Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach or Naruto. Only the OC is my idea, her backstory, abilities, appearance, etc. I do not make any money from this story. Some characters may be a bit out of character.


The next morning Neji stood in the kitchen over the stove making rice porridge. The previous night Chiaki had insisted on making mackerel miso stew along with the raspberry cheesecake for dessert. He did have to admit as far as desserts go, that was probably the most savory dessert he'd ever tasted. It was a bit sweet, but more so savory and tart from the raspberries.

Afterwards he'd done the dishes, and now he was the first one awake and thus he was making breakfast. He was about to ladle some into a bowl for himself when a male voice behind him inquired, "Where is she?"

Neji dropped the bowl, letting it shatter on the floor as he spun around his arms positioned in front of him to attack whomever had entered his home. Yet he didn't see anyone.

"I'm over here," the voice called to him. He turned his head and saw a black cat with golden eyes sitting on the counter top, he scowled as he called into the apartment, "byakugan."

His veins enlarged as the blood flow to his eyes increased, and he noticed the cat possessed the same sort of system that Chiaki had. A reiatsu network, and yet it was within an animal? Ignoring the cat as being responsible for the voice he kept scanning with his byakugan, almost blushing when he caught sight of Chiaki straightening her clothes in the bedroom.

'Oh no! If she comes out here, and that intruder is still here-' he made the hand signal for tiger and continued to stand in the kitchen.

The cat leapt onto Neji's shoulder, waving its paw in his face before leaping back onto the counter top as he seemed to vanish from where the brunette boy had been standing.

"Hmm, that's an interesting trick," The cat mused to itself before jumping off the counter and hurrying into the room where it sensed the boy and a trace of familiar reiatsu.

Neji appeared in the bedroom and quickly stood in front of Chiaki with a kunai drawn. Chiaki raised her eyebrows at the sight of the knife, and asked, "what's going on Neji?"

"We have an intruder. I can't locate him. It seems he brought a black cat with him," he replied.

Chiaki was momentarily dumbstruck before her mind connected the dots. She let out a sigh as she moved past Neji and to her door asking, "A black cat, huh?"

"No, don't go out-"

She turned the door handle to her room and quickly spotted the black cat sitting on the floor in front of her. She relaxed more at the sight of the feline and proclaimed, "Ah, I guess you guys have been looking for me after all huh?"

Neji quirked an eyebrow at his friend's reaction to the cat, but was even more surprised when he heard the same male voice reply, "of course we have. We received your message that you placed a kido tracker on Aizen although it took the 12th division a bit to track which world you traveled to."

"Well it's great to see you again," Chiaki greeted the cat, bowing slightly.

Now Neji was growing as concerned as he was confused. First off the human intruder was still eluding him even with his byakugan. Second Chiaki was speaking to this cat as if it could understand her, and third she was bowing to the same cat!

"Oh! Pardon me and my horrible manners," Chiaki apologized as she scooped up the cat, allowing it to perch on her shoulder.

"Neji this is Yoruicihi Shihouin. Yoruichi, this is Neji Hyuga, a human boy I met the first day I was here. He's been letting me stay with him. Even gave me his room while he slept on the couch," Chiaki introduced the two.

Neji deactivated his byakugan and gave her a look of sheer disbelief. The cat raised its right paw and appeared to be waving at Neji as it replied, "hello."

The shinobi looked as if he was ready to faint as he tried to verbally process what he was hearing, "the head of the greater noble can you told me about is a talking cat?"

Chiaki stifled a giggle as she shook her head 'no', "Some Shinigami are able to take on other forms, although it's an exceptionally rare gift. Lady Yoruichi is the only one I know of that can perform such a feat."

She gave the cat a look of slight annoyance, "and true to her playful nature, she enjoys getting a rise out of people by talking while in her cat form."

'Just when I thought the Soul Society couldn't get any stranger,' Neji thought to himself, he shook his head. L ady Yoruichi was a woman, so why the male voice?

"So if you're a woman, why do you sound like a man?"

"My voice has always sounded male when I use my cat form," Yoruichi explained before hopping onto the bed.

"But if you don't believe me I'll demonstrate," Yoruichi stated as the cat's body began to grow, and expand. The tail receded, the front legs expanded, while the front paws transformed into hands, the hind legs grew and the paws became feet. Long purple hair appeared on the cat's head, and the golden eyes took on a less feline appearance reverting to their human shape. Then sitting on the bed was a nude, dark skinned woman who appeared to be in her thirties with a large bust, and she was looking directly at Neji. A split second later a yellow bathrobe was tossed to Yoruichi while Chiaki's back was turned to the two.

"If you're gonna be in that form, cover up!"

It seemed reality struck him in that instant as Neji screamed and covered his eyes with his hands. He heard Chiaki warn him, "you had better not be using Byakugan to peek!"

"I have no desire to see a random woman in a state of undress, thank you," Neji chastised her for the thinly veiled accusation.

"You're no fun," Yoruichi remarked as she slipped into the yellow housecoat, fastening the belt at the waist before announcing, "Alright, you can look again."

Neji uncovered his eyes while Chiaki turned around, revealing that she had also clenched her eyes shut. She sighed a little, running a hand over her face before stating, "I'll have to get you a few clothes Yoruichi. We can't exactly have you running around naked."

"Hmm? Why not? It's not like anyone can see me in this form ordinarily," Yoruichi replied.

"I can see you! My entire clan will be able to see you," Neji objected.

"Yes, and young children are among his clan," Chiaki added.

"I see. Well then I guess it's the better option," Yoruichi agreed.

'You guess? Oh brother,' Chiaki thought to herself as she slapped the palm of her hand to her forehead. She heard a knock at the door and wanted to groan out, 'now what?'

Neji glanced to her and admitted, "I'm almost afraid to answer."

"Trust me, unless it's Rangiku Matsumoto, Zaraki or Madarame, they won't be as shocking," Chiaki promised.

Neji hesitantly made his way to the apartment door, leaving Chiaki and Yoruichi in the bedroom. Yoruichi looked to her with a smile and offered the observation, "he seems nice, even if he is a bit stuffy."

Chiaki chuckled a bit as she replied, "he just has respect for women. He was taught to, however his clan does see women as less capable fighters. He's been working to overcome that though. He's really quite intelligent. A prodigy amongst his family, and he's mostly self taught with a lot of his techniques."

"Hmm that's interesting," Yoruichi agreed.

"Chiaki," Neji's voice called out to her, "could you come here?"

Chiaki left the bedroom wearing the sleeveless yellow dress with broad shoulder straps as she headed towards the apartment door, quickly spotting Kisuke Urahara, Hanataro Yamada, Momo Hinamori and Yumichika Ayasegawa.

"Oh wow! Hi," she greeted them as she gestured for them to come in. Momo who was now dressed in a blue jean skirt, brown country girl boots, a jean jacket and a green t shirt wrapped her arms around Chiaki's neck, hugging her closely. Chiaki smiled as she returned the hug.

Neji blinked before smiling at the scene and moved aside from the doorway. The others filed into the apartment, with Neji closing the door behind him.

"I'm Neji Hyuga," he introduced himself to the other Shinigami. They took turns going around and introducing themselves. Kisuke then stated, "we brought supplies to repair the transceiver. When we didn't hear from you we figured it had to be damaged."

"It is. I was able to locate it though," Chiaki agreed.

Yumichika was the first to ask, "so where are we all staying?"

"Not here," Neji firmly announced.