Hey guys! Sorry I took so long to update, which is weird coming from me, 'cause usually I'm pretty quick. This chapter was actually ready yesterday but I decided to post it today because... IT'S MY BIRTHDAY! YAY!

If I were human

Is there any point where I'm actually supposed to understand my Legacies? My Cêpan thinks he's explaining it, but it still seems unclear to me. The pale me is maddeningly unhelpful. Big surprise. During my 'training', I am told all about the traditions off Lorien and how they relate to the Legacies. And all I want to do is develop Legacies.

When you think 'training', you think of practising to fight, but until I develop telekinesis, Zangetsu refuses to teach me to fight, and instead only wants to talk about Lorien. Another way it is inconvenient- it leaves me no time to do my homework, as if that was the most important thing on the planet. Every single day, right after school, I am told of the unique powers belonging to famous Garde back on Lorien. Supposedly each of the nine that came to earth are supposed to inherit the Legacies of a specific Elder. Except three are dead. So we've already lost the equivalent of three Elders. Four, if you count the child that never made it here.

I'm really starting to get used to this new home. It turns out that Toshiro Hitsugaya doesn't talk to anybody, and Rukia is one of his only friends. And now I'm one as well. I know, I know- I'm not supposed to make friends, but the two of them are the only decent people I know in that school, and they're not exactly edging away from me. They both have quite a frosty demeanour, but once you get to know them they're nice.

'I swear, every time I see you you're always drawing a dragon,' I mutter, plopping myself down next to Toshiro at lunchtime. He's sitting on the grass under a tree, lunch box forgotten as he focuses intently on the ice dragon on his drawing pad.

'Why are they always made out of ice?'

'Um...' Toshiro looks a little red. 'I like dragons,' he says finally.

I roll my eyes. 'Yeah, I gathered that. The ice?'

'I dunno... it's surreal, I guess.'

'… There must be a deeper meaning. Why else would you be blushing?'

Toshiro blinks. 'Uh... yeah... when I was little, I used to have an imaginary dragon friend...'

I snort with laughter.

'Hey, lot's of people had imaginary friends when they were little!'

'That's not why I'm laughing,' I explain. 'When you say 'I was little', you mean 'I was young'. 'Cause you're still little.'

He scowls. 'Thanks a lot, Ichigo.'

'Taking the piss out of small people again, Ichigo?' Rukia says, dropping down from the lowest branch of the tree as if it's as easy as anything.

'I'm surrounded by midgets,' I grumble, which earns me an extra kick from Rukia.

'Hey, did you guys hear about the Halloween party they're hosting at the shrine?' Rukia says excitedly. 'They want the make it extra spooky so everyone's going on about the spirits you might see there.'

'Seriously, how old are you?' I say with a sigh. 'It's for little kids, Rukia. So, now that I think about it, you and Toshiro could easily go.'

Insert another violent kick here.

'So we should meet up there and go on the Spook Walk.'

''Spook Walk'? Seriously?'

'Don't be so sceptical- I go every year, it's really fun!'

'Ooh, I bet,' I say sarcastically. 'Toshiro, you can't be buying this, surely?'

'Um... actually I always go too,' he says sheepishly.

'And, for the record Ichigo, I'm older than you,' Rukia says stubbornly.

'Oh yeah, how'd you work that one out?'

'The chances are that my birthday is before yours. January the fourteenth.'

'Ah, shit. July the fifteenth.'

'Yes!' she says victoriously.

If only she knew that I might actually be older than her. As if July the fifteenth is my real birthday. It's just the one I'm using for this particular new home.

'Well? You gonna come or what?' Toshiro asks.

Am I going to interact with other people and act like an ordinary human being, possibly risking my identity and therefore my life (although the chances of that are slim)?

Yeah. Of course I'm going to go.

.

'You know, I still don't know what Hollows look like,' I say as soon as Zangetsu has closed the door behind me, as I have just arrived home from school.

'Well... some of them look rather strange... and some can easily pass as humans just like we can.'

'Oh, goody.'

He smiles. 'Looks won't matter. As a Garde, you should be able to develop this special Legacy very soon that all the Garde posses. It allows you to be able to sense the spirit energy of those around you.'

'Oh, God... you're not hooked up in meditation crap, are you?'

'Very funny. Every single living thing possesses spirit energy. It makes individuals detectable, and you'll also be able to tell how strong certain people are by it. Humans all have similar spirit energy, just like we Loric all have similar spirit energy, although the spirit energy of a Garde is a lot stronger. The Hollows will have a specific type too.'

'Well... what's it like?' I ask.

'You forget, we Cêpans cannot sense it. You'll know when you've developed the Legacy.'

'You know, the pale me says he's my final Legacy,' I say absent-mindedly as I sit down on the sofa in the living room.

Zangetsu's silent for a few seconds, then he says. 'You probably shouldn't worry about that now.'

'Should I give him a name? I mean, just 'cause I can never keep mine doesn't mean he has to give his up.'

Heh heh. Giving a thing that lives in your brain a name. Do not mention that to a psychiatrist.

Problem, Shiro?

Oh, how original, he answers dryly.

.

Zangetsu's right. It's quite hard to explain, but over the next few days I begin to notice people glowing in certain shades, most of them a similar blue, it I concentrate closely. Despite being practically the same, they all have an individual feel to them. As I need to be able to recognise a Hollow when I see one (aside from the fact that they'll be totally different from the spirit energy of humans), I decide to go back into the dreams so I can practice sensing their spirit energies as I watch flashbacks.

Shiro says I'm crap. Apparently I have no talent whatsoever and when I tell Zangetsu, instead of looking worried, he just chuckles slightly and says it's a little harder for some than for others. Apparently I'll get the hang of it sooner or later.

As it turns out, in the end I can get a faint trace of the sort of spirit energy Hollows have. Generally a dark aurora, made of crimsons and occasionally yellows. I also focus on the spirit energy of my people, which is quite obviously a red, some bordering on orange. I imagine mine would be, thanks to the hair.

The Halloween party draws ever closer and I know that despite the fact I really want to go, Zangetsu probably won't let me. Interacting with other people, getting attached to the home we're living in, is apparently a bad idea. We made that mistake last time.

But I already like this home. Today's the day of a Halloween festival being celebrated at the shrine, and I'm going with two friends. Rukia and Toshiro. I'm happy to say they're my friends.

.

'Hey, Toshiro, d'you know if Momo's coming?'

Rukia, Toshiro and I are standing at the entrance to the shrine, just as it's starting to get dark. A string of people are already flooding through the entrance, most wearing obscure costumes that you could only ever get away with tonight. Rukia is dressed as this weird little devil thing, in small red outfit, complete with the crimsom horns on her head and the trident, looking rather cute, I must admit. Toshiro has come as a white werewolf, and he looks pretty frustrated that are lot of people are pointing at him and giggling. I myself have come as a Frankenstein monster, with this iron bold prop appearing to go through my neck and stitches drawn on across my face and arms, which Rukia helped me with.

'Who's Momo?' I ask.

'An old friend,' Toshiro replies, scanning the crowd. 'She sent me a message saying she might come...'

'Oh, good,' Rukia says with a smile. 'It would be pretty lonely for me if I was just hanging out with boys.'

'Rude,' I point out, smiling myself.

'Toshiro! Rukia!' a girl slightly taller than Rukia with the same shade of raven black hair calls, waving her arm enthusiastically. Her hair is done up in a blue bob at the back and she's dressed as some sort of cat creature with furry black ears.

'Hey Momo,' Rukia greets her, looking relieved. 'This is Ichigo Kurosaki, the new kid. Ichigo, this is Momo Hinamori.'

Momo smiles. 'Nice to meet you, Ichigo.'

Everything goes cold. I stare, unable to believe it. I've been training and training so I can recognise spirit energy, and all around me I can sense the familiar blue of human beings. But right here, obstructing my view, is a red and black. Right here, smiling, all friendly.

Momo Hinamori is a Hollow.

.

I know, she isn't a Hollow in the real story, blah blah blah. I just thought it would be a nice twist. Oh, and I am a HitsuHina fan, but if any one you really hate it and fully support HitsuKarin instead, I'll just keep it as a friendship. You need to tell me whether you mind it or not!

When I finish this story, should I go on to do a Bleach version of the Power of Six? 'Cause I have actually planned out who each of the Garde are going to be (as well as their Cêpans) and I've even written down what Legacies they'll get. Please review!