Tmp, tmp, tmp, tmp. I halt in mid-skip, my left foot raised in the air. The sound stops. I put my foot down slowly, and step cautiously out of the spotlight of the street lamp above my head. I look back down the street, but there is nothing, only the dark sky and shadows of houses and trees trembling in the breeze.

At the count of three, I spin around and start walking quickly. My footsteps echo loudly on the cement, and my shadow stretches long under the glow of the lights above. I can't skip anymore, unable to shake the feeling that someone, or something, was nearby.

Perhaps I had supressed my reliatsu for so long that I had gotten so out of practice that I couldn't even detect monsters properly anymore.

I supress a shudder, and turned to my old let's-stop-being-a-fraidy-cat-technique. I jutt out my chin and puffed out my chest. I had used it ever since I was five, and it worked every time.

"Oh well!" I yell, to no one in particular, as I continued walking home. I roll my feet onto my tippy-toes and stretch my arms out, indigo box still in my hand. There was no rattling sound, the hair ornament Urahara asked for cushioned firmly inside.

The old man had better pay me back later. 'If he doesn't', I think with a grin, then this would just be my gift to Nee-san instead. Apparently he had some big plans with Nee-chan next week, which is when they will be going back to Soul Society for yet another visit—I had lost track of how many times they've visited after they'd been cleared. Well, technically I was cleared too, but just…on vacation somewhere. This is one of Urahara's suprises for Nee-chan, but, well, I could surprise her too if he makes me pay for it.

'Why do I need to go?'

Urahara touches the rim of his straw hat, 'You know her the best.'

'Not really, I mean, you knew her before I was born. And it's your gift to Nee-chan, She'd like whatever you give her.'

Urahara bursts into laughter, 'You know that's not true.' He is referring to the last time he made her a castle using canned tuna, and Nee-chan had punched him in the face, asking him if he wanted her to die with bad breadth by eating canned food. Although, he did appear at dinner with a wide smile while sporting a purple fist print, so she probably thanked him later anyways. He fiddles with his so-called walking stick, 'I am very busy, Tato-chan. You'd know what she'd like.'

'You would too,' I tilt my head, he was being more evasive than usual, 'And...you're going in a week. Why do you need it today?'

'W-well, just, um, just because.'

Well, if he was going to be weird with it...I won't say yes until I know what he's up to.

'I want to go for a walk!' Yokoso pipes up suddenly, and I start. Urahara laughs.

' Shut up, you're not a pet.' I stand up grudgingly, and walk out of the room, throwing one last glance in Urahara's direction.

Lost in thought, I stumble over the ridge in between two squares of the sidewalk and let out an involuntary squeak as a sudden wave of reliatsu hits me. My knees meet the cement and I catch myself with one hand, the other holding the gift box to my chest. I close my eyes, picturing a lilly closing back into a bulb, reigning in my reliatsu, letting it flow through me steadily to withstand the reliatsu but not let myself be detected.

I stand up and dust myself off, and nearly drop the indigo box and therefore die. Not that I am scared of Urahara or anything, but he takes things that happen to Nee-chan or her things (future thing) more seriously than anyone would imagine.

I start when the blanket of reliatsu lightens suddenly. Dammit, what the heck? I frown. Reliatsu fading as quickly as it appears is not normally a good thing. Though the thought of breaking my streak of lying low is unpleasant, if someone got seriously hurt from it-

The breeze blows on the back of my neck again. Perhaps it was just a false alarm. I shrug and mutter to myself, "Probably just some random Shinigamis patrolling. Stop being so paranoid, dammit, and go home already."

An uneasy feeling settles in my stomach and grows heavy with each step I take. I glare at the box with the hair ornament in my hand. "Bothersome thing," I sigh and stuff it into my pant pocket, "You'll be safe here."

I exhale and quicken my pace. I close my eyes and shout, "It's way too quiet here, even with Shinigamis patrolling. Come on, crazy neighbours, make some noise. Bang those pots and pans and set-off those fire crackers like it is New Years!" I step purposefully onto the road where there are no vehicles (because well, I'm not that stupid) and twirl and twirl around with my arms out, "I shall achieve uniform circular motion one day, mark my words. Look at me, I'm not worried. Well, if tonight was cloudy, I'd be worried about hollows and stuff but tonight's not cloudy, right moon? Tonight's not-"

I tilt my head up, open one eye, and freeze.

Well, shit.

Where the flip did the moon go? It's not cloudy, it's worse. It's foggy. I blink my eyes a few times in disbelief. Okay, then. I wouldn't have noticed if not for the bright glow of the moon, illuminating it's nearby surroundings, revealing the thin foggy wisps of condensed water particles around it. So much for another boring day. Thanks a lot to whomever made it foggy. 'Technically it was the moon's fault,' I thought to myself, 'I wouldn't have noticed at all if I hadn't been staring up at the sky so intently.'

'So technically it's you're fault then, isn't it?' Yokoso quips, ducking into my head.

'Oh be quiet, you know what I mean,' I quip back, but she is gone again.

I let out another sigh. First the sudden spiritual pressure, now the foggy surroundings. Normally I'd transform into a cat and get the heck out of here, but then I'd be yelled at by Urahara for carrying Nee-san's present in my mouth.

I could go and check it out, just in case, but if anyone saw me

...Even if everyone else was ready, I still am not ready to see everyone else again. Not yet, anyways.

Maybe I should go home.

I shake my head. If a shinigami died tonight, because I had turned a blind eye-well, technically shinigamis can't die, they already did. But still. It would feel the same. Someone they loved will still miss them greatly. Someone they love...

"Oh well, I'll just walk around a bit more then; that won't hurt, right moon?"

'The moon cannot talk.' Yokoso is back.

' I. Don't. Care. At least the moon is better company than you.' Yokoso chuckles and exists.

'It's your funeral.'

There is a sudden wave of new spiritual pressure, and the one from before is back, but very faint. They are so imbalanced that it makes the hair on the back of my neck stand up.

What is going on?!

I quicken my step and head towards the scene, albeit reluctantly, and am met with a tall Hollow with a pointy nose-Menos Grande-firing ceros blindly at a shinigami...with a...

Wait, what?

Is that a red pineapple head?! Wow, shinigamis dress strangely these days... The shinigami looked strangely pale, and he swung his sword in mid-arc, almost too slow to parry it away. The next one he is able to dodge, but trips, falling on his butt. My eyes widen with horror when I see the faint puncture mark on his collarbone. Poison.

'You'll need to get him to Urahara immediately.'

'Yes, I know! The problem is, what am I gonna do about the Menos Grande?'

' It's obvious. C'mon, you know I need the practice. And it's been forever.'

'But didn't you say-'

'You'll be okay. A few swings of me won't kill you. Just don't use shikai.'

The Menos Grande opens it's mouth again and I strip out of my gigai. Drawing Yokoso, I flashtep behind the Menos, piercing its back neatly, carving the number one into its back. Its body cleaves into two, and a gate closes. The Menos is gone.

I walk over to the fallen red-pineapple-head shinigami and peer at him closely. His face is pale, but he is also breathing, which isn't so bad. I nudge his side with one foot, and hear a grunt. Reaching into my deep pockets, I take out a small packet of powder and dump it onto the puncture mark on his neck. The powder is something Urahara had invented, for weird but common cases such as these. They are usually self-administered, but, well, whatever.

He is not going to die, stupid.

I stuff the empty packet into my pocket and take a breadth, trying to steady my trembling hands. I give myself a pat on the back and shout to the world (though no one can hear me), "That should stop the poison from spreading for a bit! Time to get pineapple dude back to Urahara's! Level up for me for fighting Shinigami style!" I prepare to step back into my gigai and hoist the dude up, when an incredulous voice cuts through my moment of pride.

"Wait, you're a Shinigami?"

I whirl around and find myself face to face with a orange-haired guy wearing a black-why?! I thought I was done meeting Shinigami's for today? I narrow my eyes warily, "When did you get here, and are there any more of you?"

The orange-haired Shinigami nodded, "One more, but she's at home with Yuzu right now..."

'Who's Yuzu?'

'Yokoso, now is so not the time!'

"Good." I think of my goal, of hiding, of never having anyone find out, and find my resolve. I whip out my zanpakuto, sheathed and all (I didn't want to kill the poor guy), and swing it at his head, preparing to knock him out. Klang, his own zanpakuto blocks mine-Holy mother of god, his zanpakuto is huge! I pivot on my left foot and swing Yokoso like a baseball bat, but somehow this shinigami blocks every strike. Darn it. I momentarily consider going into Shikai form, but this shinigami didn't do anything wrong.

'And you don't want to die,' Yokoso adds.

His next words make me regret not going into Shikai form.

'So you do want to die? What is wrong with my mistress?'

"Why. Are. You. Doing. This?!" he yells between every time our swords meet, "We. Are. Both. Shinigamis. Aren't. We?"

I give his zanpakuto a hard smash and my sheath around my zanpakuto cracks cleanly into two, and falls off. I had been hoping for a clean, no-blood-spilt fight, that was going to end with him knocked out and me far away, with no trace whatsoever. "Darn you, orange weirdo; you're suppose to be knocked out by now!"

An anger vein pops, "Weirdo? You're the weirdo, bashing people's heads the first time you meet them!" retorts the orange haired shinigami as he swipes back at me with his zanpakuto, 'What's wrong with orange, anyways?!"

I block his strike and mentally give myself a shake. Tatomi you idiot, Get a grip! At this rate you're going to let go ofl your reliatsu fighting him and then how in the world are you going to be able to get home and keep your existence low key? I block his next strike and fly up into midair using my Shihoine cloak. Sorry weirdo, but I need to end this fast- then I froze. The orange-haired Shinigami whips out a Shihoine cloak himself, and flies into midair too. I stood, frozen with suprise as he whipped his sword at me, anticipating an attack. The surprise and confusion in his eyes mirrored mine when he realized I wasn't blocking it.

Klang.

A green striped hat almost smashes my face and unfreezes me. I duck, and see that crazy grin of-"Urahara Kisuke, what're you doing here?" the Shinigami and I yell in unison. Then we turn to each other, "Wait, you know this crazy old man?!"

Urahara sheaths Benihime and gives us his signature salesman smile, "Can't let dear Yoruichi's present get ruined, can I?"

'Stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid Urahara,' I mutter and clench my fist tighter and tighter, eyeing the annoying striped hat on his head. We walk down the hall into the living room, Ichigo at the front, Urahara in the middle, and me trailing behind. It is courageous of him to act as a buffer between us, but he should remember that I am angry at him too. If I still had that hair ornament box I would break it right now, just to annoy him. As if he read my thoughts, Urahara turns around cheerfully, "Don't be like that, Tatomi. We have a guest over."

The orange-haired Shinigami's mouth drops open, "W-wait, you're name's Tatomi?"

I don't dignify that with a response. I step in front of Urahara and step sideways, silently resting my full weight on Urahara's right foot, and raise my eyebrow at the Shinigami.

Urahara's sandal breaks with a crack, "No! Those were my favourite, why are you so mean, Tatomi?"

"You say every pair is your favorite," I roll my eyes as Urahara started hopping around while holding his foot, broken sandal forgotten.

"..It's just kinda hard to believe that a violent person like you can have such an innocent name.." says the orange haired shinigami, rubbing his neck.

My eye twitches in annoyance. I am not violent. Not really. The heck when the first time I use my zanpakuto in a while, I am called violent.

"Uh, will Renji be okay?" he asks, glancing back at the door to where the poisoned one was resting as Urahara ends up disappearing first into the living room.

"Renji? Who-" I paused, "Oh, you mean that red pineapple head dude? Yeah, yeah, he'll be fine," Seeing the worried look stay on orange-haired Shinigami's face, I added, "Urahara knows what he's doing, even if he seems like an idiot."

He looks at me funny, "You-Oh, alright then." We enter the main room where Urahara holds uncivilized tea parties and the Shinigami rolls up his sleeve, then sticks out his hand, "I'm Ichigo Kurosaki by the way. Nice to meet you."

Him touching his clothing and reminds me of why I nearly let myself be killed. "Well then, Ichigo Kurosaki," I make to shake his hand, and grab his wrist and pull him into a headlock instead, "Where did you get that Shihoine cloak you're wearing right now?"

He tries to elbow me so I press down slightly on his windpipe, "Well, uh, I-"

"I gave it to him." My eye flickers to the doorway, where Nee-chan is standing, fully clothed, her golden eyes boring into my green ones.

Ichigo uses the distraction to wrench himself out of my grip. "Yoruichi!" says orange-haired-I mean, Ichigo at the same time as I say, "Nee-chan!"

"You're-" Ichigo goggles at me, "You're Yoruichi's sister?"

"Cousin," she corrects.

"But—why haven't I heard of you?!"

I ran up to Yoruichi, ignoring Ichigo's question, "Nee-chan, why did you give it to him? Grandfather said-"

Nee-chan smirks back at me, and says calmly, "To save the shinigami Rukia Kuchiki. Byakuya's sister."

'To save his sister? He has a sister? Do you know what he did to me?!' My thoughts are jumbled up, mixed between betrayal, confusion, and anger. I take a deep breath, trying in vain to steady my suddenly spinning world.

'Of course Nee-chan doesn't know,' Yokoso reminds me, 'You never told anyone, remember?'

Seeing my horrified expression, Ichigo jumps in instantly.

"What's wrong with saving Rukia?! She's a good person, caring, bad at drawing, but an awesome friend-I know she killed Kaien but she apologized, and Kaien was possessed by a hollow and-"

"A good person? An awesome friend?!" the plate I threw misses Ichigo's head by mere inches, "What do you know about the Kuchiki family anyways?! They're all the same!" And then Ichigo's last words caught up to me, "Wait..Kaien's..dead?" My anger vanished. Kaien was one of my best friends...

'And one of the few people whom try to keep you out of trouble,' Yokoso adds. My legs feel numb and Nee-chan wraps an arm around me, and guides me to the floor. Sitting down, the room doesn't spin as much. "Kaien's...dead?"

"We've been gone for a very very long time, Tato-chan. Lots have happened in and out of the Serentei that we didn't know about until now. I would've told you earlier, but it was a long time ago, and more recent matters were on my mind…" I turned my face away, well aware that Ichigo was watching the two of us. Nee-chan sighs and turns to Ichigo, "When I left the Soul Society with Urahara, Tessai, and the others, I took Tatomi along with me. She's been staying incognito for a long time with me," Nee-chan explained.

I bury my face in the crook of my elbow, "Tell him all about me, won't you, Nee-chan."

"But why, why don't you come back to the Soul Society now, Tatomi?" says Ichigo, "You can, you know."

"I know..." I say, my voice muffled, "Nee-chan has offered to go back and pay everyone a visit with me so it's not awkward, but I...I just don't want to." There was a moment of silence as Ichigo's curious stare bore through my arms, at me. I sigh and straighten, staring straight into Ichigo's eyes, suddenly realizing how much he resembled Kaien, "You...really want to know?" Ichigo nods. My eyes blaze, but my anger wasn't directed at Ichigo, it was at someone else far, far away.

" I don't want to go back yet," I paused, "'Because I'm still mad at him. Still mad at...Byakuya Kuchiki."

Thank you for reading! Review?