I sit up and stretch, "Time to get out of bed," I say stifling a yawn. "Hey wait! I stayed at Urahara's last night! I wonder if my injury is healed yet..." I think as a take a quick glance at my stomach. To my relief and surprise I find that there was only a thin scar left. "Oh wow! Tesai's medicine really works!" I poke my stomach to make sure it's OK and stand up.

Urahara then walks into the room, "I'm glad to see you're awake! Anyway, you should get ready for school," he says waving that annoying fan of his.

My eyes widen, "What time is it?!" I demand looking around for the new gigai I had gotten the previous night.

Urahara just laughs at my actions and says, "Don't worry you still have at least two hours before school starts. I thought I'd wake you up early so you wouldn't blame me for being late."

I glare at him for giving me such a scare, "Well now I can blame you for lack of sleep!" I tell him as I look around for my bag and gigai.

"Oh, your school supplies and gigai are in another room. The one beside yours in fact. By the way... you may want to finish your homework," said a smiling Urahara with a hint of amusement in his voice.

"What?! I totally forgot about that!!!" I exclaim as I rush into the other room, get into my gigai and start my homework. While looking through my bag I had also come across the pocky I bought yesterday, and since I hadn't had breakfast yet I ate them. "My poor poor sushi...." I say, thinking back to the unfinished sushi I didn't get to eat yesterday. At that moment, I decided to go back to that sushi place today too! I finish my homework as quickly as I can without making it look like too big of a rush job. I take a peek at the clock to see I have half an hour before school starts, I put everything back in my bag and leave the room.

Before I leave the shop I turn to Urahara and thank him for letting me stay the night and for healing my wound. He told me it was no problem and ushered me off to school, saying to come back if I need anything else.

I get to the school and sit down under a big tree. It was ten minutes before school starts, but I didn't feel like waiting in class for some reason. I sit there quietly for the next ten minutes thinking about Machi, the strange girl who could see ghosts. The bell rang and brought me out of my thoughts. I made my way to class and sat down at my desk.

I heard the teacher start talking, but I didn't pay much attention to what she was saying. I had too many things to think about. I didn't pay attention to anything at all that morning, I barley even heard the bell ring signalling lunch. The bell did snap me out of my thoughts though. "Huh? It's lunch already?" I say, a little disoriented.

From beside me I hear Machi, "Yeah!" she says pleased it's lunch time. I wanted to go back to that sushi restaurant again today and hopefully this time not be late for class... I don't want to break another memory eraser! I made my way out of the school dodging other hungry students.

I got to the sushi restaurant and ordered what I had had yesterday, even the pocky. This time I was able to quickly finish my sushi and I stored the pocky in my bag for later. I thanked the cashier and left for the school again. When I got back there were still 10 good minutes of the lunch break so I climbed a tree and sat there.

Looking down I see Machi walk up to the tree and say, "Wachya doing?"

I jump off the branch and land in front of her, "Nothing, just sitting," I say. Even though this gigai was nowhere near as good as my own body, it could still do a few things.

"No more of those things today?" she inquires, "Wait! Wait! I mean hollows!"

I glare at her, "How can she say that so loudly?!" "Keep your voice down, will you?!" I demand.

"OK," she whispers.

I sweatdrop, "It doesn't have to be that low," I inform her, "Just low enough so it doesn't attract people's attention."

"Uh... whatever... So how come there wasn't any?" she asks curiously. She looks at me waiting for an answer.

"They don't come every waking moment, but my work isn't over yet," I reply. "I wonder when It will be over and I can go back... I mean seriously... how do you get locked out of the Soul Society?!?!"

"So is that all you do?" she inquires, "Kill those things? I mean hollows...."

"No, I also have to conso the souls of those who haven't become hollows yet," I reply.

"Uh huh.... so... That's how they disappear?" she asks.

"When I conso a spirit I send it to the Soul Society, humans call it passing on." I explain.

"Oh..." was her only response. The bell rings before either of us can say anything else. I was late yesterday and I didn't want to be late again, so I took off towards the classroom in a dash. Machi was close behind me. We both reach the classroom before the teacher does, so we're safe. I then go sit down at my desk.

Before I knew it, it was time to go home! What a quick day that was! I pack my bag and leave the school. I was just about to head home when my soul pager rings! I flip it open and quickly follow the signal, passing by Machi on the way. I hear the hollow howl, so I quicken my pace and rush over to its location. When I get there, there was already someone fighting the hollow. A shinigami with bright orange hair. "Hey... he looks familiar... is that... is that Ichigo?!" I wonder out loud in amazement.

Machi walks up behind me, probably heard the hollow, and says, "What the... Sazuki you're here again!"

I look at her, "Of course! I followed the signal!" I say waving my soul pager in her face.

"What... you have a signal?" she asks astonished. "How did she think I knew where the hollows would pop up?!" I wonder looking at her. She takes at look at my soul pager and seems to understand.

I spot a small black haired girl a few meters away from us, who seems to be watching the fight, "Hey who's that?" I ask Machi, pointing to the girl.

Machi finally notices her too, "OH MY GOD! IT'S THE NEW STUDENT!" she exclaims loudly. "Huh? A new student? She looks familiar...." I think as I walk up to the girl. Behind me Machi said something, but I wasn't paying attention.

Machi got to the girl before me, and said something causing her to jump. I get to the girl and am startled. "Rukia...?" I ask.

She turns around to face me, "Huh? Sazuki?"

There was no longer any doubt in my mind, it was Rukia! I give her a big hug, "Yes! It is you!!!" I feel so excited, "Maybe she'll know a way to get back!"

Machi looks at us confused, "Woah... you guys know each other?" she asks.

I let go of Rukia and turn to face Machi, "Yup!" I answer happily.

"Where from?" asks Machi.

I beam at her and reply, "From the Soul Society!"

"Oh... that place..." Machi says.

"Wait..." beings Rukia with a questioning look on her face, "She knows about the Soul Society. Does that mean she can see ghosts?"

To give Rukia foolproof evidence I point to where Ichigo is fighting the hollow and say, "Machi, describe what you see happening over there." "If she describes it accurately then Rukia will know her abilities," I think happily.

Machi looks where I'm pointing and says, "That orange haired kid who was late for class today is fighting one of those hollows with a sword."

Rukia looks amazed, "Oh! So she can see them! Is she from the Soul Society too?" she asks curiously.

"Nope, Tokyo," was Machi's simple reply.

"Oh... so you're like Ichigo?" questions Rukia.

"Uh... I guess," replies Machi uncertainly. While they were talking Ichigo finished off the hollow and then told Rukia something about duty and protecting people, I was too busy thinking, "I may finally get back!" to listen.

When Ichigo finished talking to Rukia he looked at us. "And who are you two?" he asks eyeing us suspiciously.

I stare at him, "He can't be serious! Can he? I'm in his class for crying out loud!" "I'm in your class," I tell him with a 'you can't be serious' look.

"I'm the new transfer student from yesterday!" Machi says, with a grin on her face.

Ichigo looks at us like he doesn't believe us, "You are?" he asks doubtfully.

I stare at him, "Short term memory loss?" I taunt.

Machi gives him a deadpan look and says, "Are you retarded?"

Ichigo glares at both of us before answering, "No!! I uh..... just don't remember faces too well...."

I smirk and decide to tease him, "Sure..." I say sarcastically, "That's why..." He just glares at me more, making my smirk grow larger.

"I say he's retarded but... yeah... whatever," Machi says not believing him. Ichigo just glares at us again. "He's making this way too easy! Teasing him is fun!" I think with a big grin on my face.

Machi decides to make Ichigo fell a bit better so she says, "Well... I don't really know you either, so if you don't know me, I'm Machi Umeki and nice to meet you too." All Ichigo does in response is mumble something and walk away.

"He's weird.... then again... so are most humans..." I watch as he walks away and yell after him, "Well... see you tomorrow in class!!!" Machi also yells her goodbyes, and then he turns a corner and is out of our site.

Rukia was just about to leave when I stop her, "What are you doing here anyway?" I ask.

She turns to look at me and replies solemnly, "Well.... I accidently gave him my soul reaper powers.... so I'm waiting for them to come back."

I gap at her, "But... But it's a crime to give your powers to a human!" I say, almost as if trying to talk her out of something. Machi said something and Rukia said something back, but I was too shocked by Rukia's news to pay attention.

Rukia looks at where Ichigo disappeared and says, "Well.... I should get going now, bye!" She waves then turns around and chases after Ichigo.

I was still a bit shocked, "I can't believe she did that..." I mumble.

Machi looks a bit lost, "Why, is it that bad?" she questions.

"Let's just say that if she doesn't have a good enough excuse, they may have her killed!" I explain, trying to make her see the gravity of the situation.

I turn my back to Machi and say, "I think I'm going home... it's been a long day and I need to finish my homework anyway." I start walking away then soon turn a corner and disappear from Machi's sight. I walk the rest of the way to my apartment, refusing to think about anything. Even through my best efforts though, a few thoughts slip through like, "What will happen to Rukia if the Soul Society finds out?" and "I guess that means I won't be going back..." I unlock the door and step inside. I shake my head to clear those thoughts away and sit down to try to finish my homework. The homework helps me forget my troubles for a while, but when I lay on my bed waiting for sleep to get me those thoughts come back. I finally drift off into a heavy dreamless sleep.