Kind of hard to keep calm sometimes

Okay, here goes-

Plan A (my idea): Make some (believable) excuse that you're not feeling very well. Then leave.

Problem A: The Hollow could easily just follow.

Plan B (Shiro's idea): Fight and see what happens. This Hollow is smaller than you. You have strength and speed on your side.

Problem B: And who's to say that this Hollow won't call for backup?

So, all in all, the two likeliest options are... not options, after all. Then of course there's always...

Plan C (my reluctant conclusion): Act like everything is fine and enjoy the festival as a 'normal human being'.

Problem C (Shiro's ever-so-helpful contribution): (I quote) Prepare to die, Strawberry.

Oh, yippee. This is going to be so much fun.

'Are you okay, Ichigo?' Rukia asks, concern flickering in her violet eyes.

'Uh, yeah... fine.'

Great work, Ichi. Really acting normal. Try not to panic or anything, won't you?

Hush, you.

Momo Hinamori, the innocent-seeming girl, the evil Hollow in disguise, possibly my imminent death (I could go on with the titles), is smiling warmly at me. As if she has no idea that I am her enemy. Oh wait, maybe she doesn't. Can Hollows sense spirit energy like we Garde can? Why is God's name did I never ask Zangetsu?! CRAP!

You're starting to lose it.

I said be quiet!

'So... shall we go then?' Toshiro says, acting slightly nervous around Momo which makes me wonder if perhaps he likes her. Like, like-likes her.

Super relevant, Strawberry.

SILENCE!

… I kill you.

Yeah. Hilarious. Perhaps the sort of joke you should pull in an entirely DIFFERENT SITUATION? Am I starting to sound hysterical?

'Come on- I can't wait to get on the Spook Walk!' Rukia says, interrupting my thoughts.

'Ooh, me too!' Momo giggles. 'Did you hear that some of the kids from school will be dressing up as zombies to scare everyone on the walk? This will be awesome!'

Acting like a normal human, are we? Well, guess what? I can play that game too.

'How much is it for the Spook Walk?' I ask, pulling my wallet out of my pocket. Yeah, an ordinary human question. There's no reason for this Hollow to be suspicious. Am I thinking about this too much?

Yes.

Dammit, Shiro's right. I'll just calm down.

'Under sixteen's get in for free,' Toshiro answers.

'Oh no! We're gonna have to pay next year!' Rukia whines.

'Don't worry midget. You can lie about your age and everyone will believe you, seeing how you're so small,' I say with a smile.

Once again, I must ask you to insert a violent kick on my leg here from our favourite violet-eyed midget.

Momo laughs. 'Well, I'm quite small too and Toshiro's tiny so I guess we can lie too!'

Finally. A midget who doesn't get insulted when I refer to their height. If she wasn't my enemy I would actually like her for that.

Soon we're walking around this fairground that has been set up in the shrine, and already I can hear people sounding impressed with how I've 'dyed my hair to make it pumpkin themed'. Idiots. Rukia finds this amusing, naturally, so I have to put up with a good ten minutes of her teasing before we finally reach a stall that catches her attention.

She grabs my hand and pulls me over to this huge bowl of water, with a load of rubber ducks floating around, scribbled on numbers on the sides of each one. Above, an arrangement of toys in packages are hanging up, also with numbers, which means that you catch the duck with the number of the toy you want.

'Twenty-six!' Rukia squeals. I look down at her, confused. Since when does Rukia get this excitable? Then I look up, and I see exactly what Twenty-six is.

Chappy the Rabbit. Of course.

'Ichigo, can you get twenty-six for me?' Rukia says, grabbing onto my arm enthusiastically. Toshiro and Momo laugh.

'Why don't you get it yourself, midget?' I ask.

She pouts, blushes slightly, then mutters, 'The duck with twenty-six on it is in the middle. I... can't reach that far.'

'And that,' I say, feeling slightly triumphant, 'is because you're a midget. Agreed?'

She glares at me. 'I am not a-'

'Careful with what you say. Chappy is at stake.'

'Yes, I am a midget,' she finally says very quietly. 'Could you... could you please get Chappy for me?'

I grin. 'Why, certainly!'

I give the guy at the stall the money and then grab a stick with a hook at the end and reach over the water, aware that it would be Rukia's idea of a joke to push me in. Still, she knows I would never get Chappy in a million years if she were to do that.

'Chappy's... quite hard to... get...' I say through gritted teeth as number fourteen drifts into the way, blocking my route at getting Chappy. I look up to see which one fourteen is.

'Uh... you don't mind having... Yuki the Duck, do you?'

'Chappy!' comes the reply.

'Of course,' I mutter. Finally, I manage to get the duck and I lift it out of the water. The man running the stand reaches up to get the package with Chappy the Rabbit is. He takes the wrappings off and hands the plushie to Rukia, who looks like Christmas has come early.

'Thanks, Ichigo!' she cries, and before I know it she's planted a grateful kiss on my cheek, standing on her tiptoes to do so. I feel a strange whooping sensation in my stomach and my face goes hot.

And of course, Shiro wolf-whistles.

SHUT. UP.

'So... what next?' asks Toshiro, both he and Momo looking slightly embarrassed.

'Spook Walk now, or d'you want to go round a few more stalls?' I ask Rukia.

'Nah, I'm happy with going on the Spook Walk,' Rukia says, smiling happily at the Chappy.

'It's not even Halloween themed,' I point out.

'Yes it is!' she cries, shoving it in my face so I can see the little black pieces of fabric on the back.

'Oh. Chappy the Bat-Rabbit. Now I've seen everything,' I tease.

'Are we going or not?' Toshiro says impatiently.

'Coming, coming.'

We line up, ready for the spook walk. Everyone is supposed to go in little groups and so the four of us are happy to go together. Or at least, the other three are, because I'm still shooting wary glances at Momo.

It's as if you think she's gonna pull a gun out from underneath her cat outfit or something, Shiro mutters.

I haven't ruled it out.

Or perhaps she has secret venomous fangs. Or her claws are dipped in poison.

Would you quit with the horror clichés, please.

Ah, wait! Maybe her tail is a whip!

I roll my eyes, exasperated. Lucky for me, I'm standing in a long queue, so anyone who has seen me do this will naturally assume it is out of boredom.

You could always leave it to me if something goes wrong, Shiro says in a rather menacingly quiet tone.

What?

I could take over. And deal with any Hollows that come. That is, if you're too scared.

'Take over'?

The body.

Oh yeah, and what would happen to me?

You'd be trapped in my mind, just as I am in yours. Temporarily, of course, he adds silkily.

You're my final Legacy. I haven't... okay, this sounds weird, but I haven't developed you yet. I have to gain all my other Legacies first, right? Is that what my final Legacy is, then?

Among other things. It's more like an early symptom, like how your hands caught fire at the beginning of your Lumen even though you haven't actually gained the fire Legacy yet. This is something I'll be able to do however. One of my abilities.

You have your own abilities?

Mirroring yours. I guess so. Don't worry, your final Legacy will be a lot more interesting than just me being able to take control of the body.

'… you even listening?'

'What?' I say stupidly, and I hear Shiro laughing in my mind.

'It's time to go, fool,' Rukia says, pointing the queue, which has shortened considerably.

Rukia surprises me by taking my hand in hers.

'Ready?'

'Yep,' I say, keeping a straight face but glowing on the inside.

More Halloween in the next chapter! And please, I LOVE REVIEWS SO MUCH! I ACTUALLY LOST INTEREST I FAN FICTION AND GOT DEPRESSED FOR TWO DAYS BECAUSE I HAD NO NEW REVIEWS ON ANOTHER STORY! SO, REVIEW!