Chapter 2

Ichigo walked alone to his school, his head was pounding from the commotion last night. Or, at least that's what he'd told his sisters and dad. The truth was, he had the weirdest dream. Something about... He couldn't put it into words, it was just too out of this world.

"Crazy..." Ichigo muttered to himself.

He rounded a corner, and stopped, waiting to meet Tatsuki, as he did everything morning since grade school. He tried to wipe away the confusion on his face, so that she wouldn't ask questions about it, but found it nearly impossible. He just had this nagging feeling that there was far more going on than he realized. Leaning up against the wall beside him, he closed his eyes to gather himself.

The sounds of footsteps close by made Ichigo open his eyes, and check his watch. She was on time, pretty much exactly the same time that she normally met him. That was one thing he liked about her, she was punctual.

"Hey Tatsuki, how was your..." Ichigo stopped speaking when he saw Tatsuki walking with a confused, upset look on her face. He would never say it, but they were far more similar than they had realized.

Ichigo stopped in front of her, watching as she paced forward. She didn't look up at him, or even acknowledge his presence at all. She was looking down to the ground, and walked right into Ichigo.

"Wha-" Tatsuki said, looking up at Ichigo's smug smile. "You asshole! What where you're going!!"

"Me?! You're the one who was so distracted that you couldn't even look up!!" Ichigo shouted back.

"You two love birds are going to be late if you decide to fight out here." Another voice said in the distance.

Ichigo and Tatsuki looked around, and finally saw and Auburn haired girl smiling as she walked towards the arguing pair. She had a soft face, hiding behind a big smile.

Both Tatsuki and Ichigo blushed and turned away from each other, hiding their embarrassment at the spectacle. Orihime always had a way of making them squirm, even though she didn't really try. Ichigo could never really get mad at her, because she didn't do anything inheritly wrong, or crass. It was just how she saw right through everyone, how she realized people's intentions, that always shocked him.

"Don't be late!~" Orihime cheered as she ran past the two, racing toward the school.

Tatsuki took off after her, leaving Ichigo behind to recover from his embarrassment. He watched Tatsuki run after Orihime, and found himself enthralled by the powerful and long strides. He knew her from when they were young, sparring her in his old karate class. She'd always kick his ass, knocking him down again and again, making him wail like a baby.

Ichigo checked his watch, shocked at the time and sprinted to school, trying to maintain his perfect attendance record.

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"No way!! Did you see the guy?!" Keigo Asano, Ichigo's eccentric friend shouted.

Ichigo rubbed the back of his head, and plastered his usual frown. "How many times do I gotta tell you, I was sleeping. There was a loud bang, and half my house was destroyed."

"That, and his thick skull probably slept right through the whole thing!" Tatsuki added.

"Shaddup..." Ichigo replied.

The mingling students all murmured, as was the ritual every morning while they waited for their teacher to arrive. She had always been punctual, and drilled that notion into her students as well. So it stuck them as odd when she was late to class.

"All right students, take your seats!" Ms. Ochi called out. "We have a new student joining us today. Come, please introduce yourself."

As the students took their seats, Ichigo turned off his brain, waiting quietly, and listening. He usually did that until the work really began after roll call, and it seemed to work better that way. He thought back to the night, and what seemed like a vivid dream. The young girl, floating right into his room, wearing old clothes. As far as dreams went, this was the weirdest he'd ever had.

"Hello there. I guess we'll be neighbours." An all too familiar voice stated.

Ichigo whipped his head around, and reeled when he saw the exact same woman from his dream, standing in front of him. Her hand extended slowly, and on her palm was black writing.

'Say anything, and you're dead.'

"My name is Rukia. Rukia Kuchiki. And yours?"

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Tatsuki froze when the new student walked into the room. It was the same girl as last night, walking with that white haired man. She could have sworn that it was all just a bad dream, vivid from her exhaustion. Yet here she stood, real as ever.

The girl wandered over to the empty seat next to Ichigo, and introduced herself to him. Tatsuki watched his face twitch, and knew that something was off. Maybe he knew her from somewhere? Or maybe he knew more than he said. She made her mind up to ask about it later, instead trying to focus on the lesson.

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Blade swung with deadly precision, and blinding speed, yet barely grazing the lumbering, clumsy masked beast.

Nanashi landed on his feet facing away from the hollow, and staring up at another, equally lumbering, and equally clumsy hollow. Both adorned in the same mask, horned, with black and white markings, similar yet opposite from each other. The hollow's only means of attacking, were to charge head on, and Nanashi tried to make the best use of that as he could.

Jumping above the hollow in front of him, and somersaulting above its head, Nanashi swung Kaosu no Kage, and embedded the long blade into the mask of the hollow. He stopped his swung prematurely, balancing on the tip of the blades handle for a moment, before swinging his legs toward the ground, and descending. The Zanpakuto cleanly cut the mask in half, and the hollow dissipated, having been purified.

The partner hollow bellowed, and send a massive arm, hitting Nanashi back a few blocks, before taking off toward the presence of more easily attained food.

Nanashi stood, dusting himself off. "Damn it. Where do you think you're going?!" Nanashi shouted.

Nanashi leapt into the street light, and began jumping from light to light, chasing down the hollow. His leg was hurting, having impacted the ground as hard as he did, so each jump made his body scream at him.

"I'll have to deal with it later..." Nanashi said to himself.

The hollow jumped over a tall fence, landing in a field with strange white structures, and began sniffing around. Nanashi figured that the hollow was looking for that spiritual power it had sensed before, hoping it would be an easy snack, before returning to eat him. He quickened his pace, hoping to get there before anything bad happened.

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The bell had ring for the start of lunch, and the girls of the class invited Rukia to sit with them for lunch. She had presumed their overly nice demeanor was indeed friendly, and genuine, but she still needed to speak with Ichigo.

"Hey, Rukia? Was it?" A voice said behind her.

Turning, Rukia saw a girl with short black hair, looking serious. Her guard went up, yet she put her acting skills to the test, smiling and tilting her head to the side.

"Why, yes! I am Rukia." She replied. "I don't think we've been introduced yet though. What's your name?"

The girl stared, whether trying to figure her out, or hiding something Rukia couldn't tell. Regardless, there was a time and a place for everything, and this was neither. She needed to remain incognito for her plan to work properly.

"That's Tatsuki." Another voice said, making them both turn to see Ichigo approaching. "She's my oldest friend, so she probably wants to size you-"

Before Ichigo could finish his sentence, a loud bang, followed by a cold feeling washed over them. Rukia ran to the rear of the school, knowing all too well what the feeling was. Ichigo and Tatsuki followed her, feeling it respectively, and quietly following to see if it was true.

When they reached the source of the disturbance, they stopped and saw a lumbering hollow, staring at them. "Ahhh... Fooooooooodddd!!!!" The hollow bellowed, as it reached for them.

Rukia, for the first time in her life, felt the helplessness wash over her, and froze. This was bad, and she couldn't risk Ichigo yet. She still needed him for her plan to work.

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Nanashi descended from the top of the school, and swung his Zanpakuto down. The blade embedded itself into the hollow's arm, drawing blood, and a scream from the tall beast. As Nanashi withdrew Kaosu no Kage from the wrist of the hollow, he felt a presence behind him, watching his every move.

Nanashi turned and saw the trio of students, eyes wide with shock at the spectacle. He looked closer, and realized that it was Ichigo, Rukia, and the girl he met last night, Tatsuki.

Fully removing his Zanpakuto from the hollow, Nanashi spoke, "Oh, hey. How's it going?"

The hollow roared, and disappeared from sight, licking it's wounds. Nanashi relaxed, relieved that nothing more serious had happened, and placed his Zanpakuto onto his back, but held onto the handle. Slowly, a deep violet light engulfed the blade, shining brilliantly. As quickly as the light appeared, it vanished, leaving behind Kaosu no Kage's sheath.

"Nanashi, was it?" Rukia spoke.

"Yeah, that's me." Nanashi replied.

Rukia took a cautious step forward, keeping her eyes locked on Nanashi. She tried to hide it, but something about him stuck with her. Almost a familiarity with the reiatsu that he emanated. Keeping her composure, she stopped in front of him.

"Thank you. I wasn't sure what I would have done if you hadn't been here." Rukia said, bowing. "I'm sure once I return to the seireitei, my brother will have a reward or-"

Rukia stopped talking when she felt a hand grab her face, and lift her from her bow. Annoyed, she growled, and looked at Nanashi.

"I didn't save you because I want a reward." Nanashi spoke.

Rukia felt her face getting hot, and calmed down once hearing his voice. She squirmed, unsure if this stranger was a threat. Taking a deep breath, and closing her eyes, she found her composure.

"I saved you because you're a defenseless, midget Shinigami." Nanashi teased.

A fist exploded out from Rukia, landing in Nanashi's stomach, making him double over. Rukia, her annoyance again peaking, stomped back to Ichigo and Tatsuki, while Nanashi wheezed on the ground.

"I'm assuming you both saw that, so allow me to explain." Rukia calmly stated. "I'm what's called a Shinigami. I'm charged with maintaining the balance of souls too and from the afterlife. This man here, seems to be a Shinigami as well, yet there is no record of another on in this town besides me. Ichigo, you have my powers, and you must train yourself to govern the souls of the dearly departed. Tatsuki, you're spiritually aware, and thus a target for the monster that the old man over their fought."

Nanashi rose, his stomach sore, but his breath caught. "That's why you can see me, and you probably felt the big guy."

Ichigo and Tatsuki simply stood still, eyes wide upon hearing all of that. It was a lot to take in, Nanashi had to admit, but it was the best way to tell them. Like popping your shoulder back in when it dislocates, you sometimes just have to grit your teeth, and brute force your arm back in place.

Tatsuki was the first to speak, "You're telling me that last night... Was all real? I wasn't dreaming?"

Ichigo looked at Tatsuki, and his eyes widened even more. His thoughts raced about, and his worry rose even more.

"I'm afraid so. We had a lovely chat though, wouldn't you agree?" Nanashi replied. "We've agreed to help you defend yourself, and those around you. If you're interested." Nanashi added.

"No way. How can you just come here, and make all these kinds of demands?!" Ichigo shouted. "You're asking me to give up everything to govern the lost souls?!"

"No, not at all. You can maintain your normal life for the most part. We just want to offer out help to Tatsuki, and train you for the inevitable." Rukia replied.

Nanashi felt it before anyone saw it. The cold tingle of negative reiatsu. Grabbing his Zanpakuto, the sheath dissipated away, exposing his blade. "Rukia. You may want to try that glove Kisuke gave you."

Already donning the glove, Rukia turned toward Ichigo. "Way ahead of you."

The hollow tore through space, emerging again to finish what he'd started. Nanashi readied his blade, and waited for the beast to swing at him. The hollow roared, making Tatsuki and Ichigo cover their ears.

"Well then, come on!!" Nanashi shouted, leaping into the fray of combat, all over again.

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On the roof of the school, a shadowed figure stood alone. The shine from his glasses was brilliantly white, as he observed the event unfolding below him.

"I guess things are going to get interesting." The figure spoke.

The man adjusted his glasses, and continued to observe the unfolding battle below. He took note of the ones involved, and once satisfied, turned away.

"Here I was thinking this would be a boring year."

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Chapter 2 down,

Sorry for the long upload time, was traveling for work.

Let me know what you guys think