The Next Generation
Chapter 1: Prologue

Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach.

After Ichigo regained his powers….

The Soul Society….

Everything was perfectly fine in the Seireitei, the sun shining, the birds singing, Kyoraku getting flat out drunk and getting chewed at by his lieutenant. To the Soul Reapers it was just another day for them all….

…Until the department of Research and Development exploded!

All throughout the Seireitei, rank-and-file soldiers, seated officers, lieutenants and their captains looked up as the R&D department of Squad 12 became engulfed in a large explosion, a mushroom cloud drifting up into the air. Such explosions weren't exactly uncommon with Captain Kurotsuchi in charge of Squad 12 but what alarmed everyone was when the smoke was deflected by the Shakonmaku barrier back onto the Soul Society, the whole of the Seireitei engulfed in a cloud of white, looking like a snowglobe to anyone outside.

When the dust settled, everyone was further shocked when the R&D eggheads broke the news to everyone….

During the captains meeting….

"So let me see if I understand this, Captain Kurotsuchi…" Head-Captain Yamamoto said as he gripped his cane tight enough that if it weren't his zanpakuto it would've broken from his iron-grip. "You're telling me…that you sterilized EVERY MAN IN THE SOUL SOCIETY?!"

Captain Kurotsuchi gulped, his appearance disheveled. He hadn't even bothered to restyle his hair after the accident, so caught up with trying to repair everything and gathering data over the accident. "I was trying to come up with a useful solution to the problem of the low birth rates in the Soul Society. I don't know if any of you have noticed but the amount of Soul Reapers born has been considerably low as of late. I feared that if it continued, their might not be a next generation of Soul Reapers."

Toshiro stepped forward. "That doesn't make any sense. What about the people in the academy and the Rukon District? They can be trained to become Soul Reapers."

"Yes, but the amount of people who possess spirit energy in the districts is few and far between. And the academy's attendance rate has dropped significantly, has it not? I tried to create a device which would cause all women within the Soul Society to become highly fertile in order to solve the problem. But for some reason something when horribly wrong. Now every single man who breathed in the smoke from the explosion has become sterile and therefore we all cannot produce offspring."

"Captain Kurotsuchi," Unohana addressed. "What are the ramifications to the women who breathed in the smoke, like me and Captain Soi-Fon?"

"Well, in the case of women the experiment did like it intended. Every woman in the Soul Society is now highly fertile, including the two of you."

Kensei crossed his arms. "Well that's just great. Every woman is fertile but there's no men left to impregnate them! That's an oxymoron if I ever saw one. Your experiment just doomed us all, Mayuri!"

"Shut your mouth!" Kurotsuchi spat. "I have no idea why the experiment went wrong! And I'm certain that I can fix this mess given enough time."

Soi-Fon glared at the mad scientist. "You mean if your next experiment doesn't kill us first…."

"HOW DARE YOU!"

"ENOUGH!" the Head-Captain shouted, stomping his cane into the floor. "However this has happened is not the concern. There is the fact that as a result of his failed experiment, there are no men left to father the next generation of Soul Reapers and we cannot just rely on the hope that more people from the Rukon District will apply to the academy. Certain measures will have to be taken now to ensure our survival, at least for the moment."

Unohana blinked. "Head-Captain, you don't mean-"

"I'm afraid I have no choice in the matter, Captain Unohana. This situation has happened one other time and we must use the same measure as before. Listen well! This order is to go into effect immediately:

In order to ensure that strong Soul Reapers will be born, all female officers of the rank of third-seat and above must produce a child within the next year!"

Everyone just stared at the old man, Soi-Fon and Unohana's faces turning pale at the order, especially Soi-Fon. Kyoraku looked at the Head-Captain perplexed. "Uh…isn't that a bit counter-productive, Old Man? There's no men left in the Soul Society left to father children for the moment."

The Head-Captain shook his head. "…You're correct, Shunsui. But there is one other person with captain level spiritual pressure who can still spawn children. He is not in the Soul Society and therefore is unaffected by the experiment."

Byakuya scowled. "Head-Captain, you don't really mean-"

"I do, Captain Kuchiki. I'm referring, of course, to Ichigo Kurosaki."

The Next Day….
Urahara Shop

"…ABSOLUTELY NOT!" Ichigo screamed as Ukitake, Kisuke and Byakuya sat him down and explained the situation. "I'M NOT GETTING ANYONE PREGNANT!"

Ukitake continued to smile at the boy. "Please, Ichigo, you don't have to get so riled up. We aren't asking you to impregnate every woman in the Soul Society-"

"Though that'd still be impressive in its own right," Kisuke coolly added from behind his fan.

"BUT!" Ukitake glared at the man. "We are left with no other option. And you don't have to worry about taking responsibility, Ichigo, some of the woman plan to let their children be adopted by couples who'd wanted children for years. And besides, we aren't asking you to go to bed with random strangers. These are your friends and people you know."

Ichigo stared at the table, feeing weird from hearing all this. "But…do I have to have sex with them? Can't I just donate sperm or something?"

Byakuya frowned. "Most women in the Soul Society are against such ideas, Ichigo. I know that things are different in your world but in the Soul Society women reproduce through intercourse and only intercourse. Besides, such methods would have to go through Squad 12 and at the moment everyone is highly distrustful of Captain Kurotsuchi."

Ichigo merely stared at the man. "Byakuya, you can't be ok with this. I mean…do you realize you're asking me to knock up your sister?"

Byakuya continued to frown at the boy. "You're correct. I'm not ok with this. But Rukia is a member of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads and the order applies to her. She is duty-bound to uphold it. That I can accept. And I can take comfort in the fact that you are literally the bottom of the barrel." Ichigo scowled at the man. Even in a situation like this the man had to take a shot at him.

Taking deep breaths, Ichigo finally nodded. "…Ok... my dad's gonna have a field day when he hears this." He looked up at the three men. "So…how am I supposed to do this?"

Kisuke reached behind him and pulled out a diagram of the human body. "Well Ichigo, a man is supposed to put his erection in a woman's-" he didn't finish because he suddenly came down with a massive case of Ichigo-knocking-him-out.

"I'm not an idiot!" Ichigo shouted.

"Clearly," Byakuya said. The man sat back and crossed his arms. "The SWA drew lots to see who you would couple with first. She will arrive at your home tomorrow. Captain Kyoraku is explaining the situation to your father as we speak."

Ichigo sweatdropped. He was not looking forward to hearing his father's grandbaby speech when he got home. "Wait, Kisuke, why aren't you involved in this too? You aren't affected either!"

Kisuke shook his head. "I'm no longer a captain anymore, Ichigo. The order is for you and you alone."

Ichigo sighed in resignation before turning to the two captains. "Ok, so who is it?"

Ukitake answered. "The lucky woman is…."

To Be Continued

A.N.: Just so we're clear, this story is only with the SWA. So no, there will be no Orihime, Arrancars, Fullbringers, his human friends, nor the Vizards with the exception of Mashiro. So don't ask. Whacky out!