Me: (Doing the moonwalk all over the place)
Ichigo: (Shakes head) She's...happy.
Me: OF COURSE I AM! I was watching Bleach on Adult Swim last night and a commercial came on for clips from Bleach i haven't seen before. I was wondering if it was a new movie coming out or something like that, and then, i see the most awesomesaucy words appear on the screen. "Bleach: New episodes starting next Sunday". Y'all...I just about died of happiness right then and there. DO YOU KNOW HOW LONG I'VE BEEN WAITING FOR THIS?
Ichigo: Forever?
Me: FOREVER, I SAY! Oh, also, i brought some cakes made by Shadowgouf for you all to admire! (looks at Ichigo, who then wheels in Cake Number One. It's orange vanilla cake with strawberry icing with sprinkles. On it is a chibi young version of nanaw in the middle hugging a strawberry with white icing saying "My Soon-To-Be Strawberry" with a printed picture of her from the present hugging a terrified ichigo, who's trying to get out of the hug.)
Ichigo: (Temple throb) ...How...Fucking...HILARIOUS.
Me: I know right! Cake Number 2! (Ichigo wheels out another cake. It's a black cake shaped like a coffin with blood red icing. Nanaw's crying at Ichigo's grave with Peyton. The following words are above Nanw in grey icing: "I never got to have my thirty minutes of heaven with the hunk muffin!" and above Peyton with white icing: "I'll never tap that hot orange ass ever again!". And of course, Mark Cullen's in the back left corner fainting from his daughter's statement.)
Ichigo: (Grins) At least I'm already dead in that scenario and won't have to face the wrath of Mark!
Me: That's the spirit! And now, Cake Number 3! (Ichigo wheels out yet another cake. It's a blue cake with green icing in the shape of a four pointed star with a chibi Toshiro crying with his ice dragon around him trying to comfort the boy. Green icing words are saying "Why do you ignore my manly need! ".)
Ichigo: Hehehehe, Toshirooo's de-priiiived, while I'm getting all the aaaa-ction! Nananananaaaanaaa!
Me: (Sweatdrops) Good to see you're taking the high road with this. (Cracks whip) AND FINALLY, CAKE NUMBER FOUR!
Ichigo: THat hurt dammit! (Rubs back before wheeling out cake) Ichigo do this, Ichigo do that...
Me: Just do it! (He then rolls out a two layer cake, red with black icing, and Renji's tattoo marks on the side. The bottom layer has chibi versions of Ichigo and Toshiro praying and at the top it has Renji and Byakuya doing a reenactment of the episode when Renji fought Byakuya in his bankai and he gets impaled by Byakuya's swords, with black words saying "He who dates Rukia will not see the next rising sun!".)
Ichigo: (Laughs uncontrollably) That poor dumbass! Being hot for a Kuchiki'll do that to ya, i guess.
Me: (Rolls eyes) Well, anyway. He PMed me about them and they were too funny and creative not to share.
Ichigo: (Points at readers) WE CHALLENGE THEE TO MAKE CAKES CREATIVELY!
Me: ...We do? Whatever. Thanks for all the reviews, good luck with college Ryu, good luck with your horrifying homework im a kitty that luvz sweets, thanks for the encouragement as far as high school goes, good luck with your sequel Ishihackaloogie, good luck with your second chapp (which i look forward to reading) Jennifurball, and ALLof you...Enjoy!
Peyton woke up to hear clanging. Why was she hearing clanging? She kept her eyes closed and wondered what the hell was clanging around.
...Was Yuzu cooking something?
OR...was she fixing a huge batch of Pepto for Peyton's totally empty stomach?
NO WAY! No way in heaven, hell, Soul Society or even goddamn Neverland was she drinking more of that medical pink crap in a bottle!
And y'all can't make me! She thought smugly, seriously pondering from which angle to attack Ichigo if he tried to pin her down again.
The Strawberry bastard. Her vomiting was all...his...FAULT!
She probably would've dumped any other guy for that. Just saying.
But like THAT would happen. Now that she thought about it...she didn't SMELL Pepto cooking. Though she had no idea what the hell cooking Pepto smelled like.
She imagined it was worse than that time she, Ichigo, and Karin placed bets on whether or not Kon could fart in his usual form.
...Unfortunately, Peyton and Ichigo won that one.
And it nearly killed them all, it gave her nightmares...it was bad.
Well, sitting there started to get a bit boring, so she blinked real quickly to get the sleepers out of her eyes and slowly sat up, head pounding.
"Unngh. Well, THAT sucks," she muttered, rubbing the side of her head tenderly.
"Hi."
Peyton slowly turned her head to glare at him, pointing at him ominously. "...YOU."
Ichigo laughed nervously and crawled backwards on the couch so he was as far away as possible without flipping right off.
"U-Uhhh, let's not do anything we'll regret-"
"It's a bit late for that, because you're SO about to regret pinning me down to make me take that damn Pepto!" She snapped.
"Hey, Peyton, don't overexert yourself, you're still sick- AHHHH!" He shouted as she moved to tackle him, reaching for his throat with her spare hand.
"Go Peyton go!" Yuzu and Isshin cheered from the kitchen, making her pause thoughtfully. "When'd you get home, Isshin?"
"Oh, a little while ago! I can't BELIEVE my son DARED to make you endure such horrible treatment!" He bellowed.
Ichigo sweatdropped. "I was TRYING to get her to feeling better and...y'know, less homicidal."
"News flash, you failed," Peyton replied cheerfully as she successfully pinned him down. "Aw, c'mon, can't we negotiate? Hey, we could totally use this position to our advantage," he pointed out in a desperate attempt to save his ass.
"NOT in the mood, hot is the LAST thing I feel at the moment," she replied, raising her fist.
Ichigo braced himself for a new black eye, but then she simply smacked him upside the head and stayed sitting on top of him.
"...That's it? That's all you're gonna do?"
"For the time being. I'm gonna get revenge when you least expect it," she informed him dangerously, sliding off of him much to his obvious dislike.
"...Oh, you're good."
"I know. MUAHAHAHAHAAA- Holy crap, SOUP!" She exclaimed as Yuzu strolled in with a moderately-sized bowl of steaming soup.
Isshin soon pranced in after her, decked out in her kitten-covered pink apron with flowers as stitching, carrying a huge pot of the aforementioned soup haphazardly.
Ichigo sweatdropped. "...This image...will be forever etched into my brain, Dad."
He set the pot down carefully before beaming and holding out the skirt part of the frilly apron. "Isn't it awesomesauce, son? Yuzu says it makes my eyes POP!"
Peyton nodded brightly after thanking Yuzu as she handed her the smaller bowl. "She's so right, it does!"
"Kissass."
BAM!
"Ow! Dammit, Peyton, don't waste your energy on me!"
She stuck her tongue out at him before swallowing some soup, Isshin and Yuzu watching her with a wide-eyed, tense silence.
Peyton grinned, sighing contentedly. "MUCH better, thanks guys."
They jumped up and high-fived each other comically, pointing to the ceiling heroically like cheesy superheroes. "MISSION ACCOMPLISHED, TEAM KUROSAKI!"
"Team Kurosaki is a team of JUST you two, right?" Ichigo asked, sweatdropping.
Peyton smirked. "You really think they'd put YOU on Team Kurosaki? You'd tarnish their good name and reputation!"
"Very true," he replied thoughtfully, stealing a cracker and dipping it in her soup. She didn't even bother slapping his hand away.
Hopefully her germs were floating around in that soup and he'd get as sick as her so she could force HIM to take Pepto and laugh maniacally as he vomited all over the place.
Ichigo sweatdropped as she sighed dreamily, staring off into the distance. "...You're plotting a way to seek vengeance against me, aren't you."
"Little bit."
"Awesome."
"AwesomeSAUCE," she corrected before stealing his second cracker and dipping it in her soup.
He sweatdropped again at how smug she looked as she ate it. "...Oh no, not the cracker. How on EARTH will I go on?" He asked in a monotone voice.
She patted his shoulder comfortingly. "I know how close you two were. I think with time, and a little bit of counseling, you can get through this. WE can get through this. TOGETHERRRR!" She wailed, sniffling and sighing melodramatically.
Ichigo just laughed to himself and shook his head. "And this is why I love you."
She beamed and ate some more soup. "Who the hell knows why I love YOU, but I like just going with it."
"Awesomesauce!"
"Indeed." And with that, they clinked their glasses together as she ignored the churning of her poor stomach.
FIVE DAYS LATER...
"Okay, okay. I MIGHT be able to make the deadline of this damn wedding!" Lindsay declared. Peyton watched from her older sister's bed as she flitted around the room, making marks on blueprints and pinning things on dresses.
"By how much?"
"The hairs on my chin."
"I thought you said you shaved those?" Peyton mused, making Lindsay's temple throb. "Hey, Bloaty McGee, shut your trap!"
"I'M NOT BLOATED NOW, AM I, SMARTASS?"
Miya knocked on the door hesitantly. "I hear battle noises, is it safe to enter?" She asked.
"Yeah!" They said cheerfully.
Miya strolled in, as graceful as usual, smiling pleasantly. "Lindsay, would it be too much of a bother if we pushed the wedding back a little?"
"How far?" Peyton wondered.
"April 14th. It just looks better than March, your sister seems so stressed and frantic lately," She said gently, eyebrows laced together with concern at Lindsay, who was STILL pacing fretfully.
The eldest Cullen sister pretty much bowed at Miya's feet. "OH THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOUUUU! OHMIGOD, I NEARLY DIED!"
The other two sweatdropped, and Nanaw happened to be passing by. "YA KNOW, from the noises I heard one day, you would've thought someone was dying a really enjoyable death, ehhh Peyton?"
"SHUT UP NANAW, THAT IS TOTALLY OFF-LIMITS AS A TOPIC OF DISCUSSION!" Peyton screeched, turning about eight different shades of red in under thirty consecutive seconds.
Miya and Lindsay tried hard not to laugh as Nanaw shrugged and continued down the hall. "Whatever you say, kid. I can't wait for summer!"
Peyton's temple throbbed. "I'm sure you can't. Goddamn cougars, running wild in my family tree...What're y'all looking at?" She snapped, making the other two just about roll around with laughter and giggles.
"BAHAHAHA! SHE CAUGHT YOU IN THE ACT!" Lindsay exclaimed.
Peyton pointed at Miya accusingly. "Like YOU can laugh your ass off, she's caught you and dad too!"
"Yeah, but we're ENGAGED and OVERAGE! Plus, I'm not as cute as you when you get embarrassed," Miya replied between giggles.
Peyton just sighed and stomped off. "I'm going for a walk, dammit!"
SIX MINUTES LATER...
"Go-old lion's gonna tell me where the light is...Go-old lion's gonna tell me where the light is...Ta-ake our hands outta control...Ta-ake..." Peyton trailed off, lowering the volume on her iPod.
She hated interrupting "Gold Lion" by The Yeah Yeah Yeahs with a passion, it was so catchy, but she felt uneasy.
Like she was being watched.
She hadn't felt that in a long time.
Peyton glanced around, wondering what kind of dumbass prank she was falling for this time. Damn Ichigo and Renji, they got more clever every time.
"Come on out, you guys, I know you're there," she demanded to the air. Then again, she didn't sense their reiatsu. There WAS a strong reiatsu nearby, but it wasn't one she recognized.
She heard a twig snap and rolled her eyes. "Great. I've walked right into the cheesiest of all horror movie scenarios."
Suddenly, a Hollow appeared, roaring menacingly. Peyton smirked. "You just think you're soooo badass, don't you? Compared to the Iga Klan or me when I'm hungry, you're no big cheese," she informed him as she dodged two swipes.
He managed to claw her shoulder a little deep, and Peyton groaned. "Great, now you're gonna make me have to use energy," she accused as she felt the familiar hum of her reiatsu.
Jeez, I haven't had to use this in forever, she mused as she just barely dodged another swipe and struck an electrified blow across the monster's chest.
Peyton couldn't help but smile to herself as she struck one of his arms, cutting it off at the bulky wrist.
It feels good.
Ichigo and Rukia showed up about three seconds later, right after she got another scratch across her cheek, and he ran right in there and delivered the final blow, making her huff.
"...Had to be the hero, huh."
He grinned. "Like I'd let you take all the credit. Jeez, Peyton, I thought you knew me."
"Unfortunately, I know you pretty damn well," was her reply as Rukia sighed in disappointment. "Damn. I eased into a sprint for nothing. What a weak Hollow."
Peyton sighed as well. "How do you think I feel? Couldn't even finish him off because of a certain SHOWOFF," she commented, smacking Ichigo upside the head as emphasis.
"Ow!"
The two girls ignored him. "Hey, I'm hungry, wanna go eat something?"
"Sure."
Ichigo sweatdropped as they just left him there. "Uh...No, sorry, can't go, but THANKS FOR ASKING!"
"NO PROBLEM!" They shouted back innocently.
He huffed and stomped in the opposite direction. "Fine. BE that way."
Peyton decided the person whose reiatsu she sensed must have been some other Soul Reaper or something. Someone she hadn't met before.
That would be the only reason they were watching her, that she knew of. If not that, then...who?
Ichigo was about halfway down the street when Shinji fell into stride with him. "Ichigo."
"Yeah."
"About Peyton..."
Ichigo rolled his eyes. "If you're gonna declare your undying love or something again, lemme know now so I can find a good place to vomit."
He didn't even smirk, his expression didn't change at all. "I'm serious."
"...Oh. What then?"
"It's about...what she can do. That energy..."
"What about it?"
"Something about this just doesn't seem right." Ichigo eyed him suspiciously. "Whaddaya mean?"
"Well...Let's face it. Her abilities are...to put it quite simply...pretty damn badass considering she doesn't even have a zanpakuto or anything of the sort. How can someone with that kind of power not be sought out by one enemy or another?"
"I don't get it."
"It worries me that things are so calm." Shinji glanced around, as did Ichigo. It was pretty peaceful lately.
He hadn't considered it a bad thing before, but now that the damn Vizard mentioned it, it did seem almost too calm around here.
"Like the calm before the storm," Ichigo suggested.
Shinji nodded. "Exactly. I'm just saying, we should be careful. A power like that, any power really, never goes unnoticed. Someone's always waiting on the sidelines to try and abuse them, and twist them into something beyond their control."
"Like Aizen?"
"No, I wouldn't go so far as to suggest him. I don't think this is anything of his doing, and if it is, he's not doing a damn good job. He would've showed himself by now. I just...feel a bit uneasy with this."
As if on cue, a particularly chilly wind picked up around them, and Shinji frowned. "You can just feel it in the air. It's too calm around here, I'm telling you."
Ichigo nodded. "I get what you mean. I feel it too. I'll keep an eye on her."
Shinji rolled his eyes. "Duh. Tell me something I didn't already know, Kurosaki. Since when do you NOT have an eye on her?"
Ichigo scowled, and he chuckled before clapping him on the back. "Not like anyone could blame ya. She's smokin'," he commented, moving his hands down through the air, forming the international sign for "curvaceous" or "perfect bod".
"Hey, watch yourself, Shinji!" Ichigo shouted as he bounded off. Shinji simply held up a hand in acknowledgement, not even bothering to turn to face him.
Ichigo shook his head. "Gimme the strength not to kill him."
"I think he's funny, Itsygo!"
His jaw dropped as he slowly turned around and looked down. He was promptly more-or-less glomped to death.
"NEL? WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING HERE?"