The Big Screen and Hat N' Clogs Fault

by Halloweenomaniac

Yet another typical characters watches their show fanfic. Ichigo and his friends and family were just having a normal day when they were suddenly transported by a light into an empty room. What will Ichigo and the rest do being stuck in a strange dimension with a bunch of strange characters with swords? And what this about a future and lineage? I do not own any of them or the anime

2. Ch 2 The Day I Became a Soul Reaper

Ch. 2 The Day I Became a Soul Reaper

Everyone congregated inside as they took in the room. To the humans and the exiles, it appeared to be a theater room with a big screen at the front and a food bar full of refreshments at the back. Some immediately went to the bar while others went to find seats for themselves. Ichigo and his family took one row near the top while his friends sat behind them. After Toshiro went to Momo and Shuhei to inform them of their theory (Momo being the most disappointed), he and Rangiku sat in the row in front of Ichigo and his family along with Rukia, Byakuya, and Renji; practically barricading them from any danger. Kisuke's group wasn't that far as they took the top left section while the Vizoreds took the top right. The senior Soul Reapers took the middle while everyone else just spread out anywhere. After getting everything settled, the lights dimmed, and the screen lit up.

[OPENING THEME SONG: Asterisk]

"Wait! We have our own theme song?! Kisuke!" Ichigo exclaimed angrily.

"Wow, it's like we have our own TV show where we're the superheroes and we get to fight villains and solve crime!" said Orihime.

"Though why title the show 'Bleach' is what I'm trying to understand." Said Tatsuki.

"MY LIFE IS NOT A DAMN TV SHOW!"

[The first scene that popped up was an image of Hueco Mundo with an eerie music playing in the background. The scene continued on as it showed shadows stretching across the sand and the wind howling, before a shadow rose up and into the sky like a drop of water but in reverse. The scene then cuts to the World of the Living as the shadow dropped from the sky towards the night of Karakura Town.]

Rukia Kuchiki: We stand in awe before that which cannot be seen.

"Huh? Wait, I'm narrating?!"

[The scene then cuts towards the river as two Hollows land on the ground before becoming invisible.]

Rukia Kuchiki: And we respect with every fiber that which cannot be explained. [The scene cuts to the full moon shining brightly as a Hell Butterfly flew before showing Rukia on a telephone poll. Then it cuts to her face, looking serious as she looks on in the distance.]

Rukia: I sense strong spirit energy close by. [With that, she leapt from one pole to another and towards the suburbs as the Kanji letters spelled out "And so fell the swords of fate…" before it showed "Bleach 01". The scene then cuts to an alleyway where four guys are ganging up on a 15-year-old Ichigo in a high school uniform with skateboards on the ground along with one of their unconscious buddies. It was sunset.]

Little Yama: You got a death wish, pal? Nobody jumps one of my boys for no reason and lives to tell about it. [Ichigo just scoffs as he frowns at them, his hand on his head.] That's all you've gotta say? [The guy then launches himself to swing at Ichigo, but the teen just calmly smacks the idiot with his foot right at his face. The guy grunts and falls face first before Ichigo starts stomping on him repeatedly. The boys become scared.]

"What did they ever do to you?" Renji inquired as he looked back at the teen who just stared at the screen in mild irritation.

"Just watch, I probably have a good reason for beating those idiots up."

Boy 1: Little Yama's down. We gotta help him!

Boy 2: Are you crazy?

Boy 3: No way I'm taking on that psycho.

[Ichigo stomps Little Yama's head into the ground, causing it to break through the cement.]

"Interesting, it takes a tremendous amount of strength for a regular human to do that to a cement ground." Jushiro commented.

"And who said I was a regular human?" Ichigo called back, causing the straw-hat man to laugh.

"He's got ya there, Jushiro."

Ichigo: Now listen up you pond scum! Do you see that? [He then points towards a telephone pole where a vase of flowers was lying on its side in front of it.]

"That's it? You beat up a couple of thugs over a vase?" stated a bald Soul Reaper.

"Again, just watch, Cue Ball."

"Who are you calling 'Cue Ball'?!" he was then shushed all around, making him pout.

Ichigo: First question. What do you think that is? You, the one in the middle – answer! [The guys gasp before the one in the middle pointed at himself.]

Boy 1: What? Wait, you talking to me? I guess somebody left those flowers for some kid who got killed here.

Everyone then had a look of understanding while his family praised him for his kind heart (the teen blushing in embarrassment when his father became the most vocal about it, causing more abuse to the man). Uryu was surprised, he never knew that his cousin had such a considerate heart. Whenever he saw Ichigo in class, he always assumed he was nothing more than an idiot thug, but apparently not. You learn something new each day. Toshiro couldn't help but stare in admiration at the teen while Byakuya felt impressed. The girls in the room thought it was so sweet of him.

Ichigo: CORRECT![Ichigo gives the guy a kick in the face so hard, the guy bends backwards unnaturally. His feet were still planted where he stood as he lays on his head.]

Some laughed at the comical scene while a few that loved violence just laughed at the violence itself.

Boy 2: Wait! Chill out!

Ichigo: Now the next question, that vase over there. Why is it lying on its side?

Boy 3: I guess…one of us knocked it over when we were skateboarding through here. We didn't – [Before he could finish, Ichigo gave them rapid fire kicks, knocking them back a few feet.]

More laughter.

Ichigo: You guys catch on fast. Now go and apologize, or else the next time the flowers will be for you.

Some of the lieutenants, seated officers and a couple of Ichigo's friends and Ganju either paled or flinched back. For a kid so young, he was incredibly terrifying when angered.

[Both the boys screamed in terror as they all yelled apologies before running away.]

Ichigo: There. That ought to keep those punks from showing their ugly faces around here. [Ichigo then turns around as the spirit of a little girl appears.]Sorry about all that. I'll bring you by some new flowers tomorrow.

Spirit: Thank you for coming to my defense. I think now I'll finally be able to rest peacefully. [Ichigo leans down and picks up the vase, setting it upright.]

"Hey what's that chain on that ghost' chest?" Mizuiro pointed out.

"That is called the Chain of Fate, my young friend." Said Jushiro. "It is the chain that links a living soul to their human body, but when that chain is severed the soul can no longer return to its body and live. Those types of souls are called Wholes, which is the first stage of death a soul takes before a Soul Reaper comes and helps them pass on, or they pass on naturally. But only when and if a Soul Reaper gets there in time. If their Chain of Fate is corroded after a long period of time in the World of the Living or if they are devoured by a Hollow, then that soul becomes a Hollow."

"How long does it take for a soul to become one?" said Tatsuki.

"It varies with each soul but usually about six to eight months, and that is only if the soul does not pass on themselves or a Soul Reaper is not there to help. If they still remain, then they are called Jibakurei – an Earth-bound Spirit you might say. If a soul stays, it means they regret leaving something behind while they were still alive."

Ichigo: No problem. It's the least I could do. After all, you deserve to rest in peace. [Ichigo then turns and walks away, waving goodbye as the spirit of the girl fades away.]

A lot of people smiled at the heartwarming scene, especially Orihime and Rukia. 'That was so sweet of him,'thought Rukia as she smiled.

Ichigo Kurosaki: My name is Ichigo Kurosaki. I'm 15-years-old, so I'm a high school student. [The scene then cuts to night as it shows the Kurosaki clinic sign. Then shows Ichigo walking around the clinic entrance to the side where the front door is as he walks through the gate.] My family runs a medical clinic here in town. Maybe it's because we're entrusted with the lives of the living – I'm not sure – but for as long as I can remember, I've been able to see the souls of the dearly departed. [The scene then shows Ichigo opening the door.]

Ichigo's eyebrow twitched with a tick mark throbbing at his temple.

"Uh, Ichigo…you alright there?" Keigo asked hesitantly, noticing the dark aura surrounding his friend before he yelped, causing everyone in the room to take their attention away from the screen to the top row.

"KISUKE!" Said man yelped as he was hit in the face by a flying teacup. "You bastard, you made me narrate my life like it's some sort of sitcom TV show!"

"N-now, now, Ichigo." Said Kisuke, perspiring nervously. "Let's just c-calm down now; be reasonable."

"Yoruichi, claw out his face!"

"Gladly." the next thing the blonde knew, claw marks were on his face before the pain finally set in. Kisuke cried out in pain while Yoruichi sat licking her paws and Ichigo sat back down, satisfied. Everyone else just stared in bewilderment before they slowly turned back to the screen.

Ichigo: I'm home! [The next thing he knew, his father, Isshin Kurosaki, roundhouse kicked him in the face.]

Isshin: Yah!

Ichigo: Bwah! [With a grunt, Ichigo goes down flat on his back with his legs bending over his head.]

Everyone but Ichigo, his family (except Uryu), and a couple of his friends blinked or balked in shock, clearly not expecting the assault. Suddenly the Shiba family started laughing. "Yes! The Shiba Greeting still lives even in the World of the Living!" Ganju announced, causing them to stare in bewilderment.

"Wait, you mean…this is…normal?" Uryu muttered, seriously confused and unnerved.

"Yep." The three Kurosaki children stated, acting like it was no big deal. To them it probably was.

"Though I've always known it as the 'Kurosaki Wake Up Call'. Guess it's a Shiba thing." Ichigo shrugged, everyone sweat-dropping. 'How am I even related to these people?'Uryu thought in bemusement.

"I know I'm going to regret this…" Nanao muttered. "Um, excuse me? But…what exactly is the point of this…'Shiba Greeting'?"

"It's how most of us Shiba's greet each other in the morning or at the door, by assaulting each other." Said Kukaku.

"What?! Why the hell would you greet someone of your own family like that?!" Renji exclaimed as he balked at the woman. Ganju shrugged.

"It's just our way of things. We're not just a bunch of loudmouths with more spirit energy than we can use; we're very violent, too."

"Plus, it helps us keep our reflexes and guard up as well as hone our fighting techniques. In a strange way, it's a pretty effective training method!" Isshin chimed in with a grin. Everyone else stared at the family as if they were nuts, which probably wasn't that far off base. Well…except Kenpachi, Yachiru, and Ikkaku who all just started laughing.

"Now that's my kind of greeting." Said Kenpachi with a malicious grin.

Renji paled as a thought occurred to him. "And... when do you start giving each other this…'Shiba Greeting'?"

Kukaku smirked. "Every Shiba in the family first gets the greeting on the day they go to the Soul Reaper Academy, so at the age of 32. Our brother, Kaien, got it on the first day of school!"

"I gave it to Ichigo when he turned eleven!" Isshin added.Renji's jaw dropped. 'Man am I glad that I'm not a Shiba; these people are lunatics!'

Uryu had his head down as he gave his cousin a solemn pat on the shoulder. "Ichigo, I am so sorry."

"Don't count yourself out yet, Uryu. When we turn in, I'm giving you the same treatment the next morning!" Isshin informed positively, Uryu paling.

"What?!"the other Shiba's also nodded.

"He's right. Whether you like it or not, you're a Shiba now and forever, so I'd be careful of those glasses of yours or they'll be collateral damage." Said Ganju, giving him a thumbs up (though it did nothing to reassure him).

Kukaku grinned, "Which means," before it turned malicious. "you better watch your back; you'll never know when we'll pop-up and strike. You will never see us coming." All three Shiba's gave him sinister looks, Uryu whimpering and shaking in his seat as he turned paler by the second.

"Guys…help me out here." He whispered to his cousins, the three not even trying to look sympathetic.

"I've dealt with it all my life; it's your turn."

"You're on your own, dude."

"Consider it a Kurosaki-Shiba family initiation!" he gaped at them. 'I'm going to die in this family…'

Isshin: You let your guard down. Always stay alert when you enter a room and you're late for dinner again. [Ichigo gets back on his feet and gets in his dad's face with an angry scowl and a tick mark, baring his teeth.]

Ichigo: Come on! Is that any way to welcome your own son after he just risked his life to help a spirit find peace!

Isshin: Silence! [They then knocked foreheads as the teen growls.] Oh, so it's the ghost's fault now, is it? I suppose it was the ghost that left your room a mess.[They then began batting each other's hands away at rapid fire so neither could punch each other in the face as it shows Karin and Yuzu, Ichigo's little sisters, eating at the table.] When are you going to show some discipline? Just because you see ghosts and I don't – WAHHH – doesn't make you the boss of this household.

Ichigo: Hey, it's not my fault –!

Yuzu: Hey. Stop the fighting, you two. Come over here and eat your dinner.

Karin: Let 'em fight. More rice for me.

Yuzu: That's not very nice, Karin.

"How can you two just sit there and eat so calmly?" Rukia questioned.

The twins shrugged. "You get used to it."

[Isshin goes in for the punch, but with a grunt Ichigo kicks his dad in the face so hard that he goes rolling backwards and slams into the wall.]

Ichigo: I gotta tell ya, Dad. For any normal, healthy high school kid, a 7 o' clock curfew is totally uncool! [Suddenly, a spirit of a middle-aged man appears behind him. Without looking, Karin points it out to him.]

Karin: Ichigo, speaking of uncool, you have a new one.

Ichigo: Hey, how long have you been there? [Ichigo tries to batt away the spirit but it evades him, much to his annoyance.]Take a hike, will ya? You damn pest.

Karin: [SCOFF] I'm so done.[She puts her food down and looks behind her to give Ichigo a bored look.] Poor Ichigo. Dad or ghost, it's always something.

Yuzu: I think he's kind of lucky to be able to see ghosts. I sort of sense their presence sometimes, but that's about it. [Karin glances at her twin.]

Karin: I don't see what the big deal is with ghosts. I don't even believe in them.

Yuzu: [GASP] Karin, I don't get how you can say something like that. I thought you had the power to see spirits, too?[She turns fully back around.] [DING]

Karin: I'm in permanent denial. Just seeing them doesn't make me believe in them.

"Ouch." Yoruichi commented, liking this girl already.

Yuzu: Ohhh…

Spirit: Brr. That's really cold.

Ichigo: …Like my dinner.

Isshin: You dropped your guard again! [Isshin slides on the floor on his side, bringing his foot out. The next thing the teen knew, Isshin tripped him on his ankles, causing him to fall forward with a yell.]AH HA HA! [Isshin then gets on his back and grabs Ichigo's arm up in the air behind him. With a grunt, the orange head flips him off his back with a scowl before the scene then shows them punching each other in the face. Isshin's fist hitting his son's cheek while Ichigo hits the middle of his dad's face.] Gotcha… [With a grunt, he goes down.]No charge for the lesson.

Everyone sweat-dropped at the entire scene.

Ichigo: Never mind dinner. [Ichigo wipes his face with a groan and walks away towards the door where the stairs are.] I'm going to my room.

Yuzu: Wait, Ichigo.

Isshin: Huh?

Karin: Wow, you sure have a way with kids, don't you? [Isshin gets up and gives them a fake look of innocence.]

Isshin: Me?! What did I do?

"Well for starters, how about every time I came home or wake up you always assault me in my own house!" yelled Ichigo as he butted heads with his father while they glared at each other.

"Well it's not my fault you let your guard down, and you should've been home on time! Seven o'clock means seven o'clock! Maybe if you even tried looking at a clock every now and again, I wouldn't have to do that all the time!"

"YEAH RIGHT!" they then began to batt each other's hands away like they did onscreen as everyone just stared at the comical scene.

"My future self was right; it seems you still need to learn some discipline! Learn to respect your elders, or better yet! Learn to respect your old man!"

"I'll respect you once you start to act like one, instead of having the mindset of a five-year-old in a 40-year-old man's body!" the fighting continued until Ichigo launched his father at the screen with a crash. Everyone winced as the man stuck to the screen like a bug on a windshield.

"That's…my boy…" he groaned out, slowly sliding down and dropping to the ground with a crash. Everyone stared at him, wondering if he was alright.

"Can someone scrape him off the ground; we don't need him bleeding on the floor!" another sweat-drop at that.

[The scene then cuts to Ichigo's dark room as he tosses his bag onto his desk chair and lays on his bed. From downstairs, you could hear his family talking in the background.]

Yuzu (OFFSCREEN): Ichigo is kind of having a rough time right now.

Karin (OFFSCREEN): Yeah, he said he's seeing more spirits lately than ever before. [The scene then cuts back to the main room.]

"More spirits, you say? That would probably mean that your reiryoku is growing exponentially more each year." Said Unohana.

"Really? Huh. By the way, who are you?"

The kindly woman smiled politely. "My name is Retsu Unohana, Captain of Squad 4 and Head Medical Examiner. A pleasure to meet you, Your Majesty." He nodded back in greeting.

"A doctor, huh? Makes sense." He commented off-handedly.

Isshin: What? Why would he talk about these things with you two instead of coming to his own dad? That doesn't make sense.

Karin: Sure, it does.

Isshin: Wha –? [He pales and turns to Karin who's not looking at him as she sits backwards in her chair.]

Karin: For one thing, you're over 40. And for another, emotionally, you're still at a preschool level, Dad. Admit it.

"Double ouch." Yoruichi commented with a chuckle as Isshin, who was finally able to get back to his seat, burst into tears at his daughter's cold words.

[Isshin then stumbles dramatically towards the large poster on the wall of his late wife, Masaki, and leans on it, distressed.]

Isshin: Oh, my dear wife. Maybe it's because they're hitting puberty, but our daughters are being so cold to me. [CRYING] What do I do? What do I do?[With a squeak, he sadly slides down to the ground as Karin shows up on screen with a look of annoyance as her father cries in the background.]

Karin: Well, for starters, you might want to take down that poster.

"Is that your mother?" asked Rukia. Ichigo and the twins nodded with sad smiles. "She's very beautiful."

"She was." Ichigo murmured, lost in his own memories. Didn't last long, though.

"Ooh, bigger poster!" Isshin exclaimed before running back down and standing in front of the screen. Ichigo face-palmed. "Masaki! Please, guide me into how to raise our children right. They have no respect for me whatsoever. Please tell me what to do? Where did I go wrong?" Isshin sobbed out before Ichigo threw a rice bowl at his head (where is he even getting these ceramics from?).

"Stop embarrassing us!" Ichigo shouted as almost the whole room burst out into hysterics.

"See, my dear wife? He used to be such a sweet boy, and now look at him! Our children are turning against their own father. It's just too cruel! What did I do to deserve this? Where did I go wro- YEOW!" Ichigo grabbed his dramatic father by the ear and dragged him all the way back to their seats as the whole room continued laughing. "Masaki! Masaki!"

"Quit whining and get back in your seat!"

[The scene then changed to morning, showing the outside of the house as the sound of the news from a TV was heard in the background before actually showing it. The news showing a destroyed area with a firetruck, ETMs, police cars, and an ambulance were being shown surrounding the area along with some pedestrians and some news reports.]

News Anchor: The incident occurred outside Karakura Station just after 7:30 AM as the morning commute was getting into full swing. Witnesses reported hearing a loud crash and feeling the ground shake beneath their feet. The entire area has been cordoned off.

Everyone frowned as they realized what they were watching. "Hollows…" Renji muttered. Ichigo and his friends and sisters watched all this in wonderment, trying to think if they've witnessed strange occurrence like these before in Karakura and were wondering if they were the cause of a Hollow as well.

[As the news kept running, the scene then shows Ichigo in his uniform again as he steps into the main room. Karin is at the table eating breakfast while Yuzu is seen in the kitchen.]

News Anchor: Further details are sketchy at this point in time.

Ichigo: Hey.

Yuzu: Good morning, Ichigo.

Ichigo: Morning. Where's Dad? [Grabs a piece of toast from the toaster.]

Karin: Early meeting. Said he'd be late tonight, too.

Unohana narrowed her eye in interest before turning back to question Isshin, who was fanning his ear from the pain. "Captain Shiba."

"Just call me Isshin, Unohana. Not a captain anymore, remember?"

"Very well, then. Isshin, your son has said that you run a family clinic correct? Tell me, are you particularly well in the practice of medicine?"

"Sure am! Though I'm not the best, I am a medically licensed doctor." He stated proudly.

"I see. By any chance, could there possibly be a cure to Captain Ukitake's age old illness?" that got everyone's attention as the Soul Reapers turned hopeful eyes onto the man. Isshin hummed in thought before he remembered something.

"Oh sure! In fact, that was one of the few things I looked up in when I was still in medical school."

"WHAT?! WHAT IS IT? WHAT'S THE CURE? PLEASE TELL ME!" Rukia said exuberantly in rapid fire succession, getting into Isshin's face.

"Calm down, I need to thoroughly examine him first before we do anything."

"Is Mr. Ukitake sick, Daddy?" asked Yuzu, looking concerned.

"Yes, he is, sweetheart. He's been sick for a very long time."

"What does he have anyway?" Ichigo inquired.

"Tuberculosis, maybe." Ichigo and his friends gasped.

"How awful!" Meanwhile, the Soul Reapers were completely lost.

"Tuberculosis? Is that the term for the illness that I have in the World of the Living?" Ukitake asked curiously with a slight hopeful tone.

"Well like I said, I'm going to have to thoroughly examine you for me to make that conclusion. But from what I remember since the last time I saw you, it most likely is. Tuberculosis is a lung disease where parasites eat away your lungs and heart and the only way to cure that is to hit the source of course and kill the virus itself. And from what I remember, Squad 4 doesn't exactly have the means to do that since your way behind the times of medical practice. In fact, there are a lot of things in the World of the Living that the Soul Society can benefit from since the humans are so much more advanced." Everyone was astonished into silence as they absorbed this new bit of information.

"So…is it possible if I do have that disease, I can be cured?"

"Well if my observation is correct, then yeah! If you do have Tuberculosis, you can be cured in a matter of months! It's a 70-30 chance, of course." this time though, Shunsui was the one in his face as he grabbed him by his lab coat.

"Jushiro can be cured of the illness he's had for centuries in a matter of months?!" Isshin sweat-dropped.

"Uh…yeah?" they all sighed in relief.

"If you don't mind, Isshin, I would very much appreciate it if we could exchange notes while we find out what it is Captain Ukitake has before treating him?" said Unohana.

"Sure, I don't mind!"

Ichigo: Again, huh? Hm? [He then looks up at the TV still showing the news.]

News Anchor: Explosives experts are reportedly on the scene. And we will of course pass along further details –

Yuzu: Something bad happen? [Ichigo had the toast hanging from his mouth.]

Ichigo: That's near here.

[The scene then cuts to Ichigo walking to school through the area where the damage was done, a vase full of flowers being seen in his bag.]

Most of the room smiled fondly at the scene. 'He really is sweet…'Rukia thought warmly.

[He then walks to the alley he was at yesterday and looks around to see if the spirit of the little girl was still there.]

Ichigo: Hello? Hm? [GASP][Suddenly, he hears the sound of a howl and starts to run towards it back towards the city.]

At the sound of the howl, everyone frowned in concern for the teen onscreen, wondering if he was going to be okay.

Woman: Listen. Do you hear that sound?

Man: What sound? I don't hear anything except the usual – [BOOM!]

[An explosion hits the area and people start to scream and panic as they run from the scene. Groove marks that look like they were made by invisible claws appear on the side of the building. Ichigo is seen running in the direction of where it's happening while civilians flee the scene in the opposite direction. The teen stops as dust begins to gather and he shields his eyes as the roaring continues. The dust clears away enough to reveal a creature with a white skeletal mask and a praying mantis like body. Ichigo stares at it, not sure what he was seeing.]

"What the hell?!" exclaimed Ichigo as he and his friends (except Uryu, of course) stare at the creature in abject horror. Everyone else watches calmly at the scene.

"Daddy…" Isshin looked over and saw how scared Yuzu was, unable to look away. "Daddy, what is that? ...What is that thing?" Ichigo and Isshin immediately went to comfort the twins.

"Dad…is that…" Karin gulped. "Is that…what a Hollow looks like?" Isshin sighed solemnly at the ground. He had hoped for his children to never witness a Hollow again after what happened to Ichigo, but it was just a hopeless dream.

"Yes, Karin, it is."

The humans and the Kurosaki kids were shocked at the sight. That was what a Hollow looked like?! Yuzu began bursting into tears.

"Mommy was killed and Ichi-nii almost died by one of those things?!" Ichigo and Isshin did their best to comfort and reassure the girls while the rest of the family stood around in support. Most gave them their moment while the rest watched on in concern of the girls. Finally, after calming down the family settled with the two girls in between their father and their brother as Ichigo took the seat next to Uryu.

Ichigo: Whoa. What the hell is that?

Spirit: Help me! [The dust clears away to the spirit girl from yesterday as she runs away from the Hollow. Ichigo runs with her.]

Ichigo: Hurry! [The Hollow, seeing the two run goes after them.]

Spirit:What is that thing?

Ichigo: I don't know.

Spirit: Oh! [The girl trips and Ichigo stops to try and help her.]

Ichigo: Come on! We've got to move.

"Get out of there; hurry!" Tatsuki muttered under her breath as she bit her nail, anxious for her friend. Keigo was pulling on his hair in worry while Orihime almost looked away in fear of watching him die. Mizuiro and Chad were staring at the screen, anxious for him. Ichigo's family wasn't faring much better as his father worried his lip, looking like he wanted to grab his son and run while the girls were frozen in fear, not able to look away. Uryu was also concerned about losing his new cousin but he knew that if he was dead then he wouldn't have been shown alive in the short clip along with there being no point to all of this future-watching business. Everyone else seemed to have forgotten this since the only people that weren't worried for his life were Ichigo, Uryu and a few others.

[It was too late as the Hollow finally caught up to them. Ichigo looks at it in panic as it roars, about to attack. Suddenly, a Hell Butterfly flutters in front of Ichigo before showing Rukia facing the Hollow in the air. She takes her Zanpakuto and in one slice, she injures it. She then lands on the ground and with a graceful leap, she slices the mask with a grunt, ending it as the Hollow is dematerialized. Rukia puts away her sword as Ichigo stares in awe.]

The whole room resounded in a sigh of relief, glad that he was safe. 'I'm glad I made it there in time.'Rukia thought in relief.

"Thank you." She turned around in surprise to see the Kurosaki-Shiba-Ishida family giving her thankful looks. Ichigo gave her a small grin. "If it weren't for you, me and that girl would probably be dead."

Rukia smiled. "I'm glad I could be of service."

Ichigo: Whoa. [Rukia gives the two a glance before walking away, disappearing as people gather at the scene.]

Girl: Look at that.

Man: Did you see it go?

Ichigo: Hey, hold on!

Man 2: What was that?

Woman: Look at that.

Man 2: The sidewalk's burned. There must have been another explosion. [SIRENS]

[The scene then turns to night as Ichigo lays in bed in the dark, thinking about what happened.]

Ichigo's Thoughts: Who was she? I can't make any sense of what happened out there today.

"Wait a second. My reiatsu can record my thoughts too?!" Ichigo exclaimed in shock.

"Apparently so." Answered Byakuya.

"God dammit, Hat N 'Clogs!"

Ichigo: Huh? [Outside, Ichigo sees the same Hell Butterfly fluttering through his open window and watched as it fluttered into his room. Ichigo stares at it in shock when at the same time, Rukia appears out of nowhere by going through the wall of his room. Ichigo sits up in surprise, wondering how she got in here as she stands on top of his desk with a serious look.]

"What the – ?! How the hell did you do that, and what are you doing breaking into my room?!"

"I don't know, maybe I'm sensing a Hollow nearby and it just so happened to lead me to your house."

"That seems a bit too coincidental considering you just saw him in town as well as who he is really." Uryu said suspiciously, causing Ichigo and most of the occupants in the room to consider this. Could it have been orchestrated somehow? If so, by whom? Meanwhile, a Soul Reaper Captain with bleached out hair and a kitsune expression on his face grinned mischievously. 'Well, Lord Aizen, it seems your plan is going accordingly as usual. Let's see if it still does…'

Ichigo: What the hell are you doing here? [She doesn't even give him a glance, thinking he can't see her. She then grabs the hilt of here Zanpakuto.]Ah! Put that thing away! You're not slicing me up! [She gets down from the desk, practically floating as she looks around sensing for something.]Hey.

Jushiro chuckled in amusement. "You know, Rukia, it is impolite to ignore someone when they are talking to you." He joked. Rukia grinned in amusement.

"Yes, sir. I'll keep that in mind."

Rukia's Thoughts: It's getting closer.

Rukia: I feel it. [GASP][Suddenly, she was kicked from behind by a pissed off Ichigo with a crash as the lights turn on.]

Ichigo: Who are you, and what do you want?

Everyone blinked at the unexpected turn of the serious atmosphere.

Ichigo: If you think you're a burglar, you're not a very good one. For starters, you shouldn't talk to yourself. [Rukia turns her head from where she was laying, staring at him in bewilderment.]

Rukia: You kicked me. But I can't be seen by ordinary humans. Are you saying you can see me?

Ichigo: Well, considering that that was my foot I just planted in your behind, you tell me. [She gets up.]

Rukia: You were the one I saw in town earlier. I remember.

Ichigo: Boy, nothing gets by you.[Rukia gets close to him with her hand under his chin as she studies him curiously.]

Rukia: How very strange. You look normal, but you must be defective in some way. [He swats her hand away.]

"Now that's just plain rude." Yumichika commented.

Ichigo's eyebrow twitched in irritation while Byakuya frowned slightly. "Rukia, no matter who they are or what class they are from, you do not under any circumstances call someone defective. Is that clear?" Rukia looked down sadly.

"Yes, Brother." Then she stood up and turned to the teen. "I'm very sorry for calling you defective."

"It's cool, I guess." Said Ichigo, though his eyebrow still twitched in irritation before a thought occurred to him. "By the way, since you saw my face closely how come you didn't say anything about me looking like my cousin?"

Rukia blinked in confusion. "I don't know? I guess I'm trying to cope with it internally or something?" she guessed before they turned back to the screen.

Ichigo: I'll show ya defective.[GRUNTS] [He tries to kick her, but she just leaps and bounce off the back of his head. This causes him to fall forward from the momentum. He glares at her.]Who are you?

Rukia: You want to know? ...Then I'll tell you. I'm a Soul Reaper.

"I asked for who you are, not what you are." He stated flatly while Rukia flushed in embarrassment.

[The scene then cuts to an alleyway where the spirit girl is running through, huffing and puffing with her soul chain rattling as she hides behind a telephone pole. Stomping sounds could be heard in the background.]

Spirit: Oh no. Not again. [Something invisible pushes against the telephone wires, causing them to break. The electricity flashes causing it to show a different Hollow for a second. Gasping, she runs again. Large footprints then show up on the ground before the scene cuts back to Ichigo's room where the two were sitting on the floor with a table between them. Ichigo looks annoyed.]

Ichigo eye's widened as he began to worry for the little girl's soul, watching as he saw a different Hollow chase her.

Ichigo: All right. So, you are something called a "Soul Reaper".

Rukia: Mhm.

Ichigo: And you're telling me that you were sent here on a mission by something called "the Soul Society".

Rukia: Mm.

Ichigo: To deal with demons like the one we saw on the street today.

Rukia: Mhm.

Ichigo: Which was chasing that girl's soul.

Rukia: Mhm.

Ichigo: That's all believable to me – ALONG WITH FLYING PIGS AND THE TOOTH FAIRY![With a tick mark, he flips the table in annoyance.]

"Well when you put it that way, it does seem a little farfetched to a human's ears." Jushiro commented with a sweat drop.

Rukia: How dare you? Why wouldn't you believe in Soul Reapers when you just admitted you can see spirits?

Ichigo: I've never seen or heard of Soul Reapers before. And frankly, your whole story is just too incredible. I don't believe in anything I can't see.

"That makes sense, can't believe what you can't see." Shinji commented with a smirk as he used the empty seat in front of him as a foot rest.

Rukia: Well, you see me, don't you?

Ichigo: Well, that's true. And I'd agree with the fact that you're not human. But why don't you go play your Soul Reaper games somewhere else? Ok, little brat?[He puts his hand on her head, causing her to look at him in annoyance.]Now run along.

Rukia growled in anger.

Rukia: I'm a brat, am I? [She puts two fingers up and slices the air between them.] Bakudo #1. Sai. [Suddenly, Ichigo's arms were put behind his back and his legs were somehow restricted, causing him to grunt as he fell forward.]

The raven-head smirked in satisfaction, glad she got her revenge. Ichigo and his friends were shocked and confused.

Ichigo: [GRUNTS] I can't move. What did you do to me?

Rukia: Paralysis. I've used what's called a Kidō on you. It's a high-level incantation only we Soul Reapers can cast. It's useless to struggle against it. You're just wasting your energy. I may appear young to you…but I have lived nearly 10 of your life times. I would kill you on the spot for your insults if it were not against my orders. So you, little brat, be grateful.

Ichigo: You've got nerve.

Rukia: And now – [She unsheathes her Zanpakuto. Ichigo, thinking that she was about to kill him, closes his eyes. But he hears a gasp and opens in confusion.]

Orihime gasped in fear before she sighed in relief. 'Thank goodness…'

Ichigo: Huh?[He turns to his right and sees the same ghost from last night, the hilt of her sword on his forehead.]It's that ghost from yesterday.

Spirit: No. Please don't…I don't want to be sent to the Underworld.

Rukia: You needn't worry, because you are bound for a better place – the Soul Society. There, your soul will be at peace.

"No offense, but the way you said that sounded pretty creepy."

"I was not being creepy!"

"It did sound creepy."

"SHUT UP, RENJI!"

[She then lifts her sword, leaving behind a glowing kanji character on his forehead. The whole room glows as the spirit sinks into the floor, looking at peace. When the glowing stops, what's left of the man is a Hell Butterfly.]

Ichigo: Where'd he go? What did you do to him? [She sheathes her sword.]

Rukia: I've sent his spirit to the Soul Society. It's one of the main responsibilities of a Soul Reaper. People here sometimes call it "passing on". Now I'll explain to you why I'm here. And I'll use small words, so you can understand it. [She reaches into her uniform for something.] There are two types of spirits in this world.

Ichigo: Huh? [The screen then shows a crudely drawn rabbit surrounded in little red hearts.]

Rukia: The first kinds are the normal spirits called Wholes. The ghosts that you see are usually this kind. [The scene then cuts to the next drawing. This one a crudely drawn bear surrounded by a black background with lightening flashing around it.] The second kind are evil spirits known as Hollows. The Hollows attack people, living or dead, in order to devour their souls. [The screen then backs up to show her holding a drawing pad with the drawing on it.] Any questions before I go on?

Practically everyone sweat-dropped at how childish and crudely drawn the illustrations were. Well, except Rukia and Byakyuya who respected his sister's art. None could be said for Ichigo and Renji, of course, as they stared flatly at the screen. "First of all, why do your drawings suck so bad? Second, yeah. Can you draw better?" that earned him a punch in the face. Ichigo glared at her with a tick mark. "What the hell, you crazy midget!"

"Do not insult my art work, you incompetent fool!"

"Who the hell said that was 'art' anyway?!"

"He has a point, after all these years your drawings still suck." That earned both hotheads a punch in the face.

"Shut it, Renji! And you, I don't care if you're royalty or not, you clearly have no sense of taste in the world of art!"

"Whoever told you that was art is either a liar or blind since that looks like a kindergartener drew that! In fact, my sisters and I can draw better than you!"

"Oh yeah? Well then prove it; I'd like to see you draw better!" Ichigo shrugged.

"Fine! Give me your sketchpad." Rukia stared dumbfounded, not expecting him to take on her challenge. With a determined frown, she pulled it out and handed him her sketchpad she keeps in her shihakushou. Ichigo took the pad and pencil and started to draw. Some were curious as they tried to get a better look at what he was drawing – Uryu and his sisters being the closest with his classmates looking over his shoulders – while others just talked amongst themselves as they waited. After ten minutes, Ichigo handed it back to her. Rukia looked at the drawing and blanched, her eyes widening as her grip on the pad tightened. Everyone watched her carefully.

"Well, Rukia?" Renji asked. Rukia slumped her head in defeat before handing it to him. Renji gave her a confused look before grabbing it and looked at the drawing. Whatever he saw it astounded him as he gaped in amazement. Ichigo smirked smugly. "Holy crap!" on the sketchpad was a perfect sketch of the Hollow and the spirit of the girl drawn in great detail. Byakyuya took the pad and did a slight widening of the eyes, which was his version of a double-take.'Impressive.'

"Aw, come on! I wanna see!" Rangiku whined as she reached for the sketchpad and soon enough, it was being passed around the whole room (Rukia sulking in her seat with Renji patting her back sympathetically). His friends and family had already seen what he drew and were already amazed (Keigo complaining about why Ichigo kept it a secret from him), especially Uryu. He had no idea that his new cousin had such a knack for art like him.

"Wow, Big Brother! Your art has gotten really good!" Yuzu exclaimed in amazement. Meanwhile, his father started to put on a show again as he burst into proud tears.

"Oh, Ichigo! You make Daddy so proud! I knew you would have your mother's talent!" he then sobbed into his arm before pulling out the picture. "Masaki! I wish you were here to see how talented our son has become!"

"WILL YOU GIVE IT A REST ALREADY!" said teen shouted, blushing in embarrassment.

Ichigo: First of all, why do your drawings suck so bad? [As payback for that comment, she draws a mustache on his face.]AH! You'll pay for this.

Ichigo blinked as his statement was repeated before growling and twitching at what she did to his face. Rukia (whom got her sketchpad back) smiled victoriously while others laughed hysterically.

Rukia: Let us continue with our lesson, monsieur. There are two main jobs for Soul Reapers. [Another crudely drawn rabbit is shown with an arrow pointing towards kanji characters that says, "Soul Society."] First, to lead Wholes to the Soul Society through Konso, as I just did. [Showing another crudely drawn bear with an "x" on it.] Second, to exorcise the Hollows wherever we find them. [The scene cuts back to the spirit girl as she continues to run from the Hollow. The two continue talking in the background.]

Ichigo: The Hollow with the bug body this afternoon. Why was it chasing that girl?

Rukia: That I don't know. We have yet to fully understand what motivates the Hollows to do the things they do. [The spirit girl then trips and falls to the ground as the Hollow goes to grab her, but it pauses.]

Ichigo's eyes flashed in panic, feeling useless at not being able to help her.

Hollow: [SNIFF] I can smell it – an especially tasty soul. It's nearby. [SNIFF] Along with the smell of a Soul Reaper. [The spirit shudders as she watches the Hollow walk away in the direction he smelt the scents, which was towards Ichigo's place. The Hollow damages a building with a howl as the scene cuts back to the teen's room, Ichigo looking up, hearing the roar.]

The teen sighed in relief, glad that she was okay.

Ichigo: [GASP] What was that?

Rukia: One thing we do know – there is still a second Hollow prowling somewhere nearby.

Rukia frowned in confusion along with some of the other Soul Reapers. "Odd, I should've been able to hear that Hollow miles away, let alone sense it." She commented out loud.

"How come you didn't?" Ichigo inquired.

"It's probably because of your spirit energy, Ichigo." Urahara offered. Ichigo looked up at him confused.

"My spirit energy?"

"Yes, because of how vast and untrained it is, it probably blocked her off from sensing the Hollow. You're unconsciously producing so much of it without pulling it in to your body that it metaphorically becomes a sound proof wall." That concerned Ichigo greatly.

"Will I be able to control it?"

His father gave him a reassuring pat on his shoulder. "Don't worry, your old man is gonna teach ya how!" he stated positively. Ichigo looked at him unsure before nodding.

Ichigo: Then what the hell are you waiting for? Go out and kill it.

Rukia: …I would, but I can't seem to detect its location. Usually, I have no trouble finding a Hollow that's close by. But here it's as if my senses are being jammed by some powerful force.

Ichigo: What are you, deaf? There's something huge howling out there. That has to be a Hollow.

Rukia: Something howling? What do you mean? [At this, the Hollow howls and she looks up with a start before getting to her feet.] [GASP] Now I hear it. Definitely a Hollow.

Ichigo: That's what I've been telling you. [Suddenly, a crash was heard as Yuzu screams in the background.]

"Yuzu!"

Ichigo: That's Yuzu! [Rukia takes off towards the door.]Hey, wait! Untie me! [As she opens the door, she immediately pauses as she is hit with immense spiritual pressure.]

Rukia's thoughts: This spirit pressure is among the strongest I've ever felt. How could I have not have sensed it earlier?

Yuzu: Ichigo? [GROAN][Yuzu is seen struggling towards Ichigo's room but barely makes it with the injuries she's sustained as she collapses to the floor.]

Ichigo's heart nearly stopped at the sight of how injured Yuzu was. He reached over and touched her head to reassure himself that she was safe.

Ichigo: Yuzu! What happened?

Yuzu: [GASP] Ichigo, Karin's been… [CRIES] Ichigo…you've got to save her.

"Karin…" Ichigo and his father held the girls closer to them, not only to reassure them but themselves. The girls were staring fearfully at the screen.

[With that, she passes out. Rukia checks her vitals as Ichigo struggles to free himself.]

Ichigo: Hey! You've got to let me go!

Karin: [SCREAMING] [With a gasp, Rukia runs down the stairs towards the commotion.]

Ichigo: Hey! Gotta break free. [Using his head as leverage, Ichigo struggles to get to his feet as Rukia is seen leaping down the stairs. She then stops as she's in the main room where there is a giant hole in the wall, Karin in the Hollow's fist as she screams and struggles.]

"KARIN!" Ichigo and Isshin exclaimed.

"Dad! Ichi-nii! Don't worry, I'm right here." She reassured even though she was just as scared. The Soul Reapers were giving calculating looks while the humans and the Shibas were staring anxiously at the screen.

Karin: [SHOUT] PUT ME DOWN! [Rukia unsheathes her Zanpakuto, ready to face the Hollow as Ichigo finally shows up to the scene by falling down the stairs, still bound.]

Rukia: Stay out of it!

Ichigo: [GRUNTS] Damn it. [He then painstakingly gets to his feet with his arms still bound behind him. Rukia stares in shock and awe.]

"How very interesting, to think a young teenager is able to stand up under a Kidō spell by nothing but his own will." Mayuri muttered to himself. "Hmm…"

Rukia: How can he be on his feet when he's under my spell? [Ichigo moves to where Rukia is looking.]Fool. You'll only get in the way.

Ichigo: Shut up! [His eyes widen when he sees his sister screaming in the Hollow's grip.]Karin! [With all his strength, Ichigo tries to break free from the Kidō.]

"You fool! Are your trying to damage your soul?!" Rukia exclaimed.

Rukia: Stop! The Kidō is too strong for a human to break. If you keep trying, you'll only cause damage to your soul.

[Ichigo doesn't listen as he continues to struggle, kanji characters appearing around him. She gasps as he glows.]

Rukia's thoughts: What? He's breaking the Kidō. That's impossible. [With a shout and a huge flash of light, Ichigo finally breaks free. He then runs towards the Hollow.]

Almost everyone gaped in amazement. "Incredible!" Jushiro said breathlessly. "To think one so young without any powers is able to break a Kidō spell by sheer force of will and determination itself."

Rukia: Don't do it! [Grabbing a folding chair, he raises it in the air and charges.]

Karin: Ichigo! Get me out of here! [The teen leaps to swing at it, but the Hollow just batts him aside as if he were a bug. Ichigo goes tumbling down the street with a grunt. He then tries to get to his feet.]

Everyone winced in pity at the sight, especially the Soul Reapers. It must have hurt since the boy was in his human body and they heard that humans are more receptive to pain than Soul Reapers.

Ichigo: Karin!

Hollow: I found you. [The Hollow tries to punch him, but the teen moves out of the way at the last minute, hitting the ground instead. The Hollow howls in pain when Rukia appears and grazes it's arm with her sword. In the process, it drops Karin. Luckily, Ichigo caught her in time as the Hollow disappears. Ichigo cradles his sister who's passed out.]

Most of the room sighed in relief that the girl was safe.

Ichigo: Karin! No!

Rukia: Don't worry. She'll be all right. The Hollow left without devouring either of your sisters' souls.

Ichigo: Are you sure?

Rukia: Yes. It's seeking a specific soul to eat, one with a much higher concentration of spirit energy. In fact…the Hollow earlier was hungry for that soul, too – not the girl's.

Ichigo: But why?

Rukia: For some reason, most of your spirit energy was hidden deep within you until now, when you needed it to save your sister. That's why I didn't sense anything unusual about you when I arrived. It also explains why the Hollows haven't come after you. The spirit energy you have bottled up inside you started to pour out when you made contact with that young girl's ghost. [The screen shows Ichigo and the spirit girl touching hands before turning back.] As a result, your soul became exposed. Those two Hollows today detected your soul through that girl. And they were using her to track it down. Which means…the Hollows are really after you.

Ichigo was shocked, feeling his blood run cold. "…What? My sisters got hurt…because of me?" he said dreadfully. "It was my fault this happened?"

Ichigo: Those things…want me?[At that, the Hollow reappears with a howl.]

Rukia: It's back! Get out of here!

Ichigo: No! So, the vicious attacks on that poor girl were because of me?

Rukia: That's one way to look at it.

"Rukia!" Byakuya scolded.

"What the hell, Rukia?!" Renji whispered as he glared at her incredulously. Rukia gasped as she realized how she made it sound.

"Oh! No, Ichigo! I didn't say it was specifically your fault! I-I swear, I meant – "

"My fault…it's all my fault." Ichigo continues to mutter causing his friends and family to give him worried looks. Everyone else glanced at the orange head in concern.

His sisters hugged their brother close. "No, Ichi-nii! Please don't blame yourself for this."

"We don't blame you at all, you need to remember that." Ichigo hugged his sisters close as Isshin soothingly rubbed his back.

"It wasn't your fault at all, you didn't know this would happen." Ichigo just nodded slightly, though he couldn't help but feel guilty all the same. Uryu gave his shoulder a comforting squeeze, showing his support while his friends tried to reassure him that it wasn't his fault. Ichigo felt grateful for that, feeling slightly better.

Ichigo: And now both of my sisters could wind up dead, and the whole thing is my fault?

Memory Yuzu: Help us, Ichigo. [GRUNTS]

Memory Karin: Ichigo, do something!

The girls gave their brother's hand a squeeze, silently reminding him that it really wasn't his fault.

[With a growl, Ichigo runs up to the Hollow.]

Rukia: Stop!

Ichigo: Coward! Quit attacking others. If it's my soul you want, come and get it… Fight me one on one, you Ugly Bastard! [With a howl, the Hollow extends its neck to devour him.]

'Fool…'was the majority of what the Soul Reapers thought.

Rukia: Oh, no!

[She runs to try and protect him. Just when the Hollow was about to devour Ichigo, blood spurts out as Rukia leaps in front of him with her Zanpakuto jammed between its teeth. She struggles to get it out and does so by breaking and dislodging one of its teeth. The Hollow howls in pain as Rukia is down on her knees, blood spurting from her wounds on her shoulder. Ichigo stares in shock as she collapses to the ground face-first.]

"Rukia!" Ichigo and Renji exclaimed.

Ichigo: Soul Reaper!

Rukia: [GASPS] You…are a fool. How could you possibly have thought you were any match for a Hollow? [She then tries to get to her feet.] Did you really think that everything would be over if you gave them your soul? One soul doesn't satisfy them for long. Ugh. If you don't stop interfering, we're all going to end up as its food! [The Hollow howls as it grabs it face in pain as Rukia weakly uses her arms to try and get up. Not able to, she then crawls to a telephone pole and leans her back against it.] I'm too injured to fight. Do you…want to…save your family?

Byakuya narrowed his eyes, having a good idea on what her future-self was about to do.

Ichigo: Of course, I do. If there's a way, then tell me how. [She grabs her swords and lifts it up towards him.]

Rukia: It will only be temporary. But you must become a Soul Reaper yourself.

Everyone gasped and Byakuya tensed. "You idiot! Do you realize how much of a federal crime that is?!" Sui-Feng exclaimed. Ichigo frowned in confusion, feeling a bit apprehensive at the meaning.

"Federal crime? The hell do you mean?" Sui-Feng turned to him and bowed respectfully.

"Forgive me, Your Majesty, but in the eyes of the Soul Society – and if it were anyone else other than you, Sire – one of our most respected rules that we must abide is to never give Soul Reaper powers to a human. Doing that act is a cause of treason, quite possibly imprisonment or execution." Ichigo's eyes widened while the humans gasped in horror. Execution?! The teen's eyes narrowed as he thought of something and crossed his arms.

"Well riddle me this, did she have any alternative in the situation?"

Sui-Feng stared at him in surprise, not expecting a rebuttal to her statement. She frowned as she tried to make her argument. "Well maybe, if she – "

"Did she have a choice at all?" Ichigo interrupted, not giving her a chance to make her statement.

"There's always a choice – "

"Tell me, are we in the Soul Society at all?"

"Well no – "

"Did she even give her powers to a regular human?"

"Well no!"

"Then your argument is null and void!" Sui-Feng stared at him in shock. Ichigo narrowed his eyes at her. "Now then, as it sounds to me Rukia didn't break any laws and we are currently not in the Soul Society, obviously."

"W-well no we aren't, My Liege, but our laws clearly state – "

"-Plus, this clearlyhappens in the alternate timeline, which will probably not exactly happen in the way you are thinking."

"Please, Sire, if you just – "

"-Andyou can clearly see that she had no choice in the matter. In my opinion, she was just doing her duty as an honorary Soul Reaper and did what was necessary as the situation deemed it so. So, unless she gets a court hearing and if we are in the Soul Society, I'd suggest you shut your trap!" Ichigo stated with finality, causing Sui-Feng to stare at him speechless while everyone else was staring at him in amazement and admiration. His family and friends most of all. Never before have they seen this side of him; sounding so confident and passionate, so authority-like. "Tell me, soldier, what's your name?"

"Sui-Feng, Sire…C-Captain of Squad 2 and head of the Onmitsukido."

'Punishment Force, huh? So, they are like the cops or assassins of the Soul Society, I see.'Ichigo nodded as he glared at her darkly. "Well then, Captain Sui-Feng, are we gonna have a problem?"

"…No, Sire. But – "She said reluctantly.

"Good. Now unless she actually broke that specific law, I don't think we need to continue this discussion any longer. So, I'd suggest you analyze the situation much closer next time instead of nit picking and passing judgement so readily. Are we clear?"

"Sire – "

"Are. We. Clear! Captain Sui-Feng?" the short captain stared at him before sighing in resignation, knowing she was fighting a losing battle. Swallowing her pride, Sui-Feng put on a stoic expression and bowed.

"Understood, My Liege." The teen nodded, glad that she understood. Everyone was in a dazed silence as they tried to process what just happened. Byakyuya relaxed, glad that he will be able to keep his promises to his parents and to his wife. The silence didn't last long though.

"HOLY SHIT!" Keigo exclaimed in amazement, causing everyone to jump especially Ichigo since the idiot yelled in his ear. "I mean, holy shit! Ichigo, that was totally awesome! You were like 'no she didn't. Uh-uh! What!' Ugh!" Tatsuki smashed her fist into the idiot's head.

"You idiot! Next time warn someone before you give the whole room a heart attack!" she then smirked in Ichigo's direction. "Though he was right about something, that was totally badass there, Ichigo." Chad gave him a thumbs up as Orihime clapped.

"That was so cool, Ichigo!" Ichigo just blushed in embarrassment. All he did was stick up for what he believed in; he didn't think it was fair for Rukia to be punished for something she had no choice in the matter in, especially when she didn't technically break the law and was just doing her job to help and protect his family.

"That's my boy!" Ichigo groaned as Isshin began to laugh ecstatically. "He definitely has the Shiba blood! You are definitely future clan head material!" again Ichigo groaned as he felt a headache coming on.

"Why are we even related?" Ichigo muttered miserably, causing the man to burst into tears.

Ichigo: What?

Rukia: You must take my Zanpakuto and run it through to the center of your being, so that I may pour my powers into you. [Hollow howling]I can't guarantee that you will live. But if it doesn't work, it won't matter.

[The Hollow howls as it stomps towards the two. Ichigo and Rukia ignore it as they stare into each other's eyes with a smile.]

Ichigo: Then give me that blade, Soul Reaper.

Rukia: My name is Rukia. Rukia Kuchiki. [The Hollow then launches at them as Ichigo grabs ahold of the blade with both hands.]

Ichigo: And my name is…Ichigo Kurosaki!

[And with that, he runs the blade through his chest, causing the area to light up from the amount of spiritual pressure. Suddenly, the Hollow's arm is sliced clean off, shocking it as Ichigo somehow appears behind it. Ichigo wearing a shihakushou with a large sheathe on his back and a huge Zanpakuto as big as him in his hand. Ichigo lifts the sword and leans it over his shoulder, his spiritual pressure creating a dust cloud behind him. Rukia stares in awe and shock, wearing a white kimono covered in her blood.]

The humans stared in amazement as they sat at the edge of their seat while the Soul Reapers and exiles were paying close attention to the teen's movements.

Rukia: How could this have happened? I meant to give him only half of my powers. But somehow, he's taken nearly all of it.

"You took all of it?! How?" Rukia shouted in confusion and frustration.

"I don't know, you were supposed to give me half, weren't you?"

"Hmm, quite possibly you must have subconsciously taken more than you should because Miss Kuchiki's powers were just the boost you would need to awaken your own Soul Reaper powers." The blonde scientist theorized causing everyone to turn their attention towards the man.

"My own Soul Reaper powers?"

Kisuke nodded as he waved his fan. "Of course, don't act so surprised; you are part Soul Reaper, after all. It would be obvious that you would someday develop your own powers, quite possibly even create your own Zanpakuto without an asauchi." Ichigo and the humans looked a bit confused while the rest were staring in shock.

"Zanpakuto? Asauchi? What are those?" Urahara waved it away.

"We'll discuss that in a bit; it looks like you're winning." At that, they all turned back to the screen excitedly. Yoruichi turned to look up at Urahara where she laid in his lap.

"What I want to know is how he was able to use flash step?" she mumbled. Kisuke petted her head.

"Who knows, maybe it was instinct?"

Ichigo: This ends now!

Rukia: Huh? What kind of being is he?

[Ichigo charges with a yell, his blade stretched out to his side.]

Rukia's thoughts: I've never seen a human with spirit energy this strong. That's what was jamming my senses before. [The screen then shows a flashback of her not sensing the spiritual pressure until she opened the door before going back to the fight.] I've never heard of a human with enough strength to break the Kidō on his own. [Then it flashes back to when Ichigo broke the Kidō before going back again with Ichigo raising his sword.] And I have never seen a Soul Reaper wield such a huge Zanpakuto.

Ichigo frowned in annoyance. "That's gonna be a hassle; why the hell is it so huge?"

"It's probably because you don't know how to control your reiatsu, so you wouldn't know how to control the size of your Zanpakuto." His father provided as Ichigo's eyes lit up in understanding.

"Oh, so that's a Zanpakuto. Wait, you can actually do that?!" the majority of the Soul Reapers' heads nodded at that. Ichigo stared in shock. "That makes no sense!" some chuckled at his confusion.

[The Hollow tries to stomp on him, but Ichigo just slices its foot off as he glares up at it; the Hollow falling forward.]

Ichigo: You will pay the price for hurting my family, you Hollow Scum. FEEL THE WRATH OF MY BLADE! [With a shout, Ichigo raises his Zanpakuto above his head before delivering the finishing blow by slicing through its mask. Rukia stares in awe as the Hollow dematerializes, closing the scene with Ichigo's credentials.]

Ichigo Kurosaki: 15-years-old

Hair Color: Orange

Eyes: Brown

Occupation: High School Student and…

"SOUL REAPER"

[ENDING THEME SONG: Life is Like a Boat.]

When it ended, everyone applauded as the lights turned on and they stood to stretch their legs. "That was such a pretty song ending. I wonder who sung it?" Orihime wondered as she and Tatsuki went to take a much-needed bathroom break.

"Who knows, but whoever it was had a pretty voice." Said Tatsuki.

Meanwhile, Ichigo was talking with the guys while the rest just milled around or went to get more snacks. "You were so cool, man! You were like 'Wham!' and then you were like 'Zoom!' while that Hollow was all like 'Roar!'" Ichigo just stared Keigo, not sure if it was a compliment or if the guy was just being weird.

"Uh…thanks?"

"Dude I'm serious! You were like some samurai warrior or something!" Keigo insisted enthusiastically.

"You gotta admit, Ichigo, you were pretty heroic looking." Said Mizuiro as the girls came back, catching the end tale of the discussion.

"Ichigo is like a superhero, where he uses his superpowers and saves the day. Or like an anti-hero vigilante where he goes against the laws and captures the villains by night and is a normal person by day!" said Orihime.

"You watch too many cartoons, Orihime." Said Ichigo.

"Yeah, be realistic. How about change the normal to prince instead, eh Mr. Royalty?" Tatsuki nudged the teen teasingly. Ichigo looked at her in exasperation.

"Please don't call me that. I'm still trying get used to this whole royalty-noble concept. In fact, do it to Uryu instead; he's a prince too."

"Don't bring me into this."

"So, Uryu, what kind of powers do Quincies have anyway?" Mizuiro asked.

"Well, for Quincies our initial weapon of choice is the bow and arrow. We shoot our opponents with arrows made out of the reishi that's in the air, and we make our weapons by using this Quincy cross that hangs off our wrist as a conduit to guide it into the shape we want." Pulling up his sleeve he showed them the silver bracelet with a cross hanging off it.

"Oh, can you show us?" said Orihime, curious. Uryu lifts his arm out to the side and with a bit of concentration, reishi particles gather into the charm and in an instant a glowing bluish-white bow made out of reishi appears. His audience awes at the sight. "Wow, that's so cool!"

Uryu smiles slightly as he pushes his glasses. "Yes well, it may be cool but unfortunately even with this power we Quincies gain we can't actually purify Hollows like Soul Reapers can. Our powers actually destroy Hollows instead of sending them off to the Soul Society."

"What?" the others gasp and Uryu nodded grimly as he dissipates the bow.

"Yes, which is one of the reasons why Soul Reapers and Quincies have an animosity towards each other. Sometimes I regret having this ability but no matter what, I'm still a proud Quincy and I do what I can to defend myself and the people around me, even if it means I destroy a soul."

"Well at least you still have your pride." Tatsuki commented.

Uryu nodded. "Though Ichigo and the twins might be a bit different since they're part Soul Reaper, so maybe with their Soul Reaper lineage they might be able to purify Hollows with their arrows. Would you like for me to help you train?"

"Sure, though maybe not the twins yet but that's their decision." Uryu nodded before a thought came to him.

"Hmm, maybe with your Soul Reaper lineage, perhaps there could be a way for me to purify Hollows after all. I'm gonna have to ask Urahara about that."

"Makes sense."

"What else can Quincies do?" Tatsuki inquired. As Uryu explained the techniques and weapons Quincies can use, Rukia and Renji decided to come over to the group just as he finished explaining the Seele Schneider and their purpose. It was perfect timing since Ichigo had a question that needed to be answered.

"Rukia, Renji!"

"Oh, so you know what my name is now, huh?"

"I always knew, I just didn't want to say it until now. Besides, your name isn't really as forgettable as you looking like a pineapple head."

"Why you – "Before he could retort, Rukia elbowed him in the gut.

"Anyways, we just came over to hang out is all, since my brother and my captain are busy talking with the other captains." Said Rukia, ignoring her friend's glare. "Oh, and Ichigo, your father wanted to let you know that he's over there talking with Captain Unohana about the medical practices in the World of the Living and that he'll help you train in some of your Soul Reaper abilities."

"'Kay, I'll talk to him about that."

"We've also been assigned by our captains to make sure we, along with any of the Soul Reapers here, to be you and your friends and families guards in order to protect you from Captain Kurotsuchi and his lieutenant in case they think of doing any funny business that involves you all." Said Renji.

"I see. Well I don't think I will need it often, but if it helps keep my friends and family safe then I'm all for it. Thanks, by the way." The petite raven began to look a little hesitant about something. "What, something wrong?" she shook her head and smiled.

"Ichigo, I also…wanted to thank you for defending me back there, even though you didn't really have to."

"Ah no worries, I'm glad I could help. I just didn't want you to get into trouble for something stupid and untrue. Especially since in that video you were going to help me have a way to protect my family, even though you knew you were breaking the law."

"But even so, I've pretty much damned you from having a normal life anymore." Ichigo waved it off.

"It was bound to happen one way or another because of what I am, and I never really had much of a normal life anyway. Besides, normal is overrated." He smirked. "And now I have a way to protect everyone I care about better, so therefore I should be thanking you." At this, Rukia smiled. 'He really is like Kaien, and much more…' "Hey by the way, what is a Zanpakuto and asauchi exactly anyway? Is it those swords you guys carry around?"

The petite raven put on her teaching face at the question. "Yes actually, a Zanpakuto is our main weapon in Hollow exterminations. An asauchi is a nameless Zanpakuto that new Soul Reapers acquire when they go to the Soul Reaper Academy or a low-raking Soul Reaper has when they have not trained enough to learn their names."

"Names?" she nodded as she unsheathed her blade and held it out horizontally in front of them.

"Yes, a Zanpakuto is not just a weapon to Soul Reapers, it's literally an extension of our souls. When Soul Reapers acquire Zanpakutos, a part of our soul transfers over into the sword itself; creating a symbiotic being."

"A weapon that has a mind of its own, interesting." Said Uryu. "Do all Zanpakutos have a name of their own?"

"Correct. Each Zanpakuto is unique and transforms itself depending on their wielders' personality while still having their own consciousness. The Zanpakuto is its very own person; they know us more than we know ourselves while still having their own feelings. Sometimes they even represent our deepest desires or our darkest emotions that we keep hidden. It's practically a way for us to see who we are as a person on the inside; self-reflection you might say. They are our partners and help protect us whenever we need them."

Orihime was awestricken. "Cool, it's like your very own soulmate."

Rukia chuckled. "Basically, yes."

"What forms did you actually mean, though?" said Ichigo.

"Well, there are two different forms that Zanpakutos morph into as the Soul Reaper and the Zanpakuto grow stronger together. There is Shikai, which is the first released state a Soul Reaper trains into. Each Shikai form and ability it has are also unique and only able to be used by the wielder itself. Some are Kidō-type, which have only abilities while others are melee-type which are just powerful blades in different forms (though there are those that have both too). It takes a regular Soul Reaper nearly years to learn their names and achieve Shikai, but with you there might be an exception, of course.

"Usually, seated officers are able to gain and master Shikai, but there are some that are strong enough to gain and somewhat master Shikai as well. To gain Shikai, Soul Reapers must metaphorically put their hearts into their sword and go into their inner world – your very soul to be precise and where the Zanpakuto spirit dwells. Then you must communicate with the living spirit and hope beyond hope that you are worthy to earn its name. Some fight with their spirits in order to prove themselves that they are strong while others talk with them to prove that they are, even finding things about yourself that you've never known."

"Do you guys have Shikai?" they both nodded.

"We do."

"Can we see it?" Orihime asked excitedly. Rukia looked uncertain.

"I don't know, I'm gonna have to ask my captain if I can." Renji waved it off.

"Ah go ahead and show them, I'm sure it's fine. They'll probably think Ichigo allowed you to show them or something." Rukia thought about it before nodding.

"I guess it wouldn't hurt." She then held her Zanpakuto in front of her, the blade pointing to the right. "My Zanpakuto's names is Sode no Shirayuki," she grinned mischievously, "and this, is her Shikai." She then started turning her blade clockwise. "Dance…" as she kept turning, the air around them began to get colder as the sword began to turn white with a white ribbon tassel forming at the end of the much longer pommel now. "Sode no Shirayuki." With a complete turn, the blade pointing down, the whole sword was as white as snow. The tsuba was hollowed out looking like a round snowflake, and a long white, flowing ribbon hung off the pommel of the hilt. To say the least, the Zanpakuto was gorgeous. Everyone couldn't take their eyes off the blade as they stared and gaped in awe.

"Oh wow, your Zanpakuto's Shikai is beautiful." Orihime said breathlessly. Rukia smiled down at her blade proudly at the fact.

"Yes, she truly is."

"Rukia's Zanpakuto is an ice and snow type and is stated to be the most beautiful Zanpakuto in the whole Soul Society." Renji stated proudly as the raven unreleased her sword. "Though it's not the strongest since that title belongs to Captain Hitsugaya, whom also has an ice type."

"What about you? What's your sword's Shikai?" Tatsuki asked and Renji grinned smugly before unsheathing it. He put his Zanpakuto at a slanted downward angle and put a hand over it.

"This is my Zanpakuto. Roar, Zabimaru!" with a swipe of his hand, the whole blade changed becoming wider with pronged teeth on the edge. The blunt part of the blade was black while the pronged edge was silver. The whole blade looked like it was connected into sections; it was impressive and deadly looking.

"Cool! That is so badass!" said Keigo. Renji looked smugger at the compliment.

"Thanks. Zabimaru is a whip like sword that can stretch on with almost no limit and can retract almost instantly." He grabbed the top segment and pulled, showing stretchable metal like threads. "These six segments are where Zabimaru can come apart."

"Not bad," said Ichigo and Renji's chest puffed slightly, "for a guy with weird eyebrows." The redhead face-faulted at that, his sword losing his release state. Rukia and his friends sniggered as Renji got to his feet, glaring with tick marks on his head.

"Why you, Carrot Top! I'm gonna kill you for that!"

"Bring it, Pineapple Head!"

"Alright, alright, break it up you two." Said the midget as she got in between the two, having gotten over her laughter. "Can you both at least wait until after I'm done explaining." The two glared and growled at each other before scoffing and turning away. Rukia sighed in exasperation. "Anyways, other than Shikai there is a second and final release form; Bankai."

"Bankai huh?"

"Yes, it is the hardest and most trial endurance release form to gain as well as the strongest and the Zanpakutos' truest form. It takes 10 years or more to achieve it and more to control for the average Soul Reaper. And like so, Bankais vary depending on the wielder itself. In order to achieve it, Soul Reapers must materialize their Zanpakuto spirits into the real world and fight it into submission. That is where the hard part and trial endurance come from; some even die trying to achieve it, but it is a risk willing to take to gain such power."

"Do you guys both have Bankai?" said Mizuiro, but they shook their heads.

"Sadly no, I don't really have the reiatsu to materialize my Zanpakuto spirit."

"I'm sort of there, but right now only the captains have Bankai." Renji added with serious narrowed eyes. "That'show hard the training is."

"Yeesh, that is brutal." Keigo stated with a grimace.

"No kidding, though it makes me curious. I wonder what my Zanpakuto's name is, and what would its Shikai and Bankai look like?" Ichigo wondered. Renji suddenly guffawed as he smacked the floor in his hilarity. The teen had a tick mark as he glared at the redhead. "What's so funny?"

"Like you could ever achieve Bankai? HAHAHA! What a joke! Shikai I get but Bankai?! HAHAHA! Give me a break!"

"You asshole, just you watch I'll achieve it no sweat! And I'll probably achieve it faster than you!"

"Yeah right!" he stated as he got up off the floor.

"Actually, I wouldn't be surprised if he did." Said Rukia. Renji looked at her in confusion.

"Huh? Seriously, Rukia, you can't honestly believe that."

She nodded without hesitation. "I do, actually. After all, with humans you can never know since it's a fact that they grow and evolve exponentially faster than Soul Reapers do. Plus, Ichigo is the very definition of impossible since he is a hybrid of all four races and a royal descendent of the Soul King. So, it wouldn't be surprising if he did it under the 10 years maximum." She stated as a matter of fact. The pineapple head gaped at her, feeling betrayed. Ichigo on the other hand looked smug.

"Ha! Take that, Pineapple Head!"

Renji closed his mouth and glared at him. "Oh yeah? How about you put your money where your mouth is, Carrot Top!" They then got in each other's faces as they grinned sinisterly, fighting auras surrounding them as electricity seemed to rebound off between their stare down. The others stared between them in interest. This outta be good.

"Is that a challenge, Lieutenant?"

"Humph. Sure is, Your Majesty." Ichigo grinned wider.

"…Well alright then, what's your wager, huh?" Renji scoffed as he backed off.

"Loser has to wait on them hand and foot for a whole day."

"A day, huh? Why don't we raise the stakes, then? How about a week?"

"Oh, I see. Feeling lucky aren't we, kid?"

"I know I'm lucky, old man." That earned the other a tick mark. "Yo, guys! How long do you think I can get?' he asked the group, unaware they were gaining an audience as practically everyone was silently listening in after the two Soul Reapers released their Zanpakutos.

"Now you're just being cocky; what's the matter, can't decide for yourself?"

"Shut up. So, what do you say guys? Wanna join in on the pool?"

"I'm in!"

"Me too!"

"So am I."

"Sounds like fun!"

"I don't mind."

"What the hell. Should be interesting."

"Anyone else?" he announced to the crowd since he knew all of them were listening in. Almost instantly, everyone got in on the excitement and soon enough, they had a pool going. Ichigo smirked cockily and held out his hand. "Well, Renji, looks like you got yourself a deal."

The redhead smirked back as he grasped the hand. "Good luck, you're gonna need it."

"Count on it. Better get ready, cause I'm gonna make you kiss my feet."

"You wish." With that, they shook on it. Urahara organized the pool by handing out pieces of paper for everyone to write down how long will it take for Ichigo to achieve Bankai since it was no doubt in any bodies mind that it will be shown in future segments of the show. After everyone finished, they all dropped them in his hat before he sealed the opening shut with a Kidō, so they wouldn't fall out and stuffed it back on his head. Just in time too since the lights started to dim and everyone went back to their seats.