DISCLAIMER: If i really owned Naruto, do you REALLY think i'd be writing this here instead of up in a studio for the anime and/or manga and making tons of cash? Yeah, that's what I thought, too. But the story and some of the characters ARE mine and therefore cannot be taken, so HA! Neener-neener-NEEEENER!

"Can I help you with something?"

She flashed a smile at the clerk, who didn't look much older than she was. "No, thanks." She fingered a nearby shirt as if she was extremely interested. Personally, the blouse was too dull and too low-cut for her taste. And the ruffles on the sleeves and down the middle?

Yeah right.

Luckily, she wasn't here for shopping.

The clerk rolled her eyes and turned away to go pester other people with busy schedules. "Another tourist," she muttered. The teenage girl couldn't help but smirk as she glanced out the store's window again at The Target, who was glancing around and wandering aimlessly.

The girl checked her reflection to make sure everything was still intact before ducking out of the store.

One of the things she liked best about herself was that she was sort of like a chameleon; able to blend into any role given her, no matter how odd. Today it was a pretty normal disguise, though, which was a bit disappointing.

Just a normal kid wandering the streets of Washington, DC. Though normal was always an intriguing concept to her, she hated her employers' ideas of normal. It was rather boring, and required no imagination whatsoever.

Except for the fact that normal was probably the most foreign concept she could possibly imagine.

She was able to follow The Target in a moderately-straight line for a good five minutes before he finally realized he was being tailed and tried to lose her. Damn, it took him long enough...

Finally, he reached a deserted garage parking lot. Nothing but dull cars surrounded by dull concrete walls with dull paint to show people where to park.

Dull, dull, dull. She smiled to herself as he continued to glance around, chuckling slightly. "Perfect," she practically purred. She loved this part of her job.

"Hello?" The Target called out a bit uneasily, running a hand through his spiky orange hair almost unconsciously. She was getting to him. That tiny twinge of fear and adrenaline - though by the looks of it, adrenaline was more dominant - was starting to sink into him.

She ducked behind a car as he walked towards where her voice had come from. "Someone there?" The Target called, sounding even more uneasy.

She rolled her eyes and waited until his footsteps faded. I don't get people these days. If there's someone there, being secretive, why the hell would they ask if someone was there? It's almost as if they expect them to just pop out and shout "Oh, HEY THERE!"

She crouched and waited; The Target chuckled nervously.

"Rukia? Renji? This better not be another one of your stupid-ass pranks or a damn training method...!"

That was kinda fun, but now it's time to end this. The girl kicked his feet out from under him and he fell to the ground in a daze. She crouched to get a better look at him, then lightly touched her earpiece. "Hey, Becs? Ya there?"

She stood up and put her foot on his stomach to keep him down as he struggled to get up. This target was different than the others. His spirit energy was making her sway slightly; she'd felt strong ones before, but never like this.

The eariece suddenly came to life; there was panting, then static.

"Yeah, I'm here. He's in custody already? And you're certain he's the one?"

She cocked her head to the side, studying The Target as question marks DING-DING-DINGED above his head.

"What the hell? Who the hell are you? Why the hell do you have your foot there? Are you coming onto me or something? Is this how they do that here? Wait, why the hell do you have an ear thing in the first place, are you-"

"YEAH, IT'S HIM!" she managed to yell over The Target. I hate when they ramble. They always do so before I receive the orders as to what to do to them. It's quite annoying, but usually the decision to kill them shuts them up rather quick. She laughed at her own little joke, making The Target sweatdrop.

"Is he cute?"

She rolled her eyes. "Just notify them and find the other two Targets, alright?"

"Whatever."

She rolled her eyes again as giggling was heard from Becs's end before the connection was cut off.

"Could you remove your foot?"

"Oh, right." She crouched by him again and smirked. Always nice to know no matter how strong his spirit energy was, she could keep him down. "So, who are you?"

The Target just gaped at her for a minute. "Uh...you're the one who attacked me. Aren't you supposed to know who you're attacking?" She shook her head. "Nope. They give us the description, we find or exterminate them."

"Uh...huh." They stared at each other for a minute. "...So, mind telling me who you are?"

"I asked you first," she pointed out.

He rolled his eyes. "How you manage to attack and 'exterminate' anyone is beyond me. My name is Ichigo Kurosaki, and once Rukia and/or Renji get here, I'll be the one who turns back into a Soul Reaper and kicks your ass!"

"Whatever, 'Soul Reaper'. Doesn't Ichigo mean 'Strawberry'? How frightening. I'm shaking in my boots." She pulled her blonde wig off and winced. "Excuse me a minute." Leaving one foot on his stomach in case he tried to escape, she turned around and carefully removed the blonde wig from her dark red hair.

Next the fake contacts and eyebrows came off, revealing her dark brown brows and eyes. She turned back around, removed her leg, and held out her hand. "I'm Luna."

He sweatropped. "...You're weird."

Her temple throbbed. "I'M weird? Hello? You're the one who calls yourself a 'Soul Reaper'." He rolled his eyes as she used her index and middle fingers on both hands to emphasize his title.

"Love the air quotes."

"Why thank you."

"Nothing fazes you, does it?"

"Nope, not really. Except for Becs. She can be quite intimidating."

"Who's that? She's cuter than you, I hope."

"I would not say 'cute'. But many describe her as 'hot'."

"Good. Maybe my eyes will stop hurting once she gets here."

"Wow, a smartass. I hope they don't terminate you right away, you might be fun to have around!" Luna couldn't help but get excited. A new male around would be so nice; they had stronger stomachs and giggled less. She was so excited just thinking about it that she slipped out of her formal tone, something she very rarely did these days.

Being formal and distant was usually a better way to act around her Targets. That way, when she exterminated them, she wouldn't mind having to wash the blood off afterwards. Not that she felt guilt very often, if ever. She didn't feel too many strong emotions often anymore, period.

He was about to comment, but instead he turned a little green. "TERMINATE me? What the hell! Did I walk into some weird alternate reality where the Terminator guy is in charge of the justice system or something?"

Luna tilted her head to the side to think. "Well, actually, the Terminator was kind of like a justice person in that movie. And the actor who portrayed him is the governor of California now...hmm. Well, either way, the answers to the rest are classified."

He grinned. "Well, if I AM being terminated, what would it matter?"

She pointed at him, eyes narrowed. "For someone doomed to die, you sure are calm."

He scoffed. "Please, I've been in situations you couldn't even imagine."

"I don't know, my imagination is pretty wide and vivid."

He smiled mischieviously. "Well first, you tell me about whoever it is you work for, then I'll tell you about Soul Reapers." Luna opened her mouth, shut it, and opened it again in disbelief.

Curiosity sucks! And it kills cats. She sighed in defeat. "Wipe that smug grin off your face. You're still the one on the ground being held down by my foot."

He sighed. "I can't argue with that."

Luna sighed again. Perhaps sighing is contagious, like yawning... As if to emphasize her thought, she yawned before continuing.

"I'll try and put it in simple terms so you can understand. You don't seem very bright, no offense."

"None taken, neither do you."

"Everyone thinks that.." She looked around. "I really wish I had my sketchbook with me. Maybe then I could make it easier..."

He groaned, running a hand through his hair. "Not more pictures! Rukia's are shitty enough!" That simple gesture of his bought her his full attention as she assessed him. That Soul Reaper story, she knew it was true.

As to what they did, she had no earthly idea. She simply knew the whole reason he was being targeted was because he and his cohorts, Rukia Kuchiki and Renji Abarai, don't belong in this dimension. Yet they were here. It wouldn't be the first time she encountered this...at least, not lately...

Whatever Soul Reapers did, it was obviously quite physical. His physique was admittedly impressive. He was muscled and toned, odd in your average teen. His hair was spiky and orange, and his face seemed set in a permanent scowl.

Odd, considering what a soft brown color his eyes were. Her own eyes reflected her personality: dark. She suspected this whole scowling persona was, like most teens, a diversion. He smirked, noticing her staring, and she scowled at him.

Luna then turned serious, turning off her ear piece. "Okay, pay attention. The following conversation never happened. If by some miracle they keep you around for a while, you are to act surprised or confused if any of these subjects are brought up. Your survival and mine might very well depend on it. Understood?"

Ichigo nodded slowly, and she paused to let that sink in. "...I work for an organization within the governments of quite a few nations. You're in the United States of America, which is the penultimate of our headquarters," she added at his confused expression. Though she was sure her vocabulary and wording just made him more confused. Which was good, since that was her aim. The less he understood of what she was telling him, the better.

For both of them.

But he caught "You're in the United States of America" easy enough.

"Oh...seriously? I've only heard of that place, no one I know back in Karakura's ever been there, but there was this one guy whose aunt's cousin's step-" She held up a hand. "Yes, that's wonderful. We don't have much time," she pointed out.

"Oh, right."

"Okay. The organization, which shall not be named-"

He started laughing again. "You sound like you're talking about Voldemort instead of some secret organization! Harry Potter nerd!"

She gave him a look. "Okay, seriously, do I need to put duct tape on your mouth, or can you shut the hell up on your own? I have some in my back pocket."

"No, no, sorry!"

"Alrighty then. As I was saying. I don't even know too much about the Agency itself, other than it's been in business for quite a while. I've been doing their dirty work since before I can remember..."

"Which is how long?"

"...I'm fifteen, if that's what you're getting at."

"Ah, so I'm older!"

"That's wonderful, just fascinating, one would never guess from your behavior. Now, may I please continue?"

"Right."

She couldn't help but smirk at how the insult about his immaturity went right over his head.

"We are responsible for maintaining the balance of all that is. This world, the forces of heaven and hell, other worlds, it's all us. You name it, we've been a moderate to major part of it. We've worked as special forces for every war imaginable since a little after the Revolution."

She glanced around to make sure they were alone before going on, lowering her voice a little.

"And Jack the Ripper? Turns out he was a great guy in all honesty. Barely stayed two weeks in therapy, and he was an even greater field agent from what I have heard. Seriously, therapy can change anyone and everyone. It's amazing. ...We even helped stop some major invasion in this other world, something about Heartless creatures...As unbelievable as it sounds, it's all true. A network bigger than Area 51 itself, right in front of everyone. We're the wanderers of the night, those who dwell solely to protect humanity. We take care of international threats, breaches, protect Presidents, rulers, ambassadors...and some things even a Soul Reaper couldn't imagine."

He rolled his eyes. "Try me."

"Fine then. You know those stories about things that 'go bump in the night'? They exist. Some of us are the things that bump around at night. And yes, I mean supposedly mythical creatures, not just clumsy and/or intoxicated humans. Some you haven't even heard of...such as this one Agent I personally know who's 87% vampire, however that works."

He made a face. "How DOES that work?"

"I try not to wonder about it. How else could I explain it? Let's see...ooh, Van Helsing! You remember that movie with Hugh Jackman, right?"

Ichigo sweatdropped. "...Yeah..."

"Okay, that society he works for? We're like that, only a helluva lot more modern."

They stared at each other for a minute, Luna trying to look serious after comparing herself to one of her all-time favorite movies (which was a rather limited list, and basically included every movie she had been able to sneak out and see). Ichigo was just trying to absorb what she had said.

"Well? What are Soul Reapers?"

"Oh. Right. Soul Reapers are-"

"Loony, you didn't tell me he was cute," she heard Becs whisper in her ear.

Luna just about hit the ceiling, she jumped so badly. "B-Becs, how'd you get here so fast?"

"I'm just ace, is all!" Ichigo watched on with fresh sweatdrops as Becs explained an accident with a hot dog vendor in front of the Reflecting Pool, which explained why she was so wet. Luna was pretty sure she had him lost during most of it. He was probably still trying to figure out what "ace" meant, and why she used some guy named John to change clothes.

And people said Americans were ignorant to other people's cultures. Then again, Ichigo probably wasn't the best representative for Japan. What a simpleton... Luna fumed with a templethrob after realizing he had been staring at Becs' chest the whole time.

Finally, Luna remembered her foot was crushing his airway as her anger grew, and removed it. "Sorry," she said with a nervous chuckle. "Becs, this is Ichigo. Ichigo, Becs. He's a smartass too, and he was just about to tell me about-"

Becs shot her a look. "You know better!"

"What now?"

"Since when do you become acquainted with your targets?"

"Since now, I guess."

"But you know what happens when we do that! You'll get attached, again."

"You just had to bring him up!"

"Well, who's fault is it that he-"

Luna elbowed her in the ribs. "We're not supposed to talk about that! Especially not with civilians present!"

"Oh, belt up! Since when do we follow the rules? You just like that one rule because it was pretty much bespoken for ya, what with-"

Ichigo cleared his throat. "Who are you talking about? ...Well, besides you, anyways."

Luna rubbed her arm. "Uh..." Then she started laughing.

Becs looked at her as if she needed to be in a straight jacket. "Luna...why the bloody hell are you laughing like a barmy?"

Luna shook her head and pointed at the car behind her. "That girl Ichigo- I mean, The Target mentioned...Rukia, is it? She's about to try and jump me!"

They heard a small gasp and a string of curses from behind the aforementioned car, and Becs chuckled. "Not very bright, is she?"

Luna shook her head. "It's not her fault. It was a good plan. She can't help it that I can sense people's energy, y'know."

"Dammit," a male voice muttered.

She turned around to see a dude with bright, spiky red hair step out from behind the car. He also was rather toned and muscular, even more so than Ichigo. He was obviously older, too. Though he sure didn't seem to act like it...

"You must be Renji. It is quite obvious you aren't Rukia."

He rolled his eyes. "Nothing gets past you, does it?"

Renji started laughing once he saw Ichigo. "Ichigo! Caught by a girl, huh? She could even hold you down with her foot. Yet, somehow, you're a Soul Reaper."

A girl a tad bit shorter than Luna stepped out and hit Renji on the shoulder. Her hair was jet black, stopping and spiking out in thick sections at her shoulders. Her big violet eyes were currently narrowed just a little, as if she were thinking. "She's got an amazing amount of life energy. You could feel it too. In fact, we could do more than sense it. It started making you feel dizzy, it was so strong."

Renji pouted a little, ego bruised, none of them realizing Luna was weaving thin blue lines of energy around them. "Yeah, but that don't mean I can't pretend we couldn't and bash Strawberry a little."

Luna chuckled at their cluelessness; Ichigo was the first to realize something was slowly repressing him and started struggling.

"Strawberry? I'm gonna remember that, it'd make a good name for him." Becs hit her on the arm while Rukia and Renji started struggling as well.

"What the hell's going on?" Rukia muttered. "I can't move! It's like a Bakudo, but..."

Becs continued as if Rukia hadn't said anything, light green eyes widening at Luna's previous statement. "I just got onto you! You know as well as I do we don't get attached, and we certainly don't name them like pets!"

Luna growled inwardly. She hated when Becs got like this. Scolding her as if just because she was older, she had more sense and knew more about what Luna should and shouldn't do. She had a rising suspicion it was induced by Ichigo's presence.

Could she help it that she was the youngest Agent to ever work for the Agency, having started at age nine? It wasn't like she did it willingly, and she hated being reminded of it. In fact, it was one of the few factors that got under her skin.

But Becs knew every single factor there was. And boy, did she use them. Especially around males.

Not that Luna was interested in male attention in the first place. Not since her first mistake in that department...

Outwardly, she simply sighed. "Calm down, Becs, will you? I have a feeling they're gonna keep these guys around. Renji and Rukia have some pretty strong energy, and Ichigo's is so strong it gives me a headache! There's no way they could turn that opportunity down, you know the Agency's run by pure greed and politics, and besides-"

Becs coughed loudly and nudged Luna. She sweatdropped. "She's right behind me, isn't she?"

Becs nodded, and Luna drooped. "Right..." She turned around and waved nervously. "Afternoon, Ma'am."

Tara's sleek blonde hair was in a tight bun today, an even tighter business suit-skirt ensemble hugging her perfectly toned body. She may simply be their division's briefer, debriefer, and all-around enforcer, but considering their division was practically infested with juveniles, she sure got her daily workouts managing them.

"I see you managed to find all three targets. Well done, Luna."

Becs looked at her expectantly. "Nice effort, Rebecca." Luna snickered and her teammate elbowed her in the ribs. Ichigo rolled his eyes. "Aren't you two mature professionals.."

They ignored him, making his scowl deepen. Just as Luna suspected; nothing but a diversion, meant to grab attention. "I am Special Agent Tara Surandon, and you three must be Renji, Rukia, and Ichigo." There was a slight nod from each of them, and she continued.

"To answer almost all of your questions, you three cannot move because Luna, the redheaded one to my left, has woven ropes of energy around you all. It is stronger than almost any force known to this world. How she can do this, not even she knows, so I would not even bother asking."

"As to your individual questions. Rukia Kuchiki? No, Luna is not a Soul Reaper. No, that is not reiatsu you are sensing. It is some different force entirely. I myself can sense your reiatsus, having been in contact with your kind before. As to your other questions, I am afraid the answers are currently prohibited to you and your companions. Some of them are unknown even to my mind."

Her gaze turned to Renji. "Ah. Renji Abarai. Yes, Luna is a living human. No, I do not provide the answers as to how you got here or how to reach Karakura Town. Yes, my breasts are entirely real. And, as I have already told Ms. Kuchiki, the answers to the rest are currently prohibited and/or unknown."

"And to answer your questions, Ichigo Kurosaki, we are considering your executions. Yes, I will tell you why. And no, I am not the head of this organization. Yes, Rebecca is from Great Britain, and yes, that is her original accent. Yes, she tends to use slang. It is something I have stressed she work on, for the sake of covert operations. Yes, Luna's energy force is almost as strong as yours, and no, that should not bruise your ego. And finally...no, if you live, Luna probably will not give you her number, but I guess it is possible," she finished with a smug grin.

Everyone but Becs and Luna gaped at her in amazement. Luna and Ichigo were turning red, while Becs was snickering like crazy. "S-She can read people's minds," The Brit managed to get out. Luna just sighed and shook her head. "I am simply going to ignore that whole scenario."

Luna looked around glumly at the familiar, stainless-steel walls. She sighed on their way to the briefing room. "Just once, I would love to be able to get out of here for a while. And not just for missions," she whispered to herself.

"Someone's getting picky," Becs replied with a sing-song tone. She sighed at the glare Luna shot her. Lately, she had gotten more and more occupied with the outside world. It wasn't good for someone like her.

Becs had grown up in the outside world. She had been born there, raised there, and had matured there before signing up to work for the Agency. The same couldn't be said for Luna. Sometimes, she wondered what Luna would even do if she were allowed to roam the outside world. Because to be blunt, it was jam-packed with sex, drugs, alcohol, violence, and different forms of media and entertainment.

That's all.

She had told her that so many times, hoping it would satisfy her curiosity. She didn't want Luna to be part of that world. Not when the Agency fed her information that was cleaned and polished, making the world and its inhabitants seem simple. "You know that'll never happen, so you best forget about it," was all Becs said.

She said it with enough sharpness that Luna decided to just nod and drop it for the time being. Not that she had been talking to anyone in particular in the first place.

Luna couldn't help but laugh a little at the Soul Reapers. She had loosened the energy around them so they could walk, but Renji and Rukia were practically waddling like penguins because it was still really strong on them.

Though she was positive the amount of energy was equal, Strawberry was almost walking as fast as Tara and Becca were. Luna was lagging behind to keep an eye on the other two now, just in case they decided to make a run for it, which would be just plain idiotic at the moment. It wouldn't be the first time it had happened, though.

In fact, it had happened several times before. Usually, they didn't get very far. The farthest had gotten within fifteen feet of the exit, located on the end of the hall. But it did happen. Hence all the stains on the carpet.

If there was a chance of her getting out alive someday, it wouldn't happen unless she did her job well...and kissed ass, but she would never do that. No matter the circumstances.

"Okay, now that we're here..." Tara started. They were all sitting in yet another stainless-steel room, in stainless-steel chairs, around a square, stainless-steel table with circular patterns.

Rukia sure got a kick out of the patterns, that's for sure. Ichigo leaned towards Luna and Becs. "Is there a reason she waited until we were in here to start talking?"

Luna was busy watching Tara's face intently, looking for any sign of the Agency's verdict as to the Soul Reapers' fates. Becs noticed this, so she clicked her tongue before answering him. "This is the briefing room, and I think it just makes Tara's lectures and explanations feel more official to her, so we don't usually say anything about it."

"Got it."

Tara cleared her throat meaningfully, and they shut up. "You three are here because you have jeopardized one major belief of the average citizens of this world. They do not know other worlds exist beyond this one. Therefore, The Agency and everyone in it is nonexistant. You three cause that illusion to waver. Rukia, Renji, Ichigo, you are from Karakura Town, which is in Japan. BUT, it's in a Japan in another world, if that makes any sense to you at the moment. The fact that you are all Soul Reapers does not help you.

"There has been an outbreak of paranormal activity recently; it's caused many of our teams to spread to different locations, and sometimes different worlds, back-to-back for weeks on end. It's caused Rebecca Kensington and Luna to work for three weeks straight as of today, and it's costing us. For the first time ever, Rebecca failed to find any trace of evidence."

"Huh?" Rukia asked as Becs pouted to herself at the mention of her mistake. "I'm a bit lost. What do they do, anyway?"

"Rebecca and Luna form the smallest squad in our history, but that doesn't affect their success. Rebecca finds the target's current location, while Luna eliminates any threats, even the targets themselves, or captures them." Tara laughed once. "Yes Ichigo, we always talk this technically." Luna rolled her eyes, and Tara continued.

"I was informed of their decision right before we entered this briefing room. We will not eliminate you three quite yet. We find it unnecessary and a waste of resources, not to mention what little energy Luna might have left after so much activity the past few weeks. So we have come up with a solution. I already know you have no idea how you got here, and we have dealt with similar cases for weeks now. It seems almost as though they are brought here, then erased of their memories from that time frame. Unfortunately, we have yet to find how to get many of these subjects back to their worlds. You three, however, prove to be useful for us. Ichigo and Rukia, you will be on Luna and Rebbeca's squad. Renji, you will join Ayumi, Kilik, and Will's squad."

Luna sighed quietly. Becs gave her a look. "You knew it wouldn't happen." Tara smiled softly. "Will is Luna's brother. She has wanted to be on his team ever since she's been here, before I even started working for this organization.."

Another aspect of Luna that worried Becs to no end. She wasn't the only one who had a soft spot for Will, that was true. Hell, she was in love with the guy. But in Luna's case...

Her brother was probably- no, definitely- the only person in the whole entire universe that Luna would absolutely risk everything for without a moment's hesitation. Even if it was her brother...it would be so easy for the Agency to manipulate her fate, thanks to Will having been roped into it as a kid as well.

Then again, when a brother and sister are out on the streets and starving, she supposed the brother would do anything to get his skeleton of a sister some food. Luna didn't remember much about that short time span, having been so young, but Will did.

Vividly.

It had been hell for him, for both of them.

Now, a healthier and more feminine version of that little sister crossed her arms and sat lower in her seat. "It's true. Can one blame me?"

Tara just shook her head. "You are all dismissed. Rebecca will show Renji where he will be staying, I have a feeling she was on her way towards Will's room anyway," she said with an impish smile.

"Luna will show you yours, Ichigo Kurosaki and Rukia Kuchiki. Welcome to The Agency."

"Becs and Will are together," Luna explained as they walked towards the rooms, shivering a little at the mental images that sprouted up at that one.

Rukia must have been playing 500 questions, because it sure felt that way. "What's your favorite color? Do you know how to play cat's cradle? And how long have you been working for they-who-shall-not-be-named?" Rukia asked with a grin at the Harry Potter reference.

"Lime green, no I do not, and since before I can remember," Luna answered simply.

"Well, how far back can you remember?"

Luna stared at the ceiling in thought as she moved through the halls she knew by heart. "Since I was...about..I want to say since I was 12, but I can piece together tidbits of memories at earlier stages in my life every now and then."

"The aliens got to her," Ichigo whispered, and Luna elbowed him in the ribs, temple throbbing.

"No. I think I hit my head or something. Or perhaps I just went through something I made myself forget. I can't even remember my last name, and not even The Agency knows it, which is kind of odd. Usually they know, see, and hear all."

"That sucks," Ichigo couldn't help but reply.

Luna shrugged. "What's the point of a last name, or a past? When one joins the Agency, none of that matters. Did you not hear that logic Tara mentioned? To the common people, we don't exist." She liked it that way. Things were probably best that way. Although sometimes, she wondered if the Agency knew more about her than they let on...

Rukia didn't miss a beat. "Do you remember your parents?"

Luna's expression shifted into a neutral one, and her tone turned calm and slightly dull. "Not at all. It's probably better that way. Here we are."

She pointed at room 24A and 26D. She hated the number system. It reminded her of bra sizes, strange as that may sound.

"You two got lucky, Renji has to share a room with my brother. It smells like a toxic-waste bomb went off in there," she said with a face before turning to her room, right across the hall from theirs. "Well, knock yourselves out. I desperately need a shower."

Rukia was bouncing on the balls of her feet. "Can we see your room later?"

She shut the door, not bothering to answer.

When she stepped out of the bathroom, she was glad she was wearing a robe. Not that she walked around naked, but still.

Rukia was staring in wonder at her guitar, plucking random strings, and Ichigo was hunched over her iPod. Luna's temple throbbed. I thought shutting the door without answering would be a good enough "No"!

"Is there a particular reason you have your hands on my iPod?"

He jumped. "Just curious, why else?" He replied without even looking up.

She just shook her head and looked over his shoulder. "You like Tokio Hotel too, Ichigo?"

"Who doesn't?"

"I could count for quite a while how many people in this wing of the building alone don't even know who they are!"

"That should be illegal!" Rukia yelled out of nowhere.

Luna grinned and nodded. "I think we shall get along just fine."

After a long time of talking about Soul Reapers, Karakura town, Tokio Hotel, and other random crap, they finally left.

Luna sighed and flopped down onto her pillow. The rooms of The Agency were uniformly painted silver -big surprise- but she had painted hers lime green, her favorite color. After the agency painting it twice, and her re-painting it three times, they gave up and let her keep it that way.

No one else dared to (if they even cared about the color of their room in the first place), most dreaming of a vacation and knowing breaking a rule would jeopardize that. She chuckled out loud. "A vacation isn't likely with all these recent cases," she said with a tired sigh.

She looked at her posters and sighed again. When Luna was thirteen, she had started putting together the surroundings of her dreams, reading about what she saw, and taping posters of the locations on her wall.

She had a lot of them, too. There was Tennessee, New Jersey, Tokyo, Florida, and a few other places she hadn't been able to identify as of yet. It was hard to tell which ones were actually part of her life and which ones were just random places her mind wanted her to see for herself.

The most interesting was probably Tokyo. She had felt a strong to the place, which kind of made sense with all the spiritual pressure there. Even the Agents who had never been there knew it was famous for being a hotbed of spiritual activity.

But hands down, the weirdest thing about her past was the images themselves. Luna loved drawing, and sketched them while they were still fresh in her mind. She had tons of them folded up in a shoebox, but there was always a few specific ones that would keep popping into her head. One of a huge monster, and another of a handsome man walking towards a door.

But the most unsettling was more of a vision, one she remembered quite vividly considering she had to have been an infant at the time.

In it was a man with long white hair comforting a crying woman, then approaching Luna. He picked her up and shushed her, which made her realize she was screeching like a banshee. Luna was then taken to the woman, and it went dark. Though she hadn't seen the woman, she tended to think about her an awful lot.

Whenever she thought of her, Luna's chest and head started to ache. Sometimes she wondered if it was her mother, but she remembered looking through an album Will had and seeing her mom with black hair and bright blue eyes.

Which explained Will's black hair and bright blue eyes.

Besides, Vision Woman's was so much redder and prettier in Luna's opinion, and her eyes were a brilliant hazel, unlike Luna's dark brown ones.

It was just a weird coincidence, one of the mysterious things tying them together.

...Right? Luna sighed and covered her face with her arm, making the world as dark as possible.

There was knocking on his door. Ichigo groaned before rolling off his bed onto the floor. Crazy as it sounded, he rolled off the bed as a form of entertainment. The room seemed to radiate boredom, what with the overwhelming silver tones and plain walls.

With absolutely nothing in it but a bed, a door, and a desk with a chair. The chair wasn't even a wheelie one, which was depressing in itself. Not that he would act like a dumbass and twirl around in it, but at least the sound of the wheels rolling across the floor would provide some background noise.

But there was nothing.

Ichigo stood and opened the door, almost sighing in relief. It was Rukia. He was prepared for it to be a guard, there to escort him to a shooting range. Or gas chamber. Or a chair with straps, a syringe at the ready.

Something like that.

Not only was Rukia not going to be sending him to his death, she would also provide some form of entertainment. Especially if he called her Midget, as he so often did. In fact, he made a mental note to do that while she was in here.

That way, he could even entertain himself after she was gone by poking one of the new bruises she was bound to inflict or something. She blinked up at him. "...I was hoping that somehow your room was more entertaining than mine."

Ichigo waved a hand towards the inside of his room. "Feel free to inspect it. It should take less than a minute."

"Thirty-three seconds, actually," Rukia replied after sighing and leaning against his desk. She then looked up from her Chappy-sock-covered feet to smile at him. "So, what happens now?"

"You're asking me?"

"Is there anyone else in the room?"

He scowled at her, and she just smiled some more. Damn, she's been around me too long. I remember when my scowl used to get her to leave me alone... "Well, I would ask what you think about those two Agent girls we met, but Tara told us all what you think about at least one of them."

His scowl deepened by epic proportions, and now he really wished it still worked on the tiny Soul Reaper. "Dammit, she blew it out of proportion! Like hell I'd call her! I would just want her number so I could show Keigo so he could mope for a whole week about how I'm still the Reigning King of Epicness."

Rukia sweatdropped. "King of Epicness? Ichigo, I've never heard anyone call you that."

"Oh, but they will."

Her temple throbbed, and she just shook her head. "Whatever you say, Kurosaki. But seriously...that Luna...something's off about her. Do you feel it?"

Ichigo thought for a second, then nodded. "Yeah. Almost like she's...not really there. Like she's totally clueless, but at the same time, she's unbelievably smart. It's weird." Rukia sighed. "I seriously considered that perhaps she was a Soul Reaper. Silly as it may sound. I just...can't think of any other explanation for that energy. It's not normal."

He furrowed his eyebrows. "Couldn't it just be the ability to sense ghosts, like I have?"

Rukia shook her head, making her dark bangs fall across the top of her eye. "No, that's not it. I mean, I sense that as well. I know she has some type of spiritual element to her, a strong one, but...there's something else there. Some kind of life energy, that gives her strength. Like reiatsu. But then there's something...extra. Something dark, and unnatural on any plane of existence. Very dark..."

Ichigo's temple throbbed at the dramatic undertones in her voice, shaking his head. "I knew Karin shouldn't have let you read that damn Stephen King short story collection."

Tara shut the door quietly behind her. The room was brightly lit, the walls lined with tons of monitors and various other types of screens. Many of which were connected to a computer. Many scientists of different fields sat by the monitors, staring intently or writing furiously across sheets of paper on clipboards.

"Sir. The temporary Agents have been placed in their rooms. All Agents, new and veteran, are accounted for on my wing." Her superior nodded. He was a tall man, with dark features and even darker intents.

That Tara knew for a fact, having gotten a few rare glimpses whenever his mental barrier weakened in the slightest. Many of the people she worked with had set up mental barriers. The youngers ones, such as Luna and her brother, took great pleasure in thinking random things and making her laugh in front of her superiors.

Luna may have been hardened after The Rogue Incident, but her mind often displayed those rebellious characteristics that even the Agency couldn't beat out of a teenager. Though they had tried so hard with Luna, their favorite specimen since she first arrived.

It was a fact commonly known among the elder Agents. Most simply knew her as The Experiment, or The Youngest Agent. But those who worked with her never forgot her. Depending on when they worked with her, they remembered her in two ways. Before The Rogue Incident, they remembered her as having been one of the few whose personalities hadn't been shaped by the Agency, and for her rebellious spirit.

After The Rogue Incident, they remembered her for her lack of emotion when her orders involved killing Targets, or for her formality, or for her intelligence. "Just like the other specimens," they would say.

Only those close to her, like Tara, knew that rebellious streak was still very much alive within her. She was just often afraid of the results.

"The Experiment won't be in the dark for much longer," her superior commented suddenly, snapping her out of her thoughts.

Tara glanced over at him. "Oh? In what way, sir?"

He held her gaze, her gray eyes making a sharp contrast to his sharp green ones. "How long do you think it will be until she wonders how come the most informed Agency in the world keeps telling her she has no last name? If she starts addressing herself as Luna Sasaki, someone will remember that Incident. Someone we don't need knowing. Which leads to more messes for us to clean up."

She nodded quickly. "I see. Sir, if you do not mind my asking...why were Will and Luna Sasaki never prosecuted? They were found in the streets, were they not? People would believe they were delirious with hunger, they'd be locked away in a mental institution at best, and Will would at least be sent to some type of correctional facility..."

"That one's simple. No matter how starved they looked...no matter how wild the looks in their eyes were...no matter how much evidence the prosecution might have provided, no matter the fact that no reasonable doubt would be produced in a case like that...the human mind always finds doubt. There is always some form of 'What if?' lurking in the subconscious. And with a story like theirs, the people's 'What if?' would ring too loudly. The illusion of logic they have would be shattered. And besides..."

He walked over to one monitor in particular, studying it. She studied it as well. It was green, for night vision, the lights having automatically turned off in that wing's dormitories. The person was unmistakably Luna. She always sprawled out like that. She had an arm across her eyes, the other arm hanging off the bed.

Luna stirred, as if feeling their eyes on her. She actually blinked groggily, looking around briefly before yawning, rolling over, and going back to sleep. Still on the wrong end of her bed. He looked back at Tara.

"Agent Surandon, what kind of Agency would we be if we did not harvest whatever potential we could find? There is something...extra about that Subject. And the Agency has made it our business to find out exactly what that is, so our Allies may harness that extra quality for purposes like ours. To do so, more tests are needed within the next year. We cannot keep our Allies waiting too long, Agent Surandon. Understood?"

She nodded, her expression neutral. Her thoughts, however, were grim. "Yes. Understood."

"Get up, get up! Time for our first mission as a team!" Rukia cheered, making Luna jump awake.

"Rukia don't yell, it's way too early for enthusiasm," Ichigo moaned.

Luna sighed and popped her head out from under her arm, turning towards the light coming from the doorway. "What time is it?"

"Three in the morning!" Rukia replied, her tone still unbelievably happy. Luna stared at her, still squinting due to the damn lighting in the Agency. "You're not human."

"Nope. This is just a human body I have rented," Rukia replied, unfazed.

Luna sighed. "Why don't you two go wake up Becs, while I get dressed."

"Okay!"

Luna grinned as the door shut behind Rukia, who was dragging Ichigo to certain death. "I should probably dress for a couple funerals."

"Two boys and a girl were reported as looking strange, bewildered, and otherworldly just outside of DC," Tara explained just as Renji's head was about to hit the table from lack of sleep.

"We're in Washington, D.C.!" Becs shrieked, causing Renji to jolt awake with a grunt. Tara flinched, and everyone sweatdropped. "Thank you, Rebecca. As I was saying, normally we wouldn't pay attention, but the boys are...strikingly beautiful, and one poor girl tried to hug one of them. He turned into a rat," Tara finished, almost sounding unsure of herself.

"Whoa," Renji and Ichigo commented as everyone else stared at her.

"Yes. So, we need you to take care of that. But also, we have run into another case. Sadly, a young girl's body was found on the outskirts of Tokyo, a weird symbol carved into her neck. The victim was identified as Kohlie Hajisuki, age 13. What put this case under our jurisdiction was not only the symbol, but the multiple fresh surgical incisions on her body. As if someone were using her for experiments before her untimely death."

Tara opened a folder and handed a couple of blown up photos to Renji. "I want each of you to look at these, so you know what you're up against.."

After a few seconds Renji let out a breath and handed them to Rukia. "That's pretty gruesome. Not as gruesome as some other things I've been up against, but all the same.."

Rukia looked at the photos thoroughly and nodded. "Yes, I agree." She was serious. Now Luna was getting a little anxious. She handed them to Ichigo, who flinched. "Holy shit. I've never seen anything like it.."

He handed them quickly to Luna, and she looked at the bizarre cuts and incisions as if they were nothing. She had killed people before, this was no different. Yeah it is! She didn't do anything wrong, and you never do that much damage..

Luna shook her head slowly and looked at the next photo, focusing on a symbol on Kohlie's purple, bruised neck. It was a weird one, for sure. It was like a spiral with a triangle on the side, and it was so familiar. She gasped and her body went numb. "That symbol.."

It was the man again, the one who left. Luna noticed he was wearing a green jacket, and tied around his arm was a blue band with a metal plate on it. And the plate had the same symbol as the one on Kohlie's neck?

Go figure.

Finally, one of her visions paid off.

"Please, don't go," the woman pleaded.

"The village needs me," he replied stubbornly. "What'll happen if we don't all pitch in? That Fox'll destroy everything Konoha has worked for! Our ancestors' hopes, their dreams... they were all put into this village, and everyone in it. Kushina needs us too, who knows what kind of condition she's in now!"

The woman sighed. "I know, I know. You're right. As usual," she muttered.

The man laughed. "I bet you just wish you could fight too," he teased.

The woman made a huffing noise and he laughed again before pulling her into his arms. "And what would we do if she didn't have a future, Kira?" They glanced Luna's way and the woman sighed again. "Don't ask me that. You've already proven your point. You're just like Minato, y'know."

The man shrugged and grinned. "Isn't that why you married me?" he teased, making her temple throb.

"And just like my mother, you know how to ruin a moment."

"Oh, yes. You're mother always makes a way into our conversations, doesn't she?"

Kira crossed her arms, then gasped as a tremor shook the ground. "It's getting closer. You have to go.."

He kissed her before walking towards Luna and kissing her forehead. "I'll be back before the sun even comes up, little one. That's a promise.."

She snapped back into the present. "Konoha."

Tara was silent while question marks popped up above everyone else's heads. She stared at Luna long and hard, then nodded once. "I see. Interesting..."

Ichigo was first to say something. "What the hell are you two talking about? Would you mind sharing with those who aren't freaks?" Luna rolled her eyes and Tara shot him a glare. Suddenly the phrase If looks could kill flashed into Luna's head.

"Though it may not seem like it, I am your elder both in rank and lives. I have lived for almost three centuries, Soul Reaper. And I assure you, you don't even know the meaning of the word freak until you've seen me when I'm hungry."

Her eyes flashed crimson, and Ichigo shut up.

Luna smiled smugly. I told him I knew a woman who was 87% vampire, but he didn't listen... "Now, Luna, do you mind explaining?"

She shook her head quickly, a little intimidated herself. "That symbol triggered a vision... I saw a man, and he had the same symbol as the one on Kohlie's neck-"

"Did he do it?" Ichigo asked eagerly.

"No!" Luna snapped. "As I was saying, he mentioned the name of a village: Konoha. The rest is not beneficial to our case," she added quietly.

Tara nodded with that wistful look of hers. On the inside, Tara was worried. When her superior said it wouldn't be long, he sure wasn't wording it that way for dramatic effect...

This was more than a little alarming, her piecing things together so soon. She just hoped that Konoha wouldn't have as many ties to Luna as it appeared to have. If it did, the Agency was in for major difficulties.

Rukia was the first to speak. "So...where's Konoha?"

Luna bit her lip thoughtfully before answering. "Definitely another dimension. Konoha and our Tokyo are linked together, though. I just know that city has a way to get to Konoha..."

"So it's settled," Tara said after a long minute of silence.

"Renji and his team will take care of the Washington case, while your team will handle the Tokyo case. We will keep both teams on standby in the event that either one needs backup."

Everyone got up, and Luna groaned. "I was hoping Will's team could come too," she muttered. Becs rolled her eyes. "Like that'll happen. It's too convenient for both of us."

Luna held up a finger as they left the room. "Point."

Then she practically ran down the hallway. "We're off to Tokyo! That's one poster down!"

Okay, just a heads-up: the first two chapps will be kinda long, the 2nd one probably the longest, but after that they'll be much MUCH shorter, i promise!

I'll probably say something about that in the next chapp, too.

Thanks for reading it in all its longness and enjoy! :)