AN. All right im back with ch. 3. Yay. So without further ado on with the story.

Special thanks to Blackace65, Whitespiderlilly, and my own special Haru-bunny (who has her own account Bunnykoi). Sorry it took so long to reload this story and finish typing. Thanks for sticking with tho. I have added an extra AN to the end read or don't but it does explain some things. ^.^

*Captain Ukitake's office*

He sat behind his desk trying to catch up on the paper work that he had missed due to his last hospitalization that, in his opinion was far too long, yet Captain Unohana is still quite scary when it comes to her patients and what she believes is in their best interests. So here he was trying to fix some outdated materials when the door being flung open and a disgruntled Nanao that was screaming bloody murder for her captain, who happened to be Ukitakes old friend and sometimes drinking buddy, Captian of the eighth company Shunsui Kyoraku.

"Nanao. How may I help you dear?" he asked after getting over being slightly startled at her abrupt entrance.

"Captain Ukitake, forgive my entrance but please tell me you have seen my captain?" she asks with a pleading voice.

"I'm terribly sorry my dear but I haven't seen him since he came to visit me in the hospital yesterday." He said as he put his pen down and started to rise from his desk. He came around and grabbed her shoulder to steady her and began to speak again. "but I will help you look for him." At hearing this she brightened and looked less like a wilting flower. Unfortunately a hell butterfly cam through the window and announced that the head captain wished to have a meeting with all the captains and their fuku-taicho. "well. I guess that means that our search has been called off. Come nanao he will be at the meeting and I will make sure he doesn't scamper off afterwards."

"Thank you captain". She said as they both left to get to the meeting.

*Back with Ichigo*

"Come on. I told you that after I showed you the room we were going to go see Renji. He doesn't know you're here yet. Actually as a matter of fact I didn't know you were here either. I still cant feel you even though im looking right at you. When did you learn to hide your spirit pressure?" she asked as she was dragging him to the wall of the compound to leave.

"Well one I've been working with Urahara and secondly I can still walk you do not have to drag me anywhere." He said while still struggling to get his arm free of Rukia's death grip. Though it was proving to be a vain attempt. It appeared that he was even forgotten about as said man walked around the corner and waved his hand in greeting….until he saw that Ichigo was being drug through the stone…..was that an Ichigo face trail?...was that even possible?

"Ohio Renji" rukia said as she raised her hand and had completely forgetting about a certain orange haired teen that was eating literal dirt.

"Ohio Rukia…..um is that ichigo?" he asked with a still confused expression. He watched her startle and then begin to giggle…..wait….giggle…..yes giggle. Creepy. She released Ichigos wrist and acted as if she hadn't just drug him for a good 10-15 minutes. Definitely creepy. "Hey Berry when did you get here?" he asked with a smug look on his face at seeing the orange haired teen in the dirt, and trying to repress the scene that just occurred. Rukia giggling, never a good thing and especially a bad thing to remember.

Ichigo's hand being finally released when Renji addressed him stood and glared at the short female by his side. Finally it registered that not only had Renji ignored his need for help from the insane girl but also insulted him all in the short span of a few minutes. That was just unacceptable. "Oi Oi Oi. Where do you get off calling me Berry? Hugh Baka?" His left foot slid forward and he slightly crouched and put his hand over his shoulder as if to grab Zangetsu.

Before Renji could retort he noticed that Ichigos trademark cleaver wasn't on his back and ichigo was in fact grabbing thin air. Renji then took it upon himself to have a deer in the headlights moment. He lifted his hand and pointed a finger at where ichigos sword should be, yet for some reason wasn't. At this action Rukia took it upon herself to notice this slight oversight as well.

"Ichigo where the hell is Zangetsu?!" she practically screamed in his ear as she jumped back slightly as if this weren't the real Ichigo in front of her but an imposter. Noticing that his friends finally picked up on his latest achievement gave a playful yet evil smirk and bowed his head. With his hair having grown out it overshadowed his eyes. He held his hand flat over his shoulder then made a fist as if he were grabbing something and swung it in front of him. As he did this Zangetsu materialized from hilt to tip. To say that Renji and Rukia were shocked and amazed would be to say that Kurotsutchi was only slightly loony and didn't have a straight jacket to snuggle with at night instead of a stuffed animal.

Renji was the first to snap out of the daze and realize that Ichigo had done the, what was once thought impossible, and materialized his blade out of practical thin air. "Ichigo….what did you just do?"

"I told you I've been practicing with Urahara. I can practically hide my reishi by dematerializing zangetsu." He said as he let go of the hilt and watched it disappear. "So since were all here now where do you want to go?" he glanced over at Rukia for the answer.

She had finally come to from her stupper and had a smirk on her face. "Let's go to the 10th division". For some reason both the boys really didn't like that smirk. Ichigo turned to Renji about to make a comment when he saw Soul Society's notorious messenger system, the hell butterflies. It landed on Renji's shoulder and relayed its message before meandering off. Renji looked to his two friends and said, "Sorry guys a mandatory meeting has been called for all captains and vice-captains. Ill be back as soon as I can and I want a spar." He said pointing to Ichigo. With that he took off.

Rukia looked to Ichigo. "well there goes my plan. I was going to visit Lieutenant Matsumoto and tell her that you were here. Oh well, let's go to lunch." She began to walk off and Ichigo had to wonder because Rukia did actually look put off and upset that she couldn't show him off. This irked him somewhat and he couldn't figure out why. He liked her. He shouldn't be irked. Right?

*At the captains meeting*

After a few moments of confusion all the captains and vice-captains had been seated in the meeting room with the head captain at the front of the room as normal. The confusion came from the fact that everyone was sitting. They never sat and yet here they were. Another confusion came from the fact that the vice-captains had been ordered there and offered pillows to sit on as well. The only times that the captain and vice-captain meetings merged was when there was an immanent threat of destruction. Immanent as in 5 seconds away. It just wasn't done. So to say that everyone was tense and had one if not both hands on their zanpoktou was a rather large understatement.

Finally after several moments of severe tension the head captain spoke. "Everyone, you may relax. This is an important matter that I want all of your opinions on but not one that requires violence." He was speaking rather slowly and those that did not know him would believe it to be age. Fortunately those in the room did know their supreme captain and knew that even with his appearance his age was not affecting him. He was weighing his words before he spoke. "I have called this meeting for the sole purpose of deciding Kurosaki Ichigo's fate and position within the Gotei 13." He paused to allow that information to sink in and be absorbed….and then the protests. There were several shouts of indignation and welcoming. One voice that did not join the cacophony was Byakuya Kuchiki's. It was believed that he was not speaking out of principal but there was a rather uncharacteristic smirk on his face. "Captain Kuchiki. Will you inform me of your position on this matter?"

Having been addressed he slowly raised his eyes to his captain and began to speak. "Head Captain, with all due respect I was wondering when we would have this meeting." He then stepped forward to fully address his captain. "He may still be an insolent ryouka but he is strong and even stronger willed. I have grudgingly given him my respect because he has not only earned it but deserves it, and he has never asked for it or actively sought it out. If he were to accept, I and the Kuchiki clan would stand behind him if the position of captain were offered to him." His peace haven been said he stepped back into line and sat down. His fukutaicho by this point long since lost his ability to speak and jaw, which was on the floor, seemed to want to faint. His captain, the brother of his crush, the one that considers Ichigo a bane to his existence not only just stood up for Ichigo but agreed that he would back him and willingly work along side him. Apparently Renji wasn't the only one shocked, the head captain included, he opened his eyes.

The head captain again addressed everyone present. "That is what I was thinking of Byakuya. If offered the position how many will back this decision?"

He was met with one loud voice, not so surprisingly it was Soi Fon who was vehemently denying Ichigo's rise to captaincy. She wanted him nowhere near the same level she stood on. It wasn't going to happen. The head captain seeing this raised his hand and everyone quieted down once again. "I can see this isn't getting very far. Very well Soi Fon, if you will not let him take a captains position then he will take over for my position as head captain." That being said everyone went back to reassess their earlier statement and began to think that maybe the head captain's age really was affecting his judgment.

Kyoraku, who up until this point, was hiding his face looked up to see the varied reactions and couldn't hold back his laugh. Nanao who had already smacked him for skipping out on the paper work earlier was startled that he would do such a thing in the middle of a meeting. Hearing his laughter at this the voices died down as everyone stared at him. Soi Fon having had enough snapped at him.

"WHAT. Do you think is so funny captain?" her glare was that of a dangerous pretator.

Chuckle "You are captain. Honestly if we can rope Ichigo into it then ill back him for the old man's job. When yama-jii steps down its either ukitake or me that will take over and I don't want that. So if we can tie him to it ill stand behind and beside him." Having said that he pulled his hat lower on his face and got up to walk towards the door.

"where the hell do you think your going Kyoraku? The head captain hasn't dismissed us yet." Soi fon was really pissed off now.

"Im headed off to see what mischief our resident substitute shinigame has gotten into." He finished as he got to the door and then left.

"Yes I have given you all much to think about we will reconvien in a few days time and make a final vote. Dismissed" with that bing said he banged his cane to the floor and the captains began to leave. When the door closed behind the last captain he let out a sigh and let his lieutenant step forward. "that went better than I expected and I do agree with Kyoraku if we could rope him into it I would force kurosaki to be the next head captian."

ANANANANANANANAN\

OK so I know at this point in time the Bleach series has ended in Japan and some things have been revealed. Well I will be ignoring them. I don't like them. Not only that but yes some of the main characters will vary from mild OC to extreme OC I apologize in advanced but its just the way that it is.