I would like to thank everyone for reading. Thank you for the reviews:
SmileRen; Yes and I wanted to show Karissa's relationship with the Karakura town students. I wanted it to feel like she belonged in the world of Bleach.
Luafua; Thank you so much. I went back and read the first few chapters of the old one and cringed haha. I can't believe I wasn't attacked by grammar Nazis.
Lucafred; Thank you. I felt like it made more sense for her to already be on the team and be as strong as she was.
16; Thank you
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"Oi, what the hell happened to your leg?" I gawked bending down to get a closer look at the massive bruise covering Orihime's entire calf. The closer I got to it the more I felt the residue of a Hollow.
"Eh? Oh this!" Orihime blinked in confusion before examining said calf. "I tripped after almost getting hit by a car!"
"That's a big ass bruise. Are you sure you're not anemic or something?"
Tatsuki glared at me while Orihime panicked. "Don't listen to her, Orihime. Karissa's just being a jerk."
"I don't know that is really big." Chizuru added prodding the wound.
"Don't touch it!" Tatsuki barked flicking Chizuru's forehead.
"It doesn't hurt." Orihime said touching it herself. "See?"
"You're probably immune to pain thanks to hanging out with her butch ass." I commented jerking my thumb towards Tatsuki.
"That's rich coming from someone who solves problems with her fists." Tatsuki retorted sending me a challenging glare.
"Tension breaker!" Orihime chirped karate chopping the area between our glares. "Tatsuki is coming over for dinner, would you two like to come?"
Orihime's sensitive soul sometimes thinks these arguments are real. A couple of times we spent hours trying to reassure her it was all in good fun.
"I'll ask but tonight is family fun night." Chizuru said pouting. "Mom is crazy about family fun night."
"Thanks but I'm going to have to pass. I've got work." I patted Orihime's shoulder. The poor girl looked crest fallen. "Maybe we could do a sleepover sometime soon? I got this awesome eye shadow pallet I want to try out."
"Oh that's amazing! Landing a job so young." Orihime praised me. "The lady next door won't even let me help her clean until I'm seventeen."
"Not really." Tatsuki smirked. "All she does is run around shooting paintballs."
"At least it's better than washing ball sweat of off training equipment." I smirked watching her fume. "And I get paid soooo I win~"
Being a freshman, Tatsuki is left with washing and cleaning all the karate equipment including the other members Gi.
"It's to show respect for the senior members!" She scoffed. "Not like a Yankee would understand respect anyway."
Tatsuki's relationship with me is built on insulting one another. It's fun. I get to be a bitch without dealing with a crybaby.
"That's a low blow." I whined pretending to be hurt.
"Too low?"
"Yep. Counts as kick to the balls."
"Damn." She sighed pulling out her wallet and handing me five yen. "For a troublemaker, you sure are good at following these rules."
"That's because these rules could cost me money."
We made up rules for our bickering in middle school. We weren't allowed to bring up potentially touchy subjects like nationality. We laid out what we could possibly be offended by and called them low blows. Whenever someone 'lands' a low blow they owed the other money depending on the severity.
I don't like being called a Yankee since I'm a quarter Japanese and have lived in Japan for most of my life.
"Cheap ass." Tatsuki sighed leading the way into the classroom. "Are you still going to our tournament tonight?"
"It's mandatory." I nodded. "Besides I've made a bet with Daichi."
Tatsuki scowled at me. "What kind of b-"
"So!" Orihime jumped in between us. "What kind of eye shadow did you get?"
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"This is the guy?" Fuzen scoffed glaring down at Keigo, who cowered behind me in fear. "I've seen fawns with steadier legs."
Not that I blamed him, Fuzen was over six feet tall and built like the Hulk. He decided to embrace his fearsome frame by wearing her dark hair in the classic gangster pompadour and scowl at everyone.
"Yep!" I chirped pushing Keigo in front of me so the rest of the wrestling team could be a good look at him. "I figured we could toughen him up until someone better suited to wrestling steps forward."
"P-please don't kill me! I haven't even had my fist kiss yet!" Keigo pleaded falling to his knees and begging.
"This guy is super pathetic, Evans-chan!" Daichi laughed pulling the Keigo to his feet. "If we manage to make him tough that means we're awesome."
"True." Kiyoshi nodded examining Keigo's muscles or lack there of. "Imagine. We turn this squalling babe into a lean mean fighting machine then we wouldn't have to coerce people into joining our club ever again!"
"N-n-no!" Keigo cried even harder. "I'm to much of a wimp! You would be wasting your time with me! It's impossible!"
I laughed. He played right into my hands. You never say anything is impossible to Akuma.
"Nothing is impossible for my team!" Akuma said slamming a list of things Keigo need to rent out from the gym. "Welcome aboard!"
"Alright!" I grinned slapping Keigo on the back in congratulations before handing him his uniform and jacket.
"Well introduce yourself, I guess." Akuma said watching Keigo use the sheet he gave him as tissue paper.
"Asano Keigo." Keigo sighed resigning himself to fate. "Freshman. Deadman."
"You're very dramatic." Daichi laughed before stepping forward and bowing. "Daichi Hideaki. I am also a Freshman. I hope we can become really good friends!"
Daichi is a small brown eyed boy but he's quick and good at submissions. I've lost to him countless times once he's got me on the ground. The only time I won, I cheated by 'accidentally' pulling his ponytail while punching him.
"Kiyoshi Tomoyuki. Sophomore with extra collage classes. College girls are the best, recommend you take some classes." He winked at me.
I rolled my eyes. Kiyoshi looks like a Bishonen out of an girly anime. He knows this and is a total player. Don't be fooled by his looks though. The guy has some killer moves and is not afraid to fight dirty.
"Fuzen. Leave it at that."
Akuma raised his eyebrow at me.
"The fuck do I have to go for? We've known each other for years!"
"Someone is snappy today~" He laughed before standing close to Keigo and glaring him down. "I'm Akuma Takanari. I'm the leader and I'm going to make you cry!"
Keigo let out a dismayed sound looking at me with puppy dog eyes. "Please save me!"
"Don't worry we don't have practice tonight." I smiled noticing despite all of his theatrics he put on the jacket and held the uniform close.
"Eh? Really?" He perked up. "Why not?"
"We're going to watch the Karate matches." Daichi chirped as we all made our way to the gym. "Whenever there is a sporting event at our school every other team comes to show their support!"
"Over here!" Orihime shouted from the front row of the bleachers waving her homemade 'Go Tatsuki!' sign. "I saved us spots!"
"Asano, I didn't know you joined the wrestling team. That's shocking for such a weenie of a guy." Chizuru commented noting his official Karakura high wrestling team jacket.
"I think it suits him!" Orihime smiled. "Congratulations Asano-kun!"
"Thanks! I'm sure I'll be really happy!"
"Well what do ya know. A pretty girl says something nice and suddenly he's all for it." Akuma laughed while Kiyoshi said a woman is the best thing to motivate a man.
The karate matches started out with the white belts. Most of it was pretty boring but we cheered anyway.
Tatsuki was one of the last matches being a black belt. She was really impressive during her first two matches. The last match between her and a girl named Haruka was intense to say the least.
Haruka was a aggravating fighter for someone like Tatsuki, who took the sport seriously. Haruka seemed to play around and taunt. Staying out of reach and instead hitting her with powerful leg blows.
Finally snapping, Tatsuki reached out and gripped Haruka's Gi to stop her from running. Haruka then delivered a devastating elbow into the center of her forearm.
The crunch was sickening and silenced the entire room.
"Stop match!" The referee yelled moving between Tatsuki and Haruka. "Combatant in red out due to serious injury."
"Tatsuki-chan!" Orihime gasped jumping to her feet.
"Go with her to the hospital." I told Orihime giving her a reassuring smile. "I'll give Natsuki a call."
"Right!"
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"I never thought having a foreigner in our town would be so exciting!"
"I'm glad. I have to blow off steam some how!"
I ground my teeth while assembling the paintball guns for our customers. They were rookies in the police for all decked out in riot gear with different painted helmets on and they were obnoxious when it came to throwing around the word 'foreigner' and using a gun, even if it was just a paintball gun.
I can't say I really blame them on the gun part.
In Japan, it's very difficult to obtain a gun license. You have to give the police force a valid reason for owing one, obtain a written test, and pass medical and psychiatric evaluation.
Even then, you can not carry the weapon around and the police must know it's exact location in your household where it must be kept under lock and key and separated from the ammunition.
The only reason we are allowed to own guns is because James owns a gun range, Villalobos Tactical Gun Range, normally training police officers and security guards in military tactics and maneuvers. There is also a large market for gun tourism, where customers can come in an learn to shoot or play a game of paintball.
Technically, only James is allowed to use and transport them. Pops and I are only allowed to have them in the gun range. Even though I'm underage, I'm allowed to deal with them thanks to the competition loophole and the fact I work part time in the shop.
The competition loophole allows teenagers to own and handle guns if they rank high enough on a national level or have been recruited to the Olympic team.
What I find funny is while obtain a handgun is difficult owning a rifle is permitted to the general public.
"Oi! Listen up!" I yelled snapping the group of men into attention. "Pick up your guns. Tonight we'll be doing standard chase training. Naturally, I'll be the criminal and no headsets. I want you to be able to really know your teammates."
My job in the shop is normally assembling items, cleaning, and stocking but sometimes James lets me run the paintball scenario simulations while he judges them and me. It's fun as hell.
"Yes, Ma'am!"
"Alright then. To your marks!"
This group is pretty bad. They don't work well together. I've already 'killed' two of them now I'm just hiding hoping the regroup or James is going to tear them a new one which is hilarious but means extra, unpaid, hours for me.
I felt Reiatsu flare ups again. It's frustrating. I hate the knowing that if a Hollow came after me I'd have to let Ichigo deal with it. Sitting on the side line isn't something I can cope with.
"I did it!" Demon mask laughed waving his gun above his head in victory. "Got the final boss!"
"Nice job!" I complimented rubbing my arm under the padding. Paintballs hurt even in full gear. "You should probably stay on the range for a while longer before trying out for the squad."
I can't say anything rude to the customers despite the fact he has poor trigger discipline and hit the board behind me four times before actually getting me. I also don't want James to know I was slacking off on the job.
"I did! Guys I did it!" He yelled running to his group to boast.
"You okay there, Space Cadet?" Pops asked placing his wrist on my forehead. "It's unlike you to be spacing out during a match."
"Yeah, I'm good it's just been a long day."
From dealing with Tatsuki's injury and her furious mother then hearing Ichigo was acting strange today while I was with Keigo in the cafeteria. Like he was on drugs or something. Apparently, he jumped into the classroom proceeded to grab on as many boobs as he could before jumping back out the window.
I was distracted by everything going crazy.
"You're still young so you shouldn't be this tired even after a long day." Pops gave me a teasing smile. "Is someone getting sick?"
"I'm not sick!" I hissed lowly hoping a certain germ punching lunatic doesn't overhear us.
"Sick?" James eyes twinkled in glee. "The only way to beat a virus is to sweat it out through intense training!"
"Look what you did!" I shrieked backing away from the vicious look in James's eyes. "You released the Kraken!"
"Sorry!" Pops laughed not sounding sorry at all.
"Pops is feeling a little under the weather too!" I shouted shoving him in front of him. If I have to workout like a Navy Seal I'm dragging him with me.
"Oi!" He hissed at me before turning back to the manically plotting James. "She's so sick she thinks I'm sick! You should focus on get her into virus fighting shape!"
"Oh my!" I gasped feigning terror. "His fever is so high he's can't tell he's sick!"
"It's settled then!" James pounded his fist into the palm of his hand. "We'll execute a full on tactical assault on germs as a family!"
James whirled around pointing at the group of rookies. "You losers might as well join in too. Lord knows you need the work!"
They looked positively horrified.
"Let's start with laps around the city in full gear, double time!"
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I slowly trudged my way to class. My body was so sore. I thought I'd be used to James' intense training but that man had aces up his sleeves.
"Karissa." Chad's voice called out.
"What happened to you?" I asked looking at the numerous bandages covering Chad. "You look like a mummy."
"…A steel beam fell on me then on my way to school I got hit by a motorcycle. The driver was unconscious so I carried him to the hospital."
I gawked at him. "That's impressive and all but maybe you should start wearing a helmet or something. I've heard brain damage is miserable."
Chad's lips twitched slightly. "I'll look into that."
"Whatcha got there?" I asked lifting the cover over the cage seeing a small bird blinking at me.
"A Cockatiel."
"Do we have show and tell today?"
"No."
"Then why are you bringing a bird to school?" I asked listen to the bird sing a popular pop song flawlessly. "That's a random thing to do. Are you sure you don't have a concussion?"
He just shrugged lifting the cage to his face making the bird chirp happily. "You're late too."
"Yeah. James totally killed me last night with his psycho workout then forgot to clean up shop so I helped him with that this morning."
"Orihime has a massive bruise on her leg, Tatsuki broke her arm last night, and now you. It's like you guys are cursed with bad luck or something!"
Chad looked at me startled. He even faltered in his steps slightly. "That's an interesting reaction."
"You okay there, big guy?"
"…Yeah." he strode forward a little faster. "Is Tatsuki okay?"
"Yeah. She's just frustrated by it, ya know?"
We found everyone sitting on top of the roof for lunch. Keigo seemed to be flaunting his new jacket in front of Mizuiro, who was hardly impressed and continued to fiddle with his beloved cell phone.
Rukia was struggling with a juice box while Ichigo laughed at her futile attempts to figure it out.
"BFF! You're here!" Keigo yelled waving excitedly. "With Chad too!"
"Chad?!" Ichigo eyes widened. "What happened?!"
Chad told them the same story he told me while the bird impressed everyone with it's talking skills.
"Hey. Open this?" Rukia said handing the juice box to me while scooting absurdly close to me. Any closer and she'd be on my lap.
I laughed at her inability to figure out a simple thing but helped her out anyway while nudging her away slightly. "Personal spa-"
"Don't worry about the bird. We'll take care of it. Chad is not in any danger." She whispered in my ear. It was awkward with the boys staring.
"Girl talk, ya'll need to fuck off." I shooed the boys away they could talk to the bird on the other side of the roof.
"You felt it, right?"
"Yeah. I didn't know ghosts could possess animals though."
"Why wouldn't they be able to? It has a weak soul so it wouldn't be difficult for a ghost to impose on them."
"Weird." I shrugged not really that interested in a haunted bird. "So, what's been happening lately with the Hollows?"
"Orihime was attacked recently. Her bruises are from a Hollow, her dead brother to be exact. Other than that it's been pretty much the same deal."
"That's brutal." I said realizing why Orihime was so upset over small things, and some big deals, yesterday
"What happened to Tatsuki?!" Ichigo barked striding over to us looking incredibly worried.
"Bad luck at the karate opening. Her opponent accidentally broke her arm."
"Is that why they are missing today?"
"I dunno. Probably." I shrugged ignoring his annoyed look.
"Did you at least jump in and kick her ass?"
"Oh?! What's this? The goody two shoes is advocating violence!" I grinned looking at Rukia. "I think you're a good influence on him!"
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Once again, I was left out of something as Ichigo, Rukia, and a third party went out and dealt with a Hollow. This battle seemed to be taking longer than their usual ones. I was kind of worried but don't tell them I said that.
James was having me order items and supplies for the shop while he took Pops to his office to get research supplies so he can play mad scientist in the basement. Seriously, most of the time he gets bored and figures out ways to make what he's working on explode.
Pops works in a laboratory working with robotics and biology. His team and him are trying to make prosthetic limbs that function just a like a normal limbs in humans and animals.
In short, I was bored as hell and contemplated just going to see if I could help fight the Hollow somehow.
Kyrururururu!
"No fucking way!" I barked jumping out of my chair to get a good look at the Hollow in my backyard. "Well shit."
I ran to the coffee table unhooking the latch to get to the hidden gun storage. We kind of obey the gun laws. We just don't lock anything down and everything is always fully loaded.
Grabbing both of my personalized Beretta 92s. They were a gift from James and Pops when I first went to compete in a national competition.
They are stainless steel and have a 5.9 inch barrel and slide configuration, 1 inch longer than any standard Beretta 92 model. They had the sun and moon etched into the ivory grips with 'Aim True' carved into the slide.
"If I have Reiatsu like Ichigo, why can't I fight Hollows too? I should be able to use it to get rid of them as well. If I'm wrong whatever, I'm not going to wait for him to come save me."
"Oi you, ugly fuck!" The Hollow snapped it's head towards me. "Get the fuck off my lawn!"
The dog-like Hollow let out another anguished cry before charging forward. I lifted both guns focusing everything I assumed Reiatsu was at it letting it get closer before rapid firing.
The bullets flew out encased in blue energy making swiss cheese out of the Hollow. It cried out before bursting into fragments and floating away into the night.
"Fuck yeah!" I cheered jumping up and down before a wave of nausea hit me. I stumbled lightly before feeling my eyes slip closed and legs give out.
Someone managed to hold me up and stead me. I could feel us moving toward the couch but couldn't find the strength to lift my head.
I blinked down at the feet. Nobody I knew wore that brand of dress shoe or wore fancy dress pants for that matter.
"O-oi. Who-" I lapsed into an uneasy and unwilling slumber.
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A bishonen is a typical pretty boy with perfect hair and teeth that all the girls like.
I'm calling Tatsuki's mom Natsuki because I don't know if Tatsuki has a mom nor her name.