It was a week later, and school was just about to start again. Which meant, for Livia, registration. She had never been over to Japan before, so despite her knowledge on how American schools handled transfers and foreign students, this process was completely new to her. After a day of endless papers and signatures, bows, thank yous, and your welcomes she just wanted to crash on her bed in Karin's room.

However, a conversation between two people on the street caught her attention. It wasn't the fact that they were talking, but the subject matter. Arrancarr. She started to walk a little closer to them to overhear them easier, but still far enough away to remain unsuspicious.

There was a younger boy, judging from his height and voice, who had white hair that was talking to a tall, overly well-endowed woman. They didn't seem to have any family resemblance, so she knew that the way they talked to one another was that of camadere.

"…haven't attacked in a long time. I wonder if they are just biding their time, waiting for Aizen to give the go-ahead." The blonde threw her hair over her shoulder, catching a brief glance of Livia who had her head down, watching the concrete pass by under her feet. She didn't look at Livia long, just long enough to think that Livia wasn't listening.

The younger boy answered, "That would be my guess. It still isn't close to time to attack, but when they showed up that first time…Matsumoto, we both had to have our energy released to deal with them. And it wasn't just us, either. The other Lieutenants had to have their energy released as well, and Ichigo was hurt. I'm just glad that Orihime was able to get to him and Rukia in time to save their lives."

The blonde, Matsumoto, made a gesture with her hands, and the white haired boy looked over his shoulder at his bag. Livia knew, however, that he was really looking over at her, to also figure out if she was listening or not.

She knew that if she followed them for any longer, she would be found out, so she decided to try and throw them off of suspecting her. She found a convenient joint in the sidewalk, managed to catch her toe on the edge, and fall, a few papers flying as she did so. The blonde looked back, and the white haired boy looked up from messing around with a pocket of his bag to look directly at her too. She let out a wail, and tried to catch the papers that had flown out of the folder she was holding, and couldn't get a few because they flew right by the duo. The blonde caught them, and walked over to Livia. "Here. You might want to watch where you are walking next time, OK? Some of the joints of the sidewalk are raised, and can easily catch a foot like what just happened now."

Livia thought about what Kootta would have had to say about this large-busted woman bending over the way she was, and it was easy for her to fake a blush at what the woman was saying. "Thank you," she said, with the heaviest American accent that she could. "I was just coming back from school, and thinking about my family, that I guess I wasn't paying attention." Livia got up by herself, and brushed off her pants that had, thankfully, not ripped. She then took the papers the woman was holding out to her, but her eyes caught on a silver chain, and a memory sparked inside her mind. To cover up her astonishment, she said, "Oh, that's a lovely silver chain you have. Where did you get it?"

Matsumoto looked a little flustered, as if she couldn't decide where she had. "Oh, this thing…it's a…a…family heirloom. From my great grandmother before she passed away a few years ago."

Livia pretended disappointment. "Oh, well. I wish that I could have bought one too. It looks so pretty. Anyway, thanks!" And with that, she took off at a fast pace to pass the boy, who she now knew was actually a captain of the 13 Protection squads, and was also an ice elemental. A while back, they thought about offering him a place on the squad, but when he was nominated as the captain, they knew that they had missed their chance, because Captains rarely went out into the world of the living. However, he hadn't been the captain of the squad when Livia went through training, so she hadn't recognized him. Nevertheless, upon sight she knew that he was one of the most formidable captains of the 13 protection squads, because she knew that Toushiro Hitsugaya had met his Zanpaku'to before he had ever become a soul reaper.

And that, more than anything, was the reason she ran away. Like can always identify like, even if his sword wasn't manifested 24/7 to his eyes like Kootta was for Livia.

What are you sweating about? It's not like as if they realized that you are a Shinigami! If they had taken a look at the spirit ribbons, however, it would be rather easy to tell.

Some people who were standing at the same crosswalk as her looked at her strangely as she punched air—where, for Livia, Kootta stood. {Just shut up, alright? That boy back there…that was Hitsugaya. You know, the one that we were going to personally bring into the squad in our second Bankai before he was promoted to Captain?}

Kootta looked thoughtful, then said, Well, Hyourinmaru isn't all that bad. We had a discussion while you guys were talking. And before you even ask, no he won't tell Hitsugaya that we are reapers. Livia was fuming from her silent conversation with Kootta, but the smells of hot food quickly brought her mind around to other things. {Let's get back home. I'm starving, and I'm sure Yuzu made something good tonight.} After they got home, Livia walked straight to the room that she was staying in, and completely collapsed on the bed. There was a strange female voice coming from the kitchen, but Livia decided that she would check it out later. Right now, her brain was just screaming at her to commit suicide so she wouldn't have to deal with the year to come.

The voices continued for a little while, the mysterious female voice really getting on Livia's nerves. It was unnerving to not know who else was in the house with her. What if Ichigo had a girlfriend, and didn't tell her? And this woman that she was about to jump on and scream at to shut up was she?

{Well, whatever the reason, she is getting really dang annoying,} she said to Kootta, who just shook her head.

It would be funny, if you ask me. However, I do recall Ishin saying when he picked us up that there was another girl named Rukia that would be gone the first week that we were here. That woman that we keep hearing may be her.

Livia thought for a second and then nodded. {Now that I think about it, it probably is. Let's go in the kitchen and introduce ourselves. Maybe we can make some American dish to go with all that damned rice that we keep eating.}

Kootta laughed as Livia got up, and stumbled through the house into the kitchen. When she entered, there was a short high school aged girl standing in there, talking with Yuzu. As she heard footsteps, the woman looked up.

Kootta gasped, and Livia started. When their eyes met, Livia could feel the reiatsu that the woman was putting off. It felt like another reaper. Shit, Livia! Leash it! She will feel you at this rate! COVER YOUR SPIRIT ENERGY!!!

She slammed her barriers up on her spiritual energy, covering herself up from the notice of the other reaper. The woman smiled, and said, "Hello. You must be Seishinn Olivia Rei. My name is Kuchiki Rukia. It's a pleasure to meet you." Rukia looked at her strangely for a moment, then turned back around as Livia said, "It's a pleasure to meet you, too, Rukia."

'Crap. She felt it.' {Kootta. We have some problems. I think that Rukia felt my reiatsu just now, before I put up my shields. Did you see the look that she gave me? It was confused, and suspicious. When I am asleep, can you have the hounds help block my reiatsu, so that she cannot feel it? And at least now we know where Ichigo had contact with a Soul Reaper before. It was that girl, Rukia, in her gigai.}

Yes, I can have Chuujitsu*, Genkaku*, and Chinmoku* look over you every night, if that is your wish. I will have to disappear, and they take my place, but I don't mind. I haven't seen the home of my dreams in the sword and your mind in a long time. Do you want them called out now?

{No,} Livia said without a thought. {Rukia might be able to see them, even though they are merely taking your place, and not expending any more energy.} Kootta nodded as Livia walked over to the fridge, determined that she was going to have something halfway American that night.

She had to go to the store to get potatoes, but sitting there on the table with the rest of the food a little while later was a rather large pile of homemade fries. Livia had made them perfectly, soft on the inside, and crunchy on the outside. It was heaven smelling them as they cooked in the oil, and it was well worth the wait. There was one problem, however. Everyone else took HUGE portions, so there was hardly any left by the time Livia had a chance to get her fair share. She felt slightly depressed that so few were left, but it was still well worth the wait. When she bought the potatoes, she had also found a bottle of ketchup, and promptly bought that, too. Her tongue felt ever so blissful as the taste of fried potatoes, ketchup, and the oils still left in the fries melted over it.

After dinner, and a short do-nothing conversation with Rukia about the States, Livia went out as usual. There was a slight breeze, carrying the scent of flowers from somewhere nearby. As she was leaving the house, however, she physically ran into the two people from before. There was no need to fake confusion as she helped Hitsugaya off the ground. "I'm so sorry…I guess that I didn't expect anyone to be coming from around the corner." She then took note of the fact that his Lieutenant was behind him, and her eyes focused on the woman's necklace before going to her face. "Hey, aren't you two from earlier today? The two who helped me when I tripped?" Her heavier American accent was in place again as she reclaimed her hand from Hitsugaya's and crossed them over her chest. Matsumoto became all cheery, and said, "Yep! That's us! Is that the house that you are staying at? The Kurosaki's are such a nice family. Ishin is really funny!"

Livia just looked at Matsumoto like she was insane. "Maybe to you. I've seen how he treats his son, to try to toughen him up a little bit. It's scary…I'm glad that my dad never did that to me. Especially his wake-up calls…" Livia shuddered at the memory. She had felt only the slightest bit remorse that Ishin hadn't gone through the wall…as it was, his back had left a dent in Ichigo's wall.

It seemed as if Hitsugaya was having the same thoughts, from his facial expression. "Let's go, Matsumoto. Ichigo and Rukia are waiting for us to discuss…" He turned his eyes slightly to look at Livia, as if he were trying to hide the fact that he was a Shinigami. "…To discuss what we will be doing for the last few days of break."

Matsumoto nodded, and smiled at Livia. "Well, see you later Livia. I hope that we get to talk some more again later!"

With that, they went into the house.

She couldn't help it that her curiosity was spiked significantly by Hitsugaya's pause. So it wasn't her fault that she had to find a ladder in the back yard to avoid suspicion on how she was able to get on the roof. And it wasn't her fault that, when she jumped, she landed on a plush toy of a lion that just so happened to be in the roof, too. However, it was her fault when, upon hearing it scream out, that she screamed, too, and made all the males in the house come rushing outside, looking for the reason that they heard Livia so shrill.

And they were all curious as to why she was on the roof, with a stuffed lion hanging from a fisted hand as she looked at it warily, and even poked it experimentally.

So maybe crying was a little overboard, but it was quite obvious that the plushy had scared the crap out of her.

"Why were you even on the roof in the first place, Livia?" Ichigo asked, his hands in his pockets as he stared down at her.

The excuse came to her mind so fast that she knew Kootta had been plotting. "Well, you see…back at home, I would always go on the roof at night to clear my thoughts, when no one else was around. I talk to the stars, if I can see them, and the moon and the sky. It never judges what I have to say, so it is an easy way to clear my mind. And this…filthy thing…I stepped on it by accident, and it made a noise…I wasn't expecting it to do that, so I screamed. I'm sorry that I worried you all…" Ichigo ripped the stuffed animal out of Livia's hands, and glowered at it for a moment.

"Well, it won't be bothering you again. I'm going to throw this gross thing out with the garbage…like what should have been done ages ago." Ichigo waltzed out of the back yard, where they had all ended up, even Ichigo's sisters, Rukia, and Matsumoto and Hitsugaya. After all the excitement, Matsumoto said something to Hitsugaya, and ended up staying behind with Livia. To her, it sounded like, "Kon scared her pretty good up there. I'll make sure that she's OK."

Hitsugaya nodded, so Matsumoto decided that it would be nice for them to go take a walk around town.

"So what," Matsumoto said after walking for a time without saying anything, "do you think of Ichigo and his family? I told you my opinion, but I am interested in hearing yours."

Livia shrugged. "I've only known them for a short while, seeing as I have only been here for a week. Ishin seems to be a real fun-loving guy, while he does seem to have a streak of insanity. Karin is nice enough, and she seems to really value her family. She worries about Ichigo for reasons I can't imagine, and she seems very athletic. Yuzu is probably one of the sweetest girls that you could ever meet. Though she does do a lot around the house. Ichigo…well, he seems to be too a tough nut to crack for me. We hardly talk as he is out all the time, and I wish that I could get to know him better before school starts, but…" 'But he is out too much, seemingly with Rukia and you guys, and I patrol the town at night while avoiding you guys. I don't think that I will ever be able to really get to know Ichigo, because of the nature of my responsibilities, and your responsibilities…' she thought to herself, watching her feet as she walked.

"But what?" Matsumoto asked, looking at Livia strangely.

Livia shrugged. "He doesn't seem interested in getting to know me at all. I mean, the entire reason that I am doing this foreign exchange student thing is because I wanted to get to know another culture as intimately as my own, and get to know the family that is sheltering me during my stay. It's just kind of depressing." Livia hugged her shoulders, as if trying to keep warm.

Matsumoto looked around a bit, and then exclaimed, "Ah! There it is! This place will warm you up for sure! They sell the best drinks in the entire area, I swear!" She took Livia's hand. "Let's g…" Matsumoto trailed off at the same moment Livia felt the flux of pressure signaling the appearance of a Hollow.

Livia was relieved that she hadn't turned on her Soul Page when she heard Matsumoto's start to beep. She pulled the phone out of her purse, and looked at it for a moment. She sighed. "Looks like as if you will have to go on in without me for a bit. I have some business that I need to take care of." With that, Matsumoto put several bills in Livia's hands. "Here. The drinks will be on me. I'll be back before you will even get a drink, I'm guessing." With a wink, Matsumoto rushed off in the direction of the hollow.

Livia sighed, and reached inside her pants pocket for her own soul page, which she promptly turned on to figure out how close the hollow was. Right after she turned it on, however, it started to beep again, along with the flux of pressure the signaled the hollow. 'Shit…Matsumoto has gone off that way, and I am the closest one…'

Come *on*, Livia! I haven't fought in a while! The hounds want some exercise, too.

{I'm all for it, but one little problem. Where do I stash my gigai? I don't want to freak people out…wait. The place next to the one Matsumoto was going to take me is a bar. There are benches all over this area. I will simply be another KO'd drunk.}

So Livia staggered over to a bench, and leaned on it before totally collapsing on it. She then forced herself out, and used her flash-step to quickly get to where she knew the hollow was.

{So you want to fight this one, Kootta?} Livia asked, smiling because she knew the answer.

In the most bloodthirsty voice, she said, Yes. And you will not deny me the Saisei that is our birthright. I want to live again through you. Besides, Livia could see Kootta smiling as she ran past Livia. They won't recognize you if we are joined as one.

As she ran, Livia laughed, and called on the innate powers of the Secret Squad, shouting, "SAISEI!!"