Disclaimer: Bleach, its characters and its settings aren't mine

T minus 19 days and counting.

I was walking to school, wishing Rukia was with me. All the Reapers had gone back to the Seireitei once the Arancar threat was neutralized; there was nobody but me to explain. I'd been debating skipping class and calling a meeting on the roof, but there were too many people who had to know.

How was I going to explain this? Sorry, got a better offer, you'll have to kill the rest of the hollows yourselves?

It didn't matter that (as Rukia insisted) I'd still be fighting the good fight. The moment I stepped off the front lines I became as guilty as the old man was of just watching the world go by. I'd become the hypocrite I'd always said he was. The worst thing is that ithad to be done – Zaraki was too important and too damn wild. No one else could handle him even in theory.

I'm going to have to fight him again, without bankai. I'm going to need to toss him around like a rag doll. Without a clear and obvious victory-

I can't see it happening any other way. He's my best, I can't afford to lose him. The Seireitei needs him too much.

I've developed a sort of a theory – it's too way too crazy to be real but some days I have to wonder. Zaraki's power is like mine, immense. And his shikai is a permanent release, like mine. This is where the crazy leap comes in. Zangetsu's physical form is big, he's bigger than I am. And he's hardly what you'd call playful. Suppose Zaraki's Zanpakuto were? Suppose say, the physical manifestation of Zaraki's Zanpakuto was say, oh I don't know, small and pink maybe? Suppose Zaraki's immense spiritual pressure had kept his Zanpakuto physically manifested since before he'd joined the squads?

Zaraki may have known his Zanpakuto's name for years and been too stupid to realize it. I could see it now, Zaraki points his sword at Ikkaku's shining head and releases it by shouting Yachiru, bite!

Yachiru, eat candy?

Nah, couldn't be.

But I sort of wish it was.

Actually no I don't. The thought of him grinning at me and shouting Yachiru, bankai! - that's a little too frightening.

Nice sojourn into the fantastic there. I still have my problems here.

Keigo was the first person I saw when I got to class.

"Keigo, lunchtime meeting for everybody. Something's happened."

Maybe he's grown up a little. Some of the happy happy fell off his face and he straightened up.

"Right Ichigo. Big news?"

"You could say that. Chad, lunchtime meeting."

The big guy nodded.

"Where are Tatsuki and Orihime?"

"Aren't you going to tell me about the meeting?"

"You're standing right there Ishida."

Ishida frowned. We usually banter a bit. The fact I didn't want to play got me that slight wrinkling of his forehead as he pushed his glasses up his nose.

I guess he'd be the leader now.

The sensei came in but someone either pulled a fire bell or set something on fire. Anyways, we had to go outside.

Chad shot me a meaningful look. We'd hooked up with Tatsuki, the Hime and Mizuiro in the hall.

I shook my head. We could wait until lunch. I didn't want to drag everyone off and get them into trouble. I-I hadn't thought about it. I was dropping out of school in a few weeks.

They wouldn't even let me finish school.

I don't think I managed to learn anything when we finally went back to home room.

The day dragged but it was also a blur because I was oblivious. I know I was acting weird, Tatsuki and Orihime were staring at me, so were a few other people outside our immediate circle.

Great.

I have to get my shit together, I can't be seen like this. The squads are going to need a leader.

Lucky them, they've got me.

I have to get my shit together.

Lunch finally came. Last night Rukia got upset every time I lost my temper. Now I see why.

I grabbed my bento and headed towards the roof.

"Do we need privacy?" asked Chad.

"I think so."

Chad nodded. He has this trick with the door handle; he can bend it just a little and basically lock the door to the roof from the outside.

"We won't be disturbed," he said.

I caught Ishida's eye, gave him a look. Again he crinkled his brow a little in curiosity.

He'd know what I meant when the time was right.

I finished lunch before Ishida so I took turns with Chad on keeping Orihime's lunch moving. We worry about her - she'll get distracted and talk so much that she won't eat her lunch. Now there are always three sets of chopsticks in her bento, hers and two others. If she gets distracted and starts to talk before she's eaten enough one of us will pop more food into her mouth, it's like feeding a baby bird. Usually the threat of it keeps Orihime focused enough to eat on her own.

Feed the Hime is a highly advanced game of skill. Better yet it's Tatsuki approved; she hasn't killed us yet. I think Tatsuki wants to try but she's too embarrassed.

Today Chad was two dumplings up on me, a near-insurmountable lead.

Lord help us if Chizuru ever sees though – Tatsuki will kill all three of us.

When Orihime was winding down (I sometimes think we're being cruel by making her eat the stuff she brings) Ishida spoke.

"What's the emergency?"

Everyone went still.

"You're aware that the Seireitei is effectively governed by the central 46?"

"That's the body above the shinigami, isn't it?" That was Tatsuki.

"Yes. I don't think anyone on this side of the line really grasped the situation there. I don't think you can vote for your local 46 representative, but they were the government, democratic or not. Not sure how that worked. I did find out last night that without the central 46 the people of the Seireitei considered themselves to be under martial law."

"That's something I didn't know," mused Ishida.

"It makes sense," said Chad.

"I take it something has changed?" Ishida pushed his glasses up his nose.

"I don't know that the central 46 were much of a government, but people want the 46 back. Cynical version? Getting the 46 back gets the old man off the top of the pyramid."

Everyone knew who the old man was.

"The squad captains are no longer willing to take the old man's leadership. Back in the Edo period his policies were fine. These days he's a little out of touch."

A little. Just that tiny little bit.

"Back to the 46. Someone decided they can kill two birds with one stone. Brilliant idea is to move the old man to the 46. On paper it's a promotion. In practice it neutralizes him; I expected he'll be voted down for suggesting a lunch break. Problem number two, the arrancar war decimated the Seireitei. Aizen killed the sitting 46 himself, just over half the rank and file shinigami are dead and well over half the lower ranked seated officers were killed. There isn't a single squad with a complete set of officers in seats one through twenty, let alone a squad with all twenty or two hundred or whatever it is for any given seat. The squads are in tatters."

There were a couple of nods; everyone knew that.

Right, time to press ahead.

"All but one of the existing captains are being transferred to the central 46."

"That's crazy," said Tatsuki. "The squads are in wreckage so now they're going to bring up the farm team? Now, when they need experienced leadership the most?"

Okay, that hurt.

"No one consulted me on it." Rukia couldn't disapprove of that answer. Nice and stoic, just like the old bastard who'd gotten me into this mess. "Apparently it was discussed and decided that there's no one else. My father and Urahara have already been recalled to form the new government. Yoruichi, by virtue of being clever, has already disappeared. I don't imagine she'll reappear until the new government is solidly entrenched without her."

"Ichigo, what are you saying?" That was Ishida.

"I'm leaving."

This was met with silence.

"You're what?"

"I've been made captain commander of the thirteen squads. The message came last night."

This was met with more silence.

Finally Ishida said. "You're captain commander."

"There's no one else. They're not taking Zaraki with them. They can't givehim the job and they can't give it to anyone who can't handle him. That leaves me. Presumably with central 46 looking over my shoulder every step of the way."

"But-butwhy?" Tatsuki again. Orihime looked like she was about to cry.

"Everyone else is being moved to the central 46. I'm the only one left." I didn't want to explain it again.

The old man was rubbing off on me already.

No.

I will not be the old man.