Note: Hello and Welcome back everyone. I still had a lot of stories and ideas I wanted to do, especially now as the series is kicking itself into gear. So I decided to make this 'Season 2'. It's still the story of everyone in the Gotei 13 but mostly it's the story of Toshiro Hitsuguya as he deals with the pressure of his new command.

Choices

Ichigo Kurosaki received a strange message while walking home from school. A letter seemed to just fall down from the sky and right before him. He would normally have paid it no mind but the letter just happened to open up and he could see his name written on it.

So the substitute Soul Reaper slowly bent down and picked up the note, then began reading as he continued walking home.

It read :

"Substitute Soul Reaper Ichigo Kurosaki of Karakura Town. By order of the Head-Captain of the 13 Court Guard Squads you are to report to the Squad One Division Barracks tomorrow morning by 0800." And it was signed by the Lieutenant of Squad One Chojiro Sasakibe.

And this letter both confused and excited Ichigo. Confused because he hadn't been nor heard from the Soul Society in several years and he didn't know what he was being called for now. But he was excited because now after all this time he would get to return there not as an enemy but as an ally.

So without a moment to lose Ichigo headed off to the Soul Society. But he would find that it had changed since he was last there.

In short amount of time, thanks to Urahara he made it to the Soul Society. And stood on a hill just overlooking the structures of the Gotei 13 from down below.

So he walked in and began walking around the streets amongst all the other Soul Reapers. Walking amongst them you'd never be able to separate him from the rest, he blended in to well.

"Well look who it is." Called a voice. Ichigo turned around and there stood Renji, the Lieutenant of Squad Six. Only now he wore a white coat atop his uniform." Ichigo." He questioned as he walked up to him.

"Renji, what are you doing here?"

"Just making my rounds." He replied." Had to get out of the office for a while."

"What was Byakyua working you too hard?" he joked.

"No, not anymore." Renji smirked." I've become a new man recently, a Captain." He pulled at the white cloak about his shoulders.

"Really?!"

"Yea, Captain of Squad Three Renji Abari."

"When did that happen?"

"Just a few months ago. But enough about me, what are you doing here?"

"I got a letter saying the Head-Captain wanted to speak to me."

"The Head-Captain?" Ichigo nodded." Then you'd better go and see him." Renji pointed to the Barracks in question." He's been in a bad mood recently so you shouldn't want to keep him waiting."

Ichigo did as suggested and went on his way to the Squad One barracks. And as he was roaming around it's halls we was stopped by someone else.

"Ichigo!" called a high –pitched voice. The young man turned and saw none other than Rangiku Matsumoto walking towards him. But she did look different from last time because now she sported a sleeveless white robe.

"Rangiku?" questioned Ichigo." What are you doing here?"

"I work here." Said Rangiku as she looked around.

"You work here?! Don't tell me they made you a Captain to?""

"No not a Captain, but I have been promoted."

"Promoted?"

"Yep. Rangiku Matsumoto, Lieutenant of Squad One at your service." Ichigo was still shocked.

"But what about Squad Ten and Toshiro. Why would the old man promote you?"

"Old man?" questioned Rangiku with a raised brow.

"Mr. Kurosaki." Said Lieutenant Sasakibe as he walked up to the two." You've been called here to meet with the Head-Captain. When you meet with the Head-Captain you must address him by his proper rank, understand?"

"Yes, I understand." Ichigo nodded.

"Very well, there is the door." He pointed over to it." Now if you don't mind, Lieutenant Matsumoto and I have work to do." Then the two turned and went down the hall.

"Work? What work?" asked Ichigo.

"I'm off to learn Bankai!" exclaimed Rangiku from down the hall. Ichigo just rolled his eyes and shook his head, it seemed now that everyone was going to have Bankai. But he didn't concern himself with the fact for lone as he turned to enter the Head-Captain's office.

He turned the knob and then entered the room. But the figure he saw there was not who he expected. Not the short, bald and old Yamamoto with his beard hanging down to the floor but a younger man tall with a stern look on his face with his snow white hair tied back in a topknot and he wore the Captain's cloak of the First Division.

He turned and faced Ichigo while the substitute froze up in the doorway.

"Come in." he waved him in." I'd prefer if you would have knocked thought."

"Who are you?" asked Ichigo.

"I am Head-Captain of the Gotei 13." He replied.

"Where is the old man? Who are you?!"

"We've met before or do you not recognize me?" It was now that Ichigo was forced to take a long and very hard look at this strange newcomer. But the more he did the more he realized that he looked very similar to another Soul Reaper. Despite a few differences like length of hair and height the Head-Captain had baby-blue eyes just like that of Toshiro Hitsuguya.

"Toshiro?" questioned Ichigo.

"You will refer to me as Head-Captain Hitsuguya." Said Toshiro sitting down in his chair. But Ichigo was in a state of awe and confusion.

"But how did this happen? You… You grew up." Toshiro cocked his head to him." Your bigger, taller and just how did you become Head-Captain?" He chuckled." Must have beat the old man for it-"

"Enough!" said Toshiro slamming his fist on the desk." I did not call you here to discuss pleasantries of the past." He said in a grumbled voice." I called you here for business."

"Alright, Alright Business." Said Ichigo as he pulled up a chair and sat down across from Toshiro. "What kind of business?"

"It regards your departure from the world of the living." Told Toshiro.

"What do you mean?" asked Ichigo." My departure?"

"You must understand Ichigo Kurosaki that a substitute Soul Reapers is very rare, even more rare than that is one that is half human." Told Toshiro." You are able to walk between worlds effortlessly and while that was possible in the past, things are different now."

"What are you saying? That I have to choose between being a Soul Reaper or being a human!?" asked Ichigo.

"Yes." Nodded Toshiro." I understand your confusion on this matter. But recent events have made it abundantly clear that things cannot remain as they are and sacrifices must be made."

"Well what are my options?" asked Ichigo.

"To remain a Soul Reaper you will stay here and become a full member of the Gotei 13. Most likely you'll be given an officer's position perhaps in Squad 6 as Byakuya's new Lieutenant. And who knows where you may go from there."

"And if I choose to be a human?" Toshiro glared at him with his big blue eyes.

"You will be stripped of all your powers." He told." And returned to the World of the Living. You will live out the rest of your days as an ordinary human being. You will never return to the Soul Society and you will never see us again." Ichigo sat back in his chair.

"A pretty big choice."

"It is." Nodded Toshiro." But you're the only one who can make it." Ichigo picked up his head and the two locked eyes.

Sometime later Rangiku had finished her training and was returning along with Renji and Ikkaku to greet Ichigo. They stood before the door and Ichigo walked out.

"Ichigo we-" began Renji but stopped as Head-Captain Hitsuguya appeared behind Toshiro.

"Good Afternoon General." Renji and Ikkaku greeted him. Toshiro nodded to them and turned to Ichigo.

"Substitute." He said holding out his hand.

"Tosh-I mean Commander Hitsuguya." Said Ichigo taking Toshiro's hand. The two shook and once they were done Ichigo turned and walked away while Toshiro stood in the doorway of his office and watched him go.

"Ichigo wait!" called Ikkaku. And he and Renji quickly followed after him.

"Captain." Said Rangiku getting Toshiro's attention." What happened in there? What did you two talk about?"

"I gave him a choice." Told Toshiro as he turned back and looked at Ichigo's retreating figure.

"And what choice did he make?"

"His choice." Said Toshiro. And without another word he turned and went back into his office.