A/N: I am writing this on my free time. The plot set up is a little far fetched. Sorry.

Prelude

Tatsuki noticed how Orihime's shadow seemed to bulge sometimes. Orihime knew she saw it, often catching her stare at the ground behind her, but she just wished Tatsuki would say something.

Because Orihime was never alone.

It started when she turned thirteen. Tatsuki had just become her friend that year and was the only person to come out of twenty invited. She gave her a necklace with a metal heart pendent that had 'friend' engraved on it. Orihime smiled at Tatsuki when she unwrapped it and immediately placed it around her neck.

Orihime was sad that Tatsuki had to be home before dark. It was the end of summer and the days were still long, but long enough.

Orihime decided it was best to be in bed before ten and after an hour of crime shows and got ready for bed.

The excitement of how well her and Tatsuki got along kept her awake.

This is no good, I have school tomorrow….

She tried a series of positions to get comfortable, tried counting athletic sheep, counting by 10s, then 100s, then 1000s…

Soon she was just staring at the red numbers of her alarm clock as it read '23:59'

Great… it's almost tomorrow and I didn't sleep at all!

She turned over on her other side, only to roll into something. She shrieked, assuming the worst.

"Ahh! ZOMBIE! Don't take my brain!"

There was an eerie, womanly laugh. At least that meant it was a person, but it seemed to shatter all hope just the same.

It took a while for Orihime's eyes to keep readjusting and search the darkness. She saw a glowing spot, then the spot split in two. Soon Orihime realized she was staring into what looked like glowing, silver, cat eyes.

"Child… surely you know better than that…" the voice seemed to come from everywhere.

Pacified by those eyes that lurked in the darkness, Orihime didn't freak out as she usually would have, "What are you?"

"A forgotten soul that is just trying to get on in the world. Just like you, my dear."

There was a silence. A demon, Orihime thought, A demon that has come to eat me…

"Almost… but not yet."

Orihime tried to read the eyes surrounded by darkness, "What do you mean?"

"I am certainly not a Demon. Oh no! Don't group me with such lowlifes. But yes, I am going to eat you."

Orihime shrieked, "Mind reader!"

"Isn't that obvious enough?"

Orihime, a child trying to understand the situation, realized what the demon had just said, "W-wait, you're gonna eat me?"

"Yes."

"B-but… why?"

"I'm a forgotten goddess, my dear."

"Wh-what does that mean?"

"What happens to forgotten gods and spirits? They either fade away or turn into demons."

"So… why are you eating me?"

"I am very strong my dear. I certainly wouldn't vanish."

"….so you would become a demon?"

"You certainly like asking obvious questions."

Orihime yanked the string to the nightstand lamp, but the area next to her was undisturbed covers, as if no one was in that part of the bed in the first place.

"You want to see me, my dear child?"

Orihime looked around the room, "I d-don't know…why aren't you going to eat me now?"

"Because you're not ready my dear…"

"Then why me?"