The Pendulum Turns Forward
Many years have passed since Ichigo became a Shinigami. Most of the captains have retired, bringing new faces to the world. Ichigo himself has become Captain-Commander of the Gotei 13. But, there is a new enemy on the horizon, one more powerful than any before. Fortunately, for every villain, a hero must be born.
"Wake up, Hikari! You'll be late for school! Again…" Hikari opened his eyes and yawned.
"Come on, Hikari! If you're late one more time, you'll be suspended." Hikari's sister, Temari, called.
Hikari sat up, "What about you? Aren't you running late?"
Silence. And then, "Ah well, you got me. If you would remember correctly, you would know that today is a national holiday. Remember? Teacher work day."
Hikari smiled, imagining the luxury of this lazy day. He got up, showered, and dressed. As he stepped down the stairs, he called to his sister.
"Okay, I'm headed out. See you later, Temari."
"Alright, but be back for dinner. You know how Dad gets when you aren't home when the food is on the table."
Hikari waved her off, saying, "I will, don't worry."
He walked out of the house, whistling. Turning left, he saw his neighbor, Akira and his girlfriend, Chiyo.
"Hey, Hikari," Akira called, raising his hand.
Hikari waved back, saying nothing. They all came down their stairs, and stood in front of each other.
"So," Hikari said slowly, "what are we going to do today?"
"I don't know…" was the reply he got.
Well, I'm pretty tired of picking the activity, Hikari thought. They can decide and, if they can't, I'll just pick a tree and take a nap. Maybe go to the library and read a book.
"Hey, why don't we go to the zoo, and then we can see the fireworks and the parade better?" Chiyo determined. Hikari shrugged, not caring.
"That's a great idea, Chiyo!" Akira told her. She blushed.
"Alright, then," Hikari said abruptly, trying to stop the love-fest. "So, let's see who wants to go, and we'll head out."
As they walked around, Hikari could see people floating around, not noticed by his friends. Most of them looked pretty happy, some looked rather somber.
Hikari could see spirits. He always had been. At first, people would think that he was speaking to himself, when in fact they just couldn't see the spirit that he was speaking to. Eventually, Hikari began to differentiate between the dead and the living.
"Man," said Hikari. "You'd think that at least one person would want to come with us. Are we that lame?" They had been walking all day, but had found no one who wanted to go. Or, at least, go with them.
"Well, there's still one more house that we haven't tried," Akira tried.
"But," Chiyo reasoned, "the parade is in only half an hour, and the zoo is fifteen minutes away, and we have to find a good spot."
Hikari ignored her. "So, who is this last person that we have to stop by?"
Chiyo started yelling about how Hikari never listened to her. He smiled slyly while Akira tried to calm her down.
Finally, Akira told him the address of the last student.
"Wait a second," Hikari said, thinking. "Isn't that the address…" His voice trailed off.
No, not her. Anyone but her. Please, I really don't want her to come with us. Hikari prayed to as many deities as possible that they weren't going to her house. She was, in his opinion, the most peculiar person (not in a good way) he had ever met.
"Earth to Hikari! Hello? Come on, we're here." Chiyo's voice snapped Hikari from his thoughts. The house in front was, indeed, her house.
"Alright, let's go. We may as well get this over with." Hikari wasn't trying to sound irritated, but that's how it came out.
As the group climbed the stairs, he cringed inwardly at the thoughts running through his head.
Why does it have to be her? Why, why, why? Oh, this is bad.
Akira knocked on the door.
Footsteps.
The door opened.
Kori Kuchiki stepped out of the door.