma's thieving ways but he was not in the business of murder and assassination.

The old letch and Grandmaster of his school didn't either when he politely asked of him how to do so.

Again he was caught off guard when the old man said he had no answers for him, just that he had reached a point where Genma would not be able to teach him anymore and that from now on he was expected to come to him for lessons, no catch at all.

No one believed he would follow through but Happosai did do just that, he taught him meditation techniques to help increase his ki, how to draw in energies from his surroundings by using chi like the old man did occasionally though Ranma thank the Kami he didn't need it from women's unmentionables as it something he was quite able to do easily thanks to the Neko-ken.

Sadly there was no known cure for it so he had to still deal with that, still he took it in stride as always. He was learning also how to harness his ki without the need for an emotional base from the Amazon matriarch, something quite dangerous if what she said was true, Ryoga was warned as well but he had yet to understand the implications involved.

These weren't the only changes he went through, and not all were under the norm.

He spent more time with his mother, who after rebuilding her house with the money that Ukyo, Kodachi and Shampoo (After a severe scolding from her Great-grandmother for attacking the home of the Saotome matriarch) provided. They were told in short that it was a no fiancé zone regardless of the terms or laws involved (Again the old matriarch came through for him after dressing down her heir and the duck when another attempt was made).

They spent much of their time getting to know one another again, and she was naturally less than pleased with his father's training methods, especially the Cat-Fist or his lack of scholastic and social learning.

To appease her he made a better effort in school, it wasn't easy but there was progress none the less. As for social skills she tried to a do better job than her husband in that area, again a challenge but one he was up for... though she still hoped to see him prove his manliness with the girls much to his chagrin.

Not all changes were welcomed though as he soon found out 2 months after the failed wedding.

It started out small, like all things tend to do; as his training in meditation and ambient chi progressed he began to notice things, presences near him as he walked to and from school or to one of his usual haunts.

Then he slowly began to hear voices and see vague humanoid shapes that finally evolved into seeing people with a chain coming from out of their chests.

His first thoughts led him to believe he had finally snapped, that the pressure proved too much for him so naturally he went to his old friend doctor Tofu, who had moved to another city called Karakura helping a friend of his run his clinic.

Tofu had checked his pathways and physical stats and only found his reserves larger than last time, but no explanation about why he was seeing these people with chains, so he suggested he ask the Amazon Matriarch or the old man.

Playing on her vast magical knowledge, he went to Cologne first; her explanation left him floored to say the least.

Flashback…

"I'm seeing ghosts!?" he asked in shock.

"Your description of these beings does support that conclusion, Son-In-Law." The shrunken old woman replied as she drank some tea.

"But why now? I mean it's not the first time I've had to deal with them. I mean there was that old guy who kept pestering me in my sleep and the Ghost C-c-cat, why I am seeing so many now?" the youth asked her.

"Hmm, it could be for any number of reasons, your exposure to magical artifacts and other phenomenon could have altered your senses or your battle with the Phoenix King may have changed you in ways we have no way of knowing."

"It changed me all right…" he said softly though the bitterness was apparent.

"You must really move on from that battle Son-In-Law, dwelling on it will only lead you down a path of self destruction." She said wisely to the boy, despite everything she did like the young man, he gave the most fun she ever had in years.

"Easy for you to say, I never wanted to kill him, just get him to move away so I could help Akane."

"You do know he isn't truly dead right?"

"Yeah I know, but it doesn't change the fact that I used the art for killing."

"Take it from someone who has seen the dark nature of the arts, you will never be the same but so long as you stay true to yourself you shall be able to deal with the changes." Again the old woman spoke with voice of experience in her tone; she had sadly lived through the more violent periods of her people's history and their enemies.

"Maybe…anyway what do I do know that I can see theses ghosts, I mean do I ignore them, talk to them or what?"

She was silent as she processed the question as it deserved some measure of thought.

"Speak to them only if they become aware of your ability to see them and communicate with you but do nothing else, there are hidden dangers that not even I dare face alone and a boy like you would not understand."

That caught him off guard since he figured she was powerful enough to face whatever was out there.

"What do you mean dangerous?" Cautiously he asks, he had learned from his mistake with the Dragon Prince, anything that makes her worried he should be cautious of.

"Tell me, have you ever felt a dark presence around you or heard a howling scream?"

"No…not here at least."

"Where then?" She asks feeling both worried and relieved.

"In that Karakura place where I visited Doc Tofu when this all started and I felt something there, something cold and dark. It was at least half a mile from me, but I could swear it was getting closer to me, like it sensed me or something, but when I came back here I lost track of it."

"The creature you sensed is called a Hollow, an evil spirit that feeds on the souls of the living and dead to satisfy its never ending hunger, some are mindless beasts and others cunning and ruthless killers that enjoy toying with their prey."

"How do you fight them?"

"You don't boy, even the tribes near Jusenkyo choose not to engage them in combat. Only the most seasoned fighters have lived to tell the tale and they have never been the same after an encounter, one such creature managed to unite the three tribes briefly due to its immense size and power." She replied gravelly to make her point, she remembered all too well that towering beast with its ghastly mask and its insatiable hunger.

That of course did not sit well with him or ease his worries about this new ability.

"Could they really be that strong?"

"So, how do you recognize them? And what else is there besides Hollows?"

"They come in different shapes and sizes, but all have one thing in common, they all wear a mask and all have a hole where their chains use to be…or perhaps that is where their heart once lay."

"What do you mean their chain? Cause I see a lot of these ghosts with chains on them, some fairly long others short."

"Once they were regular spirits of the dead but when their despair and anger grew they changed into Hollows, the holes are said to represent the emptiness in their hearts. As for what else is out there I can only say that should you ever encounter human like figures dressed in a manner similar to the Kuno boy but all in black and brandishing a sword do not approach them, for they are what keep the Hollows from growing out of control or attacking."

"And what are they? And how strong are they compared to Hollows?"

"In your tongue they are called Shinigami, Soul Reapers and such. Some say they are dead warriors raised to challenge these creatures of darkness, but rarely do we encounter them, respect them should you find yourself in their presence for what I know of them they have a vast array of skills and power to match the Hollows."

"So how come I don't see any of them or Hollows in Nerima?" The young martial artists ask as he grows more interested in the conversation.

"There is something in the land that masks the more powerful spiritual presences, that of course does not mean that the hollows won't appear here it just means they have a harder time tracking their prey here, I have further strengthened that ability by utilizing wards and the local Ley lines but the encroachment of civilization over nature makes it difficult at times."

"I see… wait what about Mom's place, she lives near the outskirts?" he asked with some worry.

"I doubt they would track you there, after all from what Shampoo has told me you have been there for several weeks now and there has been no incident, correct?"

"Yeah so far, I just want to make sure she's safe."

"A noble gesture I'm sure, but you should not worry. These beings have had ample time to find you and have not so it could mean they are too weak or to distracted to find such a power source...but I shall ask her if she would permit me to place some wards there, a courtesy for one matriarch from another." She kindly adds as she did respect the woman, who wouldn't if she could keep that oaf of a husband of hers in line.

End flashback…

He remained to ask more questions about what she knew, but when the subject of training came up and her asking him to marry Shampoo in exchange he called it quits.

Right now he was simply focused on his typical problems, those being the girls increased efforts to gain his affections.

"I'm just not ready to get married; sure I and the Tomboy were close but…" He thought as he looked to the heavens for an answer.

It wasn't that he hated them, even Kodachi wasn't close to that, it was just he had no way of knowing how to handle a girls affection for him, his trip had left him inadequate to deal with those feelings and interactions.

"Ugh, its time like these that make me wish I had a clue about what girls want, hell I turn into one and have no idea how to handle them."

"Ranma! Dinner is ready!" Kasumi spoke from below.

"Coming!" he replied "Well no sense in thinking about that now, I should talk to her later, maybe she can help me." He thought as he gave a look towards the dojo before he dropped down.

"At least my life can't get more complicated than it is now." He said out loud, not realizing how he had just tempted fate.

In another section of Nerima…

All was quiet throughout the night, the only activity to be seen was that of nocturnal animals going about their business.

However in an alleyway the air suddenly shifted and a seemingly from out of thin air a doorway appeared. It slowly opened and revealed a brilliant light; from it three figures could be seen stepping out.

"So this is the place? Doesn't look like anything strange is going on… unless of course we aren't in the right place, are we?" A woman's voice was heard.

"Well according to the twelfth there were some strange readings here, and I doubt they would make a mistake." Another woman spoke.

"There wasn't, Kurotsuchi-taicho was quite clear this is the source of the odd readings." The final and also female figure spoke up though her tone was rather neutral.

"Well, so long as we're here we can have some fun while we're at it." The first woman spoke cheerily.

"Rangiku, I do not believe your captain would approve of us wasting time during the investigation." The Second woman spoke up with some worry.

The woman now known as Matsumoto soon was revealed to be a buxom blonde woman with long hair and hourglass figure, in a black hakama, pink obi and a pendant that hanged from her neck between her breasts, she had a sword tied to her waist.

"Oh relax Isane-chan, live a little, you especially need to get out more and enjoy the scenery." Matsumoto said to the other woman.

Isane was a silver haired woman with a small braid, and grey eyes, she held herself with a calm composure yet some insecurity was still seen there, she was dressed similarly as her companion.

"We're not here to sightsee." She reproached quietly.

"Would not seeing the sights be the same as taking measure of our surroundings?" The third woman asks curiously, whether it was to approved the idea or not could not be discerned from her tone.

"See Nemu-chan agrees with me! Besides all that recon stuff can wait, first we need to break in our Gigai's and look for some place to spend the night, and then we can start checking out the place in the morning…after breakfast and shopping, right Nemu?" Rangiki asks her companion.

Nemu was a raven haired woman with hair in a long braid with bangs framing her lovely face and wearing a kimono that was in keeping with the style the other two wore except it reached mid thigh and the sleeves were not as wide.

All three carried swords with them.

"Hitsugaya-taicho will not be pleased." Isane stated once more, Nemu chose not to say anything at the moment.

"Oh what he doesn't know won't hurt him; besides we hardly get to do anything fun." The blonde pouted.

"We went to the onsen two weeks ago, you got drunk and got into trouble for it." The silvered haired woman reproaches despite knowing it was a lost cause.

"Details, details what matters are that we all had a great time..." She replied before continuing "…now let's go look for some shelter."

*Sigh* "Fine but no binges please, I don't have enough medicine for you." The silver haired woman said as she and her friends disappeared in a burst of speed.

Chapter 1: Meet and Greet…or why Murphy hates to be taunted.

The Next day…

Isane, Nemu and Rangiku had begun to move about the town in their Gigai's observing the populace and taking note of anything of interest…or at least Isane did.

"Oh look at that Isane, they have half off on all dresses for today only!" the ever energetic woman spoke.

"Rangiku please! We have to accomplish the mission." She spoke to her friend.

"Lighten up Isane. We have plenty of time, besides we haven't found a single thing odd about the place."

Enter Murphy…

"LOOK OUT BELOW!" both women suddenly heard and stared up to see a figure rocket towards their position.

"Look out!/Incoming." Rangiku yelled while Nemu simply stepped aside as the blonde pushed Isane out of the way.

"BOOM!"

"What in the name of…!?" Isane spoke as she and Rangiku got up and dusted themselves off and Nemu approached the crash site.

Seeing a large crater in the middle of the street was disturbing, seeing everyone ignore it as typical was even more so.

"Ugh…damn Tomboy." They heard from inside the crater.

"Oh my goodness! Are you all right!?" Isane asked as they watched a boy in his teens dressed in Chinese style clothing get up and look at them as he popped his spine back into place.

"Hmm must be tourists." Ranma thought as he looked at the two of the three women give him worried looks, which he appreciated since people often ignored him when he made his landings rarely giving him a look or even a band aid.

"Yeah I'm fine." He spoke despite his left arm hung limply.

"Fine!? You arm is dislocated!" Isane yelled as her medic trained mind began to think of treatments.

"Huh? Oh would you look at that?" he simply said as he stared at it before looking around and finding a lamp post nearby and calmly walk towards it.

"Don't tell me he's…" Rangiku thought as the boy did in fact slam his arm into place with a sickening pop.

"There all better." He said casually.

"You fool! You could hurt yourself worse." Isane reproached.

"Nah, that happens at least three times a week, can't feel it anymore after putting it back into place." The raven haired teen cheerfully replies as he moves the area around for any problems

"Three times a week?" the medic whispered before finally fainting.

However before she could hit the ground Ranma had already had caught her.

"Whoa he's fast for a human." The blonde thought while Nemu made a note of the boys speed.

"Um…is your friend going to be all right?"

"Oh it was all the excitement going to her head, no worries." The blonde said like it was the simplest thing in the world while her raven haired companion silently nods.

*Not much of a talker that one eh?*

"O…kay well I should still put her someplace more comfortable." He suggested as he gently picked her up bridal style "I just know I'm going to suffer for this one."

"There's a park nearby we can take her there." Rangiku said as she led him there, Nemu followed while taking note of how everyone was now giving the boy wide berth, she took note of that as well.

Later at the Park…

"Ugh…what happened?" Isane asked as she rejoined the land of the conscious.

"You and the ground nearly had an intimate encounter." The Lieutenant of the 10th spoke up from her left.

She got from the bench and shook the cobwebs out.

"Are you okay now?" She heard a young man say and turned towards the source, there stood the boy who nervously held his pig tail, if certain circumstances were different she would have found his actions rather cute.

"I am not the one who crashed into the ground and formed a crater; it's you who should be in a hospital." The medic spoke urgently as she recalled why she fainted.

"Nah, I've done that so many times it's practically a routine, besides I can't feel it anymore so why bother." Ranma replied with an air of indifference.

"A routine?" Rangiku questioned.

*Sigh* "You're not from around here are you?" He asked.

Rangiku and Isane shared a look before Nemu answered.

"We're just passing through, taking a break from work and well here was our first stop."

"Huh, well I guess that's reasonable we get plenty of tourists here hoping to catch a glimpse of my fights."

"Your fights?" Isane asked.

"Yeah, it's part of the whole appeal of Nerima, martial arts capital of the world, where anything can be turned into a fighting style."

"Really?" Matsumoto asked skeptically.

"Yeah, I've been in just about every weird ass competition you can think of, from martial arts figure skating to martial arts calligraphy."

"You have got to be joking, no one could do that." The buxom Shinigami incredulous tone was not missed while her companions were surprised as well by his admission.

"You can if you get as good as me." He boasted.

"Cocky aren't you." She smirked.

"Got reason to be, here let me show you." He replied as he held out his hands and formed a Ki ball between them.

*GASP!*

"What is that?" Isane asked in wonder as she observed the golden orb.

"This is my Ki."

"Ki?" Nemu asks with a look of interest

"My life force I guess you can call it, with this I can make myself stronger, faster or tougher."

"Kinda like our reikoku." They three thought.

"Can I…touch it?" Isane asked.

"Sure, it won't hurt you though you may feel something." He warned.

They slowly dipped their fingers into the orb.

*Gasp* "What is this feeling? I feel like I could take on the world and win." The lavender haired woman said.

"Well, with Ki you have several ways to summon it, this is the easiest and somewhat dangerous, by using a particular emotion as a focus you can pull this off."

"How is it dangerous?" The scientist of the group asks while wondering how to obtain samples.

"Well if you use it too much it can influence you and make that emotion dominant. I use confidence hence why it's that color, I know a guy who uses depression meaning his is green. Of course he's always miserable so you can guess he isn't the most stable guy to be around." He admitted.

"So is that why you're so cocky?" Rangiku asked.

"Nah, I'm confident because I've had to deal with a lot of tough opponents in my life and win, hasn't been no walk in the park but it does make me grow in my art. Besides I'm learning to use other forms of Ki."

"There's more than one type?" Isane asked this time as she found herself curious.

"Well there's the emotional, the elemental that uses outside sources like nature and the internal which is using your own bodies reserves without emotion, that one is trickier to use."

"Wow, how long have you been practicing you art?" The blonde asked.

"Well pop took me on a training trip when I was 5 years old and I've been learning as I go along, it has been…interesting."

"Hmm, say I have an idea." The squad ten lieutenants spoke out loud.

"Uh oh, she has that look in her eyes." The medic and scientist soul reapers thought.

"How about you give us a tour of the place, I'm sure you know a lot of interesting places."

"…I don't know you could probably find someone better than me for that." He says nervously while giving the area around himself a quick look

"Ah but no one nearly as cute as you…" the busty woman quipped earning a blush "…besides we can make it worth your wild." She finished with a saucy stare and bending slightly to enhanced her breasts.

*Gulp* "No thank you."

"You don't think we're pretty." She said with the beginning of tears in her eyes and a pout on her lips.

"He's doomed." Isane thought to herself.

"No I think you're all very pretty…" getting a blush from the medic "…but still it could be very dangerous for you."

That caught them for a loop.

"What do you mean Mr.….? Oh! I forgot to ask your name how rude of us." Isane spoke quite embarrassed by the slip up.

"Ah don't worry about it, name's Saotome Ranma, you can call me Ranma." He spoke up giving a bow as instructed by his Mother.

"I am Kotetsu Isane." The 4th division lieutenant replied with a bow.

"And I am Matsumoto Rangiku."

"Kurotsuchi Nemu."

"Pleased to meet you."

"Likewise Ranma, now what do you mean it's dangerous for us?" The lavender haired woman asked.

"Well…I…that is…ugh! Look it just is ok trust me on this." He replied to her.

"Sorry, no can do, I know you must mean well but we can take care of ourselves pretty good and…" However before Rangiku could continue with her comments, she was interrupted by the cry of a certain Lost Boy.

"RANMA! PREPARE TO DIE!"

"Ah crap, its pig boy."

"Who?"

As soon as she asked that, a black haired boy with fangs showing, wearing a yellow shirt with black pants and a large backpack with umbrella appeared.

"Remember that guy I said that could do that ki thing only with depression?"

They nodded then pointed at the source of the cry.

"Yeah, that's him."

"Ranma! I see you are cheating on Akane again! Have you no shame!?" The irate boy yelled at his rival.

"Cheating again?" Isane asked.

"Trust me it is a long, long story." The raven haired teen spoke with resignation in his voice.

"Sound like an interesting one." Matsumoto quipped.

"STOP IGNORING ME!"

"Oh shut up and fight pig boy." He replied as he jumps at him just as Ryoga did the same.

*What have we stumbled into?* Both Isane and Rangiku think while Nemu kept taking notes.

*Fascinating.* the 12th vice captain thinks.

The End.

Honestly I wrote this just around the time we got into the HM arc and before things sort of soured (I blame Shonen Jump for this not Kubo)

So yeah the idea was that Ranma meets some Shinigami, gets into a situation similar to Ichigo and gets powers.

Probably wont pursue this one though as I got another idea for a Bleach/Ranma cross.