Disclaimer: I do NOT own Naruto; Masashi Kishimoto does. I Do NOT own Bleach; Tite Kubo does.

***Warning: Spoilers for the current Manga and Anime; as of June 20, 2009.*

Author's Note: Sorry about so much time jumping; half a year till the SS arc. Things will degenerate from there. Also this features the return of a minor OC; in his final appearance.

Previously:

'I-impossible…Its energy was similar to Chakra…could it be?' he thought as the hollow vanished.

Chapter X

Reborn!

Four and a Half Years Later

Nakamono Takahiro sighed in relief as he fell onto his bed. A year and a half ago he had graduated at the top of his class; the best in everything. He was well liked by most of the teachers, and classmates at the academy. He brushed a strand of maroon hair from his green eyes and grinned. He had been sorted into the fifth division; and worked his way up to the fourth seat. Lots of people had taken notice of him, even regarded him as somewhat of a prodigy.

Prodigy, just hearing the word reminded him of Orochimaru. The snake-like man had been sorted into the tenth division, and worked his way to the position of third seat.

He ground his teeth together as he got back up and started packing; it wouldn't be good if he made a poor impression upon his first division transfer. Captain Aizen had recommended him to the captain of the Sixth Division; Kuchiki Byakuya. Apparently they had something in common.

A jealous fire burning in them; a hatred for Orochimaru.

Abarai Renji sighed, wiping the sweat from his brow as he sheathed Zabimaru. He retied his hair in its normal ponytail and hopped down from the rocky cliff where he had been training.

He made his way back into the Seireitei away from the training grounds. A few low ranked members bowed as he passed, giving him a wide berth. He turned down the ally that would lead him to the bar. He had promised Matsumoto and Kira to come for a drink after training.

He never made it.

He woke up laying on a cold metal slab staring into a bright white light. The back of his head ached, along with his neck pulsing pain throughout his body every few seconds. He tried to sit up but found his limbs securely tied down.

"Oh no," a voice chuckled. "We can't have that."

When Orochimaru had knocked him out he had intended to resume his research as quick as possible. His subject was after all a Fukutaichō, who would be missed quickly. He had stripped him down to his undergarments and tied him to the cool steel table.

He injected him with a sedative to keep him out while he worked. Checking the vital signs he found everything normal, except for a small bit of foreign reiatsu in his brain. Orochimaru clicked his tongue in disapproval as he used the modified 'reiatsu scalpel' to remove it.

He swabbed the neck with alcohol and glanced back at his notes to make sure the conversion from Chakra to Reiatsu would work. Then the focused his reiatsu into his mouth and felt his teeth lengthen. He put his mouth against Renji's neck and bit down.

When he removed his mouth and wiped away the blood he found him staring at three marks, not unlike that of the Sharingan.

The curse seal would work.

He glanced at Renji as he struggled. "Oh no," he chuckled. "We can't have that." He moved forward and leaned over him. "Hello Renji-kun," he said.

Renji's eyes widened slightly. "Orochimaru; untie me now!" he demanded. He stared into Orochimaru's yellow serpentine eyes.

Orochimaru chuckled after a moment and pressed a button that undid the metallic bindings. He stood back as Renji sat up rubbing the spot on his shoulder where his new curse seal lay.

"What did you do to my shoulder?" he asked. He glanced at it to find his tattoos bending around a new mark shaped like three commas in a circle.

"Hmm I gave you a gift." He chuckled. "I have more where that came from. Why don't you go test it out?" he suggested. "It amplifies your power…You might even be able to match your Taichō." Pushing another button a hole opened up in the ground admitting a cage. "I even captured a Hollow out in Rukongai for you to cleanse, whilst testing it."

The look of doubt left his face. "And you can remove it if I don't like it?"

"Of course."

He shrugged and approached the cage picking up Zabimaru where it leaned propped up against the table.

The Hollow was roughly avian in appearance with a long beak-like mask and purple feathers. It screeched at him as he approached. He hung his Zanpakutō's sheath from his waist and drew upon the well of reiatsu waiting under the surface of his new tattoo.

In the cage Nakamono Takahiro stared in horror as Renji approached. He called out to him. "Abarai-Fukutaichō; get me out of here!"

His cries fell on deaf ears.

"Hoero, Zabimaru!" Renji called out. The normal katana changed into its shikai form, widening into a six part segmented blade; each section had a pick like section attached to it.

The seal on his neck burned as it spread across his upper torso leaving a black flame-like pattern in its wake. It stopped halfway across his face.

Instantly he felt the increase in his reiatsu. He would have had to train for a few hundred years to get it to increase this much. Glancing over his shoulder he raised an eyebrow at Orochimaru, who shrugged and motioned to the cage.

He opened the cage just as the Hollow flung itself at him. Reacting with speed he didn't know he possessed he cut the Hollow right down the middle; bisecting it. It fell to both sides of him and evaporated into black wisps.

Again he glanced over at Orochimaru who stood looking at happily. He glanced down as the marks receded and grinned.

Inside the Fifth Division the three captains sat down at the table. Hinamori sat behind Aizen; kneeling on the floor. He glanced around at each of them. The grinning Gin and the stoic Tousen. He chuckled to himself. Everything was going according to plan. Though the plan had to be changed occasionally; everything was on track.

And of course things had to change again. He glanced at Gin, then to Tousen. "Why don't we invite our guests in?" he asked.

The door opened and admitted two figures into the room.

Kurotsuchi Mayuri and Kurotsuchi Nemu stood staring around the room.

After Renji left Orochimaru glanced down at the bleeding corpse of Takahiro, He sneered at it. "One less piece of trash in the world." He said. He walked over to the body and dragged each half out of the room and down a flight of stairs. He stopped a tall cylinder and opened the hatch revealing a roaring fire. Casually he tossed the two halves in and closed the hatch.

He walked back to the room and noted the mess of blood and various organs covering the floor. He shook his head and walked over to a side door; painted a light blue and hidden from the general view of the room. He knocked on it.

"Kurosaki-chan, would you be as kind as to help clean up this mess." He asked. He waited for a moment as he heard footsteps approach the door.

The door opened revealing a woman roughly appearing twenty-nine years old, wearing a simple blue kimono. She would be described as beautiful by anyone that saw her. Her body retained the youth she had when she died. Her Orange hair fell around her face only accentuating her face. Her hazel eyes glanced at the remains of the body and then back to him.

She smiled. "Hai, Orochimaru-sama."

An: Yes it is Ichigo's mother. Next chapter might be an interlude. Or ill just continue on.

Translations:

Hoero, Zabimaru – Howl Zabimaru