Ichigo was in class, not listening to the teacher drone on and on. Uryu, Orihime and Chad were trying to pay attention to what was going on.

"Man, I sometimes wish that stupid alarm went off at times like this. Will this day ever end?" Ichigo thought, he let out a sigh. Ichigo was looking out the window, daydreaming, but the next words the teacher spoke brought Ichigo back to reality.

"OK class! We've got a new class member joining us today," she said. There were a few murmurs among the class. "Our new student actually used to live in Karakura Town a number of years ago so a few of you may remember her," she went on to say.

"Used to? Is it anyone I know?" Ichigo pondered.

"Why don't you come on in?" the teacher said looking towards the class door. The shutter slid open. A girl walked in. She had dark brown hair that flowed down to her chest in a number of layers. Her hazel eyes were one of the best features about her, subtle yet beautiful. Ichigo got the sense that she was familiar somehow.

"Now, why don't you introduce yourself?" the teacher said beaming. Ichigo continued to gaze at her as she stood in front of the classroom. Then it clicked. His face turned to shock.

"Wait a minute, she couldn't be..." The girl smiled a little.

"Hey there! I'm Sara Kishi. Nice to meet you all," she said. Ichigo was about to say something but Tatsuki beat him to it.

"Sara?" she exclaimed as she shot up out of her seat.

"I take it you know her then Tatsuki?" the teacher asked.

"Of course, we used to train together," Sara answered. Tatsuki ran up to the front and hugged her.

"It's been too long! How long has it been now?" Tatsuki asked.

"6 years now and boy does it feel good to be back," Sara replied. Ichigo also shot out of his seat.

"I take it you know her as well Mr. Kurosaki?" the teacher asked.

"Yo, Ichigo! Long time, no see," Sara said a grin on her face.

"Sara..." he muttered. Sara just smiled back at him.

"Alright now. Back to your seat Tatsuki. Sara, you'll be sitting over there," she said as she pointed to the spot next to Orihime. As the two of them were walking back, they were whispering in low voices, low enough so the teacher couldn't hear, but load enough for Ichigo to make out what they were saying.

"You're so dead!" Tatsuki whispered.

"You mean you right?" Sara whispered back.

"I've always been better than you,"

"No you haven't,"

"Yes I have,"

"Time changes people y'know,"

"It sure does, it's made me a hell of a lot stronger,"

"We'll see about that," Their discussion was about their fighting capabilities but Ichigo knew the two of them were only really teasing. He knew them both too well. Uryu looked at Orihime and then to Chad, both nodding in agreement. Even if Ichigo couldn't, Chad, Orihime and Uryu knew from the moment Sara walked through the door. Even though she was hiding it, there was not doubt: Sara had spiritual pressure.

At break, Ichigo and the others headed to the roof.

"Hurry up Ichigo!" Keigo said as he ran past up the stairs.

"Why? What's going on?"

"Didn't you hear? That new girl and Tatsuki are fighting it out right now on the roof. Isn't that the coolest! Chicks figh-" Keigo was interrupted as Ichigo sprinted up the stairs to find out what was going on. When he reached the roof, there was a large crowd gathered in a circle. Ichigo managed to push his way through, to see what was going on. Sure enough, Tatsuki and Sara were standing opposite each other, like a Mexican stand off.

"You ready Sara? I did come second in the national championships," Tatsuki explained.

"Titles mean nothing. All that matters is who's the strongest. And guess what that's be me!" Sara responded. There were a few murmurs after Sara's last remark.

"Some new kid beating Tatsuki?"

"No way! Even if they did train together years ago, there's no way Tatsuki will lose," Both of them took up their stances, ready to fight. They snapped. Both went straight for the kick but were blocked but the other. Various manoeuvres were performed as though they were both professional martial artists but it was hard to tell who was winning in this fight.

"Woah! That new kid's good!"

"Seriously? No-one's been better than Tatsuki, and she dusts off her attacks like they're nothing,"

"I wouldn't count out Tatsuki just yet, guys. No-one's winning just yet!" After a few more seconds of fighting, both of them managed to land a punch on the other's face, both of them falling back. They lay on the ground panting.

"Are they done yet?"

"If so, then who won?" They got up soon enough. They looked at each other, as though they were enemies, but once they had regained their breath, they walked to the middle and shook hands. Tatsuki smiled. There were some cheers in the crowd, but some people sounded disappointed.

"I think it's fair to say that one was a draw! Man when did you get this good?" Tatsuki asked.

"What do you mean I've always been this good," Sara said winking back. The crowd began to disband itself.

"I've got to go, but I'll see you later Sara!"

"You too Tatsuki, see you later," Ichigo started to walk towards her as the crowd left. She let out a sigh. Uryu, Orihime and Chad were on the roof as well, though not for the fight. They were standing in a circle talking to each other.

"There's no question. Whoever that new girl is, she has spirit energy," Uryu said.

"I think that's fairly obvious. The question is, what on earth kind of spiritual pressure does she have?" Chad said.

"What do you mean by that Chad?" Orihime asked.

"You mean you haven't noticed yet Orihime?" Uryu questioned.

"Sorry, I'm not very good at this! Is there something wrong with her spiritual pressure?" Orihime asked again.

"Not wrong exactly, just...unusual," Chad added.

"Wait, now that you mention it I think I did sense something strange," Orihime said as she out her finger to her chin.

"It's nothing I've ever felt. It's not like a soul reapers or hollows," Chad commented.

"Nor is like the Quincy's or a human's with special abilities like you guys are," Uryu stated.

"And it's not like Keigo or Tatski, humans who only have spirit energy. It's way too controlled than that," Orihime pointed out. They all stood there racking their brains to find some sort of explanation.

"Sara," he said. Sara turned around in surprised to see who it was.

"Ichigo," she said solemnly. "I came back..." she said sweetly. Ichigo smiled. He had really missed her. He started to laugh a bit, he walked over to her and tried to hug her, but then he got a kick to the stomach. He was sent flying passing straight through Uryu and the other's circle, stopping their conversation.

"Ichigo?" Orihime asked. Sara marched through the group to get to Ichigo, who had landed upside down against the railings.

"I thought it was Rukia's job to beat up Ichigo," Uryu thought jokingly. Ichigo got up and dusted himself off.

"Hey! What was that for?" Ichigo asked.

"It's a message from 6 six years ago!" Sara yelled, her hands on her hips. Ichigo looked surprised. "Along with stop crying you complete wimp!...I'll be back before you know it..." her last remark sounded gentler. She then lifted up her wrist and pulled a bracelet from underneath her sleeve.

"That's...that's the one I gave to her...all that time ago..." Ichigo thought.