Rukia Kuchiki reached her hands out in front of her as dark snow fell down from the sky. Her eyes soften with uncertainty about the strange flakes. It wasn't winter so it couldn't have been polluted snow. It was actually very torrid as she actually took in account of her surroundings. A low grumble fell upon Pompeii and it grew larger and larger until buildings were coming down and children were crying, losing their mother's grip and getting lost. Rukia could only watch as the sleeping giant finally awoken.

Chapter One

Pompeii, Italy was a very attractive place with such handsome and elegant people. Everyday was as demanding as it could be with people trading, selling goods, gambling on the gladiators wins, and falling in love. The prosperous wore silk and the deprived wore rags. The slaves usually wore whatever was given to them. Everyday seemed like a new and exciting day for the people of Pompeii.

The bustling city rested at the foot of the sleeping giant, Mount Vesuvius. And a north to the mountain, laid Rome. Pompeii's top competitor when it came to the gladiator games. One of Pompeii's greatest gladiators was Ichigo Kurosaki. He was very well built in the muscle department and he had unusual orange hair. He was the champion. He had never once killed in battle and never lost. He trained hard everyday and studied at night. Before being a gladiator he was just a slave's son. Luckily he was able to escape but once he has enough money he was going to return back home and buy his father's freedom.

Ichigo was walking down one of the dirt roads in the central market. To the left of the markets, stood tall and proud the temples of Isis. The day mass was being conducted already. Only the rich were there. The ones who were able to offer money to their so called goddess. Sometimes Ichigo liked to stand outside of the hearing range and just watch them. That way he could see soon to be High Priestess for Isis, Rukia Kuchiki. She was strikingly beautiful. Her hair was black like a raven's feather and her eyes were violet like a berry from a bush. Her skin was like butter milk silk and honey. But everyday she looked so sad.

"Ichigo!" Ichigo turned his attention to his best friend Renji Abarai.

"Greetings, Renji." He smiled softly at his friend.

"When did you return from Rome? I heard rumors of your arrival but I didn't think of it to be of truth" Renji gave Ichigo a hand shake, unable to show any more affection then that.

"I returned just last night. I would have gone to greeted you but I had someone else who needed my attention first" they started to walk beside the border of the temple.

"Your father right? They allowed you to visit him?" Renji asked.

"Heavens no. I wasn't really able to speak to him. I stopped by and paid off a little debt with Byakuya Kuchiki and I saw my father through transparent curtains."

"Those nobles surely know how to live." Renji said, putting a hand on the back of his neck.

"Right because see-through curtains and silk robes make the man" the two men laughed.

Ichigo stopped directly in front of the temple and he watched as Rukia spoke to the goddess. She wore a long white gown and her hair was in some type of fancy hair styles that he couldn't even begin to explain how long it must have taken to do it. Gold paint in the shape of spirals laid under her eyes. As she spoke she caught his eyes and they locked gazes.

"I know you miss her" Renji said, picking up a stone.

"What?! What makes you think that?!" Ichigo looked away quickly.

"Well ever since Byakuya adopted her, you had been moping around like a dog that lost his master."

Rukia, Renji, and Ichigo all grew up together in the poorest part of Pompeii together. Rukia and Renji worked as slaves while Ichigo helped his father when he was ill. They all grew up pretty close to each other, but then Byakuya had came and insisted that he buy Rukia. So he did, and they later found out that he adopted her as his sister. Since then Ichigo had watched Rukia change from one of his best friends to a high priestess-well soon to be high priestess.

"Come Ichigo, I have gay news!" Renji said, with a huge smirk on his face. Ichigo nodded and they both continued to walk. "I had been recruited. That means I don't have to be a slave to that devil woman anymore!"

"Yes, but that makes you the slave of the council."

"Maybe so, but I am free! I am step above slavery."

"Doesn't make you any better then one. Even though I am the best at what I do, the nobles still treat me as a common slave when I'm near."

Renji stopped in front of a bread cart and bought a loaf of bread then gave it to two sibling children who were on the opposite side of the road.

"Renji that was all the money you had! What will you eat?" Ichigo said, already getting unsure.

"God had said that a poor person who pays with everything they have is richer then a rich person who pays with only a little of what they have."

Ichigo quickly covered Renji's mouth. "Hush!" Ichigo dropped his voice. "If someone catches you being a Christian then you will be fed to the lions"

"You needn't worry. I am not that stupid."

Ichigo sighed and they continued once again.

"Tell me of what has happened since my departure."

"Well, seems like Byakuya Kuchiki is running for council. He announced this a week after you left. As soon as he announced his news he persuaded Rukia to devoting her life to Isis, that way the public sees him as a religious guy.

"Explains why she was up there. But I received news in Rome that a pure beauty was going to be a high priestess in Pompeii."

"Well it looks like we are about to lose her to the goddess Isis real soon, Ichigo."