Remind me; why am I going to a night school?" Said Ichiru as she glared at Kisuke Urahara who sat across from her in the Urahara Shop.
Urahara fanned himself sighing at his former student, "I got a call from Head Captain Yamamoto who informed me about a strong spirit energy that has only been active at night in that specific location. He made a request that I send one of the most powerful soul reapers who is the best at sensing spiritual pressure from a hundred mile radius." Urahara explained closing his fan and smiled, "We theorized that it might be a substitute soul reaper-or at least a candidate to become one."
Ichiru nodded in understanding but then asked, "If that's the case, why are you sending just me, shouldn't I bring Ichigo along?" She really didn't want to leave her older twin alone if something bad should happen to him, considering how close they are with each other.
Urahara chuckled, "Because out of everyone in the Soul Society, you are one of the best at sensing spirit energy. 'Sides, this is a covert mission for you, you're going to infiltrate the school and find the substitute soul reaper candidate. You can't bring bring Ichigo with you because he is stationed here, but I'll send backup should anything go wrong." he explained as he fished out something from his breast pocket.
"When I heard about the possibility of another substitute soul reaper in this world, I asked the captains and lieutenants to pour their spirit energy into this-" he placed a katana pendant with a silver chain on the table- "so that when you find the candidate worthy of becoming a soul reaper, pour your own energy into this and it will become a katana, then stab it through him to the center of his being. Once he has his powers, bring him here so that we can train him." he said as he slid the necklace toward Ichiru who picked it up to examine it closely before fastening it around her neck sighing, "How have I been reduced to being a surveillance officer?" she rhetorically said as she stood up.
Urahara laughed at her comment as he too stood up, "Remember to give a call when you got him then we can wipe the school's memories of you." he said as he went to another room and came back with her new school uniform to which she looked at with distaste and glared at Urahara before taking the uniform and walked out of the shop and to the Kurosaki House.
When she got to the room she and Ichigo shared, she saw her brother's body on the floor. She sighed knowing that Ichigo is out fighting Hollows as she walked over to his body and laid it down on the bed and sat down beside it waiting for her brother to come home.
She looked at the uniform on her lap then looked at the picture with their family. Their Father, Isshin behind them with his right arm around his wife's shoulder wearing a goofy smile. Their Mother, Masaki had her arms around 8 year old ichigo's front smiling lovingly at her children. Ichigo grinning happily at the camera while holding hands with his younger twin, Ichiru who laughed in the camera as she ruffled little Karin's hair who pumped her fist into the air, grinned wildly in determination with her armed linked with her twin, Yuzu who smiled warmly and waved at the camera. The happy family.
Ichiru stared at her Mother's face then looked at the mirror to her right comparing the features they shared with each other, practically a younger version of Masaki: the mother who died to save Ichigo.
Ichiru wiped a stray tear that streamed down her cheek as she thought of their Mother. Ever since she died, Ichigo stayed closer to Ichiru's side, never separated from her even before they were born. They shared everything; crib, toys, sweets, fears, strength, classes, bed room, and power. Over the years, they made a reputation for themselves, they got into gang fights whenever someone or if a twin is in danger and won won every time. They were named the Kurosaki Twins, because if you mess with one of them, you mess with both of them.
She heard the window slide open and turned to see Ichigo climbing inside and got inside his body. Once he was securely within his body, he sat up and rubbed the back of his neck to work out the soreness.
"Welcome back, Ichigo. I'm sorry for not being there in the Hollow fight, but Urahara needed to speak with me in private." Ichiru said as Ichigo sat beside her on the bed and said, "It's alright, the Hollow wasn't really much of a problem considering how weak it was."
The bed squeaked behind them signalling another guest had come. When they turned around they saw a bright orange cat with green eyes walk across the bed and jumped onto Ichiru's shoulder, making her gasp and giggle as the cat nuzzled her cheek, "Hello there Camelot, it's good to see you too."
Ichigo laughed at the display then looked down at his sister's lap to see a different looking school uniform then asked, "What's up with the clothes?"
Ichiru stopped smiling and looked at her brother then at the school uniform. She sighed and explained the mission the Soul Society gave to her. When she finished, Ichigo clenched his fist tightly to the point where his knuckles had gone white, "When do you have to leave?" He asked as forced himself to relax for his sister's sake.
Ichiru sighed in regret, "I have to leave in the morning. Urahara has already rented an apartment for me to stay in, all expenses paid until I bring the new soul reaper here. In all honesty, I wanted to bring you along as well." she said as she flopped down on the bed with Camelo crawling onto her belly and lying down.
Ichigo turned to her in surprise, "Really, you said that to Hat 'n Clogs?"
Ichiru smiled and said, "Yeah, because someone has to make sure you don't get yourself killed." she laughed at Ichigo's angry face.
Ichigo sobered up and said, "How long do you think you will be gone?" her overprotective brother wanted to make sure that she comes home safely.
Ichiru answered, "Hopefully by next week or two, I'm not sure, I need to make sure that I got the right person." she touched the tiny katana pendant on her chest.
Ichigo chuckled, "Knowing you, you can find at least twenty souls at a thousand miles away. So there's no doubt that you will find this person." he frowned and sighed, "I just don't like that you're going alone." he turned to stare at his feet.
Ichiru smiled at her twin and sat up and wrapped her arms around him as Camelot jumped onto Ichigo's shoulder making him look at the cat then Ichiru who smiled warmly at him, a smile that belonged to their Mother, "I won't be going alone, I'm going to bring Camelot with me, so that I can get out of there as fast as possible." she reassured her brother as Camelot meowed in agreement.
Ichigo smiled as he hugged his sister with full force, "I just don't want you to get hurt."
Ichiru hugged him tighter, "Just as I don't want you to get hurt."
In the morning, with her bags packed and some money in her pocket and some goodbyes to her family, her longest with Ichigo who whispered in her ear, "Call me if you need anything." to which she respond by saying, "Don't worry, I will." and then she was gone.
The apartment that Urahara rented out for her was a one bedroom and one bathroom with a small kitchen and living room that had a balcony on the twelfth floor of the building to make it easy for her to spot and pinpoint hollow and souls.
As soon as she settled and ate it was noon, so she need to get some sleep before starting night school. When Camelot woke her up at six pm, she got up and got dressed in her school uniform. She looked in the mirror to survey her look, as she glared in disgust at the outfit so she decided to undo the red ribbon and hung it in a careless fashion and unbuttoned her blazer and white blouse just a bit. She was little bit okay with the minor alterations then adjusted her sword pendant and strapped her soul reaper badge to the belt of her that made bounce but but enough to fall off.
Ichiru exhaled, "Well, this is as good as it's gonna get." she said to her reflection and Camelot before grabbing her school bag and carried it in an Ichigo like fashion. She walked to the balcony and closed the door behind her and waved bye to Camelot before she flashstepped three yards away from the school and walked the rest of the way.
As she walked along the sidewalk, a black limo drove past her where she felt a spike of spiritual pressure that seemed distressed and sad. She stared at the limo that went ahead of her along with the spirit energy.
Ichiru stopped walking and stared ahead, 'Could it be...I haven't felt that much despair within another being before.' she continued walking, 'I was unable to catch a glimpse of the person inside, but at least I know what the spirit energy feels like. It has to be that soul reaper candidate.'
Before she realized it, she arrived at the school entrance that started to fill with night class students. As she walked along the hallway to get to the office, she heard the students whispering about her and how they never seen her in school before and the boys started to gawk at her and say perverted things about her, to which she ignored for the sake of her mission.
When she got to the office, they handed her the books and schedule for the year. When the bell rang, she walked calmly to her first class of the night to see a teacher standing there making sure his students are coming to class. When he saw her he smiled and said, "You must be the new student i was informed about."
Ichiru nodded and bowed in respect to the teacher before reaching into her pocket to bring out a piece of paper and handed it to him, which he took.
"Just stay out here while I quiet the class, okay?" The teacher said as Ichiru nodded in understanding before the teacher walked into the classroom to make an announcement. Once the teacher signalled Ichiru to come inside, she strode in calmly and reservedly, making her boots click with every step she took as she entered the classroom then stopped at the front of the class.
Ichiru sensed the distressed spirit energy, she concentrated as she analyzed each of the students, two of which seemed a little out of place when she picked up dark sadistic energy from a boy with red hair and green that looked at her with distaste and a boy lavender hair and eyes with dark circles under them while holding a teddy bear of some kind stared at her with creepy curiosity.
When she found the distressed spirit energy, her eyes met the girl that had it and couldn't help but feel compassion and sympathy towards the girl as she searched her spirit energy and found that this is might be the one she was looking for.
This girl has wavy platinum blonde hair that falls down to her shoulders with her bangs parted in the center and a pretty pink flower hairclip pinned on the left side of her head. Her eyes are a light glistening sherbet pink color that looked at Ichiru curiously.
Ichiru broke her stare when the teacher cleared his throat and said, "Now then, why don't you introduce yourself to the class and tell us a little about yourself."
She nodded and introduced herself, " My name Ichiru Kurosaki, I am 16 years old, and a transfer student from Karakura Town. I'm pleased to meet you and I look forward to working with you."
The teacher smiled, "We look forward to working with you as well. Now, why don't you take a seat right next to Miss Komori. Miss Komori, please raise your hand so that she knows where you are."
The platinum blonde girl raised her hand for Ichiru to see as she made her way toward her seat. As soon as she sat down, she felt Komori's stare on her as she kept her eyes to the front as the teacher introduced the lesson for tonight.
Komori's stare didn't bother her, but she turned her head slowly to meet Komori's gaze who then went red at being caught then averted her eyes to the front. Ichiru's gaze remained on her, silently willing her to look back. When Komori met her stare again, Ichiru saw an innocent and haunted expression on her face.
Wanting to give her acknowledgement and support she smiled and nodded her head in her direction, 'I found you, you don't have to worry anymore, I'm here now, I'm going to save you.'
Even though Komori didn't hear her thoughts, she nodded back in what seemed like gratitude before returning her eyes to the board as Ichiru sent a wave of spirit energy to calm the girl down before her eyes turned back to the lesson.
'It has begun, please show me that you are capable and worthy to become a soul reaper.'
Author's Note: Had to write a little background. Tell me what you think,