Enjoy! Edit: 01/18/2019
The norm.
What is the norm? Something regular, a day-to-day routine established unconsciously from the beginning of time. Something typical, expected, you know the usual things.
Well, then.
I guess I'm not what you call 'normal'
Well really, if someone did have flashbacks of a stranger's life, it would be way beyond 'normal'. I never asked for it to happen really, I just woke up one day, and there you have it. Memories- or shall I call it hallucinations? Flickered through my mind like a camera slide.
Maybe I need a therapist.
I came up with a theory, as crazy as that sounds. I knew somewhere deep down it wasn't just a 'normal' typical dream.
I was reincarnated.
Yep.
Let that sink in for a sec.
Okay, still here with me?- I was six for god's sake. I should be fussing over Barbie dolls and building my own dream house rather than contemplating if God really just gave me a second chance. And with my past memories intact?
I was a quiet kid from the beginning, but that really struck me hard. I was scared, afraid of screwing up, of failing again. Who was this woman? Why can I remember? Is this a dream? Which is reality? Who...am I?
Mai, of course.
Simple Mai, of six years old. Loving daughter of Saeki Akiyama and Minoru Akiyama.
Not, Irina.
But sometimes it would slip, sometimes the world would pass and for a moment I would think how Irina would've done it. What my past self would've chosen. What I would've spoken, moved, and- you get the idea. It drove me insane, so I shut the world out. And just thought, thought of the what ifs and the whys.
Wasn't healthy if you asked me. But all those memories really brought me out of the light, I had new found knowledge, some information that I would never learn even. It took some time to piece together the scattered images, I rather liked it. It was puzzling, and I love puzzles.
I was Irina Dotchev, an CIA agent. Rather than being out on the field, I was the mole. The one who broke into computer systems, hacking firewalls and networks. Getting those good juicy information and developing new stronger softwares. Tracking, coding, disabling firearms, analysing. It just came naturally to me.
Did I mention I was a nerd, completely proud of it even. I had a family that lived in Bulgaria, a boyfriend who was an even more bigger nerd then I was. David was into almost any cartoon or comics. Figurines would line up his workplace and most were from animes.
Then I died, simple as it sounds. Killed in action. April 9th. How I knew? A week ago, David had proposed to me, a ring and all. Jittery and happy, butterflies filled my stomach and suddenly all this was gone.
Time slowed down for me, Who am I?
Mia Akiyama- No, I'm Irina Dotchev.
I'm both.
Without one I would be nothing I am today.
That, I was sure. And so I slowly crawled out of my dark world.
Embracing this new life, my life.
We moved into Karakura Town. Rings a bell anyone? No? I guess only me then?
And it all started that one fateful morning.
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o
I was smart, yes. But direction wise- I could somehow always end up kilometers away from my real destination and guess what? I wasn't even trying. It was as if I was made to be lost and directionally challenged.
My backpack was slung over my shoulders casually while I skipped my way through the streets. Amazing how you could just let a child walk home by herself.
Ah, there's the park I played in yesterday.
That's the mailbox.
That's the small tree in the cor-
I stopped dead in my tracks and stared skeptically at my surroundings.
No.
Mailbox? When has there ever been a mailbox?
A tree?
Silly me, I guess I haven't been paying attention to things lately. I chuckled to myself and waved a hand to dismiss the small idea floating constantly around in my head.
I'm definitely not lost.
My eyes wandered onto an unfamiliar daycare sign.
...I hope.
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o
My breaths came in short pants and my eyes kept flickering from one thing to another.
I'm lost.
I kept comforting myself with soothing words.
"You've been in this situation before, yah? Stay in place, that's the first rule- or is that for when you're lost in the woods?" I thought for a long moment, nothing.
Now I was on full panic mode. I ruffled my hair and stared at my surroundings.
"You have got to be kidding me? I can crack codes that'd last someone weeks to figure out and yet my brain can't work out a stupi-"
"Ano, are you-"
I shot the person a terrifying glare, hoping he would back down.
"Can't you see I'm in a middle of a crisis here, Mr. Carrottop? I have no time for idle chit chat?" I huffed, before crouching down and holding my head, hoping in some miracle that I would find my way home.
Mama will kill me, strangle and wring me dry, before I could even step inside. Papa would give me a smirk while he watched me being beg. "Why oh why do I have such sadistic parents?" I begged, looking up at the bright blue sky.
"Are you crazy or something?" Someone interrupted, "Calling someone a carrottop when you're the one that has such crazy hair. Who has bright purple hair? Tell me that?" The boy remarked from behind me.
I sighed, a vein pulsing on my forehead, I've always had a soft spot for my hair. Yes, purple hair. Not the nice violet or indigo, but the purple that could be spotted a mile away. And pray tell how a dad who has blonde hair and a mom who has indigo hair make a kid with fucking bright purple hair? How?
I spun around and fixed my gaze on a small boy, and put on my most cockiest sneer. As much as I wanted to give in to my childish side and stick my tongue out at the boy, I decided to take a more mature approach- okay not really.
"Well, thank you, Captain Obvious, but I think hair color has no meaning when one doesn't have a soul." I growled, my eyes trailing up at his bright orange hair. Says the pot calling the kettle black.
He scoffed, "Soul? I have a soul the last time I checked, you eggplant!"
My brow twitched, "Haven't you heard, ginger's have no souls."
"God dammit, I have a soul and no freckles, y-you bush fire!" He exclaimed.
"S-shut up! My hair's fine, y-you ginger!" I defended rather lamely.
"Barney!" He hissed.
"Garfield!" I yelled on top of his voice.
"Grape-head!" He shouted louder.
"Pumpkin-head!" I screeched.
By the end of our shouting contest, we were both panting at the sheer power it took to scream insulting names above the volume that was capable for two kids.
He recovered quickly and crossed his arms, staring down at me which in turn only caused my annoyance to rise.
You going down.
But what came out of his mouth surprised me immensely that I simply gaped.
"So where do you live?"
My jaw dropped onto the ground, metaphorically of course.
"...S-sorry what?"
He rolled his eyes as if I was wasting his precious time.
"Where do you live? Weren't you just lost a minute ago? I came over to help but you started screaming at me." He frowned and continue staring at me with skeptical eyes. Oh, so he's the victim now?
We were both screaming at the top of our lungs a minute ago and now he wants to help me? Really, this kid was off the bend.
I eyed him suspiciously and suddenly cocked my head arrogantly, challenging him to find my place.
Cause you know, I'm just stubborn that way.
"My house is right beside a clinic." I smirked, already knowing this was a waste of my time. He blinked once, twice.
See, told you.
"A clinic?"
"No, a hotdog stand in Mexico."
As if I just didn't input my snarky remark he beamed. The look on his face made it seem as if the world was pooping out rainbows and people could fly.
Something niggled at my brain that the kid might actually be bipolar.
"You must be talking about the Kurosaki Clinic, Dad says there is no other clinic around aside from ours."
My eyes bulged, Ours?
"You...live there?" I asked.
"Of course I do, now come on." He waved a hand for me to follow as if the argument hadn't even occurred.
I pursed my lips for a second, weighing my options. He could be looking for revenge you know? He could be walking with me for minutes and suddenly ditch me in a dark alleyway. What didn't stop him from doing that?
I stared at his disappearing shadow, and gulped.
The street seemed awfully quiet, not even a car in sight, suddenly the idea of staying here by myself and finding a way home scared me shitless. I looked around me and shuddered.
"W-wait for me." I called out as if my life depended on it.
Which it oh so did.
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o
"No."
"Yes." I countered.
"No!"
"Yeees." I examined my nails.
"For the last time, I'm not bipolar!" He shouted, waving his hands in the air in frustration.
"Yes, but if you think about it th-" I was interrupted as he stopped in front of his house. The sign Kurosaki Clinic in big bold letters stared back at me, my eyes landed on the pale green house situated right beside his.
My house.
He raised an eyebrow, urging me on to say the two words that I so didn't want to say.
I sucked in a breath and pouted. Looking away in shame and crossing my arms around my chest to show my defiance.
Fine.
"Thank you..." My voice trailing off as I tried to remember his name, then finally remembering that I never even asked his name to begin with.
"- Ichigo Kurosaki." He beamed.
I contemplated for a moment. That name...where did I here it? My eyes bulged in comprehension. Bleach?
I stifled a laugh.
Ichigo frowned.
Ichigo? Who the hell would name their son after a manga character?
I bursted into giggles which soon turned into huge guffaws, tears streamed down my face as I tried my best to stop another round of laughter. My stomach hurt, but it was just too ridiculous and hilarious.
"Ow, ow, ow, oh my god." I giggled, wiping the tears.
"It's not strawberry! It means protecting your loved ones." He sputtered, his cheeks were flaming red now.
I took in a deep breath to calm myself, "No, no, no. That's not what I meant, y-you just, you have the same name as the main character in a manga. You know Bleach? Your parents must be quite the Otakus." I teased.
He furrowed his brows in confusion, now that I think about it, the slight resemblance to his features compared to Bleach's Ichigo was uncanny.
"What is an Otaku? Mom and Dad don't read manga." He explained.
I chuckled, "Then explain the name, Ichigo Kurosaki? Must be quite the coincidence to have the same last name and the first name if you as-
"Ichiiigo~" Someone sung, as the front door of his house swung open, revealing a black haired man clad in a white jacket and black pants, a stethoscope slung casually around his neck. His smile made even greater as he spotted a girl right beside his adoring son.
"Ohoho, what do we have here? Won't you introduce me to your friend?" Ichigo's dad asked as he sauntered down the steps.
Ichigo rolled his eyes, "Tch, she's not my friend she's our neighbor." He explained, offended by the idea of being friends with me.
The nerve of this boy!
His father either ignored Ichigo's remark or was too engrossed in the fact that a girl was here with his son because he started shaking my hand intensively.
"I'm Isshin Kurosaki, call me dad. Won't be long before you become our daughter-in law." He cooed.
Ichigo's face turned beet red and glared at his father, whacking his arm in the process. "Stop scaring her. Just look at how afraid she is."
Afraid? Hah, what an understatement. Cause really, I was mortified. Paralyzed beyond recovery because really what I was thinking was completely and utterly ridiculous.
Panic-stricken, petrified- whatever you may call it...is this real?
Isshin Kurosaki? Ichigo Kurosaki?
Is God making fun of me right now?
I'm going insane aren't I? After all this time of finding out I'm reincarnated, my mind can't take it anymore...right?
"Honey?" A melodious voice spoke, my eyes slowly landed onto a slim beautiful woman, a small girl with black pigtails hid behind her skirt.
"Can you come in for a moment? I need help with the patient." She spoke, her eyes warmed up as she spotted me.
...Masaki Kurosaki?
NONONO.
Thud.
I swear I didn't faint.
Working my way through life right now, just thought i'd fix some stuff up and edited chapter two too. Thanks for reading!