A/N: The idea for this story was inspired by a conversation I had with Jess2727. And I also want to thank Kuchiki Isabel for being there with me from concept in my mind to fruition of this story being shared with all of you. The story falls along the Bleach timeline with the anime. Some liberties will be taken in order to fit within this plot. I apologize in advance for any grammar and/or spelling errors.
Warning(s): Rating may go up in the future. I will take some liberties with Ukitake's unnamed five brothers and two sisters by naming them and creating personalities for them.

' ' denotes thoughts by the character.
Italics denotes dreaming

Disclaimer: Bleach concept and characters belong to Kubo Tite.

Prologue

The night air was crisp as it brushed against her checks as she jumped from one roof top to another heading towards her target. She could feel its reiatsu getting stronger and stronger as she approached its designation.

She could feel its approach getting closer and closer. The hairs on her neck tingled in anticipation, nervousness, and slight fear as her blood pulsed rapidly to the fight that would be inevitable. Then she saw her adversary. It was 5 times her height. Typical size for a "hollow" at least that is what they are called in her world. Drawing her katana out of its sheath she launched towards the hollow attempting to get a good hit into its skull. However, the hollow was quick to block her sword as its other hand swung swiftly attempting to lay in a punch to her side. As of second nature, her body automatically sensed the incoming punch and she made a fast step out of the way just seconds to where the hand would have hit her body. In a blink of an eye she was on top of the hollow's skull and thrust her sword into it effectively ending the hollow's life.

The hollow's form dispersed into thin air; removing any signs of its existence. Replacing her katana in its sheath she let out a sigh of relief regaining her composure. The adrenalin rush was over and her body shock slightly. It wasn't that she had no experience fighting or killing a hollow, it was that this time she was fighting alone. It wasn't that she was scared; nervous, yes. For who can go into a fight knowing it's your life or the life of your enemy. Well trained or not, someone dies and she was grateful it wasn't her. She could imagine the shame and disgrace she would bring to the Kuchiki name if she failed her first solo mission. Her first night in the human world and she didn't even get a chance to take in her new environment. Sighing softy she decided it was time to see a certain person; her contact that her taichō suggested to her if she ran into any troubles or need any help in the human world.

It wasn't long before she reached her designation, Urahara Shōten. It looked slightly out of place compared with the buildings that stood on each side of the shop. The shopped looked like it hadn't changed much since world war two era in between two modern apartments. Taking a look at the note that her taichō gave her just to make sure she had the right place; she walked the last 20 steps towards the front door.

It was after 9 o'clock and like most mom and pop shops in modern day Japan, there was a "closed" sign displayed. However, it didn't stop her from knocking and announcing her presence. She knocked a few times but no one answered.

'Strange,' she thought to herself. 'There should be someone here. Unless, taichō was mistaken, after all he hadn't been into the human world for decades.' She raised her hand again knocking at the door with a firmness she didn't the do the first time.

"Hello?" she called out. Still no reply, but that didn't hinder her. It made her more persistent.

Nearly banging the doors down almost to the point of breaking it, she also yelled out, "HELLO!?" She didn't care if she woke up the dead; she was getting a bit frustrated for she was tired and hungry.

Finally, there was a slight noise coming from inside the shop and a light was turned on.

"Yes, yes. Please keep it down," a voice spoke from inside the shop and then a rustling with a lock before the door slid open.

"Maa maa," the gentleman's voice greeted in a slight teasing tone. Leaning slightly to the side of the door frame, she noticed how tall he stood in his traditional attire. His face was obscured behind the open fan. His eyes were barely visible since he was wearing a striped dark green and white bucket hat. He also wearing a dark green kimono man's set, though it looked more like a judo gi if it wasn't for the color, a dark coat with diamond pattern along the bottom and a pair of traditional Japanese wooden sandals called geta. "Don't you think it is passed your bed time young lady?"

"Ano…," she started to say, but paused to inquisitively study him as if unsure if she could trust this person. She didn't sense any bad vibes from him or the creepy vibes you get from some people just being around them. This had to be the place Ukitake taichō had instructed her to come to once she came into the human world.

Noticing her studying him, he quickly stated, "Thank you for your patronage. However, Urahara Shōten is closed until 10am in the morning. Please come back then." With that, he begun to retreat back into the store and pulled on the shoji door.

"Wa-wait!" she cried a bit too anxiously. She quickly lowered her voice and spoke in normal tones when she saw him look back at her with surprised wide eyes at her outburst. "Uh…I-I am looking for Urahara Kisuke. I was told to seek his assistance while I am here. I need to speak with him."

It was his turn to study her for a second. He took the few seconds he needed to full take in the girl that stood at his door. She wasn't tall by any means, shoulder length black hair with a long bang that seems misplaced lying across her face, violet eyes that were guarded, and the black shihakushō with her zanpakuto held by the ties that held her shihakushō in place. All the telltale signs that screamed, "shinigami." Of which he had not seen one in 100 years, much less come knocking at his door. He could tell she was of no threat; not an ounce of evil intent in her demeanor or her aura. She just looked tired and worn out, probably from a recent encounter with a hollow he deduced.

Seeing her holding her gaze with his, one of determination and curiosity, he cough slightly breaking the slight stare down before inquiring, "Why?" He already had an idea of why she was here, but before one lets a complete stranger into their personal safety zone, one had to test the integrity of the stranger.

Sighing audibly and barely containing herself from rolling her eyes, she did her best to not sound agitated when she replied, "Ukitake taichō told me to come here to find Urahara-san if I need any assistance. And I really do need his assistance right now." That was all the information she was willing to give. If this man before her could see her and talk to her, then surely he would able to tell him if Urahara-san was in or at least point her in the right direction. And above all else, he should have realized that she's not human.

"Ukitake taichō eh?" he said as he closed his fan and taped the tip of it to his chin as he pondered the name. Suddenly he gave her a genuine smile and told her, "Never heard of him."

Like an anime character who was told devastatingly shocking news with such as deadpan look; she felt her eyes bulge out, huge sweat drops hanging from the side of her temple and jaw dropping to her chest.

"U-uh…uh…," she stuttered for the lost of words.

Now with a huge grin plastered on his face, he was delighted seeing her bewildered and flabbergasted. "You did say you're looking for a Urahara-san right?" he asked her in an absentminded manner. As she nodded her affirmation, he continued, "You are in luck then." He saw a slight raise of an eyebrow over one of her violet eyes at his jest and he quickly continued, "I know of him; however, he's retired for the night. Why don't you come back tomorrow when we are open? If you can leave me your name and why you are looking for him, I will let him know."

Her eyebrows twitched, one hand tightly gripped the hilt of her katana while the other was by her side closed in a tight fist that was shaking slightly in irritation and anger. He waited for the impending reaction.

5

4

3

2

1

"ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!" she yelled. Her reiastu flared slightly emitting a heaviness that could crush a body's rib cage and lungs. "I am tired and…" her rant was interrupted as her stomach made itself known.

She turned red as a cherry tomato almost instantly. If the ground could open up and let her bury herself from embarrassment. Of all the times for her stomach to growl, this was not it. And it certainly was not acceptable for one of her stature.

"Well, I see you're in a bit of a…damsel in distress," he tried to say with a straight face tying hard not to laugh. But he could contain the laughter that spilled out of his mouth. He had to admit, the young girl that stood right before him was fun to tease and full of surprises.

"Why don't you come in and I will take care of you for the night," he said to her with a polite smile before continuing, "After all, it is getting rather late and a young girl such as yourself shouldn't be out so late with nowhere to go."

Stepping inside and out of the way as he gestured for her to come in, he inquired, "And what is your name by the way?"

"Kuchiki Rukia," she answered after a slight pause not sure whether or not he would recognize the Kuchiki family name. When she didn't see any hint of recognition in his eyes, she inquired of him, "And you are?"

Smiling politely, "I am Miki Shinichirō." He gave her a slight bow in polite gesture as he continued, "Pleasure to meet you Kuchiki-san."

Bowing deeply in return, she said, "Pleasure to meet you as well Miki-san. Thank you for having me."

Wham!

"Stepping up is batter number 4, Hanakari Jinta, with his awesome backswing," said the short boy with spiked hair.

He tosses the baseball in the air then takes a swing with his broom.

"WHAM! IT'S A KILLER HOME RUN!" he hollers.

"Jinta-kun," a girl with long black hair with pigtails called out to him. "Tessai-san will get mad that you are not sweeping."

"Shut up, Ururu!" the boy called Jinta yells at her in annoyance. "Like I could clean up if I was scared of Tessai!" he said with disrespect as he took a swing at her with his broom that was just inches away from her nose.

"No…you are cleaning because YOU ARE scared of him," she told him without flinching at his aggressive and impertinent display.

"I'm not scared! And you are as annoying as ever! You are below me!" he yelled at her as he bullied her by using the broom to the back of her head.

"Ow! Ow…ow!"

The ruckus awakens Rukia up suddenly. Her body on instinct sat up too quickly and her vision became a bit fuzzy. Squeezing her eyes shut and from the bright light and the dizziness, she calms her nerves trying to orientate herself with her surroundings. She knew she wasn't in her own bed; the room she was in was plain and had a particularly odd musky odor.

"That's…that's not right! I am 3 years older than you!" she heard the girl defending herself.

Sighing to herself she shook her head slightly as it would wake her up from her dream, "I'm definitely no back at the Kuchiki manor." At that moment, she recalled everything that had happened yesterday and how she came about to being a guest at the Urahara Shōten for the night. She had yet to meet Urahara Kisuke himself, but she did meet the store manager, Miki Shinichirō, who she thought was a bit odd. Shrugging off her thoughts of him, she decided it was time to get up and see if Miki-san would be able to get a hold of Urahara-san for her today.

Folding the futon and the accessories neatly, she stacked them up against one side of the wall before adjusting herself to be presentable in walking out of the room. If she was going to be stationed in the human world for a month, she better get herself a place to stay, food and anything else that she might need in order to be comfortable here. While things were not completely foreign, there were still a lot she would have to get use to and she needed guidance.

In the next chapter: Rukia makes a deal with Urahara. She's working for him now? What troubles will befall her? And her first encounter with Ichigo.

A/N: Check my profile page at the bottom for updates.