Me: SOOOO sorry for the delay!
Carmen: It's rather unlike you.
Ichigo: It's 'cause she's a SLACKER- OWWW!
Me: (Having just hit him with a gauntlet) YOU ASSHOLE, I WAS SICK! AND THIS WAS LIKE 14 PAGES LONG, SO I THINK SLACKER IS THE LAST THING TO CALL ME!
Rukia: (Icepack on head, looks at audience) They've been bitchy all day. JUST GET ON WITH IT, YOU TWO! (Hisses in a breath and grips icepack tighter) Owwwww...
Me and Ichigo: (Huge smirks and snickers)
Carmen: REALLY didn't think that through, didya?
Rukia: (Temple throb) JUST ROLL IN THE CAKES. ...Ow, ow, DAMMIT OW!
Carmen: ROLL 'EM IN, MY BELOVED JUSTIN! (Waits with stars in eyes)
Ichigo and Me: (Whistle innocently)
Rukia and Carmen: (Demonic auras that only fangirls could muster) WHAT did you DO to JUSTIN?
Ichigo and Me: NOOOOTHINNNNG!
Me: I heard he was in the hospital.
Ichigo: I think he...um...they said he accidentally fell onto a zanpakuto and...um...accidentally nearly got beheaded and, ummm...accidentally...nearly bled to death when the crazed assailant...um...nearly hacked him to pieces.
Me: ...Yeah. But it couldn't have been us, because whoever it was, they were a NINJA!
-Meanwhile, In Some Nearby Hospital-
Justin: (Trying and failing to vocalize, causing his stitches to reopen on his throat) NAAAOOO!
Justin: (Shakes fist at the sky) Damn you, Ninja Dude With Spiky Orange Hair. DAAAAAMN YOOOOU!
-Back to Us-
Me: ...He'll be missed.
Ichigo: (Nods solemnly)
Rukia: (Eyetwitch) ...Whatever. CAKE NUMBER ONE!
(In comes the most disturbing creature imaginable...besides Lady Gaga and Justin Beiber's lovechild)
Me, Ichigo, Carmen, Random Videogamer: ...PYRAMIDHEAD?
Pyramidhead: ...Unh. (Cake Number One is from yeah9fun. It's a giant choco-chip-cookie/brownie cake thingie with blue icing that's a life-sized version of Chappy! but a giant Chappy the size of King Kong)
Pyramidhead: ...Unh. (Points to note)
Ichigo: (Sweatdrop) He's a man of many words.
Me: (Shrugs) I don't recall him talking in Silent Hill 2.
Ichigo and Gamer: True.
Me: (Takes note gently while flashing an innocent smile at my new cake assitant) ...Um...it says... "King-Kong Chappy shall be taking over Tokyo tomorrow at 4:37 pm. Be there or be square!"
Carmen: (Runs off) SQUEE! I'LL GO BUY A FOREMAN GRILL, 3-D GLASSES, AND SOME LAWN CHAIRS!
Ichigo: (Epic sweatdrop as Pyramidhead claps gleefully) ...Well, call me Ishmael.
Me: Ishmael.
Ichigo: NOT LITERALLY.
Me: Oh. Sorry, Ishmael. ON TO CAKE NUMBER TWOOOO! ...If you please, Mr. Pyramidhead.
Pyramidhead: Unh. (Runs off before wheeling in Cake Number Two. It's from Mer and Homicide. It's an Ichigo-sized Chappy, and it's white. There's a gun right next to it)
Rukia: Oooooh!
Me: THERE'S A NOTE!
Pyramidhead: Unnnnh. (Hands me note)
Me: Uhhh...thanks. It saaaays... "For Ichigo only. It isn't for eating, but to relieve stress. Ichigo, take the gun and release you emotions upon the fuckin rabbit!" (Sweatdrops as Ichigo spits out part of Chappy's ear)
Ichigo: I fricking KNEW it tasted weird!
Me: (Eyeroll) ...Whatever. CAKE NUMBER THREEEE! ...Whenever you get around to it, Mr. Pyramidhead, as long as you remember my legs may be long but are for display only.
Pyramidhead: Awwwwnnnnh! (Stomps off and goes to get the cake.)
(Cake Number Three is from Squee. It's a 95-story awesomesauce cake with anti-Chappy and anti-JB symbols)
Me and Ichigo: (Isshin Anime Tears of Joy) It's...b-b-beautiful!
Rukia: Try b-b-BLASPHEMY!
Me: YOU DON'T COUNT!
Rukia: YES I DO!
Pyramidhead: UNNNNH! (Gestures to the already-wheeled-out Cake Number Four. It's from SwirlzSmile. It's a chocolate cake with red and orange icing. Ichigo and Peyton are sweatdropping at the wailing sex-ed teacher, and there's some strawberries and sugar stars scattered around the cake)
Me: (Stars in eyes) Wowww, he's the best one so far. I DIDN'T HAVE TO EVEN TELL YOU! PYRAMIDHEAD, YOU ROCK!
Pyramidhead: (Blushes and waves me off bashfully) Unnnh!
Ichigo: (Epic sweatdrop) ...Oh dear CUPCAKE JESUS, please just wheel out Cake Number Five.
Me: YOU HEARD ISHMAEL, CAKE NUMBER FIVE!
Ichigo: MY NAME IS NOT ISHMAEL, DAMMIT!
Pyramidhead: UNNNH! (Cake Number Five is from xXSweetestXAngelXNightmareXx. It's a Chappy-head cake with Zangetsu stabbed into its head.)
Me: OOOH! LOOKIE! ANOTHER NOTE! (Peering over Pyramidhead's shoulder) It saaaays..."Ichigo, here are your deepest, darkest, not-directly-related-to-Peyton desires, come to light. ENJOI! P*L*H!"
Ichigo: Can we make my directly-related-to-Peyton desires come true, too?
Me: If we tried that, we'd be here all day.
Ichigo: I CAN HANDLE THAT!
Me: SHUT UP, PERVY ISHMAEL, AND LET'S MOVE ON TO CAKE NUMBER SIX!
Ichigo: MY NAME IS ICHIGO KUROSAKI, NOT FRICKING ISHMAEL!
Pyramidhead: Unh. Unh. (Cake Number Six is from Reason to Scatter. It's a chocolate Chappy-shaped cake with a stake through where the heart should be. The stake-hole is dripping cherry "blood". There are also 3 Ziploc bags arranged on the plate the cake is on.)
Ichigo: Now THAT is beautiful.
Me: Indeed.
Pyramidhead: Unh. Unh. OMNOMNOMNOMNOM. Unh!
Everyone: (Massive sweatdrops)
Ichigo: I think he wants cake. We better wrap this up. The last thing we want is a bitchy Pyramidhead.
Pyramidhead: UNH! (Cake Number Seven's then wheeled in. It's from austmadman. It's a cake of Ichigo being chased by Kenpachi while Rukia and Peyton stand to the side laughing.)
Me: ...Oh, you're AWESOMESAUCE, Pyramidhead.
Pyramidhead: Awwwwnhh!
Ichigo: (Pretends to gag) Get a room!
Me: YOU AND PEYTON NEVER GET A ROOM, ISHMAEL, SO SHUT UP!
Ichigo: DAMMIT, MY NAME ISN'T NO FUCKING ISHMAEL!
Me: CAKE NUMBER EIGHT, IF YOU PLEASE!
Pyramidhead: Unnnh! (Points drearily at the empty cart)
Ichigo: Oh. No more. You can eat then, Pyramidhead. I already took pictures.
Me: Me too!
Pyramidhead: YAYY! ENJOY! OMNOMNOMNOMNOMNOM! (Starts rolling on the ground happily while devouring cake)
Me and Ichigo: (Keel over in shock) HOLY CRAP!
Gamer: (Uses inhaler) Ohhhh, jeez. I will never look upon Pyramidhead the same ever again!
Rukia: ...Who the fuck's Pyramidhead?
Miya sighed contentedly as her husband rubbed suntan lotion onto her back. She'd never been to a beach before, and it felt even better than she imagined it.
Barbados; it even had a cool name. "Nothing could POSSIBLY spoil this, hon..." She muttered happily.
"Nope. No Nanaw, no way of work reaching us, no kids, no-" Mark trailed off when they heard the distinct sound of his phone vibrating.
He winced as his wife's temple throbbed. She sat up slowly, crossing her arms. "Is that a CELL PHONE I hear?"
"W-Well, ONE of us had to bring one! I mean, Seth's in charge back home, isn't that reason enough?"
"So how come I couldn't bring mine, too?" She demanded as the phone continued to vibrate. He sighed exasperatedly. "Because YOU'D be...be...TEXTING! Yes, you'd be texting the entire time!"
Her temple throbbed again, and Miya simply tied the straps of her halter bikini back together and huffed. "Well? Answer it."
Mark did so, wishing all kinds of creative and painful deaths against whoever had enough stupidity to call him on his honeymoon and get him caught like that.
"HELLO," He answered in a deadly tone that only one of the chief coroners of Karakura Town could muster.
"Hello, Cullen-Sempai!" A voice chirped from the other end. There were very few people who referred to him by his last name after knowing him, and judging from the lockers slamming that could clearly be heard on her end, it was most definitely someone from the high school.
Mark sighed. "Which kid was it?"
"Well, technically? Two. But only one of yours!" She replied, still chirping like a fricking ray of sunshine.
Miya looked at him expectantly, but he just shrugged. "I know as much as you do," He mouthed.
"I highly doubt that," She muttered under her breath, making his temple throb, but he just closed his eyes briefly in annoyance.
This was all this chick on the other line's fault, he just KNEW IT.
"Well? You gonna tell me what they did for you to call me?" He prompted.
There was a nervous giggle on the other line. "Oh, right! Oopsie! Sorry, I'm just a temp at the moment, I'm not good with phones..."
Mark sweatdropped. Temps. God love 'em, I wanna shoot them all one by one like ducks. "Alright, well...let's get on with it?"
"RIGHT! …Uhh, apparently your daughter Peyton was sent in for...beating...Chappy? He just left in an ambulance?"
"WHAT THE HELL IS CHAPPY DOING AT HER SCHOOL?"
"Well, he was there for a sexual education class," She replied quickly.
"But of course. She's terrified of the stupid character," He muttered, rubbing his temple with his free hand tiredly.
Miya nodded to herself. "Peyton."
"Lucky guess."
"I'm sorry, sir?"
"Not you, I was talking to my wife."
She giggled anxiously again, and he sighed. "And why exactly are you calling me?" "Weeelll, they're sending them both home, aaand...I'm not sure if Chappy will be pressing charges against them or not-"
"I'm sorry, both? Them? You mean more than one of my kids attacked this guy?"
"Um, sir, first off, Chappy is a rabbit. And secondly, it was an, ummm...Ichigo Kurosaki?" Mark's head sunk even lower, and he just nodded.
"Yep, more than one of my kids..."
"I'm sorry? Did you adopt?"
"No, but I'm sure he'll be my son-in-law soon enough. Anyway, what exactly do ya'll expect me to do about it? My wife and I are on our honeymoon. In Barbados. Which, if you've covered that yet in your high school curriculum, since I'm SURE you're still enrolled in a high school somewhere, you know is very far away."
In fact, that was kinda the whole point of GOING to Barbados...
"O-Oh. Well then, in that case, we're gonna need SOME kind of adult to come and take her home from school. School policy."
"Can she stay there for eight more days, then? Because THAT'S when we'll be back."
"Uhhhh-" Suddenly, there was a loud noise in the background, followed by instantly recognizable shouting.
Mark just sighed and hung up. "Isshin's there."
Miya smirked at him. "Wish you'd kept your phone back in the hotel NOW, huh?" He shook his head before tossing his phone into the sand near them. "You have NO idea."
MEANWHILE...
Peyton fidgeted with Ichigo's fingers as the young chick behind the Main Office desk chatted up her dad.
"He's gonna be PISSED," She muttered.
He smirked. "You should've thought about that BEFORE you punched that dumbass." Her temple throbbed with an indignant noise. "Ex-CUSE me? His head just 'happened' to land in the dead center of my chest? And he just 'HAPPENED' to not make any effort to remove himself? I was simply helping him, is all. BESIDES, not only was it FLIPPING CHAPPY THE EVIL RABBIT, but you beat the crap out of him too!"
"Only because he deserved it!"
"Exactly!"
"O-Oh. Well then, in that case, we're gonna need SOME kind of adult to come and take her home from school. School policy," The girl was saying.
That caught her attention. She smirked evilly, looking at Ichigo. "Guess who the only adult left around is?"
He paled dangerously. "N-No. Not...Not NANAW!"
"YES NANAW!"
BAM! CLATTER!
"ICHIGOOOO, MY SOOOONNN! YOUR BELOVED FATHER IS HERE TO BAIL YOU OUT!" Isshin declared, spreading out his arms dramatically.
The chick behind the desk sweatdropped. "Uhhh..." She looked at her phone funny before huffing. "He hung up on me...!"
Ichigo snickered. "Like father like daughter, huh?" Peyton elbowed him in the ribs, and he groaned. "DAMMIT! ...Okay, I had that coming."
"Ya think?"
"I do, actually."
"You think correctly. FOR ONCE."
Before Ichigo could reply, Isshin had picked Peyton up and was currently swinging her around like a prized stuffed animal he had just won at a fair. "MY WONDERFUL BELOVED NEW DAUGHTER KNOCKED HIS LIGHTS OUT! I'M SO PROUD! I'VE WANTED TO DO THAT FOR SUCH A LONG TIME!"
"I thought you liked Chappy," Peyton managed to get out while gasping for air.
"Oh, I do! ...I just love to see the guy that you BEAT UP suffer!" He replied cheerfully. Ichigo sweatdropped. "Dad...That WAS temporarily Chappy. Chappy's just a random human in a suit."
Isshin suddenly froze, still holding Peyton, his lower lip trembling. "You...You lie!"
"Nope. Tell him, Peyton."
"DON'T DRAG ME INTO THIS, ICHIGO KUROSAKI!"
Suddenly, Isshin was sobbing into Peyton's shoulder. "OOOOHHHH NOOOOOES! PEYTON, TELL ME HE LIES! MASAKI, OH MASAKI, ONLY A MONTH OR SO AWAY FROM OUR ANNUAL VISIT AND OUR SON PROVIDES ME WITH ONE MORE MISFORTUNE TO SHARE WITH YOU!"
The girl behind the desk looked up as Ichigo sighed and stomped over to her. "I'll sign his signature. I forge it all the time."
She just nodded and slid the check-out sheet towards him. She then pointed at the door he had flung open earlier. "...He's gonna have to pay the fee for replacing those blinds."
Peyton glared daggers at Ichigo as she continued to comfort his father. "You...WILL...die!" She hissed at him.
He gulped and rushed them out. "U-Uhhh, why don't we go apologize to Chappy so we don't get any charges pressed against us!"
FIFTEEN MINUTES LATER...
"I still don't understand why he didn't fight back," Peyton muttered as they waited anxiously for their medicated victim to regain consciousness.
"I mean, was he just too surprised or something?"
"Peyton, the REASON behind that would be the same reason I didn't shoot you when you murdered my hat all those months ago," Urahara replied weakly from the hospital bed.
"Which would be?"
"Too many witnesses. If I were to kill you, I'd be much more creative than THAT."
She narrowed her eyes at him. "Maybe if you didn't DO STUPID SHIT, you wouldn't have a NEED to kill me!"
He sat up after a few minutes of struggle. "Now THAT'S not fair! Kurosaki there does stupid shit all the time! All he gets is attention and affection!" Urahara whined.
"That's because I'm badass, Hat-And-Clogs," Ichigo replied, wrapping an arm around Peyton's shoulders.
She smiled innocently. "In my defense, I'm terrified of Chappy. Knowing that, I dunno what the HELL gave you the dumbass idea to dress up like him for MY sex ed class! Targeting the two of us like that..."
"Why'd you do it, anyways?" Ichigo wondered.
Urahara shrugged. "Extra money to smuggle supplies so I can make my merchandise would be nice, wouldn't it?"
"So you chose to dress like CHAPPY?" They asked in unison.
His temple throbbed. "UNLESS YOU WANT ME TO PRESS CHARGES, STOP QUESTIONING MY WAYS! ...I am older, and go to bed earlier, and rise earlier. Therefore I am healthier, wealthier, and wiser. So...NEH."
Peyton gasped. "You used my word!"
"I don't see your NAME on it!" Urahara replied. She stuck her tongue out at him, and Ichigo sighed as they started making faces at each other and going "Nnnnnhhh!".
"CHILDREN!"
They blinked at him innocently, and Peyton shook her head at the mental image she got of him disciplining children. "You as a dad? Funny." Urahara burst out laughing at that. "Could you IMAGINE! Oh, the HORROR!"
Ichigo's temple throbbed, and he secretively pushed the button used to up the dosage of meds. Within moments, kisuke Urahara was fast asleep and drooling all over his pillow.
"Oh, look at that, poor guy's exhausted," Ichigo said innocently. Peyton just laughed before kissing him. "Thanks for defending my honor today."
"What honor?"
BAM!
The month of May passed by generally uneventful, as did most of June. Well, then again, it's hard to live up to seeing Ichigo Kurosaki and Peyton Cullen beat the crap out of a poor guy in a Chappy suit while Rukia threatened to kill them from the corner, in which she hid behind Renji in despair.
It wasn't until about the second week or so of June that things really got eventful again. Well, besides the occasional Hollows and whatnot.
Peyton noticed that as Monday grew nearer, Ichigo got more and more distant. At first she thought it was just her and her hormones.
Then she figured it was probably just the fact that it was close to Monday and so close to getting out for summer break.
But why was the same thing happening to Karin and Yuzu, too?
And then he didn't show up at school Monday. Even weirder? No one asked her where he was, which was strange since usually people immediately asked HER for information.
It was almost as if everyone knew but her. She hated it when that happened. "...Am I the only one who doesn't know where Ichigo is?" She finally asked when even MS. OCHI didn't seem surprised by his absence.
Everyone within a five-seat-radius gaped at her. "...You mean...You don't know?" One girl asked, almost as if she SHOULD know.
"Know what?"
"Today's June 15th," Orihime prompted. Peyton just blinked at her, and Tatsuki nudged her. "Today's the day Masaki died."
Oh God. She felt like a total idiot. "...Oh. OH! Right. I-I knew that...I just thought today was the 14th, is all," She muttered as her face got hotter and hotter.
The room erupted into whispers, and she sank lower into her chair. Holy crap. She was officially the worst girlfriend EVER.
"Asking the obvious, but how did you forget THAT?" Tatsuki wondered. "He never told me! That was the one thing he virtually never talked to me about," She hissed defensively, trying to hide behind her hair.
It wasn't working.
Rukia patted her shoulder understandingly, making her feel about five millimeters better. But she still felt like the worst girlfriend ever – no, scratch that. The worst best friend ever, too. And she was supposed to be awesomesauce in both areas!
Shinji let out a low whistle. "Bummer. Must suck to realize the one thing he didn't tell you was the major thing everyone else knew, huh?"
Peyton's temple throbbed menacingly.
"It's not like he told YOU, Shinji!" Toshiro snapped. "I didn't say he did. I just happen to pay attention," He replied casually.
She sighed miserably and let her head bang against the desk. Her hand then shot straight up, looking a bit weird since her hair was currently spilled all over the desk every which way.
"MS. OCHI, I'M GONNA HURL!"
MEANWHILE...
Ichigo couldn't help but look over his shoulder every five seconds, half-expecting Rukia or some other Soul Reaper or Vizard to shout his name.
In the meantime, he was plenty occupied with dodging the pinecones Dad kept kicking everywhere in his "Improvised Newly-Annual Kurosaki Family Soccer Match, Featuring Newly-Designed Balls".
After hearing Dad shout "HUSSLE! HUSSLE!" for the eighty-millionth time, Karin finally kicked a pinecone straight into his mouth with a growl.
"SHUT YOUR FACE FOR A SECOND, WILL YA? WE'RE GOING TO A CEMETARY, SHOW SOME DAMN RESPECT!" She shouted at the top of her lungs.
Ichigo sweatdropped. "...Well, THAT'S a bit hypocritical."
"SHUT UP!"
"DEAR CHILDREN, let us not argue! Like wonderful little Karin said-"
A demonic aura momentarily surrounded his sister. "I. Am. AVERAGE SIZE." Dad waved his hands in surrender. "O-Of course, bad choice of words! ...As wonderful average-sized Karin said, this IS a cemetary..."
Ichigo eyed his dad suspiciously. Isshin Kurosaki...respecting rules of normal society?
Dad suddenly plopped onto the ground, strapping on some tapdancing shoes. "WE MUST DANCE ON THEIR GRAVES!"
"WHAAAAT?" Everyone shrieked, doing Spazzy Wet Noodle Dances as they neared the cemetary entrance.
"To celebrate their lives, of course! I'm sure their daily graveyard life could use some spicing up!" He exclaimed defensively, skipping his way through the gate.
Ichigo sighed and stomped off in the opposite direction, deciding to wait and visit mom until AFTER that dumbass was done cursing the entire family name. "...I should've known. It was too good to be true."
MEANWHILE...
After nearly throwing up FOR REAL while debating whether to go to the cemetary or not, Peyton decided she didn't give a damn that Ichigo didn't tell her about his mom's death.
As his friend, she should be there at least to show some respect. Besides, he would be the only one that might have a problem with it, that much she knew.
On her way there, she wondered what happened to his mom, anyways. He never did tell me...Which is kinda weird, since I told him pretty much everything I knew about MY mom's death. But...I don't care, nope. If he wanted to tell me, he would.
Finally, she neared the cemetary, making her sigh in relief for whatever reason. Peyton was immediately greeted by the sound of someone making banjo music with their mouth.
She sweatdropped as she saw the source of the noise: Isshin making banjo music with his mouth, a harmonica in his hand, as he did some kind of jig over someone's grave.
Karin and Yuzu were a little ways off, and though she couldn't see them all that well, she knew they weren't in the best shape.
She tried to creep past Isshin unnoticed, but like THAT was gonna happen. He let out that infamous drawn-out gasp of his and dropped his harmonica, running over to her.
"Peyton, my dear! You're here too!" She smiled before getting bombarded with a hug. "I'M SO GLAD TO SEE YOU! I COULD USE THE SUPPORT!"
Peyton made motions with her hands frantically. "Shhh! Keep your voice down!" He set her down, making her sway a little from the head rush.
"Right, right. Peaceful and calm cemetary. Got it." Peyton looked at the discarded harmonica, then looked at him. "...Nice shoes."
He clacked them together happily. "Aren't they the best? I got 'em at PAYLESS! They were in Yuzu and Karin's sizes, but I just chose the biggest pair they had and squeezed my big Old Man's Feet into 'em!"
Peyton sweatdropped. "Awesomesauce. Well, uh, don't let me interrupt, I'll just be over there..." He beamed at her before grabbing his harmonica and resuming his bizarre dance routine.
She watched him for a second before shaking her head quickly and walking over towards Karin and Yuzu.
Yuzu looked a little flushed, her eyes brimming with tears. Karin had an arm around her shoulder, looking indifferent.
From what Ichigo told her, Karin hadn't cried since mom died. Except for one time, and that was about some kind of possessed parrot.
She remembered because it was one of the few times Ichigo even mentioned his mom to her. Karin looked up after hearing her step on a twig, looking just in time to see Peyton jump and hiss down at her feet "Stupid TWIG!".
She sweatdropped, drawing Yuzu's attention as well. Peyton noticed them staring, and she waved. "Yo."
"W-What're you doing here?" Yuzu asked in that same sniffly-nearly-breathless voice that Peyton used when she was upset and trying not to be.
She smiled and shrugged. "Thought I'd pay my respects. I don't wanna intrude or anything..." Karin sweatdropped. "What is this, the Colonial Era? You're not 'intruding,' Elizabeth Swann, I promise."
Yuzu giggled a little, and Peyton sat on her knees by Masaki's grave. "Your mom was beautiful," She commented, studying the picture.
It was a bit different from the poster, to say the least. For one thing, it wasn't worn and dented from constantly getting a head banged against it or hands ran over it.
Both girls nodded. "Yeah, she was. Ichigo really knew that better than anybody." Peyton glanced up at Yuzu, who smiled. "Y'know, Papa's told me that Mom was the only person who could make Ichigo stop crying. He'd always be holding her hand or at least nearby. She was...his whole world, basically," She explained thoughtfully.
Peyton quickly turned back to the picture, blinking really fast. She had no idea why that made her nearly cry, but it did. "I wish I knew what to say," She muttered quietly. Yuzu sat on her knees too. "Just talk to her. That's what I do sometimes, in my head."
"Hmmm...Why talk in your head when you have a perfectly good picture of her to talk to? I mean, who knows, what if she can't hear you clearly enough over all those angels and whatnot practicing their new songs or something?"
Karin sweatdropped, but Yuzu gaped at her as if she were a genius. "You're RIGHT!"
Ichigo decided after having time to walk a huge-ass circle around the cemetary and battle three Hollows, it was safe to go back to Mom's grave.
Before he could even see her grave yet, he heard the familiar sound of Karin chewing Dad out. He must've been serious about the tapdancing.
As he got closer, he noticed one extra person there. She was sitting on her knees next to Yuzu, talking animatedly.
Ichigo watched Peyton in disbelief and slight amusement, not realizing Karin had stopped yelling. "She's been talking for two and a half hours," She commented from his right, making him jump about a foot.
"Gah! Jeez, WARN me next time! ...Wait, her and Yuzu have been talking for two and a half hours? About WHAT?"
Karin shrugged. "Whatever mom missed. And Peyton introduced herself and stuff."
Ichigo scratched his head thoughtfully. "So, waaaait...They've been talking to MOM this whole time?"
She nodded. "Yep. Peyton hasn't shut up the whole time." He couldn't help but laugh a little, and Karin glanced at their sister.
"She hasn't cried yet today. Not really. She almost did while Dad was too busy gravedancing like a moron to notice, but...then Peyton showed up and kept her occupied with helping her tell mom everything she's missed since our last visit."
He knew it sounded incredibly sappy and all, but watching Peyton talk to his mom's grave and keeping Yuzu happy made him...well, it kind of felt like his heart swelled up in his chest. He didn't really know a better way of describing it.
Karin sweatdropped. "Bro, you look like you're about to cry. And what the hell's with that sappy look on your face?"
Ichigo cleared his throat and turned his face in the opposite direction. "U-Uhhh, I have no idea what you're talking about!"
She rolled her eyes. "Of course not. How foolish of me." "Indeed it was. I'll let it slide this time, Karin, but jeez."
FIFTEEN MINUTES LATER...
Karin's temple throbbed as Yuzu FINALLY managed to conclude her talk to Masaki uninterrupted, mere seconds before Isshin shouted Ichigo's name yet again.
Peyton winced as the dark-headed twin shouted from right by her poor ear, "DAD, SCREW ICHIGO! HE'S SIXTEEN, WHO CARES WHERE HE IS?"
She wondered if he knew she was here. Was that why he hadn't shown up since she got there?
Yuzu squeezed her shoulder as if reading her thoughts before rising and standing beside Karin. "He never shows up while we're here anymore. He usually waits until at least Papa's gone."
Peyton nodded, getting up as well. "Oh. Well...I think I should probably go see my mom while I'm here. I'll see ya'll later."
They nodded, and Karin ran after her father to keep him from seeing Peyton and glomping the crap out of her again. Yuzu smiled at her. "Thank you for coming. If it means to him HALF as much as it means to me and Karin – which I'm sure it does – you'll DEFINITELY be making love tonight."
Peyton turned bright red, clashing horribly with her hair, and Yuzu just giggled before running her fingers over Masaki's picture. "Till next year, mom," She muttered happily before running after her twin sister.
Peyton shook her head quickly, trying to keep the blush down. "Even when it's the last thing on my mind, someone ALWAYS mentions me getting laid..."
She took her sweet time going to Mom's grave. It was towards the base of the hill on which Masaki's grave was located, her gray marbled tombstone facing towards the river that ran through Karakura Town.
How ironic that the first and last thing her mom saw (if she were still hanging around her grave for whatever reason) every day was the place where she died.
Finally, she reached the gravesite of "Stephanie Cullen – Unforgettable Wife, Friend, & Mother".
Peyton kneeled in the grass once again, crossing her arms and trying not to yawn out of respect. Mom and Dad always used to laugh when she yawned, because she made a weird squeaky noise at the end like her mother.
"I met Ichigo's mom today. I'm sure she was a nice person- she sure was beautiful. Of course, not as pretty as you momma, but I think that's kinda a biased opinion. Me and Yuzu decided from now on when we visited our mommas, we'd talk to 'em out loud, just in case you couldn't hear us from wherever you are. Soul Society, heaven, whatever."
Peyton paused, squinting in thought. "Hmm, what've you missed? Well, I dunno HOW much you missed, 'cause for all I know, that shooting star you set off for my birthday and when I was abducted could've meant you've been watching the whole time. If THAT'S true, then I guess you haven't missed much. Although I beat the crap outta Chappy a few weeks back. Just thought you should know- I know you hated his guts too."
Of course, Mom hated him simply because she had to lug Peyton home after she passed out from fear at that STUPID party of Lindsay's all those years ago.
But how was SHE to know that some giant rabbit with a weird voice would be at the party, all in her face, asking stupid questions and being booming-loud? Everyone failed to mention that to the youngest Cullen, jeez!
She was suddenly grabbed by the waist and kissed, and Peyton smiled. "You're lucky I can recognize your reiatsu at the drop of a hat, or I would've roundhoused you."
"While on your knees."
"Yep. Because once you're as ninja as me, you know secret ways to do those things, Ichigo."
He rolled his eyes, an arm still around her waist. "If anyone asks, you never saw me today. I was home puking my guts out," Peyton informed him.
"Oh, about that. How the hell did you figure out where I was?"
"Because everyone else informed me once I had no idea where the hell you were."
He winced. "I'm so sorry I never told you much about her...I meant too, but..."
Peyton shrugged as he tucked some hair behind her ear. "It doesn't bother me. I told you about my mom 'cause I wanted to, and I figured when you wanted to, you'd tell me about yours."
"...We were walking home from my dojo, -" He was cut off by Peyton sighing. "You don't have to tell me, seriously, it doesn't bug me-" He interrupted HER this time by covering her mouth with his hand.
"Jeez, Peyton, not everything's about you. I just wanna tell you, so can I tell you without you interrupting?" He asked with mock annoyance.
She huffed from beneath his hand, making him roll his eyes. "Anyway. I was nine, and she was walking me home from my dojo. I'd been seeing ghosts my whole life, but I was so young that most of the time I couldn't tell the difference...There was a girl. She was standing by the river, and it was higher than usual 'cause there was a lot of rain lately. It was still a little rainy that day, actually."
He paused, his face getting that distant look. "I thought she was about to jump in, so of course I figured with my karate skills I could save her. ...Though, I don't think karate's really a good thing to know when it comes to swimming. ...Actually, I don't know what I thought I could do to help her, I just had to, you know?"
She nodded.
"Mom tried to get me to stop, but I was so worried about the girl...I just wanted to save her, but...when I got there, it was like I was forced to move in slow-motion and she was moving in fast-forward. It was the weirdest thing...And then I just remember waking up and...my mom was on top of me, all bloodied and..."
He trailed off, and Peyton couldn't help but wrap her arms around him, one across his shoulderblades and the other draped around his neck.
He didn't seem to mind too much.
"...It was a Hollow. Grand Fisher," Ichigo said after a while. "He used illusions of whatever he wanted as lures, and he used 'em to catch whatever happens to have the high spiritual pressure that he wanted. That day, it was me, and I fell for it completely, like a dumbass."
"You were nine, how were you supposed to know?" She replied gently.
"I dunno. But I should've." Peyton didn't question his screwed-up logic; she still had thoughts like that about Mom's death too.
"...Y'know, the weird thing was, I think I expected her to come back. I just figured, 'No, she can't just leave me like that. She'll be back.' And from the day after she died, for a long time afterward, I'd skip school from time to time. I'd go down to the riverbank, to the exact spot where she died, and I'd walk up and down the whole length of it 'till night came around. I wouldn't stop if I could help it, and if I did I'd be right back up as soon as I could. I think I was scared that if I stayed in one spot for too long I'd miss her if she showed up or something..."
He shook his head. "I mean, I think I always knew she wouldn't come back, but at the same time...I had to look. I had to."
She nodded, and tried not to squeak spastically when his hand suddenly touched the small of her back before pulling her into his lap.
"What, you want me to tell you what I want for Christmas? Jeez, Ichigo, it's not even really summer yet."
He grinned and ALMOST laughed; mission accomplished. He kissed the side of her face and the top of her head. "Thanks. For what you did with Yuzu earlier. I saw her skipping home and fricking HUMMING on my way over here."
Peyton smiled. "You're definitely welcome. Though I didn't do it for you," She informed him matter-of-factly.
"Oh. WELL then. I see how it is, Peyton."
"Good, 'cause I wouldn't want you to be totally clueless or anything."
"Good, 'cause I'm not."
"Anymore."
"Ever!"
"Uh-huh."
"Don't say it like that, all sarcastic-y and...and all. That's supposed to be the way I say things to YOU."
"You don't OWN that tone!"
"I'm still working on it, gimme some time, getting trademarks on things doesn't just happen overnight y'know!"
"Well, in the meantime, I'm gonna use it, so NEH."
He rolled his eyes and stood up, taking her with him. "Fine. You're lucky I'm not charging a fine every time you use it."
"It's because you love me."
"Yep."
She grinned and, after a little shifting (because she was SHORT, there, she admitted it), kissed his cheek.
"I'm glad you told me. I...It's nice to know what days I have to be extra nice to you on," She murmured, her lips still on his cheek.
Knowing that was her own little way of saying 'I'm glad you finally told me, jackass, because I wanna make sure I can help you when you need it, and we all know you're too much of a stubborn ass to ask for it,' Ichigo just grinned.
"You're doing a great job so far."
"It's because I love you!" She declared, waving her arms for emphasis.