A/N: Wow! 17 follows, 12 favs, and 11 reviews already?! You guys are awesome! I love reading what you have to say, and if you're lucky you'll get an honorable mention at the end of the fic for being a dedicated reviewer/ follower. We have a lot to tackle in this chapter, so let's get going!

Hylla- I've really come to Love Byakuya's character. He's just so interesting. Yes he will be in this fic later on, and I might do a spin off fic so that some characters get more screen time. I'm still deciding.

Wyyrd- Yes! There is going to be a flashback chapter. There are going to be small flashbacks( well flash-forwards lol) here and there and when a new character is introduced. Like when Rukia comes there will be one, when Ichigo goes to the Soul Society etc... but there will be one big chapter that is solely a flashback.

- Hello = Zangetsu

-Hello= Ichigo's Hollow- in this story Shirosaki ( shiro for short)

-'Thoughts'

" I'm stationing you down in the world of the living for a few months" The young shinigami looked up in surprise.

"Why?"

"There's an unusual reiatsu signature, and the spiritual activity down there has increased lately. You'll be stationed in Japan- a place called Karakura Town." She furrowed her brows in confusion. She was sure had she heard that name before.

"Karakura Town?" She asked.

" Yes that's right." His soft voice was calming, and it offered reassurance towards his subordinate. Still, she was on edge.

"But why me? I'm not even a seated officer yet."

"You're a very skilled shinigami. I believe that you'll do just fine. If you need any help, you can always call for back up."

"Yes, of course Captain. When do I leave?"

"You leave tomorrow. Be ready." She nodded

" Yes Sir."

"Oh, and Rukia, be careful." The pale-faced Captain of squad thirteen smiled at her.

"I will, Taicho. don't worry."

Rukia gave a curt bow before leaving the captains office. She hadn't been in there for several years- since Kaien died. Since he had passed away, Captain Ukitake hadn't seen much of her. She distanced herself from him- it was too painful. It reminded her too much of the late Vice Captain.

Rukia kept telling herself that she needed to send her regards to the Shiba family, but ti was too hard. There was no telling how they'd react. She was sure they'd hate her for what she had done. It was all her fault he was gone anyway. She admired Kaien more than anyone else. He didn't care that she was a noble. He didn't care that she wasn't the best. What he did care about was his subordinates. He practically ran the squad all by himself, and the first day he told her to " Call 'em captain" She knew she picked the right squad to be in.

It was expected of Rukia to join squad one or six to follow the noble ways, but she couldn't see herself being in one of those squads. She wasn't cut out to be one of the duty- upholding, honorable shinigami. She didn't really have a specialty. She wasn't strong enough for eleventh, and she certainly wasn't going to be a test subject to the twelfth. She considered going into the fourth because she was good at kido, but her brother said that her skills would be wasted there.

That left the eight, seventh, fifth, tenth, ninth, and second squads. While Kyoraku, the captain of squad eight, was a good man- he was also a perverted one. Rukia didn't want to be seen that way. She guessed she could've gone into the seventh, but something about having a captain whose face you never saw creeped her out. There was always the fifth, but just like the seventh, the captain creeped her out only the fifth division captain gave her bad vibes, not just the oddity that he never showed his face which Aizen did.

The remaining three quads weren't bad squads. Truthfully, Rukia would've been fine going into any of them. The tenth squad was an orderly squad when the captain was present, and a party squad when the lieutenant took over. She wouldn't haven't minded that at all, and the thought of having someone smaller than you running the squad was somewhat comforting. At least no one would make fun of her height. Still, she felt like she'd just be looked over in that squad. The ninth squad was in charge of the News Magazine of the Serretei, and for some reason they wouldn't let Rukia illustrate for them, so she scratched that option off her list. The only squad left was the second which she decided against immediately. There was no way that she would have been a member of the stealth force because her Hakuda wasn't all that great either.

The thirteenth squad was perfect for her, and although she was uneasy going into it at first, she never once regretted it even all these years later. Sure she was an unseated officer, but that just meant that she needed more practice. Maybe the trip to the world of the living would be good for Rukia. It would be nice to get away for a change and prove herself.

She frowned when she saw a young girl getting her doll taken by two young boys. She was going to go help her out, but another boy came in and yelled at them. He wasn't much older than they were, but he seemed to have their respect, and they stopped. It reminded her of herself saving Renji and their friends from store keepers who they stole food from. It wasn't an easy lifestyle, and these children had it so much better than she did. Rukia always felt blessed since she entered the Academy, but she never felt noticed. So when she was asked to be adopted into a family, and a noble one no less- she couldn't refuse. She was excited and nervous at the same time. Mostly she was just confused. Even after living as a Kuchiki for around 40 years now, she just felt unseen in the family's eyes. Rukia was treated like a noble, but she would never truly fit in with them. She wasn't born and bred to be one of them. She was born and bred for fighting. Growing uo in the 78th district of the Rukongai, you had to be. This chance to prove herself on a mission could be what she needs to obtain a seated officer position. Even if that position ended up being a 20th seat, it would all be worth it.

Rukia didn't even notice that she was back at the Kuchiki manor until she ran into the gate. Recovering, she opened it to find two rows of servants bowing at her.

"Welcome Home, Rukia-dono." They said this without looking her in the eyes, keeping a low bow.

"I told you guys, it's just Rukia. I was adopted into- not born into- the family." They said nothing in response to her, keeping their low bow. Rukia hated being addressed as a noble. Sure, it had it's perks, but it was mostly irritating.

A lone servant approached her, " How are you today, milady?"

Rukia smiled up at her, " I'm fine, Miako. Actually, I have some news for Nii-sama. Would you be so kind to tell me where he is?" Miako was one of the only servants that wasn't scared to approach her for fear they would do something to upset her. Miako had straight, brown hair that ended half way down her back, and small framed glasses which rested on a slightly turned up nose. He voice was clear, but shaky. Like she couldn't ever be sure she was saying the correct thing. She was also Rukia's personal servant, so they had a different relationship. She was there for advice, though she didn't particularly give great advice, and she was a shoulder for Rukia in her times of need. Rukia didn't have many friends in the Seretei. In fact, she had none at all.

Renji had stopped talking to her since he started climbing the ranks. Sometimes when they saw each other he'd try to talk to her, but it wasn't the same anymore. She was an unseated officer of the thirteen court guard squads, and He was the lieutenant to her Brother, captain of the sixth squad. They were too far apart in rank. They had nothing in common any more. All of her other friends from childhood had passed on, and any friend she had from the academy had turned on her when she was adopted. Not even the nobles wanted to hang out with her because she was the bastard child of a clan.

"Certianly. Byakuya-dono is in his quarters working on his calligraphy. Would you like me to alert him of your arrival?" Rukia shook her head

"No. That's fine. I'll just go and tell him myself."

"Of course, milady. Would you like to eat in your room or in the dining room tonight?"

"Will Nii-sama be joining me?" Miako's smile faded as she shook her head to the side once in response.

"I do not think so, milady. The Lord of the house said that he had some business to attend to and for us not to bother him with trivial matters such as eating in a certain place." Rukia raised a finger to her mouth in thought.

"I see. Well then I guess I'll just eat in my room tonight."

"Certainly. We will have your meal waiting for you." Miako bowed at the waist before walking briskly back to the manor to fetch Rukia's meal. No matter how many times Rukia told them not to be so formal, they would never listen.

Rukia headed toward the house pausing only to look at the sakura tree which had recently blossomed. It was late for blossoms, so she found it unusual. As Rukia walked through the halls, she couldn't help but to notice that it seemed quieter. Not that it wasn't always quiet, because it was, something about tonight just seemed off.

Rukia knocked on her brother's door lightly, " Nii-sama? I have some news for you."

She head a slight scratching sound of paper and brush stopping before a gentle 'clank' of the brush being set down.

"Come in, Rukia." The gentle voice of her adoptive brother drifted lazily through the thin door, signaling her allowance to open it.

"What did you need to tell me?" She looked into her brother's gray stare trying to decipher the mask.

" I'm being stationed down in the world of the living for a few months to check out a strange reiatsu signature and to help control the recently growing hollow activity."

"I see." She stared at him waiting for more of a reply before speaking up once more.

"That was all I had to say brother."

"When are you leaving?"

"Tomorrow." He seemed to consider the new information that had been handed to him before deciding against doing anything about it.

"Well then. You are dismissed." Rukia nodded and left the room feeling more stressed than when she had gone into the room. But she would never here the silent 'be careful' from Byakuya, and she would miss his gaze drifting out the window to the sakura tree. And she would never find out why the house was so quiet that night, and she would miss the stillness that the night held because she was too busy packing and preparing for the trip ahead. So, of course she's miss her brother's silent words which fell dead on his lips when he looked at a picture of his late wife, asking for Rukia's protection and safety. And Rukia was too excited for what tomorrow held to realize what tomorrow really was- the anniversary of the death of her older sister, and her brother's late wife.

After telling Kisuke and his dad everything, Ichigo decided to head home. They could tell whomever they pleased as long as they didn't print out fliers and hand them out all over town. They all decided that they'd let the shinigami who is in charge of Karakura Town take care of the hollows for now so that Ichigo didn't play his cards too early. Not that it really mattered. If Aizen came after him now- which he wouldn't- Aizen wouldn't stand a chance. However, if Aizen bonded with the hogyoku again, then they'd have a problem.

So far, Ichigo had already made it clear with Kisuke that he was not to put the hogyoku inside of Rukia. It made it way too easy for Aizen to take it and make his own. The only thing they had to find out was how to get rid of the hogyoku. Kisuke assured him that they'd find a way to seal it off if they couldn't destroy it, but he needed time. Time was not something that Ichigo had. He had come back in time, yes, but he was meaning to go back a couple hundred years to stop Aizen before he even started. Something went wrong and he ended up only ten years in the past. And Ichigo had seen what could happen in ten years. He lived through it by some miracle, but it was not something that he wished to experience again anytime soon.

His thought's were interrupted by a voice, Hey, King. feels like our favorite little midget is in town. Won't be long before she pays you a visit.

Ichigo tried to ignore the demented voice. He didn't want to think about Rukia. He wasn't sure how he'd get her to stay. As much as he hated it he had to get her arrested by the Soul Society again. He had to make Aizen think that she had the hogyoku inside of her so that Ichigo could break into the Soul Society again. Even though he was getting used to the ever occurring since of de ja vu, it still freaked him out that he had to do this all again. He wanted to make sure that his friends never got their powers again, but then again he needed them last time. They wouldn't be the same people without their powers, so he decided to leave that alone and just let their powers develop like they head last time- without him interfering. Now that the issues of his friends' powers was settled, he had to figure out how to approach the Visoreds and get them on his side again. He assumed he could just tell them he was going to war with Aizen and that they could come along, but Shinji and the others were very spontaneous people, and they probably wouldn't be too happy about not being the only ones to beat the shit out of Aizen. They were selfish in that aspect, and Ichigo couldn't really blame them. After what he did to them, Ichigo would've felt the same way. But this was his fight. He didn't want too many people involved.

Counting on his fingers he included the Soul Society, Urahara, His dad, The Visored, His human friends, Yoruichi, and potentially his family. It was the same group from the war with Aizen, but they'd be ready this time. Ichigo would make sure of it. Tomorrow was the first day of school after all, which meant everything would be kicking into gear pretty soon. Reaching over, Ichigo turned off the lamp on his bed side table and laid on his bed looking up at the ceiling. He was still wearing his clothing from that day. He was too lazy to change out of them, besides he had a lot on his mind. Lackadaisically, he crossed his arms behind his head and sighed. It was going to be another long night. Deciding he should probably get some rest, he closed his eyes.

ROOOOAAAAARRRRR!

Ichigo sat up. The hollow was close. Too close.

"It's near" He heard a voice speaking from his window.

"Yeah I know it's near. I heard it." He rolled his eyes.

"That's odd. I have some reiatsu signature interfering with my-"

Ichigo looked over to his window when he realized that it wasn't Shiro or Zangetsu who had spoken to him. There, standing on his desk was Rukia Kuchiki. Ichigo had to keep himself in check in order to not break out into a smile and suffocate her in a bone-crushing hug. Maybe he hadn't yet met her in this life, but that was Rukia. He'd know her face anywhere. Taking a deep breath to calm himself he raised his foot like he had done before and kicked her in the ass, " What are you? Some kind of burglar. Well if you are one, you're not very good at it!"

Rukia looked up at the screaming teenager in shock, " Wait a minute. You mean you can see me?"

Ichigo scoffed, " Well considering that was my foot that was just in you're ass, I'd say yes. I can see you."

'It's her. She's really here!'

Calm down, king. Save house now, freak out later.

TO BE CONTINUED

* Honorable Mentions*

Kit Kinya L.O.A.F member

-FUN FACT-

Miako means flames in Swahili ^_^