2- School

So here's the second chapter. I only just realized how short I used to write my chapters…wow…

. . .

"Class, this is Kuchiki Yuki. Kuchiki-san, would you like to tell us a bit about yourself?" I nod and look at the class. Here goes nothing. I have to act like a shy kid. All I really have to do is remember my first day in the academy. I was the youngest in my class because I'd been advanced from my age group.

"K-Kuchiki Yuki…I-I transferred here from Osaka…um…" I avert my eyes childishly and know that if my grandfather saw me acting like this he'd be turning in his grave and planning to scold me for acting less than my station. At least I'm better off now than I was when I started in the academy. Back then it took all of my willpower to just walk into the room and keep my head up like a noble should.

"Aren't you a bit young to be in this class?" Internally, I rant and rave about how I've lived probably twenty of that kid's years, but outside, I let it slide as I seriously look like an eleven year old. I'm also used to being messed with about the difference in my actual age and my appearance. It's not my fault I've never aged normally for a soul!

"Kuchiki-san was transferred from her sixth grade class to ninth grade this previous term. Kuchiki-san, there's an empty seat beside Kurosaki." I nod and take my book bag to the desk. I sit down and glance around.

"Wow…look at that, Hime, she's almost as big as you are." A redhead with glasses comments and I sigh.

"Really?" I examine the small group of girls. The redhead, a girl with long brown hair—and large breasts—and a girl with short black hair.

"Hey, don't stare, Chizuru. I'll bet she won't be interested in you." I look at my desk and start doodling in my notebook. This is going to be a long day. I can just tell.

. . .

"Um…Kuchiki-san, would you like to eat lunch with us?" I look up from pulling out my lunch. Ah, the girls from earlier. The one who just invited me to lunch is I believe the one referred to by 'Chizuru' as 'Hime'. But just to be sure—and so as not to embarrass them by letting them know I heard them talking about me before—I decide to ask their names.

"Um sure…" She smiles brightly.

"Inoue Orihime." The one with black hair grins.

"I'm Tatsuki." I look at the one with glasses and she abruptly gets in my face, her hands on my breasts. I blink in shock.

"I'm Chizuru…! Shall I comfort you in your-?" I shove her back, my face heating. She actually flies across the room and I sigh.

"Looks like I overdid it…" I look at Tatsuki and Inoue-san. "Nice to meet you."

"Come on!" Inoue-san pulls me out of the classroom and outside. The three of us sit down under a tree and open our lunches. "What did you bring for lunch, Kuchiki-san?" I grin.

"Let's see…I've got umeboshi filled fried dango, salmon basted in honey and wasabi over sweet rice mixed with sweet bean paste." Tatsuki grimaces a little. "What about you, Inoue-san?"

"Me? Just ramen with leeks, wasabi, honey, and umeboshi filled biscuits!"

"Sounds delicious! Can I try some?" She nods.

"Only if you let me try some of yours!" I nod in agreement and we trade lunches. Tatsuki clears her throat a little.

"So…you're from Osaka, right?" I nod, taking a quick bite from Inoue-san's lunch before trading with her again.

"That's really good. And yes. But I have a horrible memory, so don't ask me anything."

"It makes sense that you're from there. Your accent is pretty obvious." I frown a little.

"That's the second time someone's said something about my accent. I've never noticed it before." I mean, a lot of the captains have pointed out that even when I'm talking politely I sound more like a ruffian from the Rukongai than the noble eldest daughter of the Kuchiki clan. Tatsuki laughs a little in response.

"Do you miss your family?" Inoue-san asks lightly and I nod.

"Yes." I miss them more than anything. But I've missed my brother for nearly forty years…since he's become the head of our family and all.

"Why did you transfer here? It's a long way from Osaka." I pause. What was the story again?

"Um…" Oh yea. "None of the middle schools would accept the fact that I was getting bumped up so many grades, so my mom paid for me to get enrolled here and stay with the Kurosaki family." Tatsuki's eyes go wide.

"You're staying with Kurosaki?" I nod a little.

"Yea. What's wrong with that?" She shakes her head a little.

"Nothing. But, you know what happened right?" Could she be talking about Masaki-dono's death?

"What happened?" Better to act as though I don't know. These girls don't have much of a spiritual sense from what I can tell, but if I slip up, they'll suspect something is off.

"Well, how long have you been in town?"

"I just arrived last night."

"So you haven't noticed anything?" I sigh. I've noticed the fact that Masaki-dono and Kurosaki-dono produced children with very high spiritual energy, but other than that nothing.

"No." I'm sure that Tatsuki is talking about Masaki-dono's death.

"Oh. Okay. Just be warned, okay. Ichigo's mom died a couple of years ago. The whole family is still pretty broken up about it." I nod.

"I know what it's like. My father died a while back too." Oh crap. I just slipped up. No. I only mentioned Father, so that's not so bad. If I'd made the mistake of mentioning that Mother was dead as well, that would tip them off since the story is that my mother paid for me to come here.

"Do you have any siblings?" Inoue-san asks lightly. Great…I'm about to have to say that Rukia is older than I am…and Byakuya too. Damn looking like a kid despite being the oldest!

"Yea. An older brother and sister." They light up at that.

"Really? Do you think they'll come to visit you?" I shake my head a little.

"Definitely not my brother. He's really busy with work and things back home. He probably barely notices that I'm gone." That's mostly true.

"And your sister?" I shrug.

"I'm not sure. She may, but that depends on if she isn't busy." Also mostly true. Though the only reason for Rukia to come to the human world would be to either relieve me of this mission or notify me that this is no longer needed.

"Is she older than you too?" And there it is. I've just got to stay calm and handle myself properly so as not to make them suspect anything strange.

"Not really…" I mean seriously. I may only look eleven, but I'm a hundred and fifty years older than Rukia!

"So, did you leave any friends behind?" I nod slowly, thinking of the other vice-captains and a few of the captains—like Hitsugaya and Kenpachi. And definitely the members of the only squad that fight mostly for the fun of it, the Eleventh division.

"Hey, do you know any martial arts?" I nod a little.

"Yep." Tatsuki grins.

"Cool! You want to come with me to the karate club later?" I nod again. That sounds fun.

"Sure, Tatsuki-san."

"Great." Inoue-san frowns.

"If we're going to be friends, you should use 'chan' instead of 'san', Kuchiki-san." I laugh a little.

"What about you, Inoue-san?" She blushes.

"Well um…" I sigh.

"Don't worry about it." We finish eating and head back to class.

. . .

After school, I go with Tatsuki to her karate club meeting. It's a right warm welcome and everyone seems really nice from the start.

"Okay, why don't you show us what you know, Kuchiki-san?" I nod and face Tatsuki. I'm used to fighting with a sword, but occasionally I'll fight hand to hand. She grins and I return that. With the instructor's raised hand, we start.

. . .

"I'm home!" Ichigo comes in and I sigh. I've been here for a year now, and yet I still haven't quite gotten used to the currently impending situation. I try to ignore it as Kurosaki-dono kicks Ichigo in the head the moment he walks in.

"You're late!" I sigh and shake my head a little.

"Nii-chan!" Yuzu gasps.

"You delinquent! Dinner in this house is at seven o'clock sharp!" Here we go again. It's like this every day.

"What? Is that any way to treat your son? Especially when he just risked his life to help a ghost pass over!" Another one? They've been bothering him a lot recently. I hope not because I've been around.

"I don't care what your excuse is! Anyone who disturbs the peace in this house…!" I sigh tiredly and stand up. This is getting really old.

"Will both of you just shut up? Dinner's getting cold! And Yuzu-chan spent a lot of time cooking! So shut up and sit down!" They ignore me; too busy trying to kill each other to pay attention to anything else. I walk over and jump into the middle, pinning Ichigo's arms between my ankles and Kurosaki-dono's arms with my hands. "Stop this idiocy and eat!" I release them and they both stare at me in surprise. This is the first time I've actually broken down and stopped their fighting.

"Ichi-nii, you've got a new one on you." Karin comments and I look at Ichigo. There's a ghost floating around behind him. I touch my forehead a little. They're getting really out of hand.

"Ichigo…want some help?" He frowns a little.

"How can you help?" I point at the ghost.

"One hundred thirteen." He disappears and I head for the stairs.

"How did you…?" I look at him over my shoulder.

"Wouldn't you like to know? I'm going to bed early. I'm not hungry anymore."

"Are you sure, Yuki-san?" I nod and go to my room. I sense another Shinigami enter this world and go to my window.

"Rukia-chan…? They sent her here…either to relieve me or to notify my of the mission's end." I sigh and touch the window pane. "So I get to go home soon…as soon as she finds me and relays the new orders to me." A shame…since I've already somehow become attached to this world.