Story: You Just Never Give Up, Do You?
By: Legal Humor
Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach. I do on the other hand own my OC and the plot.
Chapter 1: Rainy Days
To me the weather seemed to fit the day nicely – Depressing, sad, gloomy. It truly seemed like bad weather on a tragically bad day. What are the odds? It hasn't rained for two long weeks and yet someone decided to make it rain today of all days. How precise. I'm definitely not watching channel 5 again. The weather-man said it was going to be sunny today!
Pouring waves of cold water fell from the heavens high above, thus drenching those foolish enough to stand watching without the protection of an umbrella, including myself. The wiser ones either had an umbrella or were standing in nearby shops – watching silently through the glass windows.
Blinking my eyes close I shook my head lightly to shake the red and blue dancing in my vision. Those lights were really ticking me off. Opening my eyes I estimated there to be about eight police cars surrounding the incident. Two men clad in blue uniforms spoke off to my right and I listened gazing forward at the wreckage as they went over what they managed to gather.
"-probably one of the worst car incidents to happen this year."
I closed my eyes once again as I lowered my head. At the slightest shift of my arms I immediately cringed. Looking down at the road burns trailing down the skin of my forearms for the umpteenth time and for the umpteenth time I sighed.
"A total of six cars were involved in the crash. All victims were thankfully discovered unharmed except for Kaji Mazaaki, age 7, passed on the way to the hospital and Sentōki Gurīnbei (Fighter Green Bay. I know what you're probably thinking. My parents just had to come up with the wackiest name in human existence.), age 16, she died immediately upon impact. There was nothing the paramedics could do for the girl."
I looked up automatically when I heard my name being said. My throat was already sore from my previous outburst so I didn't waste my breath this time around knowing that nobody could hear me…or see me for that matter.
It wasn't but 14 minutes ago I faced the facts that I really was dead.
-And yet this all felt like a distant dream.
I took my usual route back home which was a short 20 minute walk to and from my school – Karakura High School. Nothing out of the ordinary happened as I stopped at the same crossing and waited patiently to go across the road.
The light began to blink yellow signaling drivers to slow down and come to a stop. Five blinks total and I'd be able to cross. One – Two – I lazily looked both ways. Not sure why though since I almost never really cared or bothered to look both ways before crossing the road. Oh how I would make my parents proud if they saw me now. Still I had this hunch or gut-feeling that I was about to walk into something. Something I couldn't quite put my finger on. – Three – (Eye roll) Yeah right. – Four – Five – Red. By myself seeing as nobody else was going across with me I calmly begin to walk across. I never saw it coming – Just the screech of tires and the felling of falling. My arms off of pure instinct flew forward to break most of the impact. Concrete scrapped both my forearms as I skid across the unforgiving road. The pain not hitting me yet I looked over my shoulder at the lone van. I let out a shaky breath thinking I just narrowly dodged death itself.
That was until the man be hide the wheel jumped out the car – A look of complete horror on his features – But he wasn't looking at me. Instead his gaze was directed down the road. That was when I saw it. Myself, there was no mistaking it. Light tea-green hair, the clothes I was wearing at this very moment – Lying limply a few yards ahead of the car. My school bag sprawled out in some random direction – Its contents scattered everywhere. The sound of more tires screeched against the pavement – First a small red car swerving into the opposite lane to dodge running over my other self inevitably crashing into another innocent car. One after the other more cars joined the carnage. I just couldn't look away.
Pedestrians were screaming, some running towards the cluttered cars to help the survivors. Others simply did what I was doing. Mouths agape with a hand or two covering it in complete shock. Soon in the blink of an eye it seemed, sirens could be heard in the distance. Not to long after the chaos the place was swarmed with ER trucks and police cars carting either conscious or unconscious people into the back of the trucks to be rushed away.
That was when the rain started – Soft and steady at first, then hard and frantic the next.
I became aware that no one was coming to check on me or rushing me into the back of the ER trucks. Why was that? I was injured. Not even the guy that almost flattened me came over to ask whether I was okay or not. Slowly, I approached one of the paramedics. A female with chestnut color hair.
"Shitsurei (Excuse me) I-
She ran right past me without even a glance. Not letting that discourage me I walked up to another paramedic with a deep frown set on his face as he continued busying himself in writing something down on a clipboard.
"Sir I kind of got caught in the incident and...I…need my arms…bandaged."
I frowned when he didn't look up in acknowledgement. He wasn't even paying attention!
"Konnichi-wa (Hello)!" I raised my voice a little higher and waved a hand in front of his face.
I gasped. My hand, my arm…I could see through it! Quickly retracting my hand, I stared at it like it was a strangers' hand instead of mine. I turned it over to look at my palm getting the same results. Examining the rest of me I noticed the same thing. I was completely transparent! Wait a minute! So I – I was – NoNoNoNoNo – It can't be – I thought that I.
"Kudasai (Please) help me!" I hollered frantically while reaching for the guy.
I was baffled when my hand ran right through him – As if he wasn't there. Try as I might the same thing happened over and over again.
I sighed in defeat as he began to walk away. Making my way out of the street I soundlessly sat on the curb. A rattling sound brought my attention downwards where a chain was attached to my chest. Should I be surprised by this? Today has been full of far too many surprises to be astonished anymore. I absentmindedly began to twirl the chain in circles as I watched everything unfold.
Even now I had my doubts. Like I didn't want to believe this was real yet. Growing up everyone was lead to believe you'd go to heaven (Or hell) when you die. Instead I'm forced to watch my after-death. Really? This was like a slap in the face. On top of that I was vaguely aware of everything. The pain, the rain, everything. Pretty much as if I was still alive – Minus the whole Casper look. When you die aren't you not suppose to feel pain whatsoever. It still stings. Like me placing my arms over an open fire or hundreds of needles pricking my skin relentlessly – And the rain wasn't helping either.
Soon things began to come to a close. One by one the officers began to leave and soon after the crowd began to disperse. Eventually I was alone, soaking wet and injured.
What exactly was I suppose to do now! Go haunt my neighbors, walk through walls for the heck of it, and spy on people. Okay, I've watched far too many episodes of Ghost Adventures.
Standing up I began walking to the only place I could think of going: Home
Meanwhile…
A certain white-haired taichou sat at his desk grumbling angrily to himself. Five stacks of paperwork lined his desk and if those growling sounds coming from be hide the mountain peaks of paper were any indication then more then likely all of them were part of the unfinished section. A finished section didn't even exist at this point since he just began the daunting task at hand.
-Flashback
"B-b-but taichou I did look at the paperwork," whined Motsumoto.
"You seriously expect me to believe that?"
"You don't believe me taichou! For shame, for shame. You don't even trust your own Lieutenant." (Fake Tears)
"Yoi (Okay)."
"I swear on my secret stash that I looked over the paperwork. Why won't you believe me?" (More Fake Tears)
"Yoi (Okay)!"
(Gasp) "So you believe me taichou?"
She actually seemed more shock then him.
"I suppose so. Now go before I change my mind."
"Yay! Arigatō (Thank you) taichou!"
He knew it was coming before she even threw herself at him with open arms.
"Don't – Even – Think – About – It," He hissed dangerously.
She stopped in mid-jump before shrinking back.
With that he began to walk away leaving his Lieutenant to do with whatever she pleased. Seeing as he did just give her what she requested: The rest of the day off.
Upon reaching his office the first thing that he noticed was the stacks of paperwork on her desk. Five enormous stacks – Two of which were probably almost half his height. On the desk they were just as tall as him. He narrowed his eyes at the paperwork skeptically. Motsumoto finishing all of this was perhaps too good to be true – But she gave him his word so he wouldn't doubt her. He walked over to his desk and began his own paperwork.
Halfway through within pretty good time he couldn't help looking at her cluttered desk once more. Just one peek wouldn't hurt anyone. He thought as if made his way to her desk. Taking a few sheets in his hands his eyes skimmed over the first sheet. Eyes slowly widened as he flipped to the next, then the next, and the next. The third paper having a tic-tak-toe game scribbled on it with smiley-faces and flowers instead of circle and X's. A vein visible pumped above his brow.
"M-Motsumoto!"
At the Local Bar…
At that moment Motsumoto sneezed almost spilling the sake in her hand.
"Oh. Looks like someone's talking about you," said the bartender chuckling as her eyes widened.
-End Flashback
Back At the Office…
His original plan was to teach Motsumoto a lesson – That if you abuse your duties they could come back to have some dire consequences. He decided he was not going to help her with her paperwork. So hopefully that at some point when she was practically drowning in a pool of her own paperwork she'd realize something and change. Sadly, as you can tell by his current situation, his master plan completely back-fired on him. Now look where he was.
With a heavy sigh he continued his work – wait scratch that – her work. He continued her work in silence with the only sound being the brushes occasional scraping noise as it glided across the paper in effortless strokes.
"Taichou!"
Immediately his hand jerked at the sudden intrusion and he looked at the paper with dismay at the black streak running off the paper.
Motsumoto heard the sound of his chair scrap against the flooring. His white spiky hair became visible above all the paper stacked on his desk. Slowly he walked around his desk and finally could be seen.
"Taichou we have a-
She immediately stopped speaking when she saw the look on his face. Let's just say he wasn't a happy camper. She squeaked in fear as he began to advance on her.
"I-Is there something wrong taichou-
"Something wrong. Something wrong! On nothing I'm just doing the work you said you did – but didn't. Nothing wrong here," He visible twitched as she gave him a dumbfounded look.
"But…taichou I did do what you told me."
At that moment he wanted to blow up in her face but he didn't. Instead he took a few deep, even breaths before replying.
"Motsumoto. If your idea of 'doing what I told you'involves not doing anything at all then-
"You said to look through them," she countered perching her hands on her hips.
At this point he was practically gritting his teeth. He really really wanted to ring her neck.
"I did," he said slowly. "So why didn't you."
He seriously felt like he was talking to a child.
"For your information I did in fact look through them. I only skimmed through. Well, most of them. It started to get a little boring."
"You know god damn well when I said that I meant you to actually do your paperwork."
"Well then, maybe next time you should be just a little more specific," she said in a matter-of-fact tone.
Just when he was about to yell the all too familiar word a hell butterfly flew through the open window and perched itself on Motsumoto's waiting finger. The word died down in his throat as he listened quietly to the relayed message.
Author's Note: Hm. I honestly don't know where I'm going with this fanfic. Just had a sudden idea and wa-la. Weird how that happens, right? Anyways hoped you liked it and if you want to see more click the review button below! Ja ne! Oh wait wait – Almost forgot. I would love a beta or two. Interested? Please say so – I'll take no more then two at the most.
-L.H.