): Very few people reviewed…Izzy was sad…but, she got story alerts, so that made up for it! –dances- I thought I'd put up a chapter a little early as a 29th February present (even though it's already March for me), and I got it finished early this week. (SPOILER) Also in celebration of Spoonhead getting his ass kicked by that sexy monster, Kenpachi.

Disclaimer: It's next on my list, right after a cure for cancer and the common cold, and world domination. I mean, if I'm an evil dictator, Kubo Tite is obviously gonna write for me.


It was four years later that I found out that Nemu could see spirits too. By the time I was eight, I could differentiate between the normal ghosts that I saw everyday (and usually around my grandfather's house, since he did own a clinic and some people did die there), those monster things (which I learned to stay well clear of) and shinigami. The latter were a very rare occurrence, and I hadn't seen Ran-nee-chan or her Taichou since that incident.

With Nemu, it was with a little girl ghost who kept on wandering around our house, crying for her brother. I tried to get her to move on, but it was hard to talk to her without my dad hearing and then make myself seem like a crazy person. I mean, it's not like my dad could see ghosts. That would have been ridiculous.

But, yeah. Nemu was over one day because her parents were at a conference in Tokyo (they're both very skilful doctors), and she wasn't talking to Kenpachi at that point (lovers spat, I still argue.), so our house was the only option.

My dad dotes on Nemu whenever she's over. Apparently, she's his second daughter. I had jealousy issues when he first proclaimed this. I was only seven, and you know how seven year olds get when they're jealous. Like two year olds, except to a lighter degree.

Anyway. My dad was out getting the pizza for our dinner, and I was watching television when Nemu started screaming blue murder from the kitchen, so I rushed out there, only to find her standing on the table, pointing a spoon at the translucent ghost girl who had tears streaming down her face.

I couldn't stop laughing, even five minutes later. I mean, come on! Think of the scene. Nemu, with her wavy dark hair, her round 'moe-character' glasses, brandishing a spoon like it could seriously hurt someone, while this poor little brunette of a five year old quivers in fear behind a chair. Even when I bring it up now, she just hits me and blushes in embarrassment.

It took me a while to explain it to her. Mainly because, I didn't really know much myself. I had tried, believe me. I googled shinigami, I went to specialist shops, I searched eBay from top to bottom for books on them…nothing.

It seems like whatever memory erasing technique they have works .All I knew was that she had the same gift as me, and that she could tell no one about it, because normal people weren't supposed to know.

"Hisa-chan…how long have you known? That you were able to see ghosts, I mean…" Nemu asked me as we sat in the kitchen, the ghost girl having gone to try to find her brother once again. My dad still wasn't back yet, and I was grateful. It was a huge relief to find someone who had the same abilities as me. Much less in my own best friend.

"Since I was six…I was told not to tell anyone, because no one is supposed to know…I'm sorry I didn't tell you," I explained, hoping she would forgive me. She smiled and shook her head, and I was once again glad that she was born to her mother, the kind and understanding person that she is. We stayed up late that night, and I told her about every encounter with ghost, monster and shinigami. It brought us closer together.

Kenpachi, on the other hand, finding out he was spiritually aware was a much more terrifying experience.

We were fourteen. Only two years ago. My hair was once again boy length, due to another bout of rebelliousness (blame my mother, she apparently never followed the rules…or was it my dad? You know what? It was probably both of them…). Nemu was starting to grow her manslayers that would put her mother and Ran-nee-chan to shame. Kenpachi refused to hang out with us because we were too girly, but it was really because he was scared of Nemu's chest. Well. That's what I think anyway.

That summer was especially hot, with me and Nemu refusing to leave my room with its amazing air conditioning and that mini-fridge I got from my dad for getting into the same high school as him.

Well, we refused until my dad kicked us out, being serious for once, because he had work to do and we were being noisy. I've never been interested in what he does, but what do I know is that it involves a lot of paperwork.

Once again, Nemu's parents were at a conference, and there was only one place left to go. Kenpachi's house. Great thing about his house is, well…it's huge. His mother gets a lot of money for teaching people, making appearances on TV shows and stuff, and she obviously reaps the benefits. But, unlike loads of other rich people, she so down to earth she's underground. She's the coolest person I know, and I'm not just saying that because she can kick my ass at anything.

So, we pounded on Kenpachi's door for about five minutes before his mum came to the front door, her hair defying gravity, and glaring at us with sleep deprived eyes. It was only then that we remembered she had only come back from endless photo shoots in Tokyo.

And that she had once been Vale Tudo champion and was now a mother/housewife/model/personal trainer for the stars/zombie extraordinaire who could and would kill us if she turned up the glare-o-meter to 'looks can kill'.

"Kenpachi Arisawa-Abarai is out playing soccer and if you two would be so nice as to not visit me until I have regained that essential thing called sleep that I haven't had for sixty hours, I'd be very happy," she monotoned (in a single breath, might I add) before she slammed the door in our faces, and to be honest, I'm glad she did. Otherwise, I might be one of those ghosts that I had been seeing for the past eight years of my short life. And she only used our full names when she was really pissed off.

It took us a while to find Kenpachi. And when we did, he told us to go away and stop annoying him. Solely because of him, from the age of thirteen I refused any boy that asked me out, thinking that they would end up like him and be inconsistent, liking me one minute then declaring me girly, annoying and telling me to leave him alone as soon as his friends were around. KENPACHI, YOU'VE TAKEN AWAY THREE YEARS OF MY LOVE LIFE, SO TO MAKE UP FOR IT, ASK NEM-CHAN OUT ALREADY!

Sorry about that little bout of insanity. Of course, being the stubborn person that I am (I once again, blame my parents. My father won't listen to anybody once he's made up his mind, and I've heard my grandfather comment to Yuzu-nee-chan that I'm as stubborn as Rukia-chan. Okaa-san must have been really stubborn to counteract with my dad), I forced the unwilling Nemu to stay and annoy Kenpachi. Because, you know, if he says we're annoying and girly, then we'll be annoying and girly.

"Fight, Ken-chaaaaan!" The scowl on his face amused me greatly as he kicked the ball towards the goal and missed. Nemu was blushing embarrassedly, nibbling on her nails and it was easy for me to take advantage. "If you win, Nem-chan will give you a biiiiiiiiiig kiss!" I had to double dodge, as flying footballs and flying Nemu Ishida's were a very dangerous combination.

I thought it was even funnier that they both shouted at me to shut up at the same time and in the same tone. I really did get tackled by Nemu after that, and Kenpachi helped her torture- I mean tickle me until I swore that I wouldn't tease them ever again.

They didn't see that I had my fingers crossed. That promise was void and neither of them knew it. And with both of them sitting on me, I didn't notice the spirit monster that had dropped from the sky until it was roaring loudly at us. I just groaned.

"Hisa-chan, what do we do?!" Nemu asked as she pushed Kenpachi off me and helped me to my feet. She'd never actually experienced one of the monsters before, just heard about them from me, but she could easily identify one if need be.

The mask was all it took. She was shocked, but not as shocked as I was when Kenpachi screamed what I had been about to tell him to do.

"Run!" He had taken us both by the arm and was dragging us away from the monster that seemed to have the idea in his head that we would be particularly tasty souls to have for lunch.

Or so it was yelling at us as we stumbled away from the playing field, away from our friends, and into the abandoned fields of overgrown grass and weeds. To be honest, I still have no idea what Kenpachi was thinking. Okay, yes, we were getting our friends out of danger. But we were putting ourselves in even more danger.

The atmosphere was getting heavy again. Nemu was already on her knees, breathing heavily, and Kenpachi was drenched in sweat, his legs buckling. I seemed to be the only one who could even stand properly.

The masked monster was coming towards us, taking great pleasure in our distress and inability to escape. My eyes were flying about, searching the area for any hint of any shinigami. They were the only ones who could save us.

"Ken-chan…don't even bother trying to stand up…we don't have enough spirit power…" He wouldn't listen. After dropping like Nemu had, he was still struggling to get up. Stubborn bastard. He should have just listened to me, or I wouldn't have gotten covered in blood.

Don't misunderstand. I didn't get hurt. No, he just had to provoke the monster. He called it a freak, telling it to leave us alone and go back to wherever the hell it came from. I had to throw myself in front of Kenpachi to stop it from hitting him.

That's when I got covered in blood. From the orange and blue flashes that tore the monster into tiny pieces. I don't know what they were. But, I can tell you this. There was just one orange flash, going around the place and the blue flashes looked like arrows. Nemu doesn't even remember because she was so affected by the monster. But, it was gone. And so was the feeling of 'Oh god, I'm about to die'.

"What…was that thing?" Kenpachi asked, shakily getting to his feet, extending a hand to Nemu who just leaned on him to keep herself upright. I pursed my lips and frowned, staring at him. "What's spirit power? Hisana, answer me," he demanded, his face going red as Nemu was practically draping herself over him.

Such a faker. Okay, maybe she wasn't, but, it's fun to point out how it was obvious that he was uncomfortable with her boobs against his arm.

"I don't know what those monsters are called, but only people with spirit power can see and be affected by them. I don't know why, but spirit power in my experience is just random, few people have it, most people don't." I don't think he understood, but he acted like he did.

"Ah…what's that?" he asked, nodding to behind me. I turned to see one of the shining blue arrows stuck in the ground, pinning a small bit of paper to the earth. It must have been sent there on purpose, because it was addressed to us. Someone who knew who we were, because the message read this.

Nemu, Kenpachi, Hisana.

We do not know when you gained the power to see Ghosts, Hollows and Shinigami, but please keep it to yourselves. Living people are not meant to see them, but we can understand why you three can. We had hoped you would not have to deal with it while you were alive, though. We will try to prevent any more Hollows from attacking you, but we may not always be there, and you may have to awaken your true power before your time. Please try to not do this. There are many in this town that are willing and will always try to protect you three. You are our future.

Live safely.

The Last Quincy, Mistress of the Six Flowers of the Hibiscus Shield

After that, we became obsessed with Quincy's and Hibiscus flowers. Nothing we could find ever gave those two away, though.


Word Count – 2,116

Boring prologue chapters are over, the proper story starts in the next chapter!

Preview: Before we could even answer he closed his fan and pointed to me. "Orange hair, violet eyes, flat chest, insanely short, the classic Kurosaki/Kuchiki scowl! Kurosaki Hisana-san, it's a pleasure to meet you!"