Ichigo stared at the young boy for a moment and then burst into obnoxious and deep resounding laughter. He couldn’t stop laughing because every time he looked at the boy, it just got funnier and funnier.

Byakuya, on the other hand, was not very happy to have this strange Soul Reaper laughing at him and so took his wooden sword that he was practicing with and he whacked Ichigo hard in the knees.

“Will you quit laughing at me? I can have you arrested, you know?” he said, narrowing his eyes at him.

Though in pain, Ichigo was still chuckling.

“I’m sorry… But, could you just say something for me? Like in your most serious voice?”

“Okay…”

“Just say, in your most serious voice now, ‘scatter, Senbonzakura’, and go like this with the sword.” Ichigo said, taking his own sword and showing him.

Byakuya turned his head at the intruder but he hadn’t gotten much entertainment lately and playing by himself was becoming quite cumbersome so he shrugged and moved the wooden sword. He put it in front of his face like Ichigo had done and stared seriously.

“Scatter, Senbonzakura.” He said in the most serious voice he could find.

Ichigo thought it would be another laugh but his face fell as he looked at the young boy with the wooden sword at his face, the sword acting as a line, the serious expression set in his gray eyes… It was all too familiar to be coincidence.

Byakuya looked up at Ichigo. “Did I do it right?”

Ichigo put his zanpakuto up and nodded a little.

“Yeah, kid, that was great…”

“Why did you make me do that?”

“You remind me of someone that I know… So you said that your name is Byakuya? Is that you father’s name or something? Uncle?”

Byakuya frowned. “No… I’m the one and only. Who are you anyway, Mister? Why are you in my courtyard?”

“Oh uh… my name’s Ichigo Kurosaki. I’m a Substitute Soul Reaper and I was running away from Yoruichi.”

Byakuya laughed. “Why? She isn’t that bad. I mean, she’s annoying and a stupid girl but she’s not mean.”

“Usually she’s not but she was set on killing me…” Ichigo said, looking up automatically to see if the Stealth Force had somehow suddenly found him.

“Why?”

“I don’t know… You ask too many questions.”

“How am I supposed to learn if I don’t?”

Ichigo smiled a little at that as Byakuya watched him for a moment. He took in the tall teen with the humongous zanpakuto, the shihakusho with the strange red cord that went across his chest as well as the bright orange hair.

“I’ve never heard of a Substitute Soul Reaper. What is that?”

Ichigo pulled out the skull badge and showed it to the boy.

“Captain Ukitake gave this to me. It allows me to eject my soul from my body so I can become a Soul Reaper.”

“What do you mean?”

“I’m from Karakura Town… the World of the Living… Why am I explaining everything to you?” Ichigo said with a face.

Byakuya shrugged. “I dunno. I’m just asking questions.”

Ichigo looked at the boy again, turning his head and narrowing his eyes. “And you’re sure you don’t have a father named Byakuya or something?”

“No.”

“What about Rukia?”

“Who is that?”

Ichigo sighed, realizing that his fear seemed to be coming true right before his very eyes. I really am in the past. So that means that some of my friends aren’t even alive yet or they don’t remember me… I’m definitely not welcome here…

“Master Byakuya!” someone yelled and Byakuya turned swiftly.

An older man walked toward him and Byakuya stood silently as the man walked up to him. Upon seeing Ichigo, the older man drew his sword and took a stance. Ichigo only took a step back, watching his sword carefully.

“Master Byakuya get away from that man. He is an intruder to the Seireitei.”

“Kintano…” Byakuya said, looking confused as he looked between Ichigo and the older man.

“Kintano, put your sword back.” Another older man said, walking slowly up to them as the other man put his sword up, though he didn’t look please.

“Please forgive my guard.” The gray headed man said with a kind look toward Ichigo. “He is in charge of my grandson’s safety.”

Ichigo looked at Byakuya, who didn’t look pleased with the choice of man to have looking after him.

“Captain Kuchiki, this man is the one that Lady Yoruichi was looking for, the intruder.” Kintano said with a harsh glare at Ichigo. “He is highly dangerous, spouting lies and names that make no sense. Plus, he said that he defeated Lieutenant Aizen in some sort of battle-“

“Enough, Kintano. We will get all of that information at the captain’s meeting.” The older man said with a raise of his hand. Looking at Ichigo he held his gaze. “I’m afraid I must take you to see the Head Captain.”

Ichigo nodded, knowing that there was no point in trying to leave anymore. Maybe they would have a better explanation for things than he had.

All the captains went into the chambers as Ichigo was kept in shackles, his zanpakuto taken away from him as well.

“We have come to the knowledge that there is an outsider here in the Seireitei. We hold this captain’s meeting to determine mutually if he is an enemy or be allowed to roam within our vicinity. Bring him out.”

Two guards pushed him out and he fell to his knees in front of Head Captain Yamamoto. Ichigo had dealt with the older man before but seeing him like this, so unaware of who he was and definitely willing to kill him if it was to protect the Seireitei, he was actually terrified of him.

“What is your name?”

“I-Ichigo.”

“Ichigo… Why are you here, Ichigo? Who sent you?”

“I came on my own. I was sent here by Urahara-san…”

He heard everyone being to murmur and turned around to see what the commotion was about. His eyes widened when he saw Urahara at the end of the end of the captain’s line. Urahara looked just as surprised as everyone else and shook his head furiously.

“I have never met this boy in my life.” He said quickly.

Ichigo took in his appearance, not seeing the slightly shabby, hat-and-clogs wearing man he was used to but a lithe and clean cut captain. Ichigo gulped and swept the rest of the captain’s line. He recognized some people such as Ukitake, Kyoraku, and Yoruichi but was surprised to see Hirako there with his blonde hair very long and some of the other Visoreds from Karakura Town. He made a note to figure out what was going on when he saw him… He was younger but there was no doubt about it…

“Ichigo, you claim to know our newest captain recruit and yet he has not been with us very long. Care to explain how you know him?”

“I… Look, I just know him. I know all of you. We’ve met before but… I think something happened.”

“Are you here to kill us?” the older man from Byakuya’s home asked calmly.

“No. Look, I think something happened when I passed through the Precipice World. Mayuri was doing something with the koryu and Urahara sent me into the Precipice World to get a sample of it but when I came out I was here. This isn’t the Soul Society that I know!”

“What do you mean?” Yamamoto demanded.

“I think… I think I’m in the past.” Ichigo said quietly, not trying to sound as crazy as he already sounded.

Urahara stepped out of line. “Um, Head Captain, if you’ll allow it, I can do some studies on him and see if he is telling the truth. The Precipice World would leave a residue on him that would tell us what we need to know.”

“And- and if Soi Fon will give me back that vial you all took,” Ichigo said, looking straight at Yoruichi. “He can study that koryu. It’s straight from when I came through.”

The head captain thought for a moment, his hands on top of his cane and thought for a moment. He finally harrumphed and hit his staff on the floor.

“I will agree to the study of the koryu in the vial. Until that has been identified, the intrude will be kept in prison. Take him away and we will discuss another matter at hand.”

The guards took Ichigo away and Ichigo hoped that the specimen he got for his Urahara would show the things needed to get him off the hook.