Hello people! I had an idea for another story so sorry if you think I'm side tracking from my others. I just like the ideas I sometimes come up with and so want to put them down is all. Anyway this is my first Bleach story and I hope you enjoy. It starts right before the 17-month time skip and be warned I will probably skip over some of the chapters that are in the manga since I don't feel like wasting a whole bunch of time replaying them. If you want to read them then this story will be started at the time a few days after chapter 456 came out so you know about where the time period is in the plot. Oh and yes there will be an OC. Sorry if you don't like that but I do. It allows me to control the story more and it's fun to have a character that is exactly what you want. Anyway here we go.

I do not own Bleach.

Ichigo woke up like usual and got ready for school. He said bye to Karin and Yuzu and went to school. Ichigo got to his desk and waited for the bell to ring. When it did everyone took their seat and waited for their teacher. She came in and said.

"Hello everyone, I have some news, we have an exchange student who came from the United States to study here. Please help my in welcoming him." She said and waved someone in. Ichigo looked up and saw a kid walk in. At first glance he looked bashful and shy. He went to the front of the class and rubbed the back of his head and smiled.

"Uh hi everyone. Nice to meet you all. My name is Ben Shinigami." Everyone in the class looked at him weirdly and Ichigo looked at him shocked. "I know that it's a weird name, but I wanted to keep my first name while sharing in the culture here, and I thought the translation sounded cool so I changed my name. Sorry if it's a little weird I just thought it was cool. Anyway I hope to learn a lot while I here and get used to a uniform." He said laughing to himself. With the introduction done the teacher spoke again.

"Well very nice to meet you Shinigami-san I hope you enjoy your stay here. You will sit next to Kurosaki-san in the back." She pointed him out and Ben went over and sat down next to Ichigo.

"Hi nice to meet you." Ben held out his hand. Ichigo looked at him and shook it. When Ben turned back to the front something was on his mind.

"That look in his eyes, it wasn't nervousness or any sort of thing akin to being shy. He looked at me interested. Like he already knew me or wanted to for some reason. Who is this guy?" He thought and gave him one last look before turning back to the front.

At break Ichigo met up with everyone. He looked over at Ben who just sat by himself. Orihime came over and saw what he was looking at.

"Why don't we invite him over Kurosaki-kun? It might be nice to have him in the group. Plus he looks lonely." She said before she herself went over there and came back with Ben in tow. He looked slightly uncomfortable that she was holding his hand, though he also spotted a blush, which didn't go unnoticed by the girls in the group.

"Everyone this is Ben, remember the exchange student?" Orihime said. Everyone nodded and introduced themselves and Ben just did everyone introduction with a smile. Tatski was the first to begin a conversation.

"So Ben, what brings you here?"

"Well I just really wanted to visit another country and Japan was on the list so when the opportunity came I took it." He said.

"Any particular reason why you chose here of all places?" Tatski asked.

"Well I like cities that aren't too big. Less than a million people or so. That way I get the felling of a city with all the luggage that comes from a big city. Think of it like I want t know that people are near by without them crowding me. That's how I explain it." The group thought his explanation was weird but took it. Soon the bell rang and they all went back to class until school was over.

They all got of class and Ben looked dead tired.

"Man this is kind of tough having to learn all this, especially in this uniform." He said tugging at the collar.

"You don't have uniforms in America?" Orihime asked.

"Not in public schools, at least none I've been too. It's actually a bit weirder than I thought it would be, but I'll get over it. Anyway nice to meet you all, see you guys tomorrow. Oh and Ichigo. You should smile more it will make everyone less afraid of you." Ben said and with his last little jab he left smiling. The others around Ichigo were laughing or giggling at his face after Ben's comment. Ichigo just looked at Ben's disappearing form confused.

"He hasn't show he was afraid of anyone here, let alone me. In fact he only seemed nervous, which he got over quickly, plus he seemed like he was looking us over like he had some sort of set opinion of us and was testing it. Who is this guy and what does he want?"

Ben was just thinking of how well the day had gone. He had accomplished all he had wanted to.

"So I finally get to meet the bunch after all this time. Not only that but I have finally introduced myself to the 'Second King'." Ben thought this last part with a sinister smile and continued his walk home.

Well did everyone like it? I thought it was ok, though I need more time to develop it. Anyway the reason I used my first name is not only to sort of insert my way into the story, but also because the two names Ben and Shinigami are on the kind of opposite end of the spectrum from each other. One is a familiar kind of silly nickname while the other is a title of a strong immortal being. So I kind of put opposites together, which I do believe, will kind of have a role in this story though I'm not sure. Anyway I hope everyone liked it and as always review, alert, favorite, and check out my other stories.