AN: It seems that I take so long to update sometimes that people think I 'm abandoning my fics. Trust me when I say that is untrue. If I abandon a fic it will suddenly vanish from my list. If its still on my list you can count on it being alive still. However, a few of my fics are on hold for a second till I can get a new charger for my laptop.

Anyway here's the next chapter.

Enjoy

Chapter three

Naruto was having a very peacefully and admittedly rare dream filled sleep when a yell of surprise jerked him awake and into a battle ready stance in a near instant.

"What the hell!? Where did this thing come from!?"

Naruto, who had already been about to attack the cause of his friend's yell, face planted when he saw what the true cause of the yelling was.

Ichigo had apparently woken up to discover a huge ass cloth wrapped butcher knife stabbed into the ground next to him. The Humanoid reptilian hollow was circling the sword cautiously poking and prodding it wearily as if expecting it to suddenly lash out and cleave him in half.

"Jeez skull boy you nearly gave me a damn heart attack over a sword? Get your balls up ya pussy."

Ichigo responded by bashing Naruto in the head with his fist. "Bite me, fox. You try waking up with a huge sword planted right next to your head. It looks like someone tried to kill me you dick!"

"With a gift wrapped sword? As if. If anything, it's a gift from someone." He eyed the blade. "Hmm it actually feels like you…almost exactly like you in fact. Weird."

Ichigo looked at the sword again and crossed his arms, still not trusting the blade until Naruto's tail reached out and grabbed it. The giant fox was immediately assaulted by foreign spiritual pressure, causing him to drop it with a chuckle.

"Yep its definitely a part of you. It's just as much a dick as you. Pick it up man its harmless."

Ichigo wasn't entirely convinced. He saw Naruto flinch and drop the blade but he did hear some of his friends other words. So with a sigh he reached out and grabbed the blade.

"Huh well whaddaya know it is harmless," he muttered as nothing happened.

"See? I told ya, you worry wart."

"Still though I wonder where it came from. Swords just don't appear outta nowhere for just anybody."

"Yeah and as far as I know, hollows don't use swords."

Ichigo pondered for a few more seconds before he shrugged and rested the blade on his shoulder.

"Heh you gotta admit it does look pretty bad ass on me though."

"Or like you're overcompensating for something," sniggered Naruto.

"Bite me Fox."

The two hollows sat in an awkward silence for about five seconds before they shrugged and stretched their muscles. So Ichigo had a sword now. It's really not that big of a deal in the long run. They headed out, once again wondering the forest.

"Wait, why the hell would you need a sword anyway?" asked Naruto suddenly, making Ichigo stare at him as if he were stupid.

"Where the hell have you been these last ten years?"

Naruto chuckled and said, "Keepin my vow to NOT kill anyone, you dick. The same vow you're now gonna find yourself hard pressed to keep with that thing in your hand."

Ichigo examined the blade for a few more seconds. Naruto was right. Something about this blade just screamed for the lives of hollows. How could a blade made to kill hollows manifest for a hollow? It was…illogical. And who wields these blades originally? He didn't know and it made him a bit uncomfortable. But getting rid of it felt wrong, very much so.

"Eh I guess I'll just have to make my injuries non-deadly. Hollows can re-grow limbs right?"

Naruto laughed. "YOU can. Ya freak."

"Bite me."

Putting aside his playful annoyance, Ichigo rested the blade on his shoulder and continued on, Naruto right next to him. As they walked, they could feel the numerous hollows in the shadows shying away from them, weary of approaching the two who were so obviously stronger than they are and many took one look at Ichigo's new sword and fled. It was a rather new and pleasant experience to them. Ichigo was still trying to decide how he was going to succeed in not killing anybody with his weapon and was pretty relieved to now he'd not have to be fighting anytime soon.

A wave of spiritual pressure abruptly destroyed that thought.

Naruto and Ichigo froze as the reitsu washed over the area. These guys were powerful! Adjuchas but with years worth of experience and ability.

"Shit!" muttered Ichigo, his hands tensing around the handle of his sword.

"Yeah. Its about to get real on us," muttered Naruto.

They scanned the forest waiting for a powerful pair of Hollows to emerge from the forest and challenge them to a fight.

What they didn't expect was for the air itself to suddenly split open and reveal a black void.

"Heh, we meet at last," said a man's voice, one that was full of bloodlust and excitement.

The two Young hollows watched in fascination as two forms emerged from the portals. Their eyes widened behind their masks as the two settled on the ground in front of them, the portal closing in an instant with a snap.

"What the hell?"

The giant six armed praying mantis laughed. Evilly while brandishing his scythe like bladed arms menacingly and the ram-centaur woman with green hair and a ram skull mask covering her face gave a polite bow.

Naruto chuckled.

"Something funny prick?" growled the praying mantis. The giant fox shrugged.

"Well yeah," he began. "First is your rather pathetic attempt to look intimidating to a fox who's like six times your size."

He turned to the centaur, ignoring the praying mantis's growl. "Then you bow to us. Who the hell does that this day and age eh?"

Ichigo snorted. "Not that we don't appreciate it or anything. Manners are, after all a cornerstone of a civilized society."

"What the fuck society have you been livin in for the last ten years hmm Skull Boy? Cause it sure as hell ain't the one I've had the misfortune of livin in."

"Bite me fox."

The centaur couldn't help it. She broke down into a fit of giggles, her high pitched but extremely cute voice reverberated through the forest, causing Ichigo and Naruto to look at her, confused and slightly amused by her voice.

"My, you two ARE different aren't you?" She giggled again. "You're also very cute."

Ichigo blushed but gave a grin. "Hey, its what we do," he said.

Naruto turned away and said, "Being called cute is not cool in any way when the woman who calls you it makes it sound like she's talkin to a couple of toddlers."

The woman laughed while the mantis snorted, uninterested. Naruto was actually surprised he hadn't said or done anything yet, as impatient as he seemed. He spoke again, deciding to finally get serious here.

"Cuteness aside, you guys are here for a reason. Who are you and what the hell was that portal thing just now?"

While the praying mantis looked at the two like they were idiots, the centaur spoke up again, feint surprise in her voice. "Oh, forgive my rudeness. I am Neliel Tu Oderschvank and this is Nnoitra Jiruga. Um, forgive me but did you just inquire about the Garganta?"

Nnoitra choose this time to speak. "Ha! You two really are something! You don't even know how to create a friggin garganta!?"

Ichigo shrugged and Naruto leveled a stare at the mantis. "What do you think?" he asked with a deadpan tone. Neliel spoke up before Nnoitra could snarl and attack the giant seven tailed fox.

"That is most surprising," she began. "But that is definitely not our biggest concern."

"Oh? And what is your biggest concern?" asked Ichigo, his grip on his sword already getting tighter. Neliel gave a regretful sigh and said, "We are here to test you for our master. We are simply agents, scouts if you will for possible additions to Azen-Sama's army."

Ichigo and Naruto gasped. It was them! The two who had been following them on and off for a while now. Now their sudden appearance makes more sense. So this Aizen finally saw fit to contact them directly huh?

Naruto voiced the thoughts that were flying through his and Ichigo's mind at this moment.

"Well…damn."

Neliel continued.

"You two are different…unique. No hollow like you should even be possible. Aizen-Sama would be foolish to ignore the two of you. Look at you two. A giant fox who's very reitsu can scare even the toughest of foes. You may not realize this but your energy is something else entirely. It's thick, potent. Even now I can feel it swirling just below the surface, waiting to be unleashed, begging for destruction and death. It is like a vast ocean of fire screaming to erupt out of you like a volcano."

She turned to Ichigo

"And you are a Hollow who has more shinigami reistu than he does actual hollow, and with a Zanpaktou to go with it. And what's more, you are both low class hollows who are stronger than anything under the rank of high class adjuchas or Vasto Lorde. There are whispers about you two. They say that should you ever decide to advance through the ranks you could become unbeatable…gods. Nnoitra and I are here to test this theory. We will fight. If you prove yourselves you may live. We will even instruct you on a few things such as cero and Garganta, and Aizen-Sama will offer you a place in his army."

Her reitsu output increased a bit. Making Naruto and Ichigo finally release the breaths they hadn't realized they were holding with these revelations. Their minds were full of questions now and these two could…would provide the answers as long as they could win this fight that's about to go down.

Ichigo looked at Naruto. Naruto looked back. This was the real deal. There would be no crude jokes, no witty comments and no goofy antics. These two meant business! Damn they should have expected this.

"ah…jeez." said Ichigo as he held his…zanpaktou tighter. That was another thing he was going to ask her when this fight was over. Zanpaktou…the weapon that had suddenly appeared before him…Shinigami. Is that what a Zanpaktou was used by? So many questions. There was no doubt that he'd win. He HAD to win. They had to win. There was no other option.

The fox snorted, even as a thick red gel-like reitsu began to pour from the broken seal on his forehead and run down his body. "Well damn. Got any ideas skull boy?"

Ichigo gave his own snort as his reitsu sprang to life around him in a tornado of black outlined by red. "Yeah, don't die…again. Kami only knows that, that would just suck seeing as we met a coupla interesting people for once."

"Pfft I saw you staring at Neliel-San's rack. Don't try and act all mysterious with me or her cause it aint working."

"Bite me fox. Like you aint staring either." muttered Ichigo with a raised middle clawed finger.

Neliel blushed and covered her chest with her arms.

The red reitsu encased Naruto's body and vanished briefly before it exploded in all directions as it radiated with pure raw emotion and power. Neliel's eyes widened as the fox gave a loud roar while Nnoitra grinned. Ichigo's power did a similar explosion as he clutched his zanpaktou.

"You'll have to excuse me," began Ichigo. "I've had this sword for like…an hour."

"Then don't use it, Idiot," said Naruto.

"Fuck you dumbass. Worry about your own fight!"

Neliel eyed the two hollows as they finally stopped bickering and faced them. She was still blushing a bit but she did tense up. Looking at her own partner she gave a slight nod.

"Ready when you are," she said. The praying mantis laughed. "Hell yeah!" yellow reitsu exploded off of him in a show of power that actually shocked the two boys. "Fox boy! You're mine!"

He vanished.

"Ah shi-!" six claw tips slammed into Naruto's mask with the force of a freight train and sent him flying into the forest. Nnoitra wasted no time and dashed after him. Ichigo started at Neliel before he sighed and stuck his zanpaktou into the ground. "Dunno how to use it so…yeah."

Neliel giggled. "That's fine." she crouched and lowered her head, as if to ram him. "Now then, I hope you can fight. I normally abhor violence but I 'll follow Aizen-Sama to the ends of the world. His orders are to fight you and fight you I shall."

Purple reistu exploded off of her and she looked up, light brown eyes crinkled in a smile. Ichigo's own eyes Narrowed. "When this is over you're gonna tell us who this Aizen jackass is. Because its quite rude to send his lackeys to spy on us for as long as he's been doing."

Neliel's eyes widened in surprise, then she was forced to dodge as Ichigo launched himself at her, slamming into the ground with a punch a split second after she moved. "You knew we were following you." It wasn't a statement.

"Pfft Of course. No offence lady but your steal really sucks."

Neliel giggled again. "I see…"

She vanished. Ichigo vanished. They slammed into each other at full speed and a shockwave of power followed. "It looks like you have some questions to answer as well, Skull-Buy-Kun."

Ichigo twitched in annoyance as he swung.

----

Several hollows who had been brave enough to stay to witness the battle watched as Naruto flew through the air, back flipped and planted himself into the huge branch of a petrified tree. He leapt to the side a second later, just in time to avoid Nnoitra as he speared into the tree. "Ha!" he exclaimed as he immediately launched himself at the Fox. One claw swung horizontally at Naruto, who ducked his head. A second claw went for his left forepaw but was avoided when the fox simply lifted the limb. Nnoitra grinned some more, more of his claws flashing like lights as they attempted to slice and dice the fox Hollow.

"Die!"

All six claws came at him in a scissor attack. Nnoitra grinned.

THUNK!

"Wha…?"

Naruto chuckled. As he pushed the claws back with a single tail the appendage was more than twice as wide as Nnoitra and his claws hardly did any damage at all. "Don't tell me you forgot about these already didja?" The praying mantis jumped just in the nick of time to avoid a second tail as it nearly crushed him.

"little bug should choose his fights more carefully ya know? I can't even feel your attacks. And here I thought you'd be a challenge what with that initial attack and all. Adjuchas my ass. Sounds like this Aizen guy's a real idiot as well if he thinks you guys are strong enough to challenge the Skull Boy and I."

Nnoitra sneered. "Don't look down on me Teme!" More reitsu exploded off of him as he raised his head. Naruto looked on, interested as he felt a massive buildup of reitsu in eth mantis's mouth. "Let's see you act all smug after this bitch! Cero!"

Naruto gave a surprised yelp as a massive wave of yellow energy exploded from Nnoitra's mouth and shot at him. A second later the forest was rocked by a huge explosion.

----

Two blurs shot to and through the forest clearing, impacting each other periodically, sending shockwaves every time they impacted. Ichigo and Neliel were moving fast, very fast. The Green haired woman had been shocked at first to learn of her adversarie's speed but had quickly adjusted to it. She was even coming to enjoy it.

Ichigo jumped up over Neliel and tried to kick her in the back of the head. She reacted far faster than he thought capable and swung her arm in a back hand, smashing Ichigo in the side of the head and sending him careening to the side. He recovered and landed on all fours, hissing like a snake as his eyes flashed. He shot at her again and reared his fist back. She gave a playful "Tsk, tsk." before she leaned forward and smashed her head into his before she raised her front legs and slammed her hooves into his chest. However she didn't escape unfazed. Ichigo's tail slapped her upside the head as he flew away with a grunt. "Ugh!" He exclaimed as he bounced off the ground like a stone over water until he smashed into a boulder while she recovered from the dizziness that last hit had caused, staggering a bit before she regained her composure.

"You will have to do better than that Ichi-kun!"

Ichigo scowled and jumped to his feet. "I'm just getting started!" he shouted as he shot up then at her. "Take this!" He came down like a meteor with both feet forward in an attempt to hit her in the midsection. It worked and Neliel was sent skipping across the ground.

Ichigo gave an excited snort. "Ha! How's that for your ass lady!?"

Neliel shakily got to her feet as she clutched her stomach in pain. "W-wow…that hurt," she said, sounding like some kind of ditz. "You're really something aren't you Skull-Buy-Kun?"

"Stop calling me that dammit!" Neliel giggled as she took a couple of shaky breaths. "It seems I underestimated you."

Ichigo crossed his arms. "Yea, so does everyone else. You ready to give up yet?" he asked. Neliel giggled, Ichigo was quickly getting used to/annoyed by her giggles but chose not to say anything.

"I'm sorry Skull-Kun but I still have one more trick up my sleeve. Impress me then, and I will concede to you."

She held her arms out in front of her and began to glow with reitsu.

Ichigo contemplated charging her while she was distracted but then dismissed the idea. Whatever she had up her sleeve couldn't be that bad anyway.

"I apologize for hiding this from you. I didn't think I'd have to reveal it to you."

In a flash of purple, a huge double ended lance appeared in her hands. "Meet Gamuza. I've had it ever since I first became an adjuchas. I wonder if its has the potential to become a Zanpaktou? Aizen-Sama certainly thinks so."

Ichigo's eyes got wide.

"Shit! A weapon!? Dammit I'm screwed! What do I do what do I do!?"

Neliel twirled her lance above her head a few times then prepared to strike. "Here I come Skull-Kun!"

"Dammit!" He barely avoided getting stabbed in the eye but did not avoid the spin move Neliel did, much like one would handle a bo-Staff and was smashed in the side of the head. He did two cartwheels before he collapsed in a heap. His head was ringing.

"Oh, that hurt. Damn now how am I gonna get her?"

He was no idiot. He knew she was a master of that thing. He had no hope of getting to her now. He didn't know what to do. It was purely by chance that his eyes landed on the zanpaktou still stabbed in the ground. He gasped.

"That's it!"

Faster then Neliel thought he could move in his current injured state, he shot at the sword and grabbed its hilt. "I may not be able to use it but its better than nothing!" He took a step forward and froze in shock as his sword suddenly began to glow.

"Eh?"

A sudden explosion of pent up reitsu tore the clearing apart as a voice that sounded both relived and annoyed sounded inside Ichigo's head.

"Well…it's about time…Ichigo."

Ichigo gasped as he felt an enormous amount of power suddenly flood his body from his sword, His reitsu skyrocketed and exploded upwards like a fountain.

Neliel gasped and dropped her lance. "W-wow…"

Ichigo's eyes began to glow a bright blue as the reitsu poured out of the Zanpaktou, using Ichigo as a conductor. "Ah…aahhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!"

"What do you think you are doing? I am your Zanpaktou Ichigo. Never discard me like that again. Remember you are no longer fighting with just yourself. I am here now and I am a part of you. Heh it's no wonder this hollow is beating you so easily. You've been fighting at half strength the whole time."

A second later the reitsu suddenly stopped, leaving Ichigo standing there with a shocked expression.

"Remeber my words Ichigo..."

He slowly looked towards Neliel and said, "Wow…what a rush." before he passed out.

----

The dust was clearing and Nnoitra was looking quite smug. "Ha! Bastard. I knew you weren't worth shit."

He went to turn away when a shadow suddenly loomed over him.

"Zat so? Well explain to me why I'm here then eh little bug?"

"Nnoitra only had time for a surprised gasp as he turned…and was promptly clamped in the teeth of the giant fox. "U-urg!" Naruto jaws clenched a little tighter, crusing the air out of Nnoitra's lungs and causing him to pass out."

Naruto Snorted and began to make his way towards the clearing where Neliel and Ichigo were. "She better be awake. I wanna learn how to use that portal thing dammit," he muttered.

However, all thoughts of questioning fled his mind as he saw the state of the clearing, as His jaw dropped, letting the unconscious Nnoitra drop to the round he exclaimed rather loudly, "The fuck did you guys do here jeez! and...Skull boy lost!? Oi! Get your ass up dammit!"

Ichigo was forced out of his slumber by Naruto bashing him in the head with a tail. A tail that was as thick and heavy as most trees.

"Aaarrggghhhh!!! You dick! What the fuck was that for!?" yelled Ichigo as he clamored out of the indentation his body had formed due to Naruto. The fox snorted at him. "You got your ass whipped. And here I thought we were equal in terms of power and what not. Looks like I was right when I said you're goin soft."

"Huh? Hey fuck you! Neliel didn't beat me! I passed out because of my freaky sword! It talks! And it said something about only using half strength because he wasn't being wielded.

"Uh huh. Sure Skull boy, whatever helps you sleep at night."

"Bite me!"

Neliel giggled, having recovered from her shock. "Skull-kun speaks the truth."

"SKULL-KUN!? OH KAMI THAT'S RICH! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!"

"Shut the fuck up you ass hole!"

Neliel waited for the two boys to calm down before she continued, glad her mask hid her extremely amused expression. "Your friend is not weak. He is just uneducated that's all. That sword he has is a Zanpaktou. It is a part of him, a manifestation of his charater, will and spirit energy. The whole time we fought he wasn't using it and still he managed to face me on a pretty even platform."

Naruto nodded. "Okay fine I'll acept that. Had me worried there for a second Ichigo. Thought you've been lying to me all these years."

"And you'd have been a fuckin idiot not to have noticed if I was...oh wait you are and idiot."

"Bite me, Skull-Boy."

"Anway, we won right? You gonna show that portal?"

Neliel smiled. "I'll concede. Though you didn't defeat me, your power has impressed me. I will show you how to open a garganta to the living world. Be warned that Shinigami patrol there constantly so be on your gaurd."

Ichigo's eyes widened at the "Living world" part of the sentence. He already knew where he wanted to go. He gave a bow. "Show us Nel-Sama," he said commically, Causing Neliel to laugh. Naruto was just as shocked.

"It's rather simple really." She gestered with her hand and the garganta appeared before her. "focus your spirit energy and visualize your destination, then make a cutting motion, as if you as trying to splash through a waterfall." She grabbed Nnoitra and headed into her portal, grinning. "Ja ne, until we meet again someday." The portal closed, leaving behind the two boys.

"I...i didn't think we could ever get back...I thought we were...stuck here."

Naruto smiled warmly. "Looks like we were wrong eh?"

"yeah." Ichigo followed neliel's instructions and made a cutting motion with his claws while focusing his reitsu and repeating the destination over in his head. A garganta opened up. Ichigo felt his excitement grow. Naruto grinned. "So where to Skull Boy?"

Ichigo smiled as he rested his zanpaktou on his shoulder and said, "My home town. Karakura."

The giant fox nodded and the two stepped into the garganta without hestiation...

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AN: Chapta three for ya. I hope it was up to your standars and what not. Until next time. Peace!