Chapter 1

The Dearly Departed


It's been several days since my family decided to have a Halloween party. Now that it's on, I want to kick everyone out.

I stared down at my glass of alcohol, glittering as the light dangled above my head. I took a few sips and finished, leaving only two ice cubes inside my glass.

Everyone around me were mostly kids my age from Karakura Highschool. They danced and chatted loudly, drowning the music with their voices.

You may be asking why teenagers are drinking alcohol at a party...Well, you'd understand if you had a stupid father like mine. He's the kind who says; "I'm cool!" repeatedly like a broken record. I sighed, watching my dad talk endlessly to girls, as if he were 15 again.

That's it.

I'm heading to my room to lay down.

Once I got there, I changed my mind and walked to the bathroom opposite my room. I turned to the wide mirror that was higher than Karin and Yuzu's height. I wonder how they manage to see themselves in the morning.

I washed off the makeup that Yuzu forced on me.

She tried to make me look like Frankenstein, which wasn't so bad...except for the part where paint is everywhere on your torso down and you can't wear a shirt...

I sighed, washing just the makeup off my face. I was way too tired to clean the rest. I looked up to be in shock.

Why isn't this makeup washing off?

Dammit!

I kept scrubbing and scrubbing, but the stupid stuff wouldn't go away.

I gave up and threw myself through the room and onto my bed, forgeting to shut my door. I layed on my back, looking out through the window.

What time was it? Probably 9pm by now... I slowly closed my eyes, falling asleep. Hopefully, this party will be over once I wake up again.

"Kurosaki-kun!" A voice called loudly, entering the room. My eyes snapped open and I turned to the voice.

"Inoue...?" I blinked, clearly confused. "What's wrong?" I asked, sitting up.

"Ah, sorry!" She apologized. My eyebrows lowered. "I-I didn't know you were asleep!" She explained, fiddling with her fingers, blushing.

"Um, why're you blushing?" I asked. "Is your pumpkin costume alittle too warm?" I questioned, staring at her strange choice of costume. She shook her head, walking closer.

"Um..." Her face turned redder. "I-I just wanted to give you something.." She had her arms behind her back. Why is she giving me something?

"What for?"

"...As a thank you gift!"

"What're you thanking me for...?" I asked, getting more and more confused. Her eyes lowered to her feet as she slowly pulled out her arms from behind her.

"This." She held out a tiny rabbit doll.

"What the...?" I blinked at my...gift..thing. "A rabbit?"

"U-Um!" She looked up, not sure what to say. "I-It's for inviting me and Tatsuki to the party!" She explained, lying about the Tatsuki part.

"Oh?" I grabbed the doll from her hands. Why didn't she just say so earlier?

"I saw it while I was shopping...It was sitting in a tiny little shop called "Urahara store" It was so cute, I had to get it!"

"...Uh. Thanks...I guess?" I blinked, staring down at the soft white rabbit doll. It stared back at me with it's dark blank eyes. "I'll take care of it." I placed the doll on the bed.

"I-chi-go!" A familiar idiot called from the hallway. The voice became louder as he got closer. "HEY!" The excited Keigo came crushing in. "Come down to the basement! Everyone is down there ready to play!" He pointed down the hallway in his weird dog costume.

"Play what?" I asked.

"We've decided to play with the Ouija board!" He said, now noticing Inoue. "Inoue-san? What're you doing here? C'mon!" He called, pulling her arm.

"E-Eh? B-Bu- -" But she was dragged off anyway. I sighed, scratching the back of my head.

Should I go too?

Why not?

It's not like I have anything better to do...

I stood up and made my way to the basement. Hopefully, this night will be over soon.

Once I got to the basement, everyone was there crowding around something. I walked in closer to see Keigo and Tatsuki trying to figure out how to use the board in the middle. All the lights were off and there was only a single lamp placed beside the board so everyone could see it.

"Ichigo! Shut the door!" Tatsuki yelled. I did quickly and walked in closer.

"What's that?" I asked, kneeling down.

"You don't know?" Asked Mizuiro that sat behind Keigo. "That's called a Ouija board. It's a way to have contact with ghosts."

"What? How?" I questioned, turning to the board. It had a "Yes" and a "No" on both sides on the top. The middle had the alphabet, underneath was numbers 1-10 and underneath that was the word "Goodbye"

"See those words and alphabet?" Mizuiro asked, pointing to it. I nodded. "You call upon a spirit in the room if there is any, and ask questions."

"How do they answer?" I asked in disbelief.

"I'll let you find out." He turned back to the board.

"Got it!" Keigo turned to everyone. "But sorry, a few people have to leave the room!" He told. "Only a small amount can stay"

"..." Everyone else chatted, turning to the other.

"Alright." Tatsuki added. "Since this is Ichigo's house, the people closest to him can stay...including me...and Orihime!" She announced, grabbing Inoue's arm.

"Mizuiro, me and Ichigo... That'll be fine." Keigo nodded. Everyone else moaned but eventually left the room. "So who gets to do this?" Keigo asked.

"Ichigo and Orihime should!" Tatsuki pushed Inoue forward.

"E-Eh? T-Tatsuki?" Orihime turned to her friend. Tatsuki gave her a grin. She obviously knew about Orihime's huge crush on Ichigo.

"I guess that'll be fine." Mizuiro agreed.

"Okay, you two start!" Keigo pushed me forward.

"Wait, why do I have to?" I asked, annoyed.

"Just do it! You're not afraid, are you?" Tatsuki teased.

"No way!" I quickly grabbed the board and placed it on my lap. "Now what do I do?"

"Go Orihime" Tatsuki pushed her towards me. She slowly got up and knelt down in front of me. Tatsuki sighed at her embarrassed best friend and decided to help out. She grabbed the board and placed it on both our laps.

"What's wrong? Why is your face beet red?" I asked Inoue, but her face just turned even more red.

"N-Nothing is wrong!" She shook her head rapidly.

"Now what?" I turned to Tatsuki, Keigo and Mizuiro. Keigo grabbed both our hands and placed it on the glass piece that could slide around the board easily.

"Now the both of you say this!" Keigo shoved the booklet in our faces.

"Alright..." I sighed. After saying the chant, I turned to them again.

"Ask questions!" Keigo motioned his hands.

"Answer if anyone else is here!" I said outloud. Suddenly, our hands slid down the board and landed on "Yes" Then it quickly moved back to the middle of the board. "..." What was that...?" I asked.

"A ghost! Duh!" Tatsuki sighed.

"But.."

"Try asking something else" Mizuiro suggested. I nodded and turned to Inoue.

"Wanna ask something?" I asked. She blinked and nodded imediately.

"U-Um..." She hesitated. "Are you a girl or a boy?" She asked. Soon, our hand slid around the alphabet. It spelled out "G-I-R-L"

"What's your name?" I asked.

"K-U-C-H-I-K-I-R-U-K-I-A" She replied.

"Rukia...Such a weird name!" Keigo commented.

"Shh!" Tatsuki covered his mouth.

"Um...How old are you?" Inoue asked.

"1-5"

"T-The same age as us?" Inoue looked surprised, turning to everyone else. I sighed.

"Guys, this is stupid! There's no way that a ghost is communicating with us!"

"Shut up, Ichigo!" Tatsuki shouted. "Even if it is a lie, it's still fun!"

"..." Suddenly, our hands slid around the board again.

"Y-E-A-H- H-A-V-E- A-L-I-T-T-L-E- F-U-N- S-T-R-A-W-B-E-R-R-Y- H-E-A-D" She replied. A vein popped on my head.

"hahahaha!" The others except Inoue and I laughed.

"I like her! hahaha!" Keigo laughed.

"S-Shut it!" I shouted.

"Um, how did you die?" Inoue asked. We all turned quiet and waited for a reply.

"Wait, Orihime...Do you think that's appropriate?" Tatsuki asked.

Soon, we got another reply. "I- A-C-T-U-A-L-L-Y- D-O- N-O-T- R-E-M-E-M-B-E-R"

"Awww" Inoue frowned sympathetically.

"Sure." I said sarcastically. "If you're real, prove it!" I spat.

"S-U-R-E" She replied.

A few minutes passed by and nothing had happened. I sighed, letting go of the board. "See? Nothing!" I stood up, leaving the room. "You guys can play while I go to sleep." I said before leaving.

"Fine. Go to sleep while we have fun!" Tatsuki stuck out her tongue as I shut the door.

Are they that stupid?

You can't communicate with the dead with just a single board!

I made my way towards my room. I opened the door and shut it behind me. I might as well sleep now. It's only 9:30 something, but who cares... I fell face flat onto my bed.

Oh yeah, the paint...and makeup. I've gotta ask- -

"M-Mmph!" I heard a strange sound. I felt something beneath me and imediately jumped off. "B-Bastard! How dare you lay down on me!" Said a voice. I looked around me, left, right, up and down.
"Idiot. I'm over here!" I turned back to the voice...coming from my...bed?

I walked closer towards my bed. I looked under the bed "Huh?" I blinked, thinking that I might have just been imagining things.

"OVER HERE!" The voice shouted. I looked up but felt something hit me in the face. I fell backwards, holding my hurt cheek. I looked up to see the culprit. My eyes widened in shock as I saw a little rabbit stand on my bed...moving!

"W-W-What the hell- -"

"You asked me to prove my existence!" The girl's voice pointed. "I had a hard time choosing something to control, but then I found this! Cute, right?" She placed both hands- -I mean, paws on her hips.

"R-R-Rukia?" I pointed in disbelief.

"What?" She answered. "Haha, now that I've proved it to you, I have no business here! So, see ya!" She said, standing completely still.

"...?"

"H-HUH?" She turned left and right around her new body. "I...I can't get out! W-What's going on?" She panicked.

"W-What?" I blinked, crawling up to the rabbit.

"I can't get out of this thing...W-Why?" She asked herself, running around the bed crying.

I stood up, grabbing it's head and pulling it up to my face so I could observe it closer. "W-What?" She asked, trying to hit me.

Suddenly, I heard the door open behind me. "Onii-chan? What's with all the nois- -" Her eyes widened as she saw me holding up a stuffed toy up to my face. "I see.." She blinked, pretending to understand. She shut the door and left.

"W-Wait, Yuzu!" I called, but it was too late.

Great. Now she thinks that I'm a total lunatic.

"Hahaha! You look like such an idiot to her now!" The rabbit laughed.

"..." A vein popped on my forehead. "THAT'S BECAUSE OF YOU!" I shouted, throwing her onto the bed.


End of chapter

A/N: So, how was it?

If you liked it, let me know and I'll write up the next chapter!

Thanks for reading!