Umiko stands with her upper class friends in the front of the Shinigami Academy, the other girls chattering about the various students, particularly the male ones.
"Ohh, he's cute."
"Look at that one."
"Oh don't we know him?"
"Wow, look at the muscles on that one."
Umiko however, wasn't paying attention to them, she was searching the crowds. "Umiko, who are you looking for?" One of her friends asked noticing her lack of interest in their favorite past time.
Umiko didn't reply as she had spotted the person she was looking for. "KATSU!!!" She shouted running through the crowd. A dark haired individual stopped and turned, not caring that the small group had carried on a little before looking back at their stilled member. "Katsu!!!" Umiko yelled once again before glomping the stationary figure. "Do you know since you started this school I haven't seen you for an entire week?!" She yelled as she stepped back from her friend.
Katsu just sighed and brushed her uniform of imaginary dust and wrinkles. Umiko didn't wait for a reply as she spotted her friend's zanpakto. "Oh wow! You have a zanpakto?! Can I see?" She asked quickly reaching for it without waiting for a reply.
A hand grabbed Umiko's to stop her an inch away from grabbing the sword. "You shouldn't touch things that aren't yours." A masculine voice said as her hand was pulled away from the sword.
"And who are you to tell me that? Do you even know the relationship I have with Katsu?" She asked glaring at the young man as she pulled her hand free of his grip.
"You two." He trailed off looking between the two girls.
"Eww!" Umiko shouted stepping away from Katsu.
Katsu mirrored the movement. "God no!" She said shivering. "I'm scarred for life now Shuhei. It's not funny damn it Karasu!" She shouted looking at her sword as she heard the spirit laughing at her. "You're so getting plucked later," she mumbled.
"So who are you then?" Shuhei asked looking at Umiko.
"Shuhei this is Umiko, Umiko; Shuhei." Katsu rambled the introductions lazily quickly forgetting the previous incident. "My cousin," she clarified with a pointed look to Shuuhei.
A blond shinigami made his way over from the small group. "Lady Umiko!" He called as he made his way over.
"Lady?" Shuhei muttered before he was shoved into a bow by the blond.
The blond also bowed before standing strait, and allowing Shuhei to stand also. "What are you doing here?" He asked looking at her.
"Wanted to get away from them," she said nodding to her 'friends'. "And I wanted to see Katsu too, since dad still won't allow mw to come here."
"Why'd you ditch them though?" The blond asked looking at the group of girls.
"They were trying to set me up with some weird guy, Kira." Umiko said looking a little creeped out.
"Oh, ok." Kira said nodding.
"Plus I wanted to see how you guys were doing." She said smiling.
"We're fine, we have practice in a little though." Katsu said looking at Umiko. "See you at dinner tonight, k?"
"Ok, good luck!" Umiko called before rejoining her other friends.
Umeko walked away and rejoined her other friends.
"Umeko who was that?"
"What's his name?"
"Does he make house calls?" One asked creeply.
Umeko looked at the girl and said, "ASUKA! Gross! I dont know!" Umeko blushed and looked away.
As Umeko and the other girls walked away she looked back to get one final look at the shuuhei person, he was much taller that her. He was quite hansome... BAM!!!!
"Ouch," Umeko said as she rubbed the side of her head she blushed even harder as she looked over and saw that Katsu was laughing at her and worse yet Shuuhei ws just staring!!
Later that night
As Umeko thought about what had happend earlier that day, she only played with her food, she was very hungry but was too deep in thought to eat.
"Hmm... Umeko a lady such as you should not skip a meal, it's not healthy." Her father said with a woried look in his eye.
"Umeko you should eat. Come one I know your hungry, your always hungry," Katsu said knowing exactly what Umeko was thinking about.
"Yeah, yeah... I know," she said looking at Katsu and stuch her tongue out.
Umeko quickly ate her food and went for seconds, just as she was about to get some more food her father cleard his throat and looked at her.
"Yes father," she said as she put the plate down. "I'm not feeling to well, I think its best if I go lay down" Umeko said as she walked away from the table.
"You know uncle she would make a good Shinigami, her powers though totally different from mine, but they are equal." Katsu said trying to once again sway her uncle to letting Umeko become a Shinigami like she had always wanted.
"Katsu; I know that, but I can't bare to see my only daughter put her life in danger." Umeko's father said sadly. "My two sons do that enough already..."
As Katsu and her father rose from the table Katsu looked at her uncle. "Uncle before I leave you, just think about your late wife and what she would want for her daughter." She said her voice lowering as she too thought of her late aunt.
Umeko's father smiled at Katsu and said, "Good night Katsu. Sleep well."
It was almost the middle of the night when Katsu was getting ready for the nightly ritual of midnight sparring with Kira and Shuuhei. She laughed evily to her self as she thought of the torture she would put them through tonight, she also heard Karasu laughing at the prospect. Then she was sudenly enterupend by a familar voice comming from out side of her window.
"Psss... Katsu you there? Hello? You... woah..." Umeko said as Katsu pulled her in quickly.
"WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DIONG?!?! Do you know how much trouble you can get me in look at you! You look like an intruder.. what would happend if one of the teachers saw you?" Katsu whispered/yelled as she slapped her cousin's head around.
"Sorry I did not think about that," Umeko said looking down.
"Its fine, but your gonna have to go soon." Katsu barely had time to finish her sentence when she heard Shuuhei and Kira at her door.
"Quick hide under the bed!" She whispered and grabed Umeko and threw her under her bed like a rag doll. Katsu ran to the door opened it only half way. "Can I help you guys?" She asked sweetly as she peeked around her door.
"Yeah, we have been waiting out here forever, and who here you talking to?" Asked Kira trying to peek inside.
"Oh no one, just Karasu." Katsu said just as she was pushed out of the way by Shuuhei. "Hey get out of my room!" She pointed to the door, hoping that she could scare him out before he found Umeko.
Shuuhei did not listen as he had noticed that something was under Katsu's bed. As he lifted the bed he was surprised to see the young and rather short noble girl from the morning.
"What is she doing here? Don't you know what kinda trouble we can get in if the school finds out that after hours a guest is here?" He asked angrily spinning around to glare at Katsu.
"Yeah, yeah... Shuuhei I know, and she was just going... What are you doing?!?!" Before Katsu could finish her sentence Umeko ws already looking at one of Katsu's old uniforms.
"You know Katsu, I could just put one of these on and no one would know," she said looking at Katsu with her puppydog eyes.
"Fine... But if we get caught, you're all going down with me..." Katsu said with an evil tone that sent shivers down everyone spine.
As they walked to a near by graden for training Katsu talked important school matters with Kira, and Shuuhei just stared off waiting to begin training. Umeko could not help looking at Shuuhei... The more she looked at him the more she things she found she liked about him; she liked the color of his hair, the color of his eyes, and even his odd tattoo.
"Umeko! Stop staring, and go sit in the cornner. AND DONT GET INTO ANYTHING!!!" Katsu yelled knowing to well what Umeko was capable of.
"Right," Umeko said as she sat on a nearby rock. Umeko enjoyed watching them fight and train, wishing to herself that she could do the same. She and Katsu were so different and yet so much alike, they both had never fit in with the rest of the noble girls. She and Katsu were so boyish always beating up boys, particularly Kira, when they were little. As Umeko sat there watching Katsu pick on the boys calling them weak, and laughing like a mad person, she noticed two people walking around the corner and froze in fear.
It was vice captain Ichimaru Gin, and his captain Aizen Sōsuke.
"Crap! Umeko get over here and stand in line with us," Shuuhei said. Umeko ran over listening to him knowing the kind of trouble they could get in. As Gin and Aizen walked over to the group of four, Gin immediately recognized Umeko from all the past problems Umeko's father had with her getting into trouble.
"Now lady Umeko what are you doing out here so late? And in an academy uniform no less... Shouldn't you be sleeping?" Asked Gin with a seemingly wider smile than normal. Walking over to grab her hand and take her back to her dad just as he had done thousands of times before. When he was interrupted by Shuuhei.
"I'm sorry vice captain Ichimaru, it was me who convinced her to come out here with us. My apologies I will take her home now." He said knowing very well being from the lower class that he could get in a very large amount of trouble for this, possibly even getting kicked out of the academy.
"Well then, I guess you're the one in trouble. Now what should we do with you, such a unruly student..." Gin said as he thought of was to punish Shuuhei.
SLAP!!!!
Everyone gasped as Umeko slapped vice captain Ichimaru in the face, even Gin was surprised though he did not show it.
"How dare you think that you can punish a friend of mine? And I came here by my own will. It was me who begged them to let me come if any one should be punished it should be me" Umeko said with a scared look on her face as she realized she just slapped a vice captain.
"Now, now we can just forget this whole incident I'm sure, if you would just apologize to Ichimaru, Umeko" said Aizen calmly.
"I'm sorry vice captain Ichimaru Gin." Umeko said with a slight bow.
"It's fine, everything is forgiven. Oh and Umeko, go home like a good girl should." Gin said as he walked away with Aizen.
"Ok," Umeko said as she ran home. When Umeko snuck back in her bed she laid down and tried to sleep but it did not come all she could think about is why Shuuhei did what he did. As she fell asleep her last thoughts were of Shuuhei....
The next morning
As Umeko awoke she went to visit her father as she did every morning, she saw Gin and Aizen come out of her father's study. 'Oh crap! They told him!' She thought to her self as she walked past them.
"Morning, Lady Umeko." They said in greeting.
Umeko said nothing, and just nodded, fearing what her father was going to do.
"Umeko, I have been thinking that if you wanted to become a Shinigami so bad as to ask Captain Aizen for help then maybe its best if you start training at the academy." Her father said looking at her.
Umeko eyes widened as she looked at her father tears began to fall as she hugged her dad. "Thank you so much father, you don't know what this means to me!"
"I only want you to be happy, you look so much like your mother that I couldn't bear it if something would happen to you. So stay safe my little angel." He said as he hugged her tightly.
"Yes father," Umeko said happily.
"You should to hurry, or you'll be late for the entrance exams." Her father said as he let her go.
Hours later…
It was a long and tiring day for Umeko. Taking all types of different tests, she sat outside a large room in the mail hall waiting for her results to see if she passed.
"Umeko." Umeko turned to see Ichimaru Gin. Every muscle in her body trembled.
"Ye-yes vice captain Ichimaru?" Umeko stuttered.
Gin walked closer to her, he was much taller than her so he slouched a little bringing his face to her. "Well the Lady Umeko passed…" He said happily.
"What?... I passed? I PASSED!" Umeko yelled as she grabbed the paper of her scores from Gin and took off down the hall. "Katsu! Katsu, I'm in! I passed!" Umeko yelled as she glomped Katsu sending them both to the ground. "I can finally join the school, and I'm in the advanced classes!"
"Good for you," Katsu said as Umeko let her go. She stood up and dusted her self off. "Oh and Umeko, if you ever jump on me like that again… I will cut you into little tiny pieces and feed you to the Koi!!!" Just as Katsu said that Umeko tackled her to the ground.
Umeko looked at Katsu in horror. "Oops…" Umeko stood up and started to run as if her life depended on it. "AHH!!!" Umeko screamed as Katsu ran after her yelling how she would kill her, and dismember and hide the body. Umeko just dodged a man with short black hair as she ran… SMACK!!!
Katsu and the strange man collided. "AGH my nose! Didn't anyone ever tell you to watch where you're going?!?!" The man screamed at a slightly dazed Katsu.
"Calm down I'll fix it" Katsu said as she snapped back to reality. She moved the man's broken nose back into place and started to heal it. "There now shut up, I have someone to kill." She murmured as she focused and tried to find her cousin. A look set to kill on her face as she glanced around the man. She blinked before realizing she was trying to look around an actual Shinigami. She looked confused as she blinked before snapping back to her formal manners. "Sorry sir, I'm Nakamura, Katsu." She said with a quick bow as she stepped back.
As the man stood up and felt his nose he looked at Katsu with a neutral look, his nose was perfect as if nothing had happened. "You're good for an academy student, you might be good in fourth squad… Unless you are the one shouting death threats, and can actually back them up…" He raised a brow and smirked.
"Thanks… I think…" She said quietly as she went back trying to spot Umeko in the crowd. "So what your name?" She asked returning to a normal tone of voice.
"Ayasegawa, Yumichika," he said as she brushed some of his hair back behind his ear, only for it to fall forward again. "Fifth seat of the eleventh division."
"Ok," Katsu said distractedly as she threw her hair behind her and quickly walked after Umeko, finally spotting her short cousin.
All Yumichika could do was watch as the strange dark eyed girl walked passed him, that same killer intent back in her eye.
"Hey Yumichika!" A bald man called waving his arm with his sword to get Yumichika's attention, causing the students to panic and move out of the way. "What are you staring at?" He asked coming to Yumichika's side.
"Nothing, Ikkakku." Yumichika said pushing his fascination with the killer intent he saw in the academy student aside.
"Whatever, let's go. We've got training to do." Ikkakku said as he started walking away. Yumichika followed silently but he couldn't forget the look he saw or the name that went with it.
As Katsu rounded the corner to find Umeko, she saw Umeko getting congratulated by Kira. Shuuhei was standing next to Kira looking pissed for some reason. "Wooo!!! Kira I passed! I'm gonna be a Shinigami!" Umeko yelled happily as she hugged the blond.
"I'm happy for you Umeko, it's what you've always wanted." Kira said smiling, thinking back to when Katsu and Umeko would chase him calling him a hollow.
"You probably just got in 'cuz you're a noble." Shuuhei said angrily. Umeko looked at Shuuhei in surprise. "After all your family probably paid the academy off…" Shuuhei finished angrily.
"Oh yeah? You think I'm just some spoiled rich girl…" Umeko said looking down trying to hide the tears in her eyes. "HERE!" Umeko yelled as she threw the paper in Shuuhei's face before running off. Shuuhei was shocked as he watched Umeko run down the hall, Katsu walked up to him.
SLAP!!!
Shuuhei held his face in shock; some from Umeko and some from his normally cold and calm classmate's slap. "Don't you ever be rude to my cousin again. If you hurt her one more time, neither heaven, nor hell will save you." Katsu said lowly as she glared at Shuuhei, a raw anger in her eyes. Katsu turned and ran to catch Umeko to calm her down.
"Shuuhei, I want to show you something…" Kira said as he led Shuuhei to the main hall. There were photos of all past and present captains.
"What does this have to do with Umeko..." shuuhei trailed off as he saw an old photo of the eleventh division captain before Zaraki's predecessor.
"That's Umeko's mother she was the 11th squad captain. Before she gave the title to her vice captain after she felt she needed to step down." Kira explained as he looked at the picture with a reverent look.
"Wow she's beautiful," Shuuhei said noting the traits Umeko had inherited.
"Yeah I know, and what's wrong with you to day anyway?" Kira asked looking at his upper classman.
"Agh, nothing just my two team mates have started dating…" Shuuhei said looking away scratching his neck.
"Oh! I get it, you need to get laid." Kira said slyly.
"WHAT? NO!!! NO! It's well I kinda wish I had someone." Shuuhei said looking away.
"Ahh… Great! So you want a special friend, and bieng an asshole works…" Kira said knowing he was rubbing Shuuhei's mistake in his friend's face.
Shuuhei sighed heavily. "I know I should apologize to her." He admitted defeated.
As Shuuhei walked with Kira to Katsu's room, he saw Gin walking with Umeko. He was laughing and teasing her.
The two stopped in front of her door, Kira gave Shuuhei a look that told him he was the one knocking. Shuuhei took a deep breath and knocked on the door, feeling in many ways he were at the gates of hell itself. "This had better be good…" Katsu growled through the door. As she had been sleeping. "Damn it, Karasu! Shut the hell up, I do not!!!" They sweat dropped, knowing Katsu got into many arguments with her zanpakuto.
"Hey Katsu, can we eat at your house tonight?" Kira asked carefully, hoping she wouldn't bite his head off.
"Why?" She asked opening her door then leaning against her doorframe while glaring evilly at Shuuhei. Her hair was down and mussed from her nap, but as she glared through it, it sent shivers down the pairs' spine.
"Shuuhei wants to apologize to Umeko." Kira said hoping to get the encounter over with as soon as possible.
"Agh, fine! Now let me sleep!" Katsu said as she slammed the door in the boys' faces.
"So how do you know them Kira?" Shuuhei asked as the two made their way back to their rooms.
"Oh, I did not tell you?" Kira asked looking over to Shuuhei. He blinked and looked to the sky for a moment before smiling at his friend. "We are sixth cousins."
††Psychotic Episodes: Demon Version††
Katsu growled out of frustration as she buried her face back into her pillow only to see the face of the man she ran into earlier that day. 'Ayasegawa, Yumichika…' She recalled the name to match the face. She growled again as she pushed herself up and shook her head, trying to clear the thoughts of the good looking man, however grudgingly she admitted to herself.
A quiet, low chuckle echoed through her mind. "It's odd for you to even remember someone's name," the voice said smoothly, though there was an odd rough quality to it. "He must be something special…" The voice teased.
"Shut up Karasu," Katsu mumbled as she lay on her back and closed her eyes. When she opened them again she was back in her inner world, a place of high cliffs, mountains, clouds, and a few trees growing out the sides of the jutting terrain. The sky was strange, blues, purples, and greens mixed together with a full moon hanging in the middle of the sky. There was a strong wind blowing, rocking the tree branch Katsu was laying across. Though, it did little more than lightly bounce the branch, also adding a whistling sound not unlike a flute as it raced through the jutting mountains of her world.
A black figure broke through the churning light blue/white clouds beneath her. Flying past her at a break neck speed, circling above for a moment, and finally settling on a branch of another tree about forty feet above her. The figure looked like a mass of black feathers from her vantage point, but she knew it was her zanpakuto, nothing else existed here…
"You know it isn't polite to tell me to shut up," he said she could somehow pinpoint his glittering black eyes even from forty feet away. "Especially when you know I'm just saying what you know in the very back of your mind. I do live here after all, and who could know you better?" She could hear the smirk in his voice.
"I don't know why I can't get that guy out of my head, but it's nothing important." Katsu replied, coldly glaring at the spirit. "I have other things to focus on, besides I doubt I'll see the weirdo ever again." She rolled onto her side to watch the churning clouds, and so she didn't have to stare at the dark eyes of her zanpakuto, eyes that she couldn't hide anything from.
"Just keep lying to yourself Katsu," he said with a sigh. "But you know I'm right in the end…" He gave a more dramatic wistful sigh. "My little Kastu's got her first crush. How adorable," the teasing tone and smirk in his voice back at full force as he laughed out right.
Katsu sat up in her bed with a furious growl as she glared at the wall across from her. She turned her glare onto the sword at her side. "Fucking bastard," she ground out through clenched teeth. Karasu just continued laughing at her. "Shut the hell up!" She shouted at the top of her lungs as she threw her sword at the wall as hard as she could.
"Ow…" Karasu paused in his laughter, but started right back up. "You're only proving my point Katsu!" He teased through his laughter.
"If only I could kill you." Katsu mumbled as she laid back down to try and sleep again.