AN: This was a quick story I threw together. I read a few stories with similar plots and wanted to write one but I have a lot on my plate right now so I do not know if I will continue. I would like to hear your opinions on the idea and any possible ways to improve or where you think this story could go. The feedback will be much appreciated.

"Mugetsu"

A large black explosion of energy consumed the area. It hit Aizen full force, but when the dust settled Ichigo looked over and saw in the middle of the crater there was the body of Aizen except he was moving and healing.

The creature that was Aizen got up slowly while Ichigo's powers started disappearing. Ichigo fell to his knees in front of the traitorous captain.

"Ichigo Kurosaki you have lost this battle. My Zanpakutou is fading away. I assume you know what that means. The Hogyoku has determined that I no longer have a need for a Zanpakutou! Like you I have become one with the Zanpakutou and its power. However you no longer have that power. So watch as I reach a level that is beyond yours! It's all over Ichigo Kurosaki!"

Then red energy appeared on Aizens chest surprising both of them.

"What is happening? Is it a Kido? I don't get it. When was I attacked?"

"It seems it is finally taking affect." The voice came from the side directing the two's attention.

"Kisuke." Ichigo saw his old mentor arrive on the battle field.

"Kisuke Urahara! Are you responsible for all of this?"

"Yes I set up this offensive before you were completely able to transform. When you were most vulnerable I planted the Kido onto another Kido and shot it into your body. What I put in you is a seal. I knew once you fused with the Hogyoku killing you would end up being very difficult if not impossible. So I was forced to invent a new Kido which possessed the capability of sealing you off."

Aizen didn't seem fazed by this description. Instead he raised his arm. "Is that so? Too bad. I hate to disappoint you, but at this moment I am about to evolve even further than you can imagine. As much as you think you are in control of things you won't be able to seal me off with this level of Kido!"

Just then the white coating around Aizen started breaking apart before he could attack.

Kisuke spoke up in his emotionless voice. "It is the Hogyoku's will. The reason the seal I shot into you is only now taking affect is because your powers have started to weaken. This is all thanks to Ichigo. The seal was able to take affect because he fought so hard and pushed you to your limit. The Hogyoku is saying it does not recognize you as its master."

Aizen was on his knees glaring at Urahara. "No you are wrong! It can't be. It is impossible! I control this power." The seal exploded piercing his body causing Aizen to scream. "Kisuke Urahara. Do you know how much I despise you!? With your great intellect why is it you don't take independent action? Why do you choose to subjugate yourself to that thing?"

Kisuke's face never changed. It never showed any emotion. "When you say that thing do you mean the Soul King? I see. So you saw it didn't you? Without the existence of the Soul King, the Soul Society would split into pieces. The Soul King is the keystone to it all. Without that keystone in place the system would fall apart. That my friend is how the world works." A grey seal slowly works its way around Aizen encasing him.

"That is an excuse only a loser would make! A victor should speak about how the world should be rather than how the world currently operates. I refuse to accept a world ruled by that thing. I am a victor. I shall decide how the world should be!"

The seal was then complete and Aizen was defeated.

Ichigo tried to stand up but fell back down immediately. He could feel his energy fading away into unconsciousness as he fell to the ground.

Inner world

Ichigo found himself on an island. There was a raging storm causing waves to crash against the beaches.

"Where am I?" He didn't understand what was going on.

"Oh there you are cutie!" Ichigo looked to his left down the beach to see a beautiful girl with navy blue hair in a pink bikini tanning on the beach… in the middle of the storm. She had a small figure but it was still decorated with the right curves to compliment her. "I was wondering when you would visit." She ran up to Ichigo and attacked him with a Nel like hug.

"Who are you? What is going on? And get off me!" The girl finally stopped and rolled off him to only pout.

"Why are you such a meanie Ichigo?"

"Who are you?" Completely ignoring her.

"My name is…"

"What did you say?" A sad look on her face.

"I guess you can't hear it yet."

"He will once he understands." Ichigo spun around to find himself looking at his doppelganger had snuck up behind him.

"Hollow? I thought you were gone with Zangetsu." Ichigo's doppelganger frowned.

"I was a hollow for a while but no longer." Ichigo was confused but looked again. The man was his spitting image except he was not pale and did not have hollow eyes. He looked human with black hair. "My name is Kaien Shiba."

"Shiba? Wait. Are you Kukaku's brother? The one that died." Ichigo was thoroughly confused. If Kaien Shiba was dead, where were they and was he dead?

"Yes. I think it is about time I tell you my story and how I died….." He told Ichigo everything about meeting Rukia, his wife, and finally the hollow that had killed him and his wife. He explained how Rukia had killed him.

"Wow. I understand why Rukia was so broken up about that. But how does that have anything to do with what is going on." Kaien Shiba and the blue haired girl both looked at each other.

"That isn't actually the end of my story. After Rukia killed the hollow I was released and my soul purified except for a small part. That part of the hollow was taken by Aizen and fed to one of his hollows, Aaroniero the novena espada. This espada was able to access my memories and my zanpakutou to fight. Rukia killed this Hollow during your invasion earlier today. This released the rest of my soul. The first part that was released all those years ago had already gone through the incarnation cycle already and became you, Ichigo Kurosaki."

Ichigo was dumbfounded. "Me?"

"Yes. So when my soul was released today instead of going through the cycle it came directly to its other half, you."

"Why didn't I see you earlier when I was training for final getsuga tensho?"

"That was not up to us. Zangetsu sealed us off in another part of your inner world. He knew this would happen so he did it to protect you." Ichigo was even more confused now.

"Why would he do that?"

"Because he knows you. He knew you would use final getsuga tensho and made sure we would be safe from the destruction of your inner world that came with it. We are the backup." Ichigo just stood there.

The girl finally spoke up to the dumbfounded boy. "Aww. You haven't figured it out yet? Half of Kaien's soul didn't go through the incarnation cycle and instead came straight to you. This allows you access to me, Kaien's Zanpakutou, and all his soul reaper powers."

"Really?" Ichigo had just lost everything that had given meaning to his life and gave him the ability to protect and these guys were offering him that chance again.

Kaien spoke up again. "Yes, but it comes with a side effect. If I give you my powers I will fuse with you. You will gain my memories and knowledge and we will become one soul. It should not affect your personality or who you are. Think of this as me giving you the last of my power as a gift for what you have done for Rukia."

Ichigo didn't even need to think about it. Plus this Kaien guy seemed like a nice guy and he knew Rukia, so it couldn't be that bad merging. "I will do it."

The two guests of his inner world smiled. The Kaien held out his hand and there was a blinding blue light engulfed them. Ichigo felt a surge of memories. Many of them from the times Kaien had already explained. He also felt knowledge of being a soul reaper. The lore, government, Kido, and weirdly enough about his dad who is apparently a Shiba and also his uncle now?

He turned to see that he was on the beach alone with the blue haired girl. The storm had calmed. He gave her a smile that was fit of being both Ichigo and Kaien. "Hey Nejibana."

She started crying and jumped into his arms. They stood there as the world faded from existence.

Outside world

Ichigo woke up in the familiar fourth squad barracks. He smiled as he could feel where everyone was. He had much more control over his powers and his spiritual pressure. He looked about the room and saw Yoruichi on a chair in the room. She was sleeping soundly.

He got up and went over to wake her up. "Yoruichi I need your help with something."

Her eyes bolted awake. "Ichigo? Are you ok? Why are you out of bed? You need rest."

He just smiled at her. "Calm down Yoruichi. I need you to do me a favor." He paused and she only nodded. "I need you to tell Kukaku and Ganju to go to squad 13 headquarters and meet me there. I also need an Asauchi."

"Ichigo. Are you ok? Kisuke told us about what you did and that you are going to lose your powers. He thought it was weird you still had them but it could just take you awhile."

"Don't worry about that. I got it all figured out. If you do this for me you will get your answer." The laid back look and the smile on Ichigo's face took her a bit off guard. Everyone assumed that Ichigo would be worse after the war but he has never looked so relaxed.

"I better get some answers." She disappeared with a flash step.

Ichigo made his way out of his room masking his spiritual pressure to hide from Unohana. He knew he would be in trouble later. Both halves of his personality was scared of the fourth squad captain.

He made his way over to squad 13. When he got there he walked around the corner and ran into something. He looked down on the ground and saw who it was.

"Hey. Midget watch where you are going." She looked up wide eyed.

"Ichigo? What are you doing here? You have been in a coma for a week! You should still be in bed."

"A week? Huh. Anyway, where is Captain Ukitake? It is important." Rukia took on a serious expression.

"He is in his office. I can take you to him." He just smiled and waved her off.

"Don't worry about it Rukia. Can you get Kiyone and Sentaro though? Also I think a few other guests should show up soon. If you see them bring them to the office then you can join."

She kicked him in the shin. "Stop bossing me around! You are not my superior…. But I will do it anyway." She stormed off presumably to find the third seats.

He stood by himself. "Oh yeah. I am not her superior." He said to no one and walked off to find Ukitake.

He found the door using Kaien's memories and knocked. He heard a cough from the other side.

"Come in!"

Ichigo walked through the door. Ukitake was visibly shocked. Ichigo was supposed to be in squad four right now and then he immediately thought about the consequences for him not being there and felt pity for the boy when Unohana got her hands on him again.

"Captain Ukitake. I have some information that might be helpful for you but I also have a few guests coming that this is important for so we need to wait for them." Ukitake put on his professional face.

"Of course, sit down." He gestured to a chair across from his desk.

Shortly after some light conversation of how he was feeling Kiyone and Sentaro entered the room.

They looked confused. Kiyone was the first to speak up. "Rukia told us to come here for some…."

"Information. Ichigo said he needed to see us." Their confusion made sense since these two had never actually interacted with the substitute Shinigami.

"Is that so?" Ukitake directed this toward Ichigo who only nodded.

Then Kukaku, Ganju, and Yoruichi, who was holding a katana, all entered the room with Rukia shortly behing them.

"Ichigo, you interrupted my nap! This better be good!" Kukaku was visibly upset.

Ichigo gave her a grin and just said "Don't worry cousin. This is important." The room went silent. Crickets were heard in the background while everyone digested these words. Of course Yoruichi already knew.

"Before any of you jump in I need to tell you everything that happened during and after Aizen…." He talked about the battle and the technique he used and its consequences. He finally finished telling them about Urahara's seal.

Ukitake first spoke up. "That is good information, but Ichigo, why are we here? And why are you not before the head captain telling all of this?"

"I will tell him, but you guys are here for what happened after. For what happened while I was asleep." Ichigo paused for a second "Maybe it will be easier to understand why I brought you guys here if I just show you." He held out his hand to Yoruichi who understood and handed him the katana.

He unsheathed it which confused everyone since no one could feel his spiritual pressure and he just admitted to losing his powers.

Then he said the words that made everyone in the room freeze.

"Rankle the seas and heavens, Nejibana." There was an explosion of pressure while everyone's mouths hit the floor.

AN: Again if anyone has any ideas please let me know. If you wish for me to continue please favorite and like this so I know people are interested. Also if you think there should be any pairings and who with. Thanks for the support and I can't wait to hear from you.