Bleach 146: The Name is Nel! The appearance of the strange arrancar

Ichigo, Chad and Uryuu are about to continue toward Aizen's castle Las Noches, when they sense something and turn to see 3 Hollow emerge out of the ground and chase what looks like a cloaked human girl.

Ichigo uses his covered sword to whack the first Hollow in the face. The other two stop in shock and look back. A shadow covers them and they look to see Chad and Uryuu falling toward them. In seconds the 3 Hollow are subdued and trembling. The girl tells Ichigo and the others to stop it. She takes off her hood and reveals a mask.

Nel apologizes with the others for giving Ichigo the wrong idea. She claims that they were playing a game called "eternal tag." She explains that there is nothing fun to do in Hueco Mundo which is why they play. Ichigo asks why she was crying and she says it is no fun if she doesn't make it serious.

Ichigo punches one of the other Hollow and asks what they are teaching her. Uryuu asks her about her name and she introduces herself as the Arrancar Nel. She also introduces the others as her brothers: Dondo Chakka, Pesche and their pet Bawabawa.

Ichigo is confused about their whole setup and asks how Arrancar have families. Nel says that they found each other and decided to be siblings. Ichigo tries to say that they aren't really family, but gives up when Nel and the others freak out.

Ichigo says that she is totally different from the Arrancar that came to the real world. She points out her broken mask to him as proof and says that the ones that travel are Numeros who work for the Espada. Nel and her group agree that they are lucky.

Nel points out that they don't look like Arrancar because of their clothes. She says that Ichigo actually looks like a Soul Reaper and the others agree. Then they freeze and start sweating. There is a moment of silence and then Nel asks Ichigo what his job is. Ichigo says he is a substitute Soul Reaper and Uryuu says he is a Quincy. Chad says he is just a human. Nel and the others freak out and say that they are bad guys.

Ichigo asks if they didn't know who they were. Nel shouts that they never told them. Nel holds her head and says that Ichigo is going to kill them. Ichigo says that he won't but Nel and the others huddle up and ignore him. They decide to get rid of the "bad guys" by tricking them in eternal tag and then beating them up.

Nel asks Ichigo to play then she leaps forward, grabs his zanpakutou and runs away. Ichigo chases after her and Pesche and Dondo Chakka chase after him. Uryuu and Chad are content to watch when Bawabawa starts chasing them and they are forced to run as well.

Suddenly Nel, trips on a branch in her path and falls. Ichigo quickly picks up Nel and jumps out of the way. Like Nel, Pesche and Dondo Chakka trip and fall where Nel was moments before. Uryuu and Chad jump over them and Bawabawa lands on top, flattening them.

Ichigo comments that it was close and Nel asks why he saved her. He puts her down and explains that she would have been crushed by all of them. He asks her if she is alright and she says she is fine. Ichigo picks up his sword and puts it on saying goodbye and that they are in a hurry.

Nel watches in awe as Ichigo starts walking away. She shouts after him, asking if he is running away. Ichigo is confused and he turns around. Then he sees that there are tears in her eyes. He sighs and says that he can't play with her. She starts crying and says that she would rather die than stop playing now.

Suddenly a loud voice shouts that it will give her the death she seeks. There is a loud rumbling and a giant creature rises out of the sand. Nel freaks and Ichigo asks who he is. Nel says that it is the guardian of the white sand, called Lunuganga. Lunuganga says that he heard there were intruders but Nel and company should be ashamed at working with them. He says he will turn them all into desert sand.

Nel starts to stutter an excuse but Ichigo tells her to move and blasts Lunuganga with Getsuga Tenshou. Lunuganga's head is split down the middle and Nel, Pesche and Dondo Chakka gasp and say that it was a cheap shot. They call Ichigo a bad guy and he turns around and shouts at them to be quiet because he just saved them.

Uryuu and Chad look past Ichigo and gasp. They tell him to look and he turns to see Lunuganga's head coming back together with sand. Lunuganga comments that Ichigo is becoming more despicable by not acknowledging a cheap shot. Ichigo starts shouting back that it wasn't unfair at all. He turns to Nel and asks what Lunuganga is. She replies that he is made of sand.

Lunuganga interrupts them by throwing a punch. Ichigo dodges it and Lunuganga makes a tornado and sends it at them. Nel is lifted off the ground and Ichigo grabs her hand just in time. He pulls her back down and the cyclone dissipates.

In response, Lunuganga spawns three more cyclones and sends them at Ichigo and the others. Ichigo uses Getsuga Tenshou and the blast cuts through the cyclone and Lunuganga's face, but he reforms both and laughs.

Uryuu suggests that they all attack at once. They all charge and fire blasts at the monster. The blasts connect and Lunuganga disintegrates. Nel warns them that he is coming back and a crater opens up beneath their feet.

They are being pulled in and Nel is sinking. Ichigo grabs her and asks Nel if he has a weakness. Nel says she can't tell it to a bad guy. Ichigo picks her up and pinches her cheek telling her that she will be pulled in too. She tells him that his weakness is water but there is no water in Hueco Mundo so he is invincible.

Lunuganga emerges and opens his mouth to swallow them all. At the last moment, a blast of ice freezes him. He falls backward and shatters. Ichigo looks in the direction of the blast and his eyes widen.

Rukia and Renji stand on a nearby hill. In Soul Society, Commander Yamamoto is informed that Rukia and Renji have gone missing. He curses as he realizes what they have done. Nel is frightened by the new Soul Reapers but Ichigo runs toward them.

They jump from their hill and wait for him, smiling. As he greets them, Rukia punches him in the chin. She then tags Renji who smashes Ichigo in the jaw. Nel gapes and Uryuu asks Ichigo if he is alright. Ichigo lies on the ground and Rukia tells him he is stupid for not waiting for them.

Ichigo says he wasn't sure if they were coming back. Rukia shouts in his face that they were coming back no matter what. She reveals that they had planned it from the beginning. She says that they are his friends. Ichigo says they are right.

Rukia then asks about Nel's group and there follows an embarrassing scene as they try to introduce themselves in a cool way. Ichigo gives a short explanation and they are about to continue to Las Noches when Nel calls after Ichigo calling him "Itsygo." He turns to correct her and she says they will help too.

They ride on Bawabawa's back toward Las Noches. During the trip, Nel holds on to Ichigo and glares at Rukia. Rukia asks why and Nel asks her what her relationship is with "Itsygo." Renji says Ichigo is popular with the ladies and Ichigo tells him to shut up.

They talk some more and Ichigo asks about how they got their cloaks. Rukia shyly says that her brother gave them. Ichigo and the others are surprised and Ichigo says Byakuya is getting soft. Rukia then says that Byakuya said: "That filthy brat will never survive Hueco Mundo if he's left to his own devices." Ichigo gets angry and punches Bawabawa by mistake.

He is interrupted by a loud rumbling and then Lunuganga emerges from the sand in front of them.