Sorry I didn't write for so long, I was away on holiday and I was generally busy, but I'm back!

Here's te latest chapter of my fic.

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Chapter 7

Naruto opened his eyes precariously, wincing at the sudden exposure to bright light

Naruto opened his eyes precariously, wincing at the sudden exposure to bright light. He was in pain, and found himself racked with a bought of coughs, as his eyes became accustomed to daylight.

As his gaze focused, he looked around, surveying his surroundings. He found himself in a room with whitewashed walls, and a single window, casing light to flood in on him. Pushing himself up on the bed he found himself on. He groaned slightly as his body was racked with pains. Carefully he flung his legs off the bed, and pulling of the chords and tubes attached to his body, he pushed up off the bed. Seeing his robe on a chair by the bed, he grabbed it and pulled it on. Taking his Zanpakutou, he strapped at across his back, feeling much better with the now familiar blade on his person once more. Taking a moment to adjust to walking once more, he made his way towards the door, before pushing it open, and finding himself peering into a bustling corridor.

There were dozens of Shinigami rushing through the corridor carrying towels, clothes and a number of other things, all seemingly in a hurry. Carefully he walked out of the room, and closed the door behind him, before making his way down the corridor. Looking around for a sign which would tell him where he was and how to get out, he did not notice a young boy rushing towards him, until they had collided. The boy found himself on the floor.

"I'm so sorry; I should have been looking where I was going," Naruto said, as he offered the boy a hand. The boy looked up, and as he took in Naruto's features, his eyes widened with recognition.

"You're Namikaze Naruto, the academy graduate who took a Menos!" He all but shouted in excitement.

In a matter of moments it seemed as if the whole corridor was huddled around Naruto and the boy. Excited chatter and questions were directed towards him.

"Hey, Namikaze-san, how did you do it?"

"Are you already healed?"

"Would you teach me?"

Naruto found himself nervous under the assault of questions, and retreated, pressing his back against the wall, as the mob seemed to grow in size.

"Enough!" A voice called out over the bickering. The crowd parted as Captain Unohana walked through the crowd, before turning and addressing them. "Naruto-san is a patient at our squad, and I'm sure he does not need to here your chatter, and that you are only giving the poor boy a headache with your bickering. Don't you have duties and patients to attend to?" The crowd began to disperse with grumblings at her words.

Turning around to face him Unohana-taichou addressed him with a smile, "Come Namikaze-san, walk with me." she said, before turning on her heel and leading him into the garden which was at the centre of her squad's barracks. "It is good to see you healed and well, Namikaze-san."

"Thank you, Unohana-taichou," Naruto said. "How long have I been out?"

"Almost four days. You gave us quite a fright to begin with, you had exhausted yourself physically and your wounds were deep and many. But, that is not what I wish to talk to you about. Your actions in battle have caused a fair bit of uproar in Seireitei, and as such, General Yamamoto wishes to see you in two days, once you are fully recovered and your bandages are undone. I must warn you, that all Captains and Vice-Captains will be present at the meeting, s watch yourself Namikaze-san."

"Thanks for the warning, and thank you for healing me, but I think I'm well enough to take these off now," Naruto said, gesturing towards the bandages, before tearing them off himself.

"You really shouldn't do that, it's very unlikely that your wounds have healed yet."

Naruto pulled off the bandages to reveal unblemished tanned skin on his stomach and arms.

Unohana gasped, "That shouldn't be possible, your wounds were too severe to have healed so quickly!"

Naruto smirked, "Don't worry 'bout it, I've always been a quick healer. Anyway, I think I'll head off now, if that's all the same to you?" Unohana nodded, absentmindedly as he left, still shocked by his recovery.

Naruto turned around and threw his robe on, before walking away from her.

Two days later, Naruto found himself in front of the huge double doors which lead to Godei 13's conference room, where he was to meet Yamamoto.

"You can go in now, Namikaze-san," One of the two guards outside the room said. Naruto nodded before pushing the doors wide open and walking into the room. The room seemed to be designed like a Roman amphitheatre, with pillars adorning its sides. In the centre was a rectangular table. At one end of the table sat Yamamoto, the other end had an empty seat. Along the sides of the tables sat the captains, with their vices sitting beside them. When he entered the room fell into hushed quiet, as the doors behind him shut with a dull thud.

"It is good that you arrived promptly Namikaze Naruto, for we have much to discuss," Yamamoto addressed him.

"Hai, General, I can see we do, and it must be important for the sheer number of high ranking officers you have gathered here today," Naruto observed, his eyebrow raised in curiosity. "So tell me sotaichou, which of my actions have offended you so?"

Most of the Shinigami gathered were either interested or outraged by this boy who would speak with such confidence to Yamamoto. However, Yamamoto himself appeared to be unperturbed.

"Namikaze Uzumaki Naruto, Fresh Graduate from the Shinigami Academy, it appears as if your conduct on the battle field has caused quite a stir. Your feats are quite remarkable to say the least," Yamamoto said, pausing for breathe before continuing, "In all my years, I have never come across any graduate who has been able to take out so many hollows, more so than any other Shinigami on the battle field that day, including Vice-captain Hisagi, and go on to cleanse a Menos Grandes in such a weakened state. Furthermore, it seems as if you deflected a Death Beam, a feat that only those gathered in this room and a sparse few others could achieve. It is obvious that your actions were instrumental in cleansing the hollows and saving many lives in the process. But-"

"Damn," Naruto said, rolling his eyes. "There always has to be a 'but'."

Yamamoto raised his eyebrow at the interruption before continuing, "But, it also seems as if your actions on the day in question were misplaced, as the ranking officer on the scene clearly stated that you should have pulled back once he and his squad arrived. However, you not only ignored his orders, but also encouraged your cell-mates, Kuchiki Rukia and Abarai Renji to follow your lead. The rules of Godei 13 and the Council state that you should be punished for these actions-"

"Would you rather that I had left? Left, and allowed comrades and friends of mine to fall in battle. Allowed myself to flee, and look back on that day forever more in shame, blaming myself for running, allowing brave men to fall needlessly," Naruto growled out heatedly. "You may be a coward Old Man, but I am not. Maybe you can live with the blood of Hisagi-fukutaichou and such brave men on your hands, but I cannot." Naruto closed his eyes, as his fingers curled into fists; he blinked as tears threatened to drop from his eyes.

"I've lost too many comrades in battle, and grieved over them too many times, to lose anymore needlessly. Perhaps you do not place value on their lives, but I do. One of my old senseis taught me that a man who does not follow the rules is trash, but a man who abandons his friends or comrades is worse than trash," Naruto finished, face flushed and panting.

"I agree with you on a moral level, however rules are rules Naruto-san," Yamamoto stated, sighing. "I'm afraid that the council has decided your punishment will be that for the next three months you will not be allowed out of Soul Society, meaning no trips to the outside world, even for missions. Furthermore, you will not be allowed to gain the status of seated officer for 6 months."

"Oh, well, I guess I'll just work my way up after 6 months then. Is that all?" Naruto asked.

"I'm afraid not. The council also declared that your reiatsu will be limited to 50 at all times, except when you go on a mission, when you will be allowed 75. This will stand for three months."

"Whatever, I've got so much reiatsu and I don't even know what to do with it, I doubt I'll need more than 50 until I've trained for a bit. Is that all?"

Yamamoto sighed gravely before shaking his head, "I'm afraid not. You may be wondering why I called all of these people to this meeting. The reason is what I will say next." He paused for a moment as all eyes turned towards him, listening avidly to the grave old man. "Whilst you were being treated in hospital, a complete health check was run on you by Unohana-taichou, as is common in such serious cases as yours. However, her check up ran into some inconsistencies."

"Whilst you were alive, I understand you were the Jinchuuriki of the Lord of the Bijuu, the Kyuubi no Yoko. I'm sure that since you have come to Seireitei, you must have wondered about what happened to the Great Demon. Your check-ups have shown that you not only have the reiatsu of a Shinigami but also that of a hollow, a very very powerful hollow at that.

You have to understand, that the Kyuubi is a transcendent being, and although its power may be stripped from it, it can never die. It can become a powerless spirit, a shadow of its former self, but it will always have a soul and conscience in the world and its own world. It seems that once you died, the Kyuubi also died, and it became something else. Since the Nine-tails was malignant and hateful its sole was wrought with fury and as such it became a hollow of great power. Even now, your reiatsu is keeping the Kyuubi in check, ensuring it bends to your will. It seems as if the Kyuubi has become a hollow... which exists inside you, giving you the powers of a Shinigami and a hollow."

Gasps ran through the room at this, Naruto himself shocked by this revelation.

"Stupid fox followed me into the afterlife as well?!"

"Sotaichou, does the hollow within Namikaze-san pose a threat to Seireitei? Can it break free?" Kuchiki Byakuya posed to the General.

Unohana answered the question for the General, knowing more about the situation than he, "My check-ups showed that, at present, the hollow does not seem to pose a threat. The hollow reiatsu within Namikaze-san is being held back by his own reiatsu. However, the hollow reiatsu within Namikaze-san is slowing gaining power, and soon it will gain enough to challenge him for dominion over his body."

"If he poses a threat in the future, it may be the right decision to eliminate him now, so that he cannot become a bigger threat later," Kurotsuchi Mayuri posed. "And perhaps you would let me run a few tests on him to help us comprehend this phenomenon before we do away with him."

"Mayuri you sick bastard," Hitsugaya-taichou growled out, slamming his hands down on the table, "I don't understand your grotesque fascination with experimenting on people, but I will not allow a Shinigami with achievements such as Namikaze's to fall into your hands!"

"I agree with Hitsugaya," Ukitake said, addressing those gathered in the room. "In my eyes, we owe a debt to Namikaze for ensuring the lives of our Shinigami in battle. Although his punishments are unavoidable, as they are issued by the council, I believe that his actions show that he above all else, is a righteous man and would not easily be waylaid to the darkness of the hollows. It is my belief, with knowledge of his past, that he, more so than any in this room, is the best equipped to handle this internal struggle, and I am sure that he will triumph and beat the hollow growing within him into submission."

"Damn right I will! It's about time I put that stupid fox into his place. I have had enough of him in life, and I wouldn't be able to stand another, much longer, lifetime with the furball again," Naruto said. "I promise you that I will do everything in my power to ensure that the wrath of the beast within me is not brought upon Seireitei, I would kill myself before I would allow that to happen. I will hold him back with every fibre of my being; I will train until I am ragged, until I am the best of you, to ensure that the fox will never be able to challenge me on equal terms!" Naruto pledged, bowing to them, before awaiting their reactions.

"I still believe we should eliminate Namikaze before he becomes a threat. His word is good and all, but at the end of the day, he holds a creature within him that is older than time itself, a creature none of us can even begin to comprehend! We should examine the fox's power source, and do away with this boy!" Kurotsuchi exclaimed, his eyes lighting up at the prospect of "examining" Naruto.

Gin Ichimaru followed up, his freakish smile in place as usual, "I am inclined to follow Mayuri-san's way of thinking. Soon the demon fox will grow to powerful for Naruto-san to hold and it may break out and pose a threat to the peace in Seireitei. I will not allow that to occur."

"None of you sat here today were there to witness Naruto-san in battle, only I was," Hisagi said. "Not a single one of you saw the fire burning in his eyes, the need to triumph and protect. Never before have I seen such flawless execution of attacks, the simple grace and fluidity with which Naruto attacks is beyond all comprehension. The fire that burns in his eyes and his heart, rages alike a beacon in the darkness, ignited by his own will to succeed, his own determination and his own thirst to protect. I believe that we should put our trust in Naruto, and teach and nurture him for the task that lies ahead for him, rather than to push him away and scheme against him. He has potential, a whole sea of the stuff."

The captains turned to face Naruto, giving him calculating glances, taking in his appearance from head to toe. Naruto met their gazes confidently, never blinking, almost challenging them to argue against Hisagi.

"As, troublesome as it may be to have Blondie over there n board, I guess I'll have to agree with Hisagi. I don't think Seireitei has ever seen a prodigy like him before, not even Toushiro-chan was this good," Kyoraku stated, meeting Hitsugaya's enraged expression with a laugh, before leaning back in his chair and closing his eyes, allowing his straw hat to fall over his eyes.

"It seems as if the brat has the potential to be strong, it may just get interesting with him around," Kenpachi stated, his eyes twinkling with fighting intent, Naruto meeting his gaze with a smirk, nodding in recognition of the challenge.

Sajin, who had remained silent thus far, spoke up, "I will not allow for Namikaze-san to be killed or experimented on for this, something which he had no control over. I know well the pain of being ostracized and hated for something that I had no say over. It is his past and experiences that make Namikaze-san so powerful, as mine have done to me."

Yamamoto looked around. Only Soifon, Tousen and Aizen had yet to put across their views on the matter. Soifon and Tousen were usually quite, and irresponsive, so this was to be expected of them. However, Aizen was usually very vocal in these meetings, yet now, he seemed to be staring at Naruto in interest and curiosity, as if planning or plotting.

Yamamoto cleared his throat, getting the attention of those gathered before speaking. "It seems as if Naruto-san has much support, and as a result, I am inclined to allow him to live on in the Shinigami ranks unharmed and unaffected, and he is to be treated no differently for the fact he is the container of such a powerful hollow.

Now, onto a happier note! Due to the fact that we were unsure of whether or not you would be executed, Godei 13 has yet to place you in a team, Namikaze-san. As a result, your team will be chosen now," Yamamoto said. Everyone suddenly paid attention, sitting more rigidly in their seats, even Kyoraku opened one of his eyes, watching Yamamoto intently. Yamamoto reached for a paper at the top of a pile that sat in front of him on the desk. He read out what was written on it loudly and clearly.

"Namikaze Uzumaki Naruto. Prodigy of the academy, who was skipped ahead to final year at the Academy, due to how adept he was at Hand-to-hand combat and kenjutsu. Hand-to-hand combat is exceptional, beyond the level of any student ever to attend the academy. Zanjutsu is also well above what has ever been seen before at Academy level. Kido is not as strong, but still well above average, scoring in third in his year for the subject. Also uses his tremendous speed as an advantage in battle. Although he has yet to learn Shunpo, his natural speed from using gravity seals in life, has resulted in his being almost as fast as Shunpo anyway.

Has already fought hollows in battle, killing as many as Vice-Captain Hisagi, if not more, and went onto destroy a Menos, defending against its Death Beam! Certainly an impressive résumé, wouldn't you agree? Now, we come to the crunch! Who would like him in their squad?"

"From his fighting skills, I can tell straight off the bat that he'll fit in perfectly in my squad," Kenpachi growled out, glancing across the table, as if challenging them to challenge him.

"I believe he will feel most welcome in my squad. Our squad also specialises in all-rounder's, of his type," Aizen stated, earning a glare from Kenpachi.

"Although I would like for him to be in my squad, I do not believe he would fit in," Kyoraku said, sighing.

"I'll take him," said Hitsugaya, "I think he'd be most comfortable in my squad."

"No." Everyone turned in surprise, shocked at hearing Soifon, renowned for never saying a word at these meetings... talk! "You are wrong. He would be comfortable in my squad, I can tell. His skills are most suitable fore Squad 2, and I assure you I will keep an eye on him and train him for his duty as best I can."

Naruto smirked raising an eyebrow, giving Soifon an appraising glance, "You can keep an eye on me all you want, I'm all up for it!"

The other captains were shocked, never before had Soifon actively asked for somebody to be placed in her squad, she would always take whoever was left over, never seeming to care who it was. Yet, this boy had changed all of that, and caused her to actually want him in her squad!

2Well, it seems as if that's settled! Namikaze Uzumaki Naruto will be placed in Squad 2 under the tutelage of Soifon-taichou! Adjourned!" Yamamoto roared out, dismissing them.

Naruto smirked before giving Soifon one more look and turning on his heel and confidently striding out of the room. Squad 2, huh? This should be interesting!

I know it was pretty short, but I hoped you liked it!

Remember to review!

Satansrogue