CHAPTER ONE: DEATH AND STRAWBERRY
Night fell over the quaint town of Karakura. The moon, a half crescent in the sky cast it's soft glow over the sleeping town. A rustle of clothes sounded, and a young woman, with short black hair, a black Shihakusho, and a katana strapped to her side landed on a lightpost.
She crouched, glancing around tensely. A few black swallowtail butterflies flitted around her, the tips of their wings blue. Sheets rustling, she pulled out a folded sheet of paper, peering down at it.
"I see. So it is somewhere around here. I feel…it's strong spiritual pressure."
The woman leapt into the air and vanished.
(The next day…at 7:13 pm on Friday.)
There was the sound of fists smacking against flesh in an alley and shoes slamming heavily into ribs. Yelps and cries filled the air. An orange haired 15 year old stood over a beaten gang member, his four cronies watching angrily.
"Yo what the hell man?! You come over here and beat up our bro, and you tell us to leave?! You wanna die?!"
The orange haired teen sighed, rubbing the back of his head. His name was Ichigo Kurosaki. Fifteen, eye colour brown and a high school student.
One of the cronies lunged forwards, fists clenched, his teeth gritting.
"Say something you-gah!"
Ichigo raised his foot, expression completely unapologetic as he slammed his foot over and over into the guy's face. Then he swept his legs under the gang member's legs and started kicking his face in, blood spurting from his nose. The other three watched nervously, sweat pouring down their skin.
"T-Toshi's down too! This guy's crazy! If we…continue to piss him off we might die!"
Ichigo slammed his foot down on the guy's head for a final good measure and glared at the other three.
"SHUT UP ALREADY! ALL OF YOU, LOOK OVER THERE!"
He pointed angrily behind him, at a knocked over slim vase, flowers partly crushed and water spilled out and drying fast on the pavement.
"QUESTION NUMBER ONE! WHAT THE HELL IS THAT?! HAH?!"
He pointed to the gang member wearing a toque and had a large gold nose ring in one nostril.
"YOU! THE STINKY LOOKING ONE! ANSWER ME!"
The gang member pointed to himself, miffed at being called stinky but too afraid to argue back.
"M-me? Uh…it's for that little girl who died here the other day…r-right?"
Ichigo lunged at him, kicking the man straight into the chin and knocking him prone. The remaining gang members yelped and leapt back slightly.
"Mit bro! Not you too!"
Ichigo landed, one hand shoved in the school uniform pockets of his pants.
"Correct! So tell me…WHY THE VASE FOR HER MEMORIAL IS KNOCKED OVER!"
The last two glanced at each other.
"B-because we were skateboarding and knocked it over?"
Ichigo narrowed his eyes.
"I see. So you knocked it over."
Ichigo Kurosaki. Special ability. Able to see ghosts.
Ichigo jabbed a finger behind him. A small blonde pigtailed girl floated beside him. She was see through, the street visible through her body and blood covering the right side of her face. A chain was connected to her chest and dangled down halfway.
"APOLOGIZE TO HER!"
The gang members yelped and flailed around, grabbing their unconscious friends and dragging them off.
"We're sooooryyyy!"
Ichigo let out a sigh, shaking his head.
"They probably won't come around here again after all that."
He glanced at the young spirit girl, expression turning slightly guilty.
"Sorry for using you like that."
The girl smiled softly, expression thankful as she shook her head, pigtails swaying slightly.
"It's okay. I asked you to chase them off. It made sense I cooperated with your plan."
Ichigo grunted noncommittally, turning and picking up his school bag before heading down the alley. He paused at the end of the alley, glancing back.
"I'll buy you new flowers soon. So hurry up and go to heaven, okay? Don't linger around here much longer."
With that he strode off. The ghost girl waved.
"Sure. I can rest in peace soon. I'm sure of it. Thanks mister."
Her body shimmered, then vanished elsewhere.
(END OF CHAPTER ONE PART ONE)