Ichigo Awakens

(Kurosaki Clinic)

The day had finally come. Two weeks of preparations and now it was time to put it to the test. It was after the fireworks festival, one last day of fun, one last day of safety, one last day before they went out to save Rukia. Ichigo softly stroked his little sisters' heads as they rested on his lap, wanting to spend a little more time with their big brother. It took some stern and rather mean lectures from family and friends to remind the twins that they were more of a liability at their level so they settled for staying with their brother for one more night, which Ichigo obliged. It wasn't until midnight that Kon, in his stuffed lion body, came up to Ichigo and exposed the opening to his back to let Ichigo know that it was time. Wordlessly, he took the small green pill and ejected into his Soul Reaper body. He gave a subtle nod to Kon letting him know to take care of his sisters before leaving the house, where his father was waiting for him.

"This is a really dangerous mission you're going on boy." Isshin said gravely. "Some of the captains have been there for almost a millennium, with two being original members. They are powerful and dangerous." Ichigo hugged his father, stopping him from continuing.

"Relax you old goat." He told his eccentric old man. "If anything, I inherited your tenacity. I won't die so easily." Isshin snorted out his amusement.

"Damn right boy." He said, returning his son's embrace. After a second, he separated and pulled out a letter. "Take this to the Shiba household, they should help you."

"Oh yeah." Ichigo took the letter and pocketed it in his Shihakusho. "My relatives on your side." He said with some dread.

"Each one as hot headed and bombastic as the last" Isshin said with a grin, making Ichigo sink lower. "But Kukaku manages to keep a lid on them all." He said, returning to his serious side. "Last I heard, we fell out of high standing but we're still able to operate so entering Seireitei shouldn't be too difficult."

"Then it's off to the big white tower called the 'Repentance Cell'?" Isshin nodded as his boy guessed from the Soul Society trivia he was taught. "While avoiding as many captains as possible."

"But you are going to talk to the old man while you're there right?" Isshin clarified, a little nervous about his son meeting Yamamoto. The old captain held the law in the highest regard, and a bunch of 'children' spitting on those laws will not sit well with him.

"Gonna have to dad. He needs to know." Ichigo said, remembering the stories he heard of the monster called Ywach. Every one made him despise the self-proclaimed god more and more. "Faced with him, the old man might listen to reason." He then walked off, ready for the mission that would be his first real test in a long time.

(Urahara's Shop)

The teens slowly gathered outside of the shop, waiting for their allies to gather. Chad was first to arrive in a sleeveless T-shirt with a magenta line going down the left side and black pants. Next was Ichigo with Orihime and Tatsuki, wearing a pink T-shirt with track pants and a gray T-shirt with dougi pants respectively. Yoruichi-

"So how big was he?" was following them very discreetly. She then proceeded to interrogate and embarrass the poor girls until they told Yoruichi everything about when they were alone together.

"Why should it matter!?" Tatsuki yelled out while Ichigo and Chad ignored them, despite how much Urahara wanted details. Tatsuki didn't want to go into details of the mindless mating, preferring the romanticized idea of the first time.

"Because I want some myself." The dark skinned noble said unashamed. The girls' first instinct was to go to their boyfriend and latch onto him. "Not to steal him away!" She reassured her students. "Just to 'relieve' some tensions." The girls still glared but decided to continue this talk later.

"I thought we were going to invade Soul Society, not to discuss sex lives." Someone said rather crudely. Many blushing faces turned to see Uryuu in the same Quincy get up but with a short cape and a belt with several silver rods with rings on top.

"Don't test her Uryu." Ichigo warned. "She's quite the multi-tasker." He took a quick glance at Uryu's gloved hand. "The Seele Schneiders I understand, but are you sure about that?" Ichigo asked, not pointing out anything specific.

"Don't worry Ichigo." Uryu said, offering a rare smile. "I promise not to do anything foolish. Urahara can remove it later." He talked with Urahara the day after he finished the training with the Sanrei Glove and gave him the chance to study it. If everything goes well, he should be able to remove it with no repercussions. "Besides, I need all the advantages I can get to fight these Shinigami."

"Now that we're all here and accounted for," Kisuke said. "let's get to business." The group followed him down to the massive training hall he had set up, Tessai already waiting down there.

"No matter how many times I see it this place still astounds me." Tatsuki said with a hint of nostalgia, remembering her spars with Ichigo in the rocky arena.

"I know what you mean!" Orihime chirped. "It's so cool!"

"Your reactions are so kind!" Tessai cried out, tears crawling down his face that people appreciated the hard work that went into the place.

"Alright! Enough!" Urahara called out before clapping and summoning paper covered blocks that formed a doorframe. "Now let's get to what you need to know." The scientist said, getting suddenly serious. "Skipping the technical explanation, this door will give you spirit bodies you need to enter Soul Society. Through this you will enter the Dangai, the realm in between this world and Soul Society. Keep moving and avoid the Kouryuu, which captures spiritual bodies. If my calculations are right, which is always, the 'cleaner' should've made it's run yesterday so all you have to do is charge forward. You have four minutes to reach Soul Society." Himself and Tessai proceeded to open the door to the realm of the Dead.

"This place should land us in West Rukon, there we will have to go to the Shiba House!" Yoruichi yelled out in her cat form. "Ready? Now!" She called as they all jumped into the realm beyond the living.

(1st Division Barracks, Soul Society)

"It has been two weeks since Rukia Kuchiki's arrest." The old leader of the Shinigami announced to his thirteen captains. "In those two weeks we have monitored the Kurosaki boy and continued the investigation." He called out, sparing a slight glance to few of his captains that he had the utmost trust in. "Captain Soi-Fon, Kurotsuchi, what have you found?" The deranged scientist stepped forward to go first.

"From our surveillance, he seemed to really frequent four areas." The skeletal man said with traces of annoyance. "However, when he heads to these areas his presence actually seems to disappear. Obviously kido but we've been unable to identify the source."

"Everytime my men have checked it out, they've been unable to find anything." The slender Soi-Fon said. "He's skilled sir. Obviously a danger." She said before alarms began to ring out.

"Attention! Red alert! Red alert! Intruders detected in West Rukon!" The alarm called out, surprising most of the captains in attendance. Kenpachi looked ecstatic at the prospect of a challenge while the blind black Tousen seemed angered along with Soi-Fon. The young Hitsugaya was shocked while most everyone else seemed to begin thinking on their next course of action.

'So it begins.' The ancient man thought. 'What drives you to come to meet me boy?' "Prepare yourselves!" He announced to the assembled captains. "This is likely Kurosaki and his allies! I want them captured alive!" The ever smiling Gin Ichimaru stepped forward, one of the captains Yamamoto did not trust.

"I'll go greet our little intruders." He said, walking away from the group. "It should be interesting how things proceed." He said before waving off lazily.