DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN BLEACH.

Author's Note: Hey guys! This is my new story based on an idea I had. Well not really my idea, but a friend of mine challenged me to write a realistic Self Insert story, so here it is. I can't say I will be able to update it regularly because my job keeps me very busy, but I will try to write it when I find a bit of time to myself. Also, I don't own Bleach and I am not earning any profits from this story.

Chapter 1

The morning had started like any other. I woke up groggy, my mind still clouded with sleep. But something felt off—a strange silence hung in the air, heavy with anticipation. I sat up, rubbing my face, and listened. My dad hadn't barged in with his usual over-the-top antics, which was a relief. A rare blessing, really. With a sigh, I rolled out of bed, my movements too smooth for someone who had just woken up. That's what happens when you've lived in this body for 15 years, I guess.

Just then, I heard the sound of hurried footsteps approaching. Typical. Resigned, I threw open my window and stepped aside. Right on cue, my dad, Kurosaki Isshin, slammed open the door with his usual exaggerated energy, yelling, "Good morning, Ichigo!"

His enthusiasm abruptly ended with a yelp as he realized I wasn't in my usual spot, and he sailed right out the window. Ignoring the inevitable thud as he hit the ground, I walked toward the bathroom. This was life now—my life. I was Kurosaki Ichigo, a human, and yet, I was so much more—a lot more.

Kurosaki Yuzu spun from her place in front of the stove as she heard the even footsteps of her brother coming down the stairs. With a bright smile, she moved forward to receive her customary good morning hug and kiss on the forehead.

"Good morning, onii-chan!" she chirped, her voice bubbling with cheer. I ruffled her hair in return, already moving on to Karin, my more reluctant twin sister.

Karin, sitting at the table with her arms crossed, grumbled under her breath, "I'm too old for this, you know." But she made no effort to stop me. I couldn't help the fond smile that tugged at my lips. She acted like she didn't want it, but we both knew she didn't mean it.

"Come on, Karin, a little affection never hurt anyone," I teased, knowing full well how to push her buttons.

"Just because you're all mushy doesn't mean I have to be!" she shot back, though the corners of her lips twitched in a half-smile.

I turned to take my seat at the table, my eyes following Yuzu as she put the finishing touches on breakfast. The soft clinking of plates filled the air, a comforting domestic rhythm. Just as I settled in, a sense of something approaching fast registered. Reflexively, I lashed out with a fist behind me, catching my dad mid-air as he attempted one of his usual sneak attacks.

I will give it to him; how quickly he had recovered from a single-story fall. His body crumpled to the floor, groaning dramatically. "Excellent reflexes, son! I have trained you well!" he gasped, clutching his face in mock pain.

I shook my head, exasperated by his antics. Dad was always like this—over-the-top and ridiculous. As expected, his theatrics continued as he scrambled toward the huge poster of my mom, wailing, "Masaki! Our delinquent son doesn't love me anymore!"

I glanced at the scene before me: my father, a grown man, making a complete fool of himself while Karin rolled her eyes and Yuzu tried not to giggle. The warmth of the moment washed over me, yet beneath that comfort, something else lurked. My gaze involuntarily softened as I looked at the family I loved so much—my sisters, my insane father, and the ever-present memory of my mother.

I could never forget the promise I had made to myself after my mother's death. She hadn't died the way she originally had. I had ensured she escaped the clutches of the Hollow, Grand Fisher. But it hadn't been enough. Despite my efforts, despite everything I tried to change, she still fell victim to Yhwach's Auswählen. The Quincy King had taken her from me, and I had been powerless to stop it. Knowing it would happen didn't make the pain any less real.

I clenched my fists under the table, reminded once again of the oath I had made to myself: I would protect the ones I loved, no matter the cost. After all, this was my new life, a second chance—unbelievable as it was. And I wasn't going to waste it. Not one bit.


Two nights ago…

The night sky loomed dark over Karakura Town, stars obscured by the swirling, ominous presence of Hollows. I stood before my house, barely registering the blood pounding in my ears. My gaze locked onto her, a girl sitting on the ground, wounded and breathless. She had protected my family and me. She was no ordinary girl—she was a Shinigami.

"Do you wish to protect your family, Kurosaki Ichigo?" Her voice broke through my thoughts, firm despite her injuries.

I clenched my fists. "Of course. Tell me what I have to do."

The world around me seemed to dissolve into the background, fading into irrelevance. This moment—it was always meant to happen. Perhaps it was destiny, the moment I would awaken my powers. Not just any powers. Shinigami powers.

For 15 years, I had lived this new life—new family, new friends, new memories. But also, new struggles and tragedies. My mind flashed back to the most painful one—my mother, Kurosaki Masaki.

I had learned to cherish everything I had left. I refused to be weak. I refused to lose anything more without fighting back.

My past life? It didn't matter. It felt like an old dream. The only thing that mattered now was the here and now—protecting the people I loved.

I looked at her, the girl who had risked everything to defend us. How could I not know her? She saved my family when I couldn't.

"There is a way, but it's risky," she said, her voice strained, each breath a struggle.

"If it's the only way, I'll do it. No matter what the cost."

"Then take my sword and plunge it into your heart." She handed me her katana, the blade shimmering in the moonlight. "I will transfer my Shinigami powers to you. It's the only way to defeat these Hollows."

Nodding, I took the sword into my hands. My grip tightened around the hilt as I pressed the tip against my chest.

"Ready when you are, Shinigami," I said, my voice calm—too calm. Maybe I should've been afraid, reluctant. But this was real. No anime, no story. Just reality.

She paused, her hands tightening around the grip. "It's not 'Shinigami.' It's… Kuchiki Rukia."

I drove the blade into my heart. In that instant, power surged through me—more than I had ever felt in my entire life. For years, I knew I wasn't just a normal human. I could feel the energy within me, tried to control it. But this? This was different. It was like I'd been seeing the world through a fog, and now everything was clear—brighter, louder, alive.

I stood up, my body now clad in a black shihakusho, the garb of a Soul Reaper. Rukia, now wearing a white robe, looked at me with wide eyes. Her expression was a mixture of disbelief and awe. Dust kicked up around us as my spiritual energy surged, swirling around me like a storm.

In my hand, I gripped a massive sword, its weight familiar yet foreign at the same time. It felt like an extension of me, yet its size was unwieldy, almost too much.

"This won't do," I muttered, feeling the raw spiritual energy leaking out. I focused, calming my breathing, reining in the power. Instantly, the massive blade shrank down into a normal-sized katana, fitting perfectly into my grip.

The Hollow roared, breaking the silence. Its grotesque form rushed towards me; jaws wide open. I sidestepped effortlessly, my movements fluid, instinctive. In one smooth motion, I sliced through its mask, my blade cutting clean through. The creature howled, then dissolved into dust.

"And then there was one," I said, turning to the second Hollow. "Hey ugly, come and get me."

It charged, but I could see its every move, almost as if time had slowed down. I concentrated my reiatsu into my legs and dashed forward, meeting its attack head-on. At the last second, I shifted, slashing down hard. My blade cleaved through its arm, followed by two quick strikes to its torso.

The Hollow staggered back, desperate. I could sense its next attack before it even moved. With a final jump, I brought my sword down, slicing through its mask. It howled in pain before disintegrating into particles.

I stood there, panting slightly, the adrenaline still coursing through me. I had just won my first battle as a Shinigami.

"That was… amazing," Rukia said, her voice filled with awe. "I've never seen someone adapt so quickly. You just became a Shinigami, and you killed those Hollows with ease."

I shrugged, trying to downplay it. "I don't know about natural aptitude, but I've trained in kendo and karate. Some instincts probably carried over." I wasn't ready to admit how natural it all felt.

"Even so, for a human—let alone a new Soul Reaper—that was impressive," she countered.

I couldn't help but smile slightly, but then reality hit me. "By the way… what happened to you? Why are you in white now? And how the hell am I supposed to explain this to my family?"

Before she could answer, a wave of dizziness washed over me. My vision blurred, and I stumbled.

What the—? Was I… losing consciousness?

"My, my, what an unusual situation this is," a dawdling voice echoed from the shadows. "Perhaps I could help with that, little miss."

Those were the last words I heard before everything went dark.


Present time…

Now, sitting at the breakfast table, everything felt like it was teetering on the edge of normalcy and something far greater. Yuzu set a plate of food in front of me, unaware of the whirlwind of thoughts racing through my head. Karin shot a glare at Dad, who was still moaning dramatically at Mom's poster.

It was an ordinary scene; one I had witnessed countless times. But today, something was different. I could feel it—an undercurrent of power, of purpose. That night had changed everything, and I wasn't the same person I had been before. My family laughed and joked around me, but the weight of my new responsibility lingered in the back of my mind.

"Ichigo!" Yuzu's voice pulled me from my thoughts. "Are you even listening?"

I blinked, focusing on her. "Sorry, Yuzu. Just thinking about… stuff."

Karin raised an eyebrow, scepticism etched on her face. "Stuff? What kind of stuff? Are you hiding something again?"

"Relax, Karin," I replied, trying to deflect. "It's just schoolwork. You know how it is."

Karin rolled her eyes but looked a little less sceptical. "Just don't get distracted. You have exams coming up."

"Right, right," I muttered, trying to keep my composure. But beneath it all, the weight of my new identity pressed down on me. I had responsibilities that extended beyond the classroom now.

Yuzu beamed at me, blissfully unaware of the turmoil swirling inside. "Well, eat up! You need your strength for the day ahead!"

I glanced at the spread before me—eggs, rice, miso soup, and pickled vegetables. "It looks great, Yuzu," I said, forcing a smile.

Dad, still recovering from his theatrics, jumped in with his usual enthusiasm. "You'll need that energy Ichigo to outrun me when I come charging in for a surprise attack!"

I chuckled softly, but the laughter felt distant. I knew that soon, I'd be out there, confronting the darkness lurking in the shadows. My gaze drifted toward the window, where the sun was just starting to rise, casting golden light over the town. The memory of Rukia handing me her sword, the surge of power as I became a Shinigami, it was all too real. The moment I had stepped into this world, there was no turning back. The promise I had made to protect them—my family—echoed in my mind. I am a hybrid of Soul Reaper, Hollow and Quincy, a being with nigh infinite potential, and this is only the beginning.


Author's Note: There you go guys. How was the first chapter? Please ready and review.