Disclaimer: I used to own Bleach. But Tite beat me at poker. Now I don't.

A/N: Hey readers.

This is my first fanfiction. I'm writing it to relieve some stress. I'm enjoying writing it so I hope you enjoy reading it C:

Here's the first chapter.

I don't know who I am. I don't know where I'm from. My memories of a past life are all but gone.

My name is Sasori, that much I remember. The rest is nothing but blurry pictures and muffled voices. Damn, stupid brain.

My story takes off at school, my final year. I was so excited. Not about the class, science drove me to doodling, I was excited about finally leaving school and living a life. The teachers jaw flapped about something, but my attention was elsewhere. You see, for as long as I can remember, I've been seeing ghosts. It never scared me, it was actually kinda cool. But it made me wonder; if they were here on earth, then was there a heaven? A hell? Did we just wander the earth as spirits? That'd suck.

Which brings me to the reason why I'm ignoring my teacher. Outside the window was a ghost, a fat ghost, with what looked like fear in its eyes. What was a ghost scared of? Then I heard that roar. I couldn't see myself, but I'm sure my face matched the ghosts. The ghost flew away quickly but I didn't look away. What the hell was that? I looked around the class room, no one had even flinched. Was I the only one that could hear it? Was it a spirit, or was I finally going insane? I was kinda hoping I was crazy, because if a spirit could roar like that, then I didn't wanna see it.

For the first time that lesson, I focused on the teacher. My hands trembled a little but I controlled them, Mr. Mato's dull voice was helping. I just had to forget about the roar and that ghost. They never happened, they never happened ...

Mercifully, the bell rang minutes later and school was over. I rose quicker than everyone else and grabbed my bag, stuffing inside my book. I just wanted to get home, but I couldn't stop thinking about that ghost. Was it okay? Well, no, he was dead, but that fear ... He was dead, what did he have left to fear?

I turned and headed for the door, only for my path to be blocked off by my annoying friend, Kenji. Kenji was a leech, in the sense that when he met someone cool, in this case, me, he stuck to them closely and by doing so, become cool themselves. He was an idiot.

"Ooooh, Sasori-Kun~ You are looking pale." He said, running a hand through his non-existent hair. He liked to shave his head, claiming it made him look tough. Like I said, idiot.

"That's because annoying bald people keep stopping me from going home." His smile dropped a little. I wasn't that harsh, but Kenji was pretty sensitive for a 'tough' guy.

"Fine, but tomorrow we have kendo practice!" He yelled at me, since i'd already brushed past him and made my way down the busy hallway.

My shoulder bumped into another guys. I gasped, grabbing my chest. Something hurt, like an invisible weight crushing my body. Where the hell had it come from? It eased up quick and I felt fine, like nothing had happened. The day was just getting weirder by the minute. I turned quick to see who I bumped into and spotted a guy with orange hair walking away. Was that him? Well, whatever he did bloody hurt. I straightened myself up and began walking again, just in case Kenji decided to follow.

Anyway, you don't wanna hear about my walk home, so I'll tell you a little bit about myself. My full name is Sasori Hatake, I'm seventeen years old, my blood type is O positive and I enjoy long walks across deserted beaches. Apart from being able to see ghosts, i've also been able to tell how strong people are. I don't know how, it's just a feeling. Like I can see their strength. There's no one really that strong around though. I mean there was that time ... It's another fuzzy memory of mine and I don't know whether it's real or fake, but there was so much power around. Enough power to crush a guy like me into the ground. It probably never happened, a dream or something.

For my whole life, or for what parts I remember, I've lived in Kakura Town, a small place in Japan. I don't have parents, I was told they died and left me enough money to live on my own. So that's what I do. No family, just me. My friends don't know this, no one does. I'm not ashamed, I just don't think they need to know. After all, would it change anything?

My little house is located ten minutes away from school, an easy walk. On that day though, my mind filled with thoughts, I must've taken a wrong turn or something, because I ended up in front of a small store. A man was sat on the porch, waving a fan at his face. I read the sign above him, Urahara's shop, that guy must be Urahara.

I'd never been to this place before, it wasn't on my route home. Still, I felt like I'd seen it some place before. A blurry picture entered my mind, that slowly gained focus and became this shop that stood before me. How did I remember a place I'd never been before?

I approached the guy sitting on the porch, feeling a little uneasy as he stared at me. If I didn't know any better, I'd say he had been expecting me. I stopped a reasonable distance away and cleared my throat, trying to think of the right words to say.

"Yes sir, how may I help you?" The guy spoke first, folding up his fan to show me a warm smile. A smile like that would surely seal a purchase.

"Do ... Do I know you?" I had to ask.

"No, I don't believe you do." He told me ... So why didn't I believe him? His voice was genuine but his words weren't. Still, maybe he was right. I had probably just walked past his store one day and never met him.

Yeah, that was probably it.

I bowed my head in apology for wasting his time, then walked away, trying to focus my thoughts on anything else but my curiosity. With my mind, it'd get me nowhere.

I ran into my home the moment I saw the door. I'd emptied my mind, finding thinking of nothing was better than thinking of something. But man, today had been weird: The roar, the crushing power level and the shop I'd never seen but had remembered. It all screamed insanity. I screamed back, shut up.

I dropped my bag onto the ground, kicked off my shoes and dragged my feet as I walked into the living room. Above the television, hung a large mirror. I paused, just to take a look at myself. Kenji was right, I was looking pale. I brushed my fringe to the left, then pulled down my cheeks so I could see the bottom of my eyes. I wasn't sick, the paleness was probably due to the fact that I was tired.

After my inspection, I slumped onto the couch and closed my eyes. I was pretty tired, I hadn't actually noticed until then just how tired I was. I had a bunch of homework to do and some laundry, none of that registered with me though and, before I could get comfy, I fell fast asleep.

Another roar. My eyes shot open and began adjusting to the dark room. It was late at night, I knew that much. I must've slept a while because I felt refreshed. No need for anymore sleep. I got up slowly and made my way over to the window, pressing my face against the glass. It was a different roar from earlier, quieter and a lower pitch. But it was still unknown and whatever made it, definitely wasn't a puppy.

It roared again and I jumped back, clenching my trembling hands into fists. Only then I realised I wasn't trembling through fear, but from excitement. I wanted to be scared, trust me, I wanted to climb into bed and pretend I couldn't hear anything. But my body was telling me to go and check it out. It couldn't hurt I mean, it wasn't like I was gonna go fight it.

I ran outside with my school clothes on, a different attire wouldn't change anything. It was a chilly night, a coat would've been good. The cold stung my cheeks as I ran through the night and after five minutes, I had to pause to catch my breath. That had been happening alot lately, shortness of breath. Not only that, but my body felt stiffer and everyday it was getting harder to move. I had a doctor check me out, he said I just needed exercise. Surprise, that didn't work.

I wasn't gonna let my body get in my way tonight though. I took a deep breath and started running again. The roars grew louder and louder, I was getting closer, but still I could see nothing. I was starting to think it was all just my imagination. If it was i'd be pissed, running out in the middle of the night for nothing was nobody's idea of fun.

I eventually had to stop again. I chose a small soccer field as my resting place. I leaned against the goalpost and panted hard, grabbing my chest to try and get my heart and lungs to catch up. Surely I wasn't this unfit? My body was trim and up until a month ago I could run a mile without even breaking a sweat. I rubbed my aching knees too, apologizing to them for over working them. If they could talk back, i'm sure they would've cursed me out.

Then fear finally struck me. A roar broke out behind me, loud enough to warrant me covering my ears. It was right behind me, there was no avoiding it now.

I turned swiftly and pointed at ... Nothing. There was nothing there. But that roar, it had sounded so real. Madness wasn't that realistic. The wind died down a little and everything started to get a little quieter, that's when I felt it. A power level like nothing I'd felt before. It was frightening but I could not see the source, there was no one but me in this empty field.

I heard a swish, like a blade slicing through the air and instinctively, I leaped back. My eyes widened in shock as an invisible force crushed the goal posts where I was just standing.

Whatever it was, I knew it had given off the incredible power level and deafening roar. But why couldn't I see it?

I only then noticed I was still in the air! I had leaped back five feet. Ten feet. Fifteen feet! Landing on a patch of grass just outside the soccer pitch. My whole body was shaking a little. How had I done that? Last time I checked, I couldn't fly or super jump. Then how ...?

My eyes focused back on the goal posts, I could feel the power level getting closer. It was coming towards me. I should've known, I was its target. Was that why only I heard it in class? And was this what that ghost had been afraid of? I didn't blame the ghost now, I was scared too.

My reaction sensors kicked in again and I jumped to the side, just as a large dent was created in the ground where I was standing. It looked like a tail. This thing had a tail? Great, I was gonna get crushed. I had no more time to admire my new dodging skills, I just wanted get away.

I started running again, drowning out the pain in my legs with the very real fear that I might be killed. I didn't get far, when I felt something hit me directly in the stomach. My breath was ripped out of me and I was thrown to the ground, groaning and holding my stomach. Damn, that thing was strong and fast and ... I was starting to see it. Nothing more than an outline but my eyes were adjusting to the beast. It was huge, with what looked like horns on its head. I could see its long, thick tail as it swished freely.

How could a beast like this exist? How could no one else hear or see it? And why, oh why, was I being targeted? It raised one of its legs and hovered it over me, I guess it didn't want me alive. I rolled away just in time to watch it slam into the ground, making an imprint deep enough to turn into a swimming pool. It slammed down again and again, aiming to crush me. This thing really wanted me dead.

The more I dodged, the weaker I felt. It got so that every movement was painful. My new found skill for evading was beginning to fail me, I had to get out of there. After one more roll, I went for it. Leaping to my feet, I sprinted across the grass, focusing more on my breathing than my aching limbs. My lungs were on fire but I could handle that, lungs didn't explode ... None that I'd heard of, anyway.

My spidey-sense kicked in again and I jumped, feeling a cool gust blow beneath me, as the tail ran under me. Ha! I'd finally learned its tricks, I was home free! Or, so I thought.

The tail swung back and smashed me from behind, sending me into the dirt once again. I groaned, my whole body feeling like it was ready to give in. It no longer felt like my body, it felt like a loan body. What the hell was going on?

I rolled onto my sore back and looked up, giving my eyes a new and terrifying sight. I could see the monster now. Its head was large and white, looking kinda like a mask. The rest of it body was a dark purple and more ripped than a Mr. Universe candidate. In the centre of its chest was a huge hole, I could see the moon through it. What the hell was this thing?

My brain screamed run, but my body had fallen asleep. This was it, game over. The monster must've gotten sick of chasing me, as it gave up on trying to crush me. Instead, it opened its mouth and inside it began charging a small green ball of light. I'd seen Sci-Fi movies, that was never good. I closed my eyes and waited for the end. Hey, at least I didn't have to hand in anymore homework.

Nothing happened to me, but in the few seconds I had my eyes closed, something happened around me. A new power entered the fold, the creature let out a shriek and when I opened my eyes, it was no more. The only proof it was ever there were the dents in the earth.

A shadowy man stood over me. He bent down, revealing that shopkeeper from earlier. He pulled out a small fan and used it to cover his smile. Had he ... Taken down that monster? No, no way. One guy against that? Still, what had happened? And did this guy have the answers.

I wanted to move but my body wouldn't let me, I winced when I tried to lift my arm. I felt like I was trapped inside a box and I needed to be let out. I couldn't go to school in a box.

"My my, it seems your Gigai is failing. Well, we'll just have to make you another one." The shopkeeper spoke, bending down to help me up. He got me to my feet with little effort and supported me against his shoulder.

"Wh-What's a Gigai?" I asked, glad for the help walking.

"Patience, Sasori-Kun."

How did he know my name? Hadn't this guy said he'd never met me earlier today? I knew it, he'd been lying, but why? And how did he take down that monster? I had so many questions for him, but my lungs would only allow one more.

"What are you?"

He looked at me and dropped his fan, showing a smile too kind to be genuine, "Me? I'm a shopkeeper." With those words, he lifted me into his arms and sprinted down the street at sixty miles per hour.

What the hell was going on?

So there you have it! The first chapter of my story. I pretty much wrote this off the top of my head but don't worry, other chapters will be planned in advance.

And even though my main character is an OC, there will be a lot of canons in the story. I hope I do them justice.

So read and review, I wanna know what you guys think C: