XX Cold, but I'm Still Here XX

by ember-chan

Ember leads and ordinary boring life. She longs for adventure, but knows nothing will ever happen. That is, until a mysterious transfer student shows up at her school. Yet, for some odd reason, he looks exactly like her favourite Bleach character.HitsuXOC

4. Unexpected Hollows Xx

~Cold but I'm Still Here~
A Bleach fanfic

Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach. Duh. What's the point of me typing these all the time? Does my pen name say "tite kubo"? no, so obviously, I don't own the rights.

Summary: Ember is an ordinary girl, leading an ordinary life. But it was boring, lacking, and downright depressing. Her only high points were when she was watching anime, listening to music, and sleeping-all of which sent her to a better place. She longed for something to happen that would turn her life upside-down, anything to bring her out of her lonely, miserable shell, she longed for adventure. She never thought anything would happen, until one day, a mysterious stranger transferred to her school and turned her life out-of-whack. Yet for some reason, this mysterious stranger was highly reminiscent of her favourite anime character….

~CHAPTER FOUR~

(AMBER MATTAYA)

"n-nani?!?!? What are you doing here?"

I gaped at toushiro who was nonchalantly gazing at me from a tree. He shrugged without uttering a reply. Oh how he pissed me off to no end...him and his stupid, inconsiderate, always calm self. If it was possible, i was starting to hate my favourite anime character.

He smirked as i continued to gape at him. Sure, my mouth agape and eyes popping might be amusing slightly, but why was he here? No, apparently it's not enough that he showed up at my school, but he shows up at my HOUSE too. Is he some sort of stalker? Seriously, he's the only person who's managed to get all the same classes as me to. It was starting to freak me out. I realised i was still frozen to teh spot staring at him like he had a third eye, and he was starting to get weirded out. I guess it was in a wild attempt to break the silence that he spoke up next, "So...do you live around here or something?"

Snapping out of my trance, i nodded and wore my usual icy mask. "yeah...why are you here though? Do you also live around here?" when he nodded, i nearly smacked myself. He moves form japan to a quiet neighbourhood an hour away from his school? Dude....that makes NO sense. I lived an hour away because we obviously couldn't move for the sake of my education, but he had the option of living anywhere he wanted.

"Yeah, i live around here. Otherwise i wouldn't be in a local park now would I?" Oh yeah. That made me feel smart. (note the sarcasm) I looked away to hide the ugly look that was crossing my face. I hated it when people were smarter than me. "well then....I guess we both live here..." i said still unable to properly take in the events that were taking place. He looked at me like i was an idiot...kay, so despite my IQ, yes, i was one.

We remained standing in an awkward silence, neither having anything to say. Out of everything that had happened in a day...alot...this was the craziest thing by far. 'kay so let's see....yup, i'm insane...' "uhh...so how do you like school so far?" he looked at me oddly as i tried to make conversation. Well here we were...might as well make something of it, also I couldn't take the silence anymore. Normally, i preferred the quiet, but he was supposed to be a fictional character, so i needed niose to distract me.

(TOUSHIRO HITSUGAYA)

What would making up a simple white lie help with here? She's just making small talk to break the silence... "Uhh...no, not especially" she smirked at my abrupt honesty. She seemed wary and cautious around me, unlike how she was when she thought she was alone. "Oh...yeah, maybe you'll get used to it. I never did, but whatever..." she drifted off into space, her icy expression spreading to her eyes. I watched with a bit of surprise as her mood seemed to dampen as she recalled memories.

"yeah...i guess I'll adapt, but it doesn't matter even if I don't because I probably won't come back next year." She looked at me surprised for a second before she seemed to understand something, and assumed her usual expression, emotionless. After only knowing her a day, i could tell she was alot like me. Pushing people away, wearing an icy exterior all the time, but secretly suffering. I wasn't sure if she was suffering, but i distinctly saw sadness in her eyes a moment ago. Could she be hiding something under her frozen face like i was?

"I see. Well I hope you do adapt, i know..." She stopped abruptly and snapped her head in the opposite direction. I looked at her with a puzzled expression as she hurredly looked between me, and the forest opposite. "Well I have the sudden feeling that you have to go somewhere, and my dad is probably wondering where I am. Dinner should be soon, uhh. See ya tomorrow at school i guess." And with that, she ran out of the park before i could even nod.

'what in the world was she going on about? She just stopped mid-sentence and fled. What is going on?" Just then i heard it. My eyes widened as i realised what she was talking about, though what scared me more was the fact that she had detected it before me. I heard the loud wail of the hollow again. I knew it would target her humongous spiritual energy, it practically filled the air around her, making this street very vulnerable. Quickly popping a gikon pill and ordering my gigai to return to the house, I sped off in teh direction of the hollow before it could hurt any of the humans.

(AMBER MATTAYA)

I couldn't believe my ears. The yell of a hollow rang through the trees, interrupting my speech. The only problem was, toushiro hadn't reacted so i figured he hadn't realised that a hollow was close by. I was freaking out. First shinigami show up at my school, but now this?!? A freaking hollow! I had to confirm my thoughts, and i hurriedly made up a quick excuse before racing off in the direction of the wails. While i was running, i could've sworn that i heard someone curse, and saw a blur fly over me in the tree branches, but it was gone as fast as it came, and continued running towards where i heard the strange sound. I knew the area like the back of my hand, so i also knew the quickest way to get to it. It seemed to be in the park behind the next complex of townhomes. I ran, but came to a halt when nothing was there. I awkwardly and slowly examined the area. Everything seemed fine, until i saw it. A huge claw mark was carved into teh ground, along with some blood splatterings. I knew that a dog couldn't do that, and i also knew that nobody could bleed that much without ambulances coming and alerting the whole neighbourhood that someone was hurt. I had been outside this whole time, and saw nor heard anything...with teh exception of fictional soul reapers and hollows sent here to eat souls. I wondered absent-mindedly if aizen had betrayed the soul society yet

'damn this is wayyyy too confusing. Don't think about that. It makes your brain hurt idiot. Grr...looks like someone already exterminated the hollow. The bad aura i felt earlier has disappeared. Maybe toushiro...? well he can flash-step faster than i can run so...i suppose he could beat me to it. I wonder what it would be like to fight a hollow?...maybe i should be thankful i didn't make it here on time...i would probably die, i truly am an idiot' shaking my head in dismay, i slowly walked back to my house, it really should be time for dinner soon...

"Stand up girl. Raise your head and look me in teh eye. I have been stuck inside you much too long, realise my name and release me already." Amber was in a frozen ice plain. There was nothing in any direction, the world was iced over. It was also dark. She stood still so that she wouldn't slip on teh ice she was already having difficulty staying steady on. All of a sudden, a small ball of flames appeared a few yards ahead of her. The ball of flames extended, adn grew bigger until they were in the shape of a huge, fiery phoenix the size of a large house.

She drew back in shock slightly, instantly regretting it when she slipped and fell on her back, still staring at the huge creature. Strangely, she didn't sense fear. Yes, there was a huge phoenix of fire in front of her, but she felt an odd similarity with the bird. With the ability to see around her due to teh overwhelming light the phoenix shed, she observed her surroundings. She was wearing a long white dress, odd because she hated dresses and skirts, pretty much anything girly. There were a few jagged ice spikes sticking out of the ground at random places, but other than that, the world was flat.

"Who are you and where are we?" she spoke out in a loud voice. "As for who i am, you will have to find out on your own. Everytime i try to tell you my name, you turn a deaf ear and i am stuck in eternal irritation. We are in your inner world. This place was created from your very soul, and will remain forever. I, who reside in this world, was also born from your soul. I am..." but the phoenixes voice seemed to fade out when she said her name. When Amber looked at the bird like it was crazy, it let out a great roar of annoyance. "Do you see? This is why i can't understand why i reside in a human. You have hearing issues, i am supposed to be in the soul of a great warrior, a soul reaper." Amber forze at these words.

"what? Did you say soul reaper?" "Hai" amber was taken aback by the sudden Japanese, but got over it as she listened to the great phoenix. "You are a very unusual human, in fact, i don't really think you can be classified as a human. You are your own breed. I am the soul of a zanpukutoh, to be more specific, your zanpukutoh. The only problem is, humans can't wield zanpukutohs which is why i am sentenced to live on this plain forever in your soul. I have been with you your whole life. I can hear your thoughts, and see inside your head. We share the same heart and personality traits."

Amber slowly took this all in, not having any shock at all. For some strange reason, this all seemed so natural to her. "Pheonix, i will hear your name, and i will release you as my zanpukutoh. I will aspire to become a soul reaper, despite my mortal limits. Please, visit my dreams more and help to guide me on the path that is fate!" the phoenix smiled fondly at the girl and replied, "i am there always, you just needed something to help you realise it. I will try once again. My name is Koorih..." and with that, amber snapped awake, breathing heavy and sweating, her sheets tangled around her is a scattered web.

All the way to school, i blocked out the music that blared through my headphones and thought about the weird things that happened the day before. As freaked out as i was, i hoped to god that it wasn't all a dream. First, HE shows up, then I start feeling auras around people, then he shows up near my house, thennn i hear a hollow, and finally, the weird dream with that phoenix. I know i was sleeping when i dreamt that, but it just felt so....real. As i walked into french, i feared that there was no toushiro hitsugaya registered at the school, and that i had simply imagined the whole thing. Luckily, he walked in 2 minutes before class started, and took his seat beside me without exchanging eye contact. We actually didn't have assigned seats, so he could sit wherever he wanted, but anyone else would probably scream in terror at close proximity with him so...as lovely as that would be, that pretty much summed up why he sat beside me.

French flew by, as did science. We only had an hour long English period until lunch. Toushiro and I seemed to have reached a silent agreement. For all of our classes, he followed me and sat beside me without exchanging a word, or a glance for that matter. It was in English that the morning went haywire. I was once again playing tetris on my sidebar when i heard teh second howl. 'a-a hollow? Here?!?!? Damn!! Aww man, its one thing to see a hollow at the park, but at school! How is toushiro going to leave class to fight the hollow and, wait! He hasn't even looked up from his screen! He hasn't noticed! Oh my soul, a hollow is about to attack the school and i'm the only one who knows. As much as i'd like to tell him so he can go deal with it, i'm not supposed to know about soul reapers! And i still don't know if he is one!...i am sooooo going to regret this later, but...' i rose my hand and ms,green acknowledged me. "May I go to teh bathroom?" she waved me off and i slyly closed the classroom door before breaking out into a sprint and heading to the large soccer fields on the side of the school by the forest.

I skidded to the stop when i reached my location about a minute later. I was proud to say that i was the fastest girl in my grade. 3 time annual track and field team winner for the 200-meter sprint, but that didn't matter now. What mattered was the fact that i was now face-to-face with a huge, spider-like hollow, looming over me with a hungry look in it's eyes. "I didn't think it would be so easy to find you, my dear human. But the again, i guess you found me." I was FREAKING out. Apparently, hollows did exist. Apparently, they were after me. And apparently, i purposely ran right into an especially dangerous one. '...shit'

The hollow lunged for me, and before i knew what had happened, i lept out of the way, doing a few sommersaults before landing in a kneeling position, facing the hungry hollow. It looks like this thing is pissed. I really didn't want to have to deal with a pissed hollow.

(TOUSHIRO HITSUGAYA)

Amber went rigged. I saw immediate panic enter her eyes as she snapped her head to the window before asking to go to the bathroom and leaving the classroom. Usually going to the bathroom didn't involve so much panic, but....whatever. Who was I to question her? She put up with me all day and i hadn't done a thing for her. Well, excluding that hollow last night, but she didn't know about that...did she? I don't know, sometimes i got the vibe that she knew more than she let on. She had been gone for more than 3 minutes when i really started to wonder where she went. All of a sudden, I heard a mighty roar of a hollow coming form teh soccer fields at the side of the school. Of course, they weren't in use as it was teh dead of winter...but...My eyes widened in fear as i realised something important. 'if she can see hollows....no way...no, no, no, no...She didn't...she wouldn't, she...' The hollow let out a fierce roar and i felt a sudden surge of here spiritual energy in the air. 'did'

I entered panic-mode, questioning humans and their stupidity. Why I was in such a sudden rush to go find and rescue her from the hollow, i didn't know. She didn't really mean much to me, did she? I didn't have time to ponder that thought. What I really needed to do was get a gikon pill out of my backpack without getting seen. It wasn't hard. The English teacher wasn't particularly observant. Popping the pill in my mouth, I left my gigai to stare blankly at teh screen as i exited through the door and flash-stepped down the hallway. No one saw me, they all had extremely low spiritual pressure, if they had any at all. I chased down the two reiatsus that were in the direction of the forest. It had been 5 minutes since she left.

(AMBER MATTAYA)

The hollow lunged at me again, and i narrowly managed to get out of the way. Because it could talk fluently, i knew it was in the very least a menos. 'I'm not usual someone who prays, but if you're up there, SAVE ME SUPERMAN!!!!' I thought desperately as i ran for my bloody life towards the forest where i could maybe find a hiding place. I nearly smacked myself in the head as i jumped behind a tree... only to have that tree knocked down my a deadly blow struck by the hollow. It was then a strange, yet familiar voice spoke to me. "damnit, you humans are incompentant fools! He can feel your spiritual energy, that's why and how he's chasing you! For the love of god, hold him off until the shinigami come! Do something, hit him with a stick, release me!!! If you die, i die, and if i die, there's going to be hell to pay"

I instantly knew it was the phoenix from my dream the night before. With a renewed burst of confidence, I jumped into the trees and landed on a high branch. How i did that, I had no idea, but i wasn't going to question it, as the hollow's vast fist was now where my head had been only seconds ago.

With inhuman speed and agility, i sped form tree to tree, avoiding the hollow to my great shock. I decided to take it to the next level, as toushiro didn't seem to be appearing. I'd kill the stupid thing myself. With surprising strength, i broke a large sharp branch off the tree i was standing on, and hopped on the hollows back, wacking the freaking thing. With renewed rage, it tried to swing me off, but i refused to let go. I was scared shitless as the fact i was hitching a piggyback from a freaky monster, but i had to do it to save everyone in the school. I shoved the very sharp branch into its shoulder, and it finally managed to throw me off as it howled in pain, droplets of blood showering the ground below.

"You little BITCH!! I'm going to kill you, I no longer need to devour your soul, i'll finish you!" I watched in silent fear, unable to do anything as it formed a cero. "Uhh...yeah, i should be going...." i said in a wild attempt to distract it from causing my death. Alas, this just infuriated it. Running would be futile, even with my new found speed. All i could do, was hope that soul society existed so i could become a shinigami...that'd be pretty cool...

And this is how it ends...i thought as the hollow released the cero. I flinched and closed my eyes, waiting for the cero to make contact, but...it never came.

Instead, there was a sound of metal, an 'oomph' and a growl directed at the hollow. The figure, donned in traditional black robes and a captain's haori, jumped up into the air, and sliced the hollow in half, letting its anguished screams disappear before sheathing his zanpukutoh. Toushiro stood before me, an icy look in his eyes, looking more terrifying then i had ever seen him. "Oi...are you okay?" I nodded hastily and stared at him. So...he was a shinigami...i had somehow managed to enter the world of bleach. Or had soul society entered my world...? i preferred not to think about it, my brain was starting to hurt again.

Once he decided i was okay, his face turned impassive and he started shouting orders at me. "You are to tell no one what you saw, you have been missing from class for 10 minutes now. Make up an excuse, any excuse, and leave class. Matsumoto will call in, posing as your mother to confirm that you have to leave. Go to the front, you have got some talking to do. Matsumoto will drive." I nodded, my thoughts feeling detached from my body. I sprinted back into the building into my classroom. 'need to skip school need to skip school, what excuse can i use to abruptly skip school? Come onnnnnn brainiac, THINK!!!'

I burst into teh classroom panting for breath. "Ms...green...need...leave...brother...sick..." it was time for my lying/acting skills to kick in. I was a master of deception. "Amber, what happened? Why are you out of breath, and why have you been gone for 10 minutes?" out of the corner of my eye, toushiro in his shinigami form entered behind me, so of course, no one noticed him.

"While i was in the bathroom, my mom called me. Apparently my brother collapsed during class...and hes in the hospital. They think he's alright, but we're all going to see him anyways. She'll be here in 5 minutes to pick me up. She would've called or emailed, but she only had enough battery on her cellphone to let me know she was coming. She'll email to confirm it as soon as we get to the hospital, but i need to leave class." She nodded quickly and i grabbed my laptop and shoved it into my backpack without bothering to shut it down. I then left class with a wave and went to wait at the front of the school, realising how stupid i looked.

'if toushiro doesn't get his ASS out here right now...stupid guy, if i'm caught skipping i'll get suspended. But more importantly, matsumoto's here? I wonder what it'll be like to meet her...' I sat out front for 3 more minutes before someone with flaming orange hair driving a minivan drove up to the front.

(TOUSHIRO HITSUGAYA)

I was impressed with her acting skills. She had managed to come up with a lie so fast, and she told it so well, i nearly believed her! I quickly gave instructions to my gigai, and sped off to matsumoto's chemistry class. When i got there, i whispered her instructions to her. Obviously no one saw me, so i could talk to her freely as long as she didn't react.

"Matsumoto, something's happened. Fake an illness, and get out of class NOW. Your going to pull me out of class so that you can go home without coming back. There's going to be a girl coming with us. I'll explain later, just hurry. Come straight to my class and speak to my teacher directly for the sake of speed." She nodded and i sped off to return to my gigai. I obviously didn't do any work, i stared at the screen waiting for matsumoto to show up. Soon enough, she did.

"Ohayo ! I'm not feeling well, so I'm going home now, but because I drive toushiro, he has to come so that I don't need to come back in 4 hours. Please excuse him from class!!" The entire class gaped at the perky matsumoto, or more particularly, the guys gaped at her. For obvious reasons. The girls stared at her with jealously. "R-right rangiku, toushiro you are excused from classes today, i'll have your teachers email you your homework for the day, Feel better rangiku!" We both nodded and exited the class as quickly as possible, leaving behind a bewildered 8th grade class. That wasn't surprising, we looked nothing alike and yet, we were supposed to be siblings.

Rangiku went through the back of the building to get the car, and i went to teh front where i knew amber was waiting. She was sitting on a bench staring at the sky with an irritated look on her face, i guess i couldn't blame her. Surprising her, i grabbed her wrist that her head was resting on, and lugged her behind me towards matsumoto, who had just pulled in front. "wha? Wait! What the hell?!? Toushiro!!" I opened the door and dragged her in behind me. Barely giving her time ti close the door, matsumoto shot off with a serious look on her face. I turned to her and said fiercely, "It's time to talk Mattaya, How long have you been able to use flash step and see hollows?"

A/N: Yayz for the new chapter!!! Aha, sorry it took so long for the update, my bad!! Anyways, a few thankyous to the people who messaged/added to their favourites/ and added to their alert lists.

Panda-chan-san, MillieEllie, Rose of the Full Moon, frozen ice cream, and Chibiussa.

:3 THANKYOUUU!!!!! And i even got the three reviews i asked for?!?!? *faints*
yes, this is a big deal for me. So lets say...another 3 reviews before the next update? Things are starting to get interesting....Anyways, thanks for reading!!! Please review if you want the story to continue!!! ARIGATOU!!!!

~ember-chan