Disclaimer: This is an original story based off the world of Bleach. I do not own Bleach, and none of the characters from the original anime is part of the story. Think of it as an alternative universe or something like that. Some of the ideas from Bleach are altered, which you will discover soon. I hope you will enjoy the story, but if you don't, thank you for reading anyway.
I was in 7th grade when I encountered my first hollow. I didn't know how to summon my zanpakutou then, and I still don't know today. I was wandering around town, covered in bruises and cuts from a recent fight. I didn't want to go home because there was no one there for me. I wander into the local park, and sat onto one of the benches, letting time pass by. It started getting dark, and I heard a low growl. I look around me, but there was nothing around. Spooked, I got up and decided to go home. Hollows usually hunt at night, and I didn't want to be a victim.
As I walk down the main street, I couldn't shake off the feeling that something was watching me, following me, stalking my every move. There was no one around, I was all alone, and I started running as fast as I could. As I turn a corner, I run into something, and fall back onto the sidewalk. I hear the same growl that I heard earlier, in the park. Slowly, I look up, and see a hollow.
It was terrifyingly huge, around 3 feet taller than I am. The knees were inverted, bending backwards, it didn't have any elbows, its mouth was above the empty eye sockets that it had. Terrified, I slowly start crawling backwards, but its hand reached out and grabbed me. I struggle to break from its hold, but the grip was too strong. Unable to do anything, I close my eyes, waiting for my demise. It never came, and instead, I heard the hollow scream. Its grip loosens, and I slip out of its hold, falling onto the sidewalk. I open my eyes, and see a white zanpakutou piercing its chest. Ice forms around the wound, spreading across the chest slowly. The hollow shrieks in pain, but is unable to move. The ice covers its entire upper body, and then the sword is pulled out. A fist goes through the chest, shattering the entire upper body, killing it instantly. The rest of the body disintegrates into ashes.
From the rubble of ice and the small pile of ash, a girl around my age, covered in white. White hair, sky blue eyes, white clothing, everything about her was either white or the closest color to it. Her zanpakutou melts into water and evaporates into the air, disappearing completely. She turns around, and walks away as a heavy fog comes by to swallow her. When the fog subsides, the girl, the pile of ashes and the rubble of ice are completely gone. I return home alive that day, grateful that I am alive. I never told anyone about that day, and I continued life as it was.
2 years later, I am now a freshman at Tenshi High. On the roof of my house, I'm watching the sun rise, brightening the sky up. I look at my watch to read the time; 6 am. I get off the roof, and enter my house to get ready for the day. After brushing my teeth and taking a shower, I go into the kitchen to cook breakfast and lunch. My parents died when I was young, leaving me to take care of myself. I have no other relatives and no friends, always that one unpopular girl in the corner of the room. I was the best fighter in my middle school, which often made people challenge me. I don't win every fight, but I'll always get some good hits in before going down. I'm always made fun of because I don't know how to summon my zanpakutou, everyone's already learnt how to do it long ago. It puts me at a great disadvantage in a fight, but that doesn't keep me from kicking ass though.
I finish making a bento for myself, and start to make breakfast. I look at my watch to see how much time I had left. More than enough to finish breakfast and do my complete my morning exercise. I've been going through the same routine every day since my parents died. Wake up early, watch the sun rise, make food, exercise, go to school, come home, exercise more, then read for the rest of the day. Occasionally I get into fights, but the rate at which I'm being challenged is slowing down to around one fight a week, which was good for me. I finish eating my breakfast, and proceed into the basement. It was a fairly big room, giving me space to move around easily. It was big enough to fit up to 4 people sparring at the same time without accidentally bumping into each other during the fight. Picking up where I left off last night, I grab a wooden sword in the middle of the room. Even though I don't have my zanpakutou yet, it doesn't hurt to practice to practice my swordsmanship.
I hold the sword with one hand, lifting it above my head and spreading my legs, taking a low form. I stand there for a few seconds, taking in the calm surrounding. Then, at a fast speed, I make a quick horizontal slice in front of me towards the left. Moving forward, I spin right and make another horizontal slice towards the right. I draw back, and jab the air in front of me twice. I continue on attacking the emptiness in front of me, practicing my techniques. Sometimes, I wish someone was there to watch me and evaluate my skill, because to me, I always feel like I'm not good enough. I continue slicing the air in front of me, going faster and faster as I feel the adrenaline running through me. Eventually, I stop and take a rest. I look at my watch again, and realize that it's nearly time to go. I put down the sword, and exit the basement. I grab my bag and my bento, then leave the house.
After locking it, I walk down the long driveway and into the neighborhood street. Many students were already headed towards school, walking and discussing their summer breaks with their friends. Sighing to myself, I go with the crowd towards the school. When I arrive, the bell tower started ringing loudly, which was the warning bell to get to class. Everyone enters the building and head towards their first class of the day. Checking the schedule that was mailed to me over the summer, it says the first class of the day is Algebra. Great, my most hated subject. I go to the room number, and hesitate before entering. I open the door, and it seems like I arrived earlier than most. The teacher isn't in the class yet, and there were already 4 students in the room in a seat. I head to the back of the class, and take a seat in the corner. I prefer being all the way back here, because the teacher rarely calls on me and I'm usually left alone. Eventually, more students enter the classroom and takes their seats. I recognize most of them from my old classes back in middle school, and it looks like they do as well. They avoid taking a seat near me, so all the seats adjacent to me are vacant. Finally, the teacher arrives in the classroom. She is a brunette with long, wavy hair, and didn't seem any older than 30. She writes her name on the chalk board before turning to us with a smile.
"Good morning, class, my name is Emi Shizouka, and I will be with teaching you Algebra 1 for the year. I hope you enjoy my class!" She exclaims. There are a few mutters amongst my peers, mostly rude comments about the teacher and how the year's gonna suck big time. Shizouka-sensei looks around the class, then narrows her eyes. "We seem to be short by one person!"
As if on cue, the door opens and someone rushes in. "I'm sorry sensei, I overslept this morning and I promise it will never happen again!" Before she even finishes that sentence, I recognize who it is. There was no way it was a coincidence, nor could I have mistaken her for anyone else.
It was the girl in white, who saved me before.