TWO

The idea of leaving Soul Society excited me but I had a narrow knowledge about this new place I would be assigned to. America is a big nation and there are fifty over states, as how Soi Fong told me and I was determined to know more about it. I told Byakuya about my mission and he did not respond much but he only warned me and be careful and that was it. Same old Byakuya-sama.

I would have a hard time adapting myself in Bon Temps, Louisiana because I wasn't used to the culture. The culture was far different from the usual Japanese culture and I had to adapt to a new surrounding while focusing on eliminating the bounto clan. Speaking of the bounto clan, my mind was feeling quite skeptical about Genryusai's statement about the bounto. As I have remembered, Ichigo along with his friends returned to Seireitei for the second time and they completely wiped out Kariya and his horrible acting troupe. Truthfully speaking, they weren't a bunch of traveling actors, they were Kariya's followers, brainwashed by his bullshit idealism of creating a world just for their species. I found that rather stupid and a waste of time but I have underestimated them too much that I had been possessed by one of his followers' doll. Each of his followers had his or her doll to assist its master to defeat the opponents. Rather weak of them if just heard as a rumour but they were powerful.

My zanpakutou was right next to me, grasped in my hands and I wondered how dangerous this mission would be. Mission start tomorrow and I had no idea what await me. A part of my mind was excited, another part worried, a part was anxious and the fourth piece was skeptical. I tried to balance out my inner emotions but I have failed to do so. However, I shouldn't worry too much because Renji was coming along and the both of us would be paired up together, a dream team.

I grunted at the word 'team' because my mind dwelled about Kaien Shiba, a deceased man after being struck by a hollow ages ago and I felt miserable for his death. I always looked up at Kaien but after that horrible duel with his look alike in Hueco Mundo, plentiful guilt built up in my mind and ate away my happy memories of him.

"Geez, damn it!" I said and I stood up, thinking about going back to my room to read up about the American culture and lifestyle so that I wouldn't stand out as a bloody tourist when I reached there tomorrow. But I still wonder what kind of human I would be if I were there. Hisagi and Soi Fong weren't under covering as humans but Rangiku thought of being a waitress at any diner there. As for Renji, he was going to be hippy guy working at record stores and I had a strong feeling that the whole team might tease me and force me to be a Japanese exchange student or be a local student who was an Asian.

I stayed up late reading books on Western culture and I tried my best to soak up as much as I could and when I was sleepy, I got into bed and immediately fell asleep, feeling anxious about the next day.

XXXXXXXXXX

By the time we reached Bon Temps, Renji and I decided that the both of us should appear as siblings and the both of us were completely strangers with Rangiku. This huge bust woman was so excited that Renji and I had to shut her up and remind her that we were here to defeat the bounto and not temporarily or permanently live here.

Renji was fully dressed a hippy and I was casually clad in a black t-shirt and tattered skirt and black boots, giving myself a punk rock n' roll chic image. Rangiku was decently clad this time: a simple pink blouse and a pair of boot cut jeans and sandals.

"Oh great, now my sandals are dirty because of this muddy forest floor," Rangiku complained.

Soi Fong rolled her eyes and said, "Alright, Hisagi and I have arranged your accommodation around this area and you three have to avoid contacting each other even if lost."

"That's to cover up our tracks from those hideous bounto," Hisagi added.

"Wait, hold on. I'm feeling very confused here. Are you guys certain that it might be the arrancar?" I asked, a strong feeling of uncertainty overpowering my body.

Everyone stared at me with a look of peculiarity written crystal clear on their faces.

"It can't be the arrancar. The research team made a statement that it wasn't the arrancar. The reiatsu was more of a bounto's," said Soi Fong.

She resumed, in a serious tone, "Anyway, Rukia, Renji. As the both of you acting out as siblings, don't attract too much attention."

"Do you have to be so serious?" Rangiku asked.

Soi Fong glared at her and said, "Screw up this mission and you're out of the team."

Rangiku challenged Soi Fong. "Who are you tell me, Soi Fong? You think you're so grand just because you get along very well with Genryusai!"

I could feel pressure rising up in my body and I loudly said, "URUSAI NA!"

Everyone turned to look at me. "We've all been honoured to do this and we should immediately start!"

Soi Fong and Rangiku exchanged glares and finally, Soi Fong and Hisagi left with shunpo. I could feel my hands shaking. I was nervous, obviously.

"That bitch ought to rethink where she actually stand," said Rangiku and she was gone.

I sighed. I never knew such drama would unfold during this mission.

Renji and I exited the forest and we were out of the forest and on an empty roadside. Now I was wondering how we were going to get to town. Renji scanned the area with his cellphone and he said, "We've got to walk a bit to reach town."

I grinned and said, "Sounds good to me."

Walking was not the problem but keeping an eye out for the passing vehicles was a huge pain in the ass. There would be cars passing by and the Caucasians in their automobiles would stare at us incredulously as if we were the hunted bounto undercover as odd siblings.

The whole time we were walking, I couldn't feel a single unusual reiatsu. It was as if there was no odd supernatural activity going on in this suburb! The both of us did encounter with some spirits but they never seemed to notice us, strangely or they were just ignoring our presence.

In the end, the both of us wasted our time going around town(I looked like an idiot staring at the foreign buildings and signboards) just to get to our temporary rest place. We stayed in a quiet apartment and thankfully it was fully furnished. I wondered how Hisagi and Soi Fong managed to place us here.

"I can't believe we're walking around this place like mindless zombies and I couldn't feel a single reiatsu! This is nothing but a waste of my bloody time!" Renji said out loud.

"Maybe they come out in the night," I said, trying my best to feel optimistic.

"Maybe," said Renji and he threw himself on the couch. "Maybe."

"Hey Renji, don't you feel odd that there are still some bounto wandering around?" I asked.

"Hmm…yeah," said Renji as he stared up at the ceiling. "You are right. I wonder if Genryusai has finally gone senile."

I never knew Renji could be that sarcastic but judging from the tone of his voice, he sounded pissed and I was also feeling quite impatient about the absence of the odd reiatsu.

When night came, I decided to go out on my own. I wanted to explore the town. Renji reminded me many times about the bounto and I simply grinned.

I was walking alone down a lonely path when suddenly a silver SUV approached me. The door swung opened and Hisagi got out of the vehicle. He was still dressed in his black kimono and he said, "Get in this vehicle. Renji and you are going to share this."

"But I don't-"
"This is NOT Tokyo, Rukia,"

"Ok,"

"And so you have to look as normal as possible,"

"But I-"

"I've modified it in such a way that your heart and soul controls the vehicle and that you don't really have to drive it,"

"Thanks,"
"Sayonara!"

Hisagi disappeared as a truck approached at the roadside. I grunted, got inside the vehicle and allowed it to drive aimlessly around town. I was quite excited to see the normal people carrying out their nightly duties and I finally got hungry driving around for almost an hour and strangely the vehicle drove me to a diner called Merlotte's.

The engine stopped by itself and I had to manually swing open the door and get out of the SUV. I locked the door, slipped the keys in the pocket of my skirt and headed to the diner. The whole place looked decently clean but I was curious to know how the inside looked like.

I entered the place and felt like a complete stranger, turning my head left and right, searching a perfect spot for me to sit. I felt nervous as some gruff looking truck drivers stared at me and some normal looking young customers staring at me. I felt very embarassed at the fact that I lacked social skills when it came to interacting with Caucasians and I felt extra nervous that not even a single customer in there was a Chinese. I thought there would be some Chinese living here.

However, I felt a very strong reiatsu from this place and I wondered who that bounto was but a part of my mind told me that it was a different type of reiatsu. It was unlike the reiatsu I have felt during the times I had to encounter bounto. This reiatsu was just, different.

Most of the tables were occupied and so I sat at the bar, next to a thick dark brown haired man whose strange long sideburns caught my attention the most. But what made me wanted to get closer to him was his strange and powerful reiatsu. It was nothing of I have encountered with before and that made me wonder a lot, thinking if he was a much powerful bounto than the deceased Kariya.

I couldn't take my eyes off of him; his dark eyes made me feel a cold shiver running down my spine. He had pale skin and his nose was beautifully sculpted and his arched eyebrows made him look perfect. He was wearing a black leather jacket over a dark blue shirt and dark jeans. For a moment or two, I thought of getting an autograph from him because he looked quite like a rockstar and my thoughts about him were interrupted when suddenly a bubbly, blonde, blue-eyed waitress approached me.

"Hello there," said the lady, in her Texan accent. I stared at her name tag. Her name was Sookie. It seemed a little odd that her name sounded Japanese but oh well.

I grinned at her and said, "Oh, what do you recommend for a first timer like me?" I said, feeling a little bit shocked that my Californian accent sounded right.

"Ahh, a Cali gal, aren't you?" she asked.

I nodded.

"Well, our chef La Fayette does his special burger and he never fails to put a smile on the customer's face," said Sookie, the waitress.

"Ok, sure. And I would just like to have a Coke, please," I said.

"Alright," said Sookie, writing down the order in her notepad and she left.

The man's reiatsu was still strong and I wondered out loud how I was supposed to confront this guy. I felt nervous and I instantly thought of my zanpakutou back at the apartment. What was I supposed to do now? There were too many people and I wasn't sure how I was to attack this man. But one thing for sure, he could either be a bounto or something else, which I think he might be a vampire. The word arrancar had been automatically crossed out from my mental list.

I tried hard not to look at him but I just couldn't help but to stare at him. The dark pools of his eyes, which were mysterious to me, made me curious about him. I wasn't sure what to do because I have never dealt with a vampire before and only Soi Fong knew what to do.

Suddenly, he turned to me and asked, "You just moved here, haven't you?"

My heart skipped a beat. His voice was cool but deep and low. Trying to keep my cool, I replied nervously, trying hard to avoid his eyes, "Yeah."

"That's interesting. I have never seen Japanese here before throughout my life," he said, staring at me.

Strangely, I could feel my cheeks burning. "Oh, ok."

"I'm Bill Compton by the way," he said as he stretched out his right hand. I held it, feeling his icy cold hands against my skin, sending a nerve impulse to my brain that his hands were unnaturally cold. I knew he wasn't a human nor a bounto. He was different. A vampire.

"Rukia Kuchiki," I said.

Bill grinned at me and said, "A pleasure meeting you, Miss Kuchiki."

"Nice to meet you too, Mr Compton," I replied.