I was thinking and I thought about where I would want to take Bleach, This Fic takes place after the thousand year blood war, Byakuya has not come back yet, Ichigo has taken over duties for squad six as captain. I hope you like it, feed back is always welcome.

After the War

chapter 1

Ichigo, Renji and Rukia sat in the garden of the Kuchiki manor in the sea of cherry blossoms, Urahara and Mayuri had just recently been able to restore everyones Bankai. Ichigo sat in an almost dead calm, he had trained and he was on a level of power so high that only the captian commander Shunsei Kyoraku could feel his spirtiual pressure anymore. His long orange hair was flowing in the breeze and his only thoughts where of grey slate eyes. The memories of what he saw that day will haunt him for the rest of his life.

The shinigami had gotten the upperhand when Ichigo had a full return of his power. He had killed Juhabach and when everyone watched him fall the rest of the Vandenreich had surrendered, many of them they released but banished to Heuco Mundo, the others like As Nodt and the surviving members of the Stern Ritter they had emprisoned. They were war criminals of the highest order and where treated as such, with a prision room right next to Aizen Soskue.

He awaited the mans return everyday, but there was no news from the Soul Kings palace, it was as if they had forgotten about them after the war. They had sent Renji and Rukia back and then that was it, Renji said he still hadn't awoken when he had fully recovered, but his wounds where serverily worse then his own. Ichigo just wanted the man to be here again, he did not want to lead the 6th division, it was not his place to. It was his, Byakuya Kuchikis. Rukia was the acting head of the clan and made most of the decisions.

It had taken Ichigo this long to realize just how important the man really wasto him. To see the man he respected the most laying beaten and broken had broken him in ways that couldnt be fixed on his own. So while he waited he was quiet, and he had been quiet for the last 20 years while he was waiting. He was just as quiet as the former captian of the 6 division was but in a different way, where Byakuya was indifferent, Ichigo was depressed.

He wished the man was here so he could tell him how he really felt. He wanted him to know that he had done everything in his power to keep the soul socitey safe. At nights he drempt of the man, it was almost as if he could fell him there, his strong arms around him, allowing him to set the burden down or at least share the weight.

He loved him, it had taken ten years to admit it even to himself, but he did and there was no way that was ever going to change. Everyone could see it in his eyes, everytime the senkaimon opened, there was hope in his eyes that it was him, and even after the 20 years he was gone the hope was still there.

Renji did not like seeing his friend like this, and even though he was stronger then him to the point that a swing of his sword would change the landscape he challenged him to a sparing session. Ichigo relunctantly agreed, they hopped up and Renji activated his Bankai, Ichigo drew his monturous cleaver of a sword Zangetsu and did not even bother using his Bankai, Renji wouldnt be able to keep up with him if he did. He could barely keep up with him now. Ichigo stood in attentivness waiting for the first stike.

Renji attaked without restraint, he couldnt afford to even if Ichigo only came at him with half his strength. Ichigo was the strongest captian to date and no one could ever deny it. If he brought his spirtiual pressure down to their level for everyone to feel it then it would risk killing them, they wouldnt be able to withstand it, maybe people like Captian Comander Kyoraku or Zariki-taicho could but not the regular shinigami like himself, they would suffocate under his immense spirtiual pressure.

Ichigo was parrying Renjis Bankai as if it where a childs toy, and then suddenly he used to much power and the giant bone snake shattered raining down pieces on both of them. It was then that Renji understood that there has never before been a shinigami this powerful before. To break a Bankai with a Shikia was unheard of and both he and Rukia sated wide eyed at the orange haired man.

Thats when he felt it. It was choking him the sprital pressure had brought him to his knees. It was so strong that he almost doubted whose it was. They all saw the senkaimon open but Rukia and Renji rushed to Ichigos side, they had never seen him like this, they didnt understand what was happening. Whoever was coming though the senkaimon though was stronger then Ichigo and that scared all of them half to smell of cherry blossoms drifted throught the air and thats when they realized who it was, and suddenly everyone was there, even the Captain Comander. His hair still black as the night, had no pins to hold it in place and it had grown down to his back, he wore an eye patch over his right eye but it didnt hide the other slate grey eye. The thing no one could understand was how had he become so powerful that it brought Ichigo to his knees.

Byakuya Kuchiki had returned and he was more powerfull then ever. Everyone had crowded around trying to get a good look, "Im sorry." he said looking at the orange haired boy as he struggled to hide his spiritual pressure, "I had to take a page out of Zaraki-taichos book, I dont actually need this eye patch, I keep it on because when its off the ground beneath me begins to shake." Kyoraku looked at the man with a look of disbelief on his face, "What happened to you? You've been gone for 20 years." he asked, Byakuya turned to the man, "I was training." came the cool reply.