Disclaimer : I don't own a thing about the Bleach univers. The OC is mine, though…


Before I start the story, I'd like to specify some things. First, the Ichigo thing never happened and will never be mentioned. Aizen, Gin and Tousen are still captains. Second, in this fanfic, Rukia is lieutenant of squad 13.


Accepted

I can't believe it. He said accepted. I passed. I am a shinigami now. So many years passed training, so many people told me I wouldn't make it, so many times I almost quit, and I'm finally rewarded!

My name is Shinto Kazan. I stopped counting my age a long time ago, but I look like a human of around 20 years old; I'm barely 5'8'' tall; I have red hair, green eyes, and today, I from today onward, I am a soul reaper. I'm an orphan. My parents were eaten by a hollow when I was about 5. I became a soul reaper to avenge their death.

I just recently found my zanpakuto. Once I got it, my teacher asked me its name, and if I was getting along with him already. When I told him I didn't talk to him yet, he seemed surprised and told me that we were supposed to get in contact as soon as we touched for the first time. I don't care though. I'm sure at some point we will meet and become great partners.

"Shinto Kazan, please come to the meeting room where you will be assigned your squad. I repeat, Shinto Kazan…"

That's my turn. I can't wait to know in which squad I'm assigned. I hope its squad 11. After all, I love to fight. It'll probably be a good squad for me.

Entering the room, there are 3 people waiting for me: My sensei, the examiner, who made me do the exam, and a girl I don't know. I greet them and present myself to the girl.

"You don't have to be so formal with me, Shinto. Or can I call you Kazan?"

What? Who is this girl? I met her 10 seconds ago, and she wants to call me by my first name? And she's not even using any suffix either!

"Kazan, this is Rukia Kuchiki, the recently named lieutenant of squad 13. She will be your superior."

Squad 13? That's right, I heard they named a new lieutenant last week, but I didn't have time to check who it was because of the exams.

"Wait, sensei, do you mean I'll be in squad 13? But, I was hoping, maybe, I would go into squad 11."

Rukia talked again: "We decided it was safer to send you with us for now, since you don't know your zanpakuto's name. It may be for a small time only. You could be changed squad at any moments. For example, if you find out your zanpakuto has healing powers, you'll be sent to squad 4."

I'm stunt. Squad 13 means captain Ukitake. Captain Ukitake means always sick, so the lieutenant is almost always in charge, and that means I'll be stuck with her as my superior.

"You are free to go. I will show you your room in our Barracks. Follow me please."

The trip to the barracks was silent. She asked a question, and when she saw I didn't answer, looked at me like she was about to ground me, but stopped as she saw my sad look. She turned back and kept walking. She showed me my room, and gave me a rendezvous outside the barrack in 2 days.

"Rest well until then, you'll need it."

Yeah right. I did rest the next day, but I couldn't stop thinking about changing squad. I'll do all I can to get into squad 11. At the rendezvous, I arrived first, Rukia arriving 2 minutes after me.

"I hope I didn't make you wait too long. Alright, follow me; we're going to train in the forest. And you better hurry if you don't want to fall behind!"

As she ended her sentence, she disappeared and reappeared about 100 meters away. She used flash step! No way she'll outrun me like that! I ran after her, as fast as I could, running for about 30 minutes non-stop until we reached a forest. She stopped in a plain in the middle of it.

"Alright, we're here. Not too tired, I hope." No answers were given. "Anyway, before training, I think we need to talk. First, I'd like to know you better. First, what are your motives, why did you become a soul reaper?"

Great, another one who I have to tell the story. And from the look in her eyes, I don't think I can escape it.

"Well, I just want to avenge my parents' death. When I was a little kid, they took me out of town for a trip, and we were attacked by a hollow. He ate them both and left me there alone. I was found the next day by a shinigami."

She looked at me, a bit sad, and asked:

"I became one for my friends. We were very poor, and lived in the roukan district. Almost all of them died before they were old enough to join the academy. You can say that I became one not only to get a better life, but to avenge their unfair deaths."

Why was she telling me that? Oh, wait; I see what she's doing. She wants me to feel close to her, so we can have a good relationship. Well good luck. I won't stay in the squad for too long.

"I want to know one more thing: Is it true you didn't meet your zanpakuto yet?"

"Not yet. But I'm sure I'll meet him someday. Why?"

"I was just curious. And don't worry, it will happen. The only Shinigami I know who can't talk with his zanpakuto is Zaraki Kenpachi. But I think you already know that."

Yeah, of course I knew. Didn't she hear me when I said I wanted to be in squad 11?

"Alright, then one last thing, and it will start the training. The academy said you weren't skilled enough to get a seat, but I want to see what you can do by myself. Draw your sword and get in your stance!"

Finally something interesting! I get to fight someone! And it's her too! I feel like I'm going to enjoy this.

I guess this is a good time to tell you about my fighting style. My sheath is held in my lower back, so I can draw it in reverse style. Sometimes, I take the sheath in my other hand too, when I need it. The last special thing about my style is a chain I have on my left arm and hand, so I can block unreleased zanpakuto with it and strike with my other hand.

I drew my sword, holding it in my back, my left hand in front of me, ready to block. She drew hers too, holding it in a regular kendo style, before dashing on me. I blocked with my sword, but I can't tell you how surprised I was when I felt the strength of the strike. I never thought she was this strong, even if she's the lieutenant.

We clashed sword for a while, until she tried to surprise me, using flash step to get behind me. Luckily enough, I had my left hand behind me after a wide slash, so a small turn was enough to block the sword with the chains. She barely touched them before jumping back.

"Don't do that. This chain won't help you very much against shinigami. I barely touched it, and look at it."

I didn't understand what she meant so I looked. What the hell happened? She only touched it with the tip of her sword, yet there was a deep scratch on it. If she slashed a little further, she would have cut my hand off!

"Alright, I guess that is enough for today. Come to the entrance of the barracks tomorrow, I'll have a surprise for you. Now come on, we're heading back."

I wonder what she means by surprise. Well, I guess I'll see tomorrow. As soon as I got to the barracks, she left me to head in the seireitei, and I headed to my room. Lying on my bed, I could only think about the way she was fighting, and the talk we had before the fight. Maybe she's not such a bad person after all. I wonder what's gonna happen tomorrow, about her surprise. Being with squad 13 for a while might not be so bad after all!

The next day, I met her at the same spot and asked right away.

"So, lieutenant, what's that surprise you mentioned yesterday about?"

"I told you, drop the formality! Call me Rukia, like everyone else. And for the surprise, we're going to the world of the living!"


End of chapter 1: Accepted

Next chapter: The mysterious man