Summary: After the end of summer party that ended in terror, Melinda finds herself in a new and alien world when her parents decide they would move to Japan. Suffering from psychological trauma of the incident that happened in the party, Melinda is ill, mute, and pessimistic of her future. Now she faces Karakura High school with the wrong rep and the wrong attitude. That is until, Ichigo Kurosaki becomes her peer council and tries to help her speak Japanese. But how can she speak another language when she can't even talk to her parents? What's worse is that Melinda is forced to join a school kendo club called "Soul Reapers". But while she learns the 'way of the sword', Melinda embarks on a spiritual journey of healing and fortitude that prompts her to admit what turned her from a cute, bubbly, and cheerful girl to a mute, sardonic, and self-destructive teenager. And when Merryweather's international and sports team comes to Karakura Town, she sees countless familiar faces- including the boy who terrorized her! Times running out and soul reaper Melinda must find the strength to face her fears and move on. But when her worst nightmare challenges her fortitude, will this unlikely heroine fight back?
Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach, Speak, or Naruto characters.
Morning Report: Land of the rising sun
It is my first day at school. A Japanese one to be specific.
Its actually the first time my mom drives me to school. It's supposed to take us an hour and thirty minutes. She advices/orders me to memorize the directions and routes so I look out the window and pretend to do that.
I don't feel the stomache to do this.
But obviously mom doesn't care. She made/forced me spend the remainder of my summer unpacking (which I didn't do), and looking at Rosetta Stone (which I didn't pay into much). And my backpack is stuffed with a english-japanese dictionary (1), notebooks (7), textbooks (7), pencils (2), eraser (1), and calculator (1).
After the hour and thirty minutes (plus the extra minutes of getting lost) we make it to school. A japanese one.
Mom: "Alright, Melinda just think of this as an American high school."
Me:
Mom: "You know, except the culture and how things works is different. You'll get used to it in no time."
Me:
Mom: "I asked someone to show you around and he'll teach you things like how to write in Kanji, Hiragana, and Katana."
Me:
Mom" (gives me the quickest kiss in the forehead possible) "I'll come back to pick you up when school ends. Have fun sweety."
Before I know it, I'm outside the car and the car speeds away. Maybe mom traded me in for a more happier and obedient daughter. I look at the tall building in front of me. I can't even read what it's called. I turn my head around hoping mom might change her mind and take me back home but as you can see, it's my wishful thinking. And what's worse is that she gave some boy to tutor me. Great. Might as well higher a stranger to watch a toddler. Awesome choice mom.
A boy with black hair and scary eyes brushed past me and gives me a dirty look.
Black hair boy: (something I can't understand)
He goes into the crowd and disappears. If my voice had any function I'd tell him to go screw himself. Maybe if I wasn't scared all the time I'd throw something at him. At least I'm not in Syracuse. I would have gotten dirtier looks. I take a deep breath.
Let the nightmares begin.
50 or 30 seconds?
I don't pay attention to the kids much but I do notice they're not as nerdy as I pictured. They're no different than the kids in America. They use their cell phones, they're in groups, and they look capable of bullying someone. Looks like I'll have to keep my guard up if I want to last at least 50 seconds in this school.
I go inside the building into a small spaced room and see that everyone is taking off their shoes and putting them in the shoe lockers. That's stupid if you ask me. I mean what if someone stole them? It reminds me of kindergarden, but I put my shoes in the locker anyway. I see that the kids are taking a pink/blue shoes and putting them on then leaving. I do the same and put on the baby blue shoes on because I don't like pink much.
When I try to continue my way to the hallway a tall guy comes out of now where in front of me. He's wearing a scarf on top of his head and circle sunglasses. I could tell he's scowling at me because he's barking. Huh, so much for 50 seconds. I can't even last for more than 30 seconds. I have to say something. Come on Mel, what did two minutes of Rosetta Stone teach you?
Me:
Too late. I don't think my disabled voice chord helped the situation much. Because he not only explodes but he grabs my arm and drags me back to the entrance and points at the pink shoes. Kids are giggling while walking, but I'm not sure if they're laughing at me, him, or both. He forces me to put on the pink shoes, yells at me some more and storms away. I run upstairs before anyone else could catch me.
It didn't matter whether or not I said something or not the outcome wouldn't have change. He didn't want to hear what I had to say. Nobody does.
Class room comparson
I don't what to do. I'm as lost as a cub without its mom. Merryweather wasn't as complicated as whatever-this-school's-called is. The only reason why I know what class I'm going to is because mom gave me the class number before hand. It's 2-5. I also figure out that if I copy whatever girls do, I should last longer than 30 seconds this time.
I sit in the back of the row by myself and look around the classroom like it's a museum exhibit. It's not so different than an average middle school class. It doesn't have anything hanging in the walls which is the only difference. Everyone ignores me which is fine because I don't think I could handle talking to people. The only reason why I haven't thrown up yet is because it's better than going in a school where everyone hates you. Best part of all, IT isn't here. I bite my tongue and chew it up until it bleeds. My blood tastes like metal.
Then the bell rings, everyone sits down as a teacher comes in. He's tan with a scar across his face, but he doesn't look as unpleasant as the dude in the glasses before. He's got a brown pony tail hair and he reminds me of dolphin. He looks nice enough to give me candy. Dolphin writes on the board and talks briefly. Then I copy the class and take out a green thin texbook. I think where learning about history.
Then I space out. There's no point in trying to listen to someone you don't understand.
Dolphin suddenly yells "Naruto!" making me jump. I thought he might be yelling me, I realize that yelling at a kid next to me. He's a blond boy with blue eyes and doesn't even look Japanese. He's got whiskers which makes me think about a fox. He is caught reading a magazine that has a cover of a naked woman. Dolphin yells at Whiskers but Whiskers yells in english "It's not porn!" and runs out of the class.
Everyone laughs but me.
All teachers are V
The other difference between this high school and the american high school is that different teachers come to us instead of us coming to them. They were all anything but normal.
One teacher was 15 minutes late before he showed up to class and he had white spikey hair and half of his face was covered with a mask that made him look like a ninja. he teaches english.
The next teacher was a tall tan guy who looked completely lazy and he had a beard and a sideburn. I couldn't stop staring at them. He was supposed to teach math. He made everyone do a handout while he was playing solitare on the computar.
The one after that was a lady who was beautiful and had red eyes. I think she's a V. She taught us science since I saw her draw an atom.
Hypotheis: I'm not really in Japan. I was kidnapped by Vs during the party and they want to probe my brain into thinking my life hell so study me like a lab-rat.
Prediction: I'll wake up in the Syracuse mental hospital.
Lunch pal
Finally lunch starts. The kids get to eat anywhere they want. Even in their classroom. They got their own lunchboxes and hung out with their friends. I don't have lunch and I definately don't have friends. I leave my classroom go to the cafeteria. I don't mind not having anyone to talk to except I'm hungry and I forgot to bring money. I need to get some food before I feel the need to eat all my papers.
When I get to the cafeteria I feel like I am in Merryweather. Before I know it a bolonga sausage smashes into my school uniform. I watch it slip down my blazer while some people are laughing at me. Someone takes a picture of me with his iphone. I feel dizzy. Someone else is saying sorry to me but I run through the doors trying to make my way to the girls room.
Before I could get there the tall scarf guy who yelled at me, comes up to me. Guess what he does? Bad-mouths me! I mean sure I don't what he's saying, but if he's scowling at me I'm going to have to assume he's not saying "You're existence means everything to me!".
Ignoring him completely, I run to the girls bathroom and throw up in the toilet and cough a couple of times. I feel I went through one hundred roller coasters. I'm sick. When I force myself to the sink, a pretty and skinny girl whose shorter than me stares me and gasped. She has black normal length hair with a strand in front of her face and sharp purple eyes. Tired, I lean against the wall.
Oh boy, here comes humiliation and embarrassment.
I wait for her to get disgusted or laugh at me but she doesn't. Instead she frantically gets paper towel rinses it and wipes my dirty mouth with it while trying to talk to me. She eventually figures out that I can't understand her so she speaks english.
Purple eyes: "What happened? Are you okay?"
I tried to nod but my body malfunctioned. And of course my voice is out of commission.
Purple eyes mutters something like "Of course she's not" and drags me outside. I practically collasp on the bench nearest to me. She makes me lay sideways so I don't choke on my puke. She leaves and comes back with a water bottle, trying to give to me.
Purple eyes: "Here drink it, it's mine. I didn't drink out of it I swear."
I sit up weakly and drink slowly.
Purple eyes: "You look awful. Did you eat?"
I shook my head. She takes out her lunch box and opens the top. I see rice, fish, eggs, vegetables, and pickles begging me to eat them.
Purple eyes: "Go on, eat it. I'm not hungry."
With my bare hands I start with the eggs, then I go for the pickes and fish. I stop and look at her. Purple studies me like I'm a bad experiment. She puts her hand in my shoulder.
Purple eyes: "Let's take you to the nurse."
Nurse Lady
The nurse lady is so nice-she gave me a popsicle.
She tells Purple eyes that I was fine, just nervous and having a meltdown. Nurse Lady had super long black hair, braided in the front. Her eyes are blue and peaceful. I don't even know her but I get the feeling that if I trusted her with my dog (if I had one) she won't let him eat chocolate. I wonder if mom really did trade for some other daughter. Then Nurse Lady could be my mom
Purple eyes leaves after knowing that I'm okay. I wanted to thank her but my feel my throat squeezing tight. Like someone was strangling me. I feel really bad about not doing it.
I curl myself in the furry blanket and take a nap. If the nurses office is like this every day then I'll get used to staying in this school.
Wait- School's not over yet?
Eventually Nurse Lady sends me to 7th period which is only going to last 25 minutes left. I don't mind much since she waited until I woke up on my own instead of shaking me awake. I manage to thank her even in a weak voice. She smiles and says anytime.
But I immediately wish I haven't left. The jerk with the scarf is teaching History to the class. He sends me outside for being late.
So I sit there leaning against the wall. It doesn't matter where I go or what I do. There's no point in learning. It's not like you'll really need it in real life. There's no point in talking when anyone if they're not going to listen. Here I'll just ignored because I'm weird which I could deal with. In Merryweather I would have been ignored because of what I did at that party. I could have been bullied too. Either way I'm appreciated like a pebble in the shoe.
But I still miss the Syracuse snow.
The sound of a bell wakes me up. I wipe the drool off of my chin. I must have fallen asleep. No one has left the room except for the scarf teacher. He gives me a mean look and ignores me as he leaves. If it was still legal for teachers to beat kids I would have gotten a dozen scars from him. I don't go back to class. I hate there. I've got nothing to learn and nothing to do. But I see my ninja english teacher standing there before me. I don't know how long he's been here but I am freaked out.
Ninja Teacher: "Are you all right?"
Me:
Ninja Teacher: "Why aren't you in class? The class meeting has started."
Me: (shrug)
Ninja Teacher: (reaches for my hand) "Can't have you looking like a homeless bum."
I take his hand wordlessly. The ninja teacher isn't so bad. He never yelled at me even when I slept during class. He never even called me to answer a problem. I might give him a gift if teacher appreciation week comes.
During the class meeting, a tall boy with spikey orange hair comes up to me. His eyes are brown and look scary. What's worse is that I think I've seen him before.
Orange: "Are you Melinda Sordino?"
I nod.
Orange: "My name is Ichigo Kurosaki and starting today I'm your tudor and student counselor. It's my job and responsibility to keep you alive and to make sure you last until school ends. You've got something to say, you say it to me first. I'll answer whatever questions you have and I'll help you no matter how long it takes. Are we clear?"
Me:
Ah hell.
A/N: Just to let you guys know, the guy who picks on Melinda is Ebisu. I picked him because he's the closest one to Mr. Neck as I could find. Please review!
