Disclaimer: I do not Bleach, no matter how much I beg.
Looking into the Eye
Chapter 4: Ink No Longer
School itself was boring, as most of what was taught she already knew from her past life. Japanese and Japanese history were the only things that didn't fall under that category, given that Japan's history is given a vague overview in the US and she never learned the Japanese language until two years prior. She spent her lunchtime with Orihime and Tatsuki and tried to organize a few meetings between Orihime and Ichigo. The girl's flustered shyness was amusing.
She spent the time that she wasn't learning anything new doodling Bleach themed drawings (it's for art), writing Bleach themed poetry in Japanese and English (I've got to practice if I want to get better), and pondering the fact that she is in the Bleach-verse. Delayed reaction she knows.
It was easier to ignore when she could distract herself.
She supposed she could try to avoid getting involved in the entire thing by either trying to pretend she doesn't know what's going on, but the prospect of meet the nut Urahara Kisuke and other quirky characters was to tempting to pass up. Maybe if she found Urahara she could persuade him to make her a weapon to defend herself against Hollows, but that was dependant on whether or not she had enough spirit energy to use it. He'll probably help if she developed spiritual powers on her own just so she won't attract unwanted attention, but she wasn't about to go ask him to help her become hollow bait. She doesn't remember where in Karakura his shop was supposed to be anyway.
"Hey, Diana. You might have to walk home by yourself today." Tatsuki said, walking up to her. She hadn't realized that class had been let out.
"Why's that?" They had been in school for a week now, and they walk to and from school together everyday.
"I've signed up for Karate, and Orihime signed for the Handicrafts club, and I you have no intention of signing up for anything, so, unless you want stick around after school with nothing to do…" She left the rest speak for itself.
"Alright, I think I know the way well enough that I won't get lost."
-4-
Diana was wrong. She was lost very very lost. She did think she was still in Karakura, thank goodness, but she couldn't tell which district she was in. She felt something that tickled her nose, it kind of felt like what happened with Ishida. She hadn't noticed it before, but it was something to hold on to and she followed it. She was silently hoping it wasn't a hollow.
Her prayers were apparently heard, cause she found the source, a old styled building with a sign that said 'Urahara Shoten' above the entrance. Ururu and Jinta weren't outside though, they must do the sweeping in the morning. Regardless, she made her way inside. Tsukabishi Tessai was manning the register.
"Hey, I got lost. Which district is this?" She said she browsed the candies, it good to know the candy shop front wasn't just a front. She loved candy.
"This is the Mitsumiya district." That was way off course, but at least she knew where the shop was. Diana cringed.
"So I went in the wrong direction. Say, do have any konpeito?"
"It's over there." He pointed and she followed, "May I ask where it is you were going?"
"Minamikawase, near the Kurosaki clinic."
"Would you like an escort?" It wasn't Tessai that said that. It was Urahara, wearing his signature geta and striped hat, within arms reach of Diana. When did he get there? She caught Tessai giving Urahara a questioning look.
Ridding herself of the surprise of having someone suddenly so close, she replied, "Depends on whether or not you're going to tell me your name, and are willing to wait for me to get my candy." She winced, for a second it felt as if something were squeezing her head. Actually, if the feeling wasn't so sudden, she would have just thought it was a change in air pressure. It gave her a headache.
"Of course I'll wait for the pretty lady.~" he flirted lightly. She knew this guy was a bit of pervert, but somehow she wondered if he another reason for offering. She probably won't figure it out until everything is said and done.
Tessai rang up her purchase, she turned around, gave Urahara the flattest look she could muster and asked, "Now, who are you?"
"I am Urahara Kisuke, the honest, handsome, perverted owner of this shop." he said watching her under the shadow of his hat.
"You can show me the way there, but if you perv on me, you will bleed."
"Duly noted." Diana looked at Urahara who had his fan out hiding his face.
'Shady bastard.' She muttered under her breath as opened her bag of konpeito.
They left the shop with Urahara leading the way. Diana knew Urahara always meant well, but at this point in time he wouldn't stick his nose in things if those things were to going draw attention from the Soul Society.
"Have you seen or felt anything strange lately?" He asked. What was he playing at? Did this have anything to do with her slowly growing, but unexplained spiritual awareness.
"Like you?" She snarked, un willing to give anything away yet.
"My, my, you're being rather suspicious.~" He said cheerily.
"I'd prefer cautious." She paused. Might as well play the game. "I don't like unknown people leading me into games I don't know how to play." If she gets involved, it will be on her terms.
"And if you get dragged into the game anyway?" He questioned cautiously.
"Then let's have this conversation then." He tipped his hat in acquiescence. "We might just see each other again soon; your konpeito is really good."
They walked the rest of the way in silence. It gave Diana time to think about why Urahara approached in the first place. She had a growing spiritual pressure, but if he approached everyone that did, Tatsuki and Ichigo's other friends who got spiritual pressure would have know been told what was going on in the first arc. If Urahara thought she was a spy of some sort, he probably would have dodged her completely. The only reason she could think of was he wanted to prevent her from drawing to much attention to the Kurosakis by investigating the spiritual world she was becoming aware of. It was never explicitly said, but heavily implied that Urahara may have promised Isshin to keep the Kurosaki kids (mostly Ichigo) away from the spiritual world.
"If you do see anything, don't tell anyone that shouldn't already know." He said.
"I understand."
It was later that night, that she realized that when Ichigo got involved in the Shinigami business, (because it's a miracle that Urahara was able to it hidden from Ichigo for this long) he SHOULD know anything that crazy shopkeeper told her about the spiritual world. He was going to use her as a loophole. That sneaky bastard.
-4-
The next day she more or less demanded Ichigo walk her home, citing getting lost as the reason. He protested. Keigo asked to walk her home instead. Diana threw Keigo down the hall. Ichigo left. Diana followed anyway.
"Why are you pretending to be cold, Ichigo?"
"I'm not pretending." He replied.
"If you were really that cold, you wouldn't have saved Asano-san on the first day of school. So why the tough-guy act? You don't seem like the type of person that cares about their image."
"I don't care about how others see me. If I did, I would have dyed my hair black a long time ago. Besides, you change your hair because you don't want to be mistaken for Tatsuki." He observed. Her hair has been up in two very spiky pigtails since she blew up at a couple of idiots challenging her to a karate match. Ichigo had been one of the spectators.
A little perturbed that Ichigo was denying the facade, she replied, "Yes, but I changed the way I look so I wasn't mistaken as someone I'm not. You didn't put these guards up when I first met you. Are you trying to play cool for a girl?~"
She got a somewhat flustered response. She laughed. The next day was much the same.
"I spotted you spying on the girls from the roof. See something you like?~"
"I wasn't spying. Even if I was, you were spying on us as well."
"That's because I like watching cute boys.~ You boys spy on cute girls, too.~"
"I was not spying on Inoue."
"I didn't say anything about Orihime-chan."
It caught her off guard, she just meant to tease him, not make him accidentally admit to thinking Orihime was cute. She whether or not Ichigo had any feelings for Orihime until much later. Actually, he didn't show any romantic inclinations much at all. Yoruichi proved he was straight, but a prude, which is why Diana is teasing him. She later began to coach him how to act like a gentleman (Do you really think you ask your dad how to treat a lady? I've met your dad. I am not your worst option.)
In the following weeks, she realized Ichigo and even Chad as he walked with them most of the time (She kept herself from teasing Ichigo about Orihime around other people. He appreciates it.) had become her friends as much Tatsuki and Orihime had. For Chad, it might have been when Ichigo and the giant got into a fight with thugs and she threw a guy trying to knife him in the back. (Ichigo got himself the nickname 'beast' in that fight. He hated it.) For Ichigo, it might been when she found him talking to a spirit, which she could now see as a blur, after a candy run to Urahara's.
"Do you always make time to speak to blurry figures?" Ichigo looked up, as he kneeling down like he was talking to a little kid, which, in all likelihood, he was.
"Do you see him?" He asked.
"Like I said, all I see is a small, blurry figure."
"I am not small!" Came the voice only half-heard, but still understood voice. She barked a laugh.
"How 'bout 'growing'?" That earned a huff. Touche.
Ichigo gave short bout of soft laughter, then turned to Diana and asked again, "You can talk to spirits?"
"Honestly, this is the first time I've actually heard one, but don't think it's anything special. I can talk to those who haven't moved on yet. It isn't like I can do anything about it." And no more was said about it. Not when they walked home or when Ichigo other spirits of dead children.
It was nearing mid-May when Diana when she realized it, but, to her, these people were no longer characters in some anime. They were her friends and she would do all she could to ease the pain of what was to come. She begun to plan.
The next chapter will probably contain a rant. I will likely rant at a lot of character, but the first one will be Rukia. Here's a preview. I'm channeling Kukaku.
"YOU FRICKIN' MORON! DO YOU HAVE A DEATH WISH OR ARE YOU FRICKIN' STUPID!"