Chapter 1

Shinigami-who?

Well…

That is definitely not my best self-portrait. For starters my waist length hair that is barely held back by a hairband and hanging over my face- is not purple. My brown eyes are portrayed in this abstract painting as yellow. My face looks like a square on this sheet of paper while in reality it is heart shaped. My high cheekbones were- in the painting- halfway down my face.

"Fail…" I mumbled under my breath as I checked the paintings of the people either side of me. Ai's was picture perfect and Kei had used abstract colours like mine but his looked amazing.

"Well it's not that bad…" Kei told me.

"Yeah, it really is. Sasaki you suck at art. And science. And maths. And History. And technology. And Music. And drama... Your P.E and foreign languages and however, are exceptional." Ai said in her ice cold voice.

"Thanks Mum." I said the last word sourly and stared at my picture mopingly as Kei argued with her over her over her bluntness.

I love them both dearly but they both have faults. I've got some too but… Well you know…

The bell rang and I miserably handed in my art project then I headed towards my locker, packed my stuff, quickly said bye to Ai and Kei and hopped on my bike.

…..

I donned my apron and just as I finished Emiko, my boss, burst in and gave me an order before scrambling to get back to the counter. I walk out and get on the rusted bike. I strapped the pizzas on the back and enjoyed the cool ride to my destination. I got off the bike and wheeled it closer to the delivery place. A warehouse? That's odd, I wonder if- OOF!

I stumbled as I hit some kind of imaginary barrier. Was I going bonkers? There was no barrier that I could see! I tried to get through… Still something there… Probably just my imagination. I placed my hands and arms on the imaginary barrier and pushed with all my might, I think my hands and arms were getting grazes- but that doesn't matter. After a minute of intense struggling I finally stumbled through. My body was weak and I think the barrier was giving me electric shocks, small enough not to notice at the time, but- ouch! Did they hurt now! I fingered my arms… Ouch… definitely.

I sighed and make a mental note to bandage my arms. No point going to a doctor, who would believe me? Although I must say I'm a bit surprised about how well I'm taking this… but then again only Kei would go crazy after something like this.

I walk into the warehouse and saw 8 people. They weren't in any way similar.

Besides from the small factor they were all drop dead gorgeous- in their own ways of course. (E.G. cute, good looking, cuddly and in one person's case scary/rebel)

One had pink hair and a suit, he was massive.

Another had black hair and a sailor uniform while of the two next to her one had green hair and a jumpsuit while the other was in combat apparel and grey hair.

A little girl had a red tracksuit and sandy hair in a ponytail, she was standing behind a man in a black suit, he was chatting with a man who was wearing a green tracksuit and had a black afro.

The last man had a yellow bob cut and an orange suit shirt, black tie and pants and brown eyes.

"Uh, pizza for a Hirako-san?"

They all looked shocked at the sight of me. I quickly checked I didn't have anything on my uniform and looked up at them, "Uh, a Hirako-san did order for a pizza right?"

The green haired girl skipped over to me and took the pizzas while chucking me the money- it was in a small bag.

"Okay… I'll be leaving now…" I was halfway out when someone called out to me,

"How'd ya' get past that barrier?" He had a funny accent.

I turned around wandering if it was a game…Of my mental health… I don't like losing. "What barrier?"

I waltzed out and got on my bike then pedalled furiously back to 'Mama Pizza's Emporium for Perfect Pizza!' whoever named it was very… inventive?

….

Yes it's Friday! I hope I don't get as miserable as I was last Friday… Stupid art and unsympathetic friends can get really tiring. I shook my head and continued cycling my bike.

I arrived at the shop, parked my bike, went through the back, got changed and picked up my first order. Same place as last week…

I had to push again but this time in less than 10 seconds the barrier was gone and I was flailing as I hit the ground with a smack. Ouch… I fingered my bleeding knees… Double ouch…

I walked in, got the money from the bewildered green haired girl, put the pizza down and then turned to the eight staring people.

"What?"

"What?" the Blonde Halloween Guy (I now dub him that- I think it's a suitable nickname) asked me.

"You were staring."

"At the pizza."

"As if." I spun around and walked out through the massive doors. (I actually believe he might have been but there's no point in letting him win… okay- maybe I'm a little competitive).

I heard someone call 'oi, girl!' and I spun around to see the man with the afro and green tracksuit rubbing his head sheepishly, "Sorry 'bout Shinji…"

I smiled and thanked him before making my way back to my bike.

Who was Shinji? Blonde Halloween Guy?

I vaulted off my bike as I arrived at the pizza shop, locked my bike and came rushing in through the back door and narrowly avoiding running into another assistant who was running around like this was her last day on earth. I sighed and pushed open the kitchen doors, hanging on a string were a list of deliveries I had to do. They were always more people who collected their food then people who ordered so the list wasn't very long.

I chained my bike and quickly went inside, tying on an apron and going to the front counter to help another girl who looked very stressed by the amount of people giving her orders. I smiled and spent the rest of the night taking orders and cleaning tables for the next lot of customers.

Friday was always busy.

When my shift was done I went to my locker, got changed, unchained my bike outside and took a refreshing ride home.

….

Around a month later

I yawned and rubbed my hands over my tan face trying not to breath in my disgusting-morning-breath. I walked blindly towards my closet and got changed then I; did my hair, made breakfast, brushed my teeth and made my way to school- of course using my trusty and rusty bike.

My red hair whipped behind my head as I rode towards the school. I passed a couple of people, mainly some first years; Ichigo, Kiego, Mizuri, Inoue, Tatsuki and Rukia.

I arrived I took off my helmet… and ignored the stares that every person I went past sent me. I kept my head high and headed towards the classroom mentally preparing myself for the questions my appearance would spark. (The only reason people knew who I was, and thus knew I had changed was because of him)

I pushed open the door and stood in the doorframe while waiting for the people in my class to say something.

"Oh yes. We are good." Ai said and laughed her melodious laugh then headed to me, Kei trailing behind her and looking just as smug as his twin.

"Sasaki? Is that you?" a girl asked me. I nodded and then the class seemed to regain their senses and started yelling at me.

"Where did your hair go?"

"Why are your eyes different?"

"You're so different!"

"You have bangs!"

"Why did Ai and Kei know about this?" asked the class rep as he gestured vaguely towards me.

I took a deep breath, "Ai and Kei took me on holiday with them. As a late birthday present (on my birthday they told me I got a surprise in these holidays) they gave me a new look. They cut my hair. And they paid for the surgery to fix my eyes so I didn't need the coloured contacts anymore."

I suddenly felt very self-conscious of my hair that ended at my jaw and my eyes with their natural sapphire blue sheen. Too late to change now. I had been growing my hair for years but it felt good to be rid of it- now it simply ended at my jaw bone and the ends stuck out (A/N kind of like Yoruichi's from 110 years ago) like little spikes. Still, I'm glad to be rid of it. You have no idea how long it took to brush.

Well I gotten through the day. In one piece. Hip hip horary! I allowed myself a small smile as I headed towards the gates to go home and get away from stinking school. But that's when I spotted it. The school bullies were picking on some little elementary school kids. I think they- that is the elementary school kids- are a soccer team but their captain seems to be missing. I sighed and headed over there to see what was happening.

"I hope you've got an explanation for this?"

They turned towards me and one of them subconsciously winced. I would too if an angry high-schooler was glaring at me and I was only in middle school

"Oh, Sasaki. Bug off. This is our business." The leader told me.

"We beat his older brother in soccer!" blurted a blonde kid.

"So I see… Revenge, eh?"

"Yeah. Now bug off. This is our business."

"Let 'em go and no-one gets hurt."

"Oh yeah? And what could one of you do against the five of us?"

"This." I turned around and yelled to all the people leaving or entering the school- elementary school kids, middle schoolers and high school kids like me, "Hey, these people here are idiots so their off the school soccer team, got it?" a couple of people smiled at my antics while others regard me like I was insane. But it doesn't matter- as head of sports in Karakura high and captain of soccer I could do that- as long as I had witnesses.

I smiled triumphantly and turned around to get the little kids back to their classroom, until I felt a world shattering blow hit the back of my head.

I fell over and rolled away just as the two that had been standing behind the leader sent kicks where my body had been. I shakily stood up and I gingerly fingered the trail of blood on the back of my head. I charged towards them and kick the first in the ribs but as I went for the second one he sent me a faster blow- he kicked me hard into a tree. I groaned and watched in a haze of pain as a girl with black hair kicked the back of his head and he falls over, unconscious- the rest scatter the other three putting the unconscious two over their shoulders.

I tentatively wiped the blood from my head and arms then I stood up to face the little kids who were praising me and the black haired kid.

"Kurosaki, you were amazing!"

"Thanks, big kid."

"That was awesome."

"The two of you are astonishing."

I waited for them to shut up before I turn to the girl, "Thanks, you saved my bacon back there."

"Don't worry about it. Are you okay?"

"Peachy." I walked away after shaking her hand.

I didn't really feel like going home and bandaging myself. So instead I swung by home, dropped my bag, and got changed into my favourite outfit and walk out ignoring the pain that demanded I rest. I was stubborn- even towards my body, well no surprises there. I found a swing and sat there silently for two hours letting my mind drift over everything. Family (not much there), School (boring but ever present), Home (pretty clean), Job (I enjoyed the free pizza), Friends (especially Iwao, Kasuki,Deiki, Ai and Kei) etc…

(A/N: like the price of rice in China!... Sorry, that's a running joke between me and my friends.)

When it became dark I was satisfied that I'd covered everything, including how nice it is that Iwao hadn't been at school for the last week of term 3 and on the first day back- he's still not here. Well actually, I was a bit worried but I would never say that out loud to anyone.

I grinned as I stretched my sore limbs and began to walk around Karakura, not quite ready for home; I decided to stay- just a couple more minutes; outdoors.

I was heading down a dark street when something bumped into me and we both went tumbling.

"SS?"

"Iwao?" A good looking boy with blue eyes, brown hair, tan skin and a sporty appearance was seated on top of me but he rolled of quickly when I said his name.

"Am I glad to see you!" He said with a flash of a grin crossing his dirty face.

"Can't say the feelings mutual. Where have you been?"

"Here and there. I'm dead. How can you see me?"

"I'm still not glad to see you. You're dead? That's stupi- what's that chain?" I pointed to a chain that was in the middle of his chest.

"Can you just, for a minute, take me seriously?" he sounded worried and he was tripping over his words, I nodded for him to continue, "I'm being chased by the bad spirits and the good spirits aren't coming. They're called Shinigami- don't ask me how I know. The bad spirits-hollows- killed me and then the Shinigami killed it but I ran away. The hollow said something about Aizen (he was a good soul but betrayed and is recruiting powerful people, including other bad Shinigamis) and his plan to create a key and make Shinigamis with hollow powers and vice versa. As well as becoming soul king. -" he cut off as a monstrous roar tore through the night, "RUN!"

He grabbed my hand and we ran. I don't know why but his fear was infectious- even if I thought it was a prank. We ran until we entered a well-lit street. It was a dead end. Crap.

Soon enough the monster that the roar belonged to came round the corner. It was purple and had a bone mask on its face. It resembled a human- but grotesquely mutated. It ran on three legs, had four arms and a hole in the middle of its chest.

"What the hell is that?" I asked but Iwao was nowhere to be seen.

"SS- come with me!" he was in a doorway in the side of a building.

"No. You go. I'm not running away."

"Sasaki! This is no time to be noble!"

"Go away. I don't even know what you're talking about! This is no prank I'm falling for."

He looked miserable as he closed the door. I don't know why I'm not running too- it looked very realistic but I guess costume stores must have upped their anti.

"Oh, a fresh human how nice…" it sounded like a snake and before I could respond it had raked a massive paw over my chest and I felt my blood flowing out through the laceration. It picked me up and laughed as I screamed. The pain was unbearable and he was squeezing me so tight I could hardly breathe.

A flash of light and the hollow dissipated. I was falling.

Down.

Until...Someone caught me.

"Bit beat up ain't ya'?"

I groaned and saw though blurry vision a blonde head that I vaguely recognised.

I woke up on a couch. Not mine. But it was still comfortable. I groaned as the pain on my chest and torso hit me two fold. I curled up and shook as the pain from the attack and fight yesterday washed over me.

Wait!

Attack?

Blonde guy!

I sat up abruptly and couldn't help the small moan that slipped through my parched lips.

"Oops. She's awake. Better get Hachi." I heard shuffling footsteps and then something orange surrounded me and the pain slowly, but surely, ebbed away till all that was left was a memory.

I sat up and saw three people watching me. A guy with pink hair and a green suit and a yellow tie…

Wait!

(A/N: she seems to be saying that a lot, huh?)

The three looked the same as the ones I had delivered pizza to. I glared at them for a moment before I directed my attention to the kind looking one with the yellow tie, "Who are you?"

"Hachigen Ushoda. These people are, Love Aikawa," he gestured to the man with a weird afro, "and Rojuro Otoribashi. But call me Hachi, Love… well love and him," he pointed to the man in a suit, "Rose."

I got off the couch and, still glaring, asked, "Why the hell am I here and what happened to the… thing…"

"How da' you know 'bout hollows?" I spun and saw the blonde guy leaning against a concrete pillar grinning at me.

"How do you?" I answered childishly.

He shrugged, "I'm Shinji Hirako. Who're you?"

"Shizu Sasaki. What happened to my… uh, injuries?"

"I healed them." Hachi said from behind me. I spun around and grinned at him;

"Thanks, Hachi-san."

"Now that your awake and well it seems were gonna have to wipe your memory. Stand still." Love said in a bored voice.

I jumped backwards and stumbled slightly. Wipe my memory? I don't think so.

Then I fully remembered last night.

A flash of light and the hollow dissipated. I was falling.

Down.

Until...Someone caught me.

"Bit beat up ain't ya'?"

I groaned and saw though blurry vision a blonde head that I vaguely recognised.

I groaned and he laughed then tucked his sword into his belt. Then he took off at unimaginable speeds through the city and we arrived at a warehouse in less than two seconds. Then I let myself drift off. Feeling oddly safe in the arms of a stranger who had super speed and could use a sword to defeat monsters with marrow masks…

(A/N: baka.)

I gasped and realized I couldn't fight these people… at least not physically. But what if I pretended to know all about these things? Obviously knowing about hollows (whatever they were- I have an inkling that they're the monsters) was one step. It seems that Iwao was telling the truth. Time to see if he was telling the truth about everything.

"Are you a Shinigami?" they all stopped and exchanged worried glances.

"What do ya' know human?" it was threatening but I could sense a worried tone behind his yakuza façade.

I gave them a defiant glare.

"Do ya' work for Aizen?" Shinji snarled and the other three looked slightly angry too.

I shook my head slowly.

"How do you know these things?" Shinji asked slowly.

"So, you do work for the Shinigami?" I was curious despite myself.

In a flash Shinji was inches away from me and breathing on my face, "Stop asking questions. Who are you and how do you know these things?" his voice was incredibly menacing and even though my feet were shaking in my knee high boots (metaphorically of course- I was wearing sandshoes), I gave Shinji my best death glare and stood up taller.

"I told you. Shizu Sasaki. I know these things just because and since I answered your questions answer mine!" Shinji took a step back and regarded me coolly.

"We're not fully Shinigami. And we work for no-one. We used to be Shinigami and worked for them but a lot has changed since then." A shadow crossed his face and I nervously fidgeted before asking my next question.

"Are you a Shinigami with hollow powers? One of Aizen's… uh… experiments?"

Shinji and the others each showed massive amounts of shock and I knew the question had hit home.

"You could say that. You should-" he cocked his head to the side and then suddenly snapped it straight and turned to his friends, "Kiskue. Let's move." He told his friends and was about to take off when I cleared my throat.

"Uh, what am I supposed to do?"

"Leave. When we need you we'll find you." And then they were gone. That's when I realized sunlight was streaming through the windows. It was sunset. How long had I been out for? My friends were gonna kill me. If it's sunset and I was out at night time it missed a whole day- that day have anything special? OF COURSE! I missed the twins' birthday. Damn.

..

The buzz of the school was that the first year high schoolers; Ichigo Kurosaki, Inoue Orihime, Sado Yasutora and Uryu Ishida had all gone somewhere together, they were presumed to be meeting with Iwao- the popular third year high school student who had not been seen for 4 weeks.

I think the first year Tatsuki knew something but I also think that I was the only one who knew where Iwao was. Not specifically anywhere. He was supposed to be meeting me today after school. Even though I don't know exactly where he was I seem to know more about his whereabouts (dead) than anyone else. The popular, sporty, cheerful, handsome, smart and quick-witted kid was dead. That's right. My rival/friend (?) was dead, and he wanted to talk to me. One night and my life was turned tipsy turvy: with Shinigami, dead friends, ghosts and evil spirits; hollows.

I turned the key in the lock and fingered the note in my pocket.

I came home still slightly irritated on being left like that but I stopped when I saw the note on my door, it read;

S.S.

I'm glad you're alive and that you can see me.

I have so many things I need to tell you but I'll wait till I see you.

On Thursday afternoon when you come home I'll be waiting for you.

Until then,

The sportier than you,

Iwao.

I was shocked but I had no time to fret. I had to wish the twins happy birthday and take them to dinner with their other friends.

I walked into the lounge room and found Iwao sitting in his chair. I know it's my flat. It's just he has always sat there and I never do… so in my mind it's become 'Iwao's chair'.

"How's life?" he asked casually.

"Better than yours apparently."

"Hilarious. I have some things to tell you. Apparently you met the vizords."

"The who?"

"People who saved and, I see, healed you."

"Oh them…"

"Yeah. How come you still remember everything?"

"I took a stab in the dark and made some educated guesses that made them think I knew more than I do and then they left. Something to do with… Kiskue?"

"Oh… Ichigo… Any way I'm impressed. No seriously! I thought I'd have to explain everything again."

"Who's Aizen?"

"So… From the start?"

"Yep."

"Aizen is a bad Shinigami who is going to betray soul society-"

"What's that?"

"I see this is going to take a while…"

"I've got until school tomorrow. Fire away. Besides, you're not busy."

"Nup. Well you see it started 110 years ago- Don't interrupt! Thankyou… Where was I? Oh yes, 110 years ago…"

"Okay… Hang on that's my phone." I flipped it open and glimpsed the time; 11:45 pm.

"Is this Shizu? Or rather SS?"

"Yep. But only Iwao calls me that and he's annoying, call me Sasaki. Why?"

"Can you come to the park? The big one that the little kids use?"

"Who is this?"

"The police."

"I'll be there in 10 minutes."

I jumped off my bike with Iwao trailing behind me looking worried.

"Miss? Are you Shizu?"

"Sasaki. Call me Sasaki." The man was bald and led me to a clearing with a bag of plastic in the middle and he stopped me a little way off.

"We found this phone and you were the most dialled number so we thought you could identify the person here. He has no ID."

"No… It's not… show me the body." It came out as a whisper and they lifted the plastic.

The face was Iwao's. But a huge gash ran along his forehead and his eyes were glazed. There was dirt in his hair and on his face and well as his whole head being covered in dried blood.

"Iwao. His name was- is- ah, well his name… Iwao Saito. He was my rival and probably my best friend." My hands shook and the policeman patted my back.

"Come over to our tent." I was like a zombie, my eyes were dry, my limbs were moving like a robot, I couldn't think, I couldn't see, I couldn't hear, I couldn't process anything, my brain was dead and I was shaking.

Wait.

Iwao's alive. Well not really… but I can talk to him and that thought made my body start functioning.

I could see and a woman was looking at me, "Are you okay sweetie?"

I broke down and tears racked my body. The pain was worse than anything I had ever endured. Poor Iwao. Kind Iwao. My best friend and rival in everything; Iwao. Dead. I want revenge. The anger powered me and I stood up shaking, my cheeks were burning and my eyes were dry.

R E V E N G E

Omake!

Me: Ah, poor Shizu, do you want a hot chocolate?

Shizu: Call me Sasaki.

Me: but you're my bud.

Shizu: I'm not your friend.

Shinji: Am I?

Shizu: Hell no, you bloody ran off leaving me in your warehouse- missing the twins birthday!

Me: but you did get to see them eventually, just it was night time, and Shinji left 'because Urahara wanted him to watch Ichigo training.

Shinji: yep, you're a very angry person Shizu.

Shizu: call me Sasaki.

Shinji: call me awesome one.

Me and Shizu: in your dreams!

Shinji: my dreams are more…*gives weird look*

Shizu: PERVERT!

Me: Huh? What does he mean?

Shizu: you're too young to understand.

Shinji: *wiggles eyebrows*

Me: cool! I wish I could do that, like in the Cadbury add. Aw, I'm jelly!

Shizu and Shinji: *sweat drop*

Me: hahahaha, anyway- please review, I know that sentence is over used but-

Shizu: I hate that sentence everyone uses it!

Shinji: me too.

Me: right… uh, please no flames (I don't like negative stuff in general) it gets better, (I think) I always find that in books, fan-fictions, TV shows and anime the first chapter/episode sucks. So please read on!

Shizu: if you don't I'll set the ghost of Iwao to haunt you!

Iwao: boo!

Shizu and me: AH!

Shinji and Iwao: TROL!