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[The following letter arrives early in the afternoon. The penmanship is neat and elegant, and it's clear that the writer took her time to appear as formal and professional as possible. And for the most part it does seem professional...save for the little cartoonish bunny face she drew in the bottom right corner that's smiling happily up at you.]

To Those Who Reside in Aqures Ixen,

Greetings. I hope the day finds you well. I find myself in need of an instructor in the way of cooking and preparing meals, as my skills are relatively undeveloped. In return for your time and patience, I will purchase the ingredients, and I will also be willing to teach you a skill of my own if I am able. I reside in the house marked as B-03, but if you prefer, I will go to you for lessons as I am unsure what utensils we currently possess for culinary purposes. Please respond at your earliest convenience. I would be most grateful.

Regards,
Rukia Kuchiki

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[This letter is so formal. Johnny wonders if he'll even actually get along with this person. Well, it's worth a shot.]

I'm not a great cook, I'm still learning a lot myself. But someone taught me what I do know, and I can pass that along. He was really good at it, so I think his recipes deserve to be passed along.

I live at A-01 and have most of the stuff you'd need. You can bring along whatever else you might want, though.

-- Johnny D'Amico

D'Amico-san,

I am grateful for your assistance. Is there a list of groceries I should purchase beforehand? As I currently have no set schedule, I am able to meet at a time and date that is convenient to you. Please let me know, and I shall meet with you accordingly.

Do not worry if you are not yet a master chef. Simple recipes may prove the most adequate for a beginner like myself.

Sincerely,
Rukia Kuchiki

Bring along whatever you'd like to learn to cook, and I'll see what I can do with it. How's that?

Any time at night should be fine. During the day I'm out working construction, but I usually get back in the early evenings. Having someone come over will give me an excuse to finally clean up this kitchen, too.

-- Johnny

[Whatever she wants to cook...? Hm. Cucumbers. That much, at least, she knows she wants to learn to prepare in new dishes. Perhaps she'll find some eggs, those were tasty as well. She smooths down a new sheet of paper and pens her response.]

Johnny,

Would Friday evening be compatible with your schedule? I would not wish to rob you of your time dedicated to rest and relaxation. Perhaps I may assist you with the cleaning of your kitchen. I believe it is the least I can do, and I would be happy to do it.

You have my thanks.

~Rukia

Don't worry about it. Any break in the routine is welcome. And sure, that time works. I'll see you then.

--Johnny

[Rukia knocks on the door. Balanced in her other arm is a sack of groceries: cucumbers, eggs, strawberries, and a freshly-caught wrapped fish. She wasn't sure what she would need for this lesson, but she brought things she knew she liked to eat.]

[A pity she hadn't purchased that flavor-enhancing elixir that one store merchant was trying to sell her. She was curious to see how it worked.]

[It was not important. This Johnny person might already have such a formula at hand. So she waits patiently, curious as to what the person looks like.]

[Whatever Rukia was expecting, it probably isn't what Johnny actually looks like. The door is answered by a six-foot-plus half-demon, with porcelain white hair and skin, and small blue horns. He blinks at Rukia for just a moment, since she looks so tiny and young, and he did not get that impression with how formal her letters were.]

Oh, hey. You must be Rukia. C'mon in. Like I said, don't mind the mess.

[Likewise, she wasn't expecting someone with horns. Her surprise was evident on her face. For a moment she hesitated...then she exhaled. He wasn't any breed of Hollow, of that much she was certain. Besides, he'd offered to teach her to cook, and his replies had seemed very genuine. Prejudice wouldn't cause her to pull back now.]

Pleased to meet you.

[She steps inside, and almost takes off her shoes. But if the house is truly that messy, she'll just keep them on a while longer.]

Do you live alone here?

[Johnny recognizes that look all too well; he's used to it. His house isn't too bad off, but it's mostly the kitchen that has a lot of dishes that need to be done. He was in the middle of them when Rukia knocked, but he has some cooking utensils set out on the table ready to go for the lessons.]

I was by myself here for... I dunno. Several weeks. But I just got a new roommate when all the newbies rolled in last week. This'll be number three since I got here.

You're one of the newbies too, right? Whattaya think of this whole thing? Bein' Heroes and all that junk.

[Newbie? Hmmm... She supposes she is, and nods.]

I am.

[And what does she think of it? She pauses a moment as she approaches the sink, rolling up her sleeves.]

It is...flattering, I suppose? I haven't fully adjusted to the idea just yet.

[Since he's already begun, it isn't too difficult to pick up where he left off. She's not afraid to get her hands dirty. Or wet, in this case.]

I'm concerned about the worlds we left behind, however. I do not know how to contact my captain nor my brother. My absence may not even be noted, depending on the methods employed to bring us here.

[Rukia looks back at him over her shoulder as she rinses out the glass she was washing.]

What of yourself? You claim you have been here for weeks. How do you find this place and your duties?

[That answer surprised Johnny. He never thought of getting picked as a Hero as flattering, more just a hassle.]

Months, actually. Since... December, maybe January? I ain't much of a Hero, don't really wanna be. But I also don't like seeing innocent people get pushed around, so... [He shrugs.] I guess I'm more like a soldier than a Hero. That's how I look at it, anyway.

I dunno if we've gone missing, or if it's somethin' like, we get sent home right back when we left, if we manage to even get home. Probably the only one who might've known was Jessie - Palitutu, whatever - but she's long gone now. If people manage to make it through her notes, maybe they'll find somethin' about it.

[Rukia harbors a small, secretive smile at his response. He sounds an awful lot like a certain teenager when she was teaching him the importance of a soul reaper's duties.]

Perhaps. But those you save will certainly see you as a hero, even if you disagree.

[She plunges her hands back into the sink to find the next dish.]

I hope the truth becomes known soon. It is helpful to know what we are agreeing to do before we are made to do it.

Probably, we'll get more questions before answers. A lotta weird stuff's happened since I got here. Most of it I'm still tryin' to sort out.

[The past lives dreams and dopplegangers, especially. He wondered if he should explain that, or if it was too much for someone who just got here.

He looks around the kitchen for a moment, which was looking a lot better now.]

Y'know what the hardest adjustment is though? The lack of modern appliances. No automatic dishwasher. No gas stove. No electric fridge. Never knew how good I had til I got here.

[He's grinning a bit, showing that he's not really complaining. Even bombed out like it was, Aqures Ixen was still better than Exsilium.]

[Rukia chuckles. Yes, the Living World does have many marvelous modern conveniences. It sounds as if Johnny comes from such a world.]

I can see how that would be difficult.

[Soul Society was actually less advanced. In a sense, she in turn feels a little spoiled, at least as far as the airships are concerned. They have SOME technology, thanks to the 12th Division, but no appliances.]

If I might ask, what are your people called? I have encountered few who resemble your physical appearance.

[That question catches him off-guard. Actually, it's the second part of that statement that does.]

Oh, uh-- demon. Half, anyway. You have? Really? I ain't ever met anyone who looks anythin' even close to me. Even other demons tend to look pretty different from me.

[Johnny sort of looks like if you took the different kinds of demons from his world and took a trait from each and tossed them into a blender. At least that's how the only other demon he met described it to him.]

Can I ask where ya met 'em?

Hueco Mundo. But they only had one or two of your unique traits; you remain unique to me.

[A demon? So this is what they look like. Interesting. His behavior is incredibly tame, even approachable. Then again, not all Japanese demons in Japanese folklore are out to snatch souls and drag them to hell.]

I apologize for the forwardness of my question. Thank you for sating my curiosity nonetheless.

[Rukia smiles and folds her arms.]

So! Where do we begin for tonight's lesson?

[You can thank him being half human, and raised by humans, for the fact that he's not a total terror. He's gotten better at dealing with that question since living off of Earth, and in places with other non-humans.]

Oh, uh, no it's cool. Honestly, it used to piss me off, but... the last place I lived had people from all over the universe showin' up in it too, so there was always all kindsa people around. So it got to be a pretty normal question.

[But cooking! Right. He heads over to some cabinets and starts taking out what they'll need.]

Right, so. 'Bout the easiest thing I know how to make is pasta, cuz noodles ain't that hard to make, and tomato sauce is like, the easiest damn thing in the world. If I can do it, anyone can. Sound good?

[Rukia nods. It sounds as if she's learning a decent variety of dishes, enough that her roommates are unlikely to grow weary of her cooking. At least, so she hopes.]

It sounds to be a good start for a novice. What shall I do first?

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