Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach. I only own Catalina Vazquez and Eita Harada
Chapter Three: The Truth
[March 15th]
[Nobody's POV]
"School?" Kat asked Kisuke confused.
The thought of going to school hadn't even crossed her mind until that moment. For some reason to her it felt like she had already experienced the high school life or at least some sort of education.
"Yes school, I signed you up for school at Karakura High School. It wasn't easy, had to pull some strings to allow you a spot for this upcoming year." Kisuke explained, dramatically and pulled his fan out from sleeve waving it around his face.
"I mean, I'm grateful, I just…I didn't think I needed to go to high school." She replied meekly. "How old am I even?" Kat asked now curious about her age.
"15, you will be 16 in December of this year." He replied swiftly. "Besides, this will help you make friends." Kisuke assured his brunette friend school was something good.
Kat sat there thinking about it. She could use more friends. Her only friends at the moment where this mystery old man, a cat and a boy who also seems to have lost his memories. She could use more normal friends. Maybe this could be the normal life she had been hoping for.
"I guess." Kat said standing up, "I'm going to go back to work." And walked out of the room.
Once she was out the room Yoruichi walk in from the shadows in her cat form.
"Do you think it is a good idea to have her around that boy?" Yoruichi questioned her blond friend somberly. "His spirit force leaks so much it might do her more harm than good." Yoruichi expressed her concerns for her young friend.
"She will be ok. Hopefully being around Ichigo Kurosaki's high spirit force will unlock her own potential and we may start training her. If she won't get her memories back then she will at least be able to fight against him this time." Kisuke said cryptically.
Yoruichi frowned still not comfortable with allowing Kisuke to experiment on Kat like that.
"Fine, but I will be keeping an eye on her." She replied firmly no room for arguing.
Kisuke nods in understanding. Kat is like a sister to her. She would never let anything happen to her again. She had promised so long ago.
[April 1st]
[Kat's POV]
I stared at myself in front of the body length mirror. I tucked on the short gray skirt trying to make it longer. It felt weird and exposing to show so much skin. The scars on my legs were not as visible is the ones on my arms and back but I still felt weird.
I slipped on the gray jacket buttoning it up and made sure the little red bow looked decent. I fixed my long wavy brown hair down the front and pushed my bangs from my bluish grayish eyes.
Sighing I grabbed my book bag and went to the kitchen for breakfast. Eita said he would also be attending Karakura High school and he would pick me up so we could walk together. At least I knew one person at school today.
"Good morning Kat-chan!" Kisuke greeted happily from his spot at the table.
"Good morning." I replied taking a seat across from him.
I grabbed some toast and Tessai poured me some tea.
"Kat, are you excited about your first day of school?" Ururu asked shyly from beside me.
"Yep. Hopefully I can make more friends beside Eita. Honestly, sometimes he can be a real prick." I complained annoyed.
After a non-eventful breakfast I decided to wait outside for Eita. Hopefully the fresh air would calm me down a little.
I suddenly felt cold shivers run down my spine and felt all my arm hairs stand up. I looked up at the sky confused. I have to admit, for the last couple of days I have been getting weird feelings and hearing strange noises when there was no one there.
The faint screaming of agony always seemed to be louder during the night. The screams always gave me this horrible feeling; like I have heard them up and close before. They remain me of someone I used to loved and cared deeply for.
"Hey! You ok?" Eita's suddenly nudged my shoulder knocking me out of my thoughts.
I blinked at him confused.
"Sorry, I was just thinking about something." I murmur standing up. "Let's head out before we are late." I quickly changed the subject.
We walked down the street silently.
"What were you thinking about?" He suddenly asked bored.
"Nothing really." I murmured softly.
"It wasn't nothing if you were thinking so deeply about it." He replied annoyed.
I sighed, "I have been hearing weird screams during the night. Almost, like someone was screaming in pain. I don't know, I get a sad feeling in the pit of my stomach every time I hear it. It's almost like someone I knew screamed like that once." I explained somberly, narrowing my eyes thoughtfully.
"You too, huh." Eita mumbled just as pensively. "I have been hearing screams too. At first I would dream about these screams, blurry images almost of monsters looking things mixed with black and white blurred together when I dreamt." He explained lost in his thoughts.
I looked at him nervously. What does it all mean? Could Eita and I have known each other? But, Kisuke would have told me, I mean, he was my friend he would know about Eita. Unless…could Eita have been the person I was running away from?
'No…not him.'
I stopped looking behind me scared. I scan the street trying to find where that whisper came from.
"What's wrong?" Eita suddenly ask concern, looking around too.
"Nothing, I, I thought I hear something. But it's nothing." I assured my already uneasy friend.
I continued walking and I could feel Eita looking at me weirdly but didn't say anything further about the dreams and screams.
We walked into the huge courtyard of Karakura High school looking around at all of the students talking happily and laughing. I noticed a list of names not far from us.
"I think those are our classroom lists." I point at the board full names.
Eita and I walked towards it. We scan the papers seeing mine and Eita's name in the same classroom.
"Great I'm with you." Eita murmur annoyed
"Gee, you sure sound excited." I snap back just as annoyed walking towards the huge building.
I walked into the classroom where there were kids already sitting, talking and enjoying themselves.
Eita and I looked at each other and found two desks towards the back and sat down.
"Looks like someone is about to fight." Eita suddenly stated amused.
I walked over to the window where the rest of the students were gathering when Eita said fight. I looked down at the courtyard when my eyes widen. The orange head boy who had saved me a couple of weeks ago was standing there.
"Huh." I mumbled disbelief.
"What?" Eita asked intrigued by what I said.
"The orange head boy…he's the one who saved me a couple of weeks ago." I explained plainly and thought back to that day so many weeks ago.
"Everyone take your seats!" The teacher suddenly yelled walking into the classroom.
Everyone scrambled to their seats and I took one last look at the orange hair boy getting a strange sensation from him.
After the fight nothing major happened during class the orange hair boy who I found out was named Ichigo Kurosaki later walked into the classroom with three other boys' named Keigo Asano, Yasutora Sado, and Mizuiro Kojima. All three boys got scowled by the teacher for picking a fight on the first day.
When Ichigo walked into the room he looked at me weirdly but decided not to say anything in front of everyone. Which I was thankfully for, he just seem to relax knowing I was alright and nothing was wrong with me.
After school Eita and I were walking back to Kisuke's shop when someone yelled my name.
"Catalina wait!"
I turned around surprise to see Ichigo running after us.
"I'll just wait over there." Eita snickered giving us some privacy as Ichigo neared me.
"Ichigo Kurosaki, correct?" I asked politely.
"Yeah, Ichigo is fine. Listen, about what happen…"
"It's ok I'm really thankful for everything you and your family did. I was able to find my family and have been staying with them.
I showed him my arms, "See, all healed up and healthy." I chuckled softly at his nervousness and kindness.
"I'm glad you are safe." He replied suddenly embarrassed.
"Thanks to you." I said softly. "Thanks again Ichigo. Hopefully we can become friends." I offered him my hand.
He gently took my hand. A strange sense of warmth and electricity shot through our grip and I pulled my hand away slowly.
"See yea around Catalina." He murmured just as confuse.
"Kat is fine." I whispered faintly.
"See yea Kat."
He then walked away thoughtfully. I looked at my hand just as thoughtfully not knowing what to make out of that sensation.
Eita walked back over to me and laughed.
"Seems like someone has a crush already." He teased happily.
"Please, Ichigo would never like a girl like me. I'm too plain." I replied walking off.
Eita followed after teasing me the whole way to Kisuke's about Ichigo.
After a while of walking I slowed down slightly getting that strange feeling again. Like, someone was watching me. A cold shiver ran down my spine, the feeling was much worse this time. Almost like it was awarning me something was close by. Like it was warning me to run away.
"Eita…" I was about to ask but he stop walking completely and so did I.
"I feel it too." He simply replied seriously.
We both looked around trying to figure out where the ominous feeling was coming from. I could feel the fear creeping through my veins. I suddenly wished Yoruichi was here so I could cuddle her like I usually do when I get this weird feeling.
We froze in place as a loud tearing sound echoed through the silent street but we couldn't see anything.
'Ok this is not normal. What the hell is going on?!' I thought fretfully, slowly backing towards Eita.
I covered my ears and closed my eyes tightly as a loud screeching sound echo through the street. It was the same painfully scream I had been hearing for a couple of nights but this time it sounded like it was right next to me. I was about to look up when suddenly something hard hit me on the stomach. I harshly flew across the street, rolling around a couple of times and finally stopped slamming against the nearby wall. I yelled painfully. Coughing loudly I tried to catch my breath and the metallic taste of blood filled my mouth.
"Kat!" I heard Eita yell.
I groaned out in pain slowly turning around and tried to stand up. I gently stood on my knees hissing out in pain. The open cuts on my knees burning angrily against the cold cement.
I weakly stood up coughing some more and gently held my stomach. I look down examining the damage on my body. My knees were all scraped up and bleeding. My arms were both heavily bruise and I probably had a broken rib or something.
I looked around scared. I could feel tears pooling around my eyes. The same screeching sound echoed loudly again and my blood ran cold. Suddenly the perfect body of some kind of monster became visible behind Eita.
"Eita." I whispered breathless staring at the monster terrified. "EITA WATCH OUT!" I screamed.
I watched in horror as the monster clawed Eita's back throwing him against the wall.
I could see it crystal clear now. My tears slowly ran down my cheeks. My heart was racing a million beats per second and my whole body was numb with fear. My insides were shouting RUN! But my body didn't seem to listen.
I yelled out painfully when his cold and slimy tongue wrapped around my neck pulling me towards it. I dugged my nails desperately into his tongue trying to break free, but it was no use, it was so much stronger than me.
'This was it. This is how everything ends.' I thought hopelessly, tears streaming down my face.
"Okiro, Benihime." I suddenly heard Kisuke say bluntly.
I closed my eyes when a bright crimson light shot right in front of me, cutting the tongue in half and I fell down. But before I could hit the ground Kisuke caught me swiftly and protectively cradle me in his embrace.
"Kisuke…" I sobbed painfully.
The hollow cried out in pain while I coughed loudly trying to catch my breath. I softly touched my obviously bruised neck, trying desperately to control my sobbing.
"It's not very nice to pick on a lovely young lady like this one." He said in a lay back tone. Like if there wasn't a giant monster right in front of us!
That weird sensation of familiarity ran through me again. Kisuke really was someone I used to know and trust with my life.
'Kisuke Urahara.' That was the only thing that ran through my head.
I suddenly flinched, my head was throbbing painfully at the thought of Kisuke's name. I groaned rubbing my forehead.
'What's this feeling...?' I thought disturbingly, peering up at Kisuke through my half open eyes.
I gasp surprise, when Kisuke shift me in his arms so he could get into a better fighting position. I glanced tiredly at the hollow that was getting ready to attack us again.
"Nake, Benihime." Kisuke said bluntly.
Kisuke swung his blade, a concussive and destructive crimson color energy blasted from his sword and cut the monster into two. I blinked surprised at the vanishing thing. I couldn't believe what had just happen.
'Kisuke just saved me from that monster.' I thought shock, still staring at him amazed.
He gently put me down and I stood on my own holding my throbbing side and stomach. I stared at Kisuke, the strangest feeling of deja vu washing over me.
"Kat, are you alright?" Kisuke questioned me seriously, concern laced in his face. But I could see something else in his eyes, it looked like relief.
I frowned at him confuse, "How do you really know me?" I questioned him angrily, furrowing my eyebrows in confusion.
Kisuke stare at me strangely, his eyes studying me intently. Suddenly a look of realization flashed through his eyes and he slowly lower his hat, casting a shadow over his eyes.
He smiled sadly and then smirk, "I've been keeping an eye on you since I felt your spirit force appear suddenly a month ago." He suddenly explain, taking a strange tone. "Your spirit force has grown a lot since you first arrived." Kisuke explained intrigued as we stood there.
"Huh, what do you mean by appeared? What the hell is a spirit force? What was that thing that attack us? Why do you have that weird sword?!" I asked question after question not even giving him a chance to answer.
"You appeared from another realm called Soul Society…Kat you are dead." He said firmly.
My world froze and suddenly everything felt light and unreal. I stare at Kisuke still confuse out of my mind. Desperately staring at him for answers
"I still don't understand...what do you mean dead?" This was too much. I didn't understand what was happening or why it was happening. "Are you the devil or something?" I whispered weakly feeling light headed.
Everything was going black. I couldn't stand it anymore.
"I got you Kat." I heard Kisuke say before everything went completely dark.
Another chapter down guys. I'm happy with the way it's turning out. Kat and Eita's relationship is a little different but what do you guys think of their start? Plus that cute little Kat/Ichigo moment.
Next chapter we finally get some truth to who Kat really is or will Kisuke lie again to protect her?
Thanks to everyone who has favorite and follow the story.
Until next time lovely readers, Violetta.