I half wish I was just crazy…” Ash mumbled to herself but smiled at the poke of her forehead. She half smiled again, shuddering as she thought of the doctors but dismissed it. She knew it was illogical to accept this, she knew it made no sense…. But even as the doctors medicated her and sedated her part of her always felt something was wrong…out of place… now she knew what. She was never crazy to begin with so couldn’t be cured of it… She then looked up at him, touching his cheek as her mind returned to the present. “I… I’m sorry if I startled you…..thank you…” She spoke with a soft gratitude, then glanced down the street. But she would have to pretend to believe it still or her family would send her right back….and she could not bare that.

Ryu blinked as his cheek was touched. He watched her for a moment, puzzled by her before nodding and looking down the street. That was the way to her house, right? Well he had to get home. He broke away from her and crouched down to pick up the spilled before before heading further on.

As he broke away she walked towards the house, taking a deep breath as she squared her shoulders. She opened the door, her tense family sitting around the living room. Her mother said something about ’being so worried’ and stood but stopped a few feet from Ashli. She realized then that her family had believed the doctor too….and thought she was a monster. She cracked a fake smile and lied “I got delayed” as she closed the door…

Ryu watched as she walked into her house. She was right, it was... odd. He sighed and scratched the back of his head before heading off towards home. He had to finish his homework before class tomorrow.

( We need more people. D= )

Ashli went through the muted dinner rather painfully, everybody watching her like they thought she’d pick up a fork and stab someone with it… She frowned, understanding why but still hurt a little by it. She finally went to bed early, hoping in the morning it would be better….that they’d see…that they’d remember she was family…

As the sun rose on Monday morning, however, ash awoke in a sea of red curls with a look of annoyance. Her door slamming was apparently her alarm clock she’d found out rather sharply. She didn’t even see who opened the door and closed it they had left so fast….and it rather annoyed her. Shaking her head she pushed out of bed, quickly stripping of her night cloths and putting on the gray skirt then jacket that made up the girls version of the schools uniform.

She then tossed her school things in her bag and walked own stairs. She smiled weakly in return of her mothers equally weak one and tossed in her lunch before taking an apple and running out the door. She was in homeroom 2A she had been told, and she headed straight there.

She walked in slowly, wondering briefly if the rumors would have reached the students…if they’d know she’d been in a mental ward for the past year… She dismissed it, simply putting on a fake smile and walking to the first empty seat she found. She sat down quickly, twirling a pen in her hand a moment after taking out a pad of paper. She was tempted to draw but resisted for now, looking at the others in the room curiously…

Ryu walked into the room a little after the red head; or more of, he was kicked in. He stumbled a bit, his eyes wide as he looked back at the jock. The boys snorted and chuckled at Ryu until a few girls shot up from their seats and moved between Ryu and them.

"What's your problem!? Can't you leave him alone already!?"

"What did he ever do to you?"

"Jerks!"

Ryu frowned at the show, feeling weaker and weaker by the second. This always happened. He didn't like how the girls always protected him. It only made the Jocks act up more. He smiled weak as they looked back at him before silently taking a seat by the window.

He placed his bag on top of it before sifting though it from his notebook.

Ash had still been daydreaming when she heard the commotion, causing her to stand slightly. She let her pale gaze wash over the scene, noticing the behavior a moment. She frowned as she saw her one friend in this area get pushed around, her hand curling into a fist. She wanted to throw something at the jock and join the girls but she could see this was a bad idea…

She turned a moment, sitting back down for a moment. She then realized that Ryu was sitting directly behind her, causing her to smile slightly. She doubted she could do much to make him feel better but that didn’t mean she couldn’t try. She turned to wave at him briefly before smiling a moment in thought.

She turned back to her desk without even waiting to see if he waved back and began doodling. She drew a caricature of jock in question in a bunny costume and bow holding a sign that said Jocks, in its hand. Once finished, which only took a few seconds as the bunny suit had few details she turned and passed it to him folded up. “Morning Ryu… It’s good to see you again…” She whispered softly.

Ryu looked up as he was waved to. Wait... was she new? He hadn't gotten a clear look at the face to tell who is was, but he was sure the hair was different from everyone else in class. He blinked, watching her for a moment before pulling his notebook out and slipping his bag down to the floor.

It wasn't long until he turned back to him, making his equally as surprised as before. The girl from yesterday? He looked to the note before looking up at her once more and nodding. He took the paper and unfolded it only to see the strangely drawn picture. He grinned weakly and folded it back up before placing a finger over his lips is if to keep he silent.

As he put his finger to his lips Ash rolled her eyes but turned back to the front. She was bored really, though rather excited to find the one person she still knew in her class. She had known other students that now likely attended here once …. But strangely enough they disappeared from her life when she was put in the hospital… It didn’t bother her too much, however, as the only two she’d cared about had died to the hallow anyway…

She pushed away the thought, glancing towards the window and again playing with her pen. She absently twirled it, being a rather fidgety person. She wondered what would happen first…who would be here first.. But she had no way of knowing. Falling into the habit of school…of waiting and bells, uniforms and students… it was hard in a way that she had not expected.

Ryu frowned as she looked away before flipping through his notes book. He quickly reviewed the notes for last class before flipping to a clean page. His eyes drifted to his shoulder as he rubbed at it, trying to sooth the pain from it. Mother had been waving the knife around a bit violently last night and ended up catching his shoulder pretty bad. He'd wrapped it already, but he was no pro in the medical field. He'd probably have to skip gym again today in order to let it heal properly.

"H-ah!" He whined as one of the guys came up behind him and gripped the very same shoulder. He grit his teeth, closing his eyes as the jock moved inand whispered in his ear. He had gotten the message; it wasn't a very nice one at that. One of the girls ran up to the jock and started pushing him away from Ryu.

"You're hurting him! Leave him alone!"

Hearing the sound Ash snapped out of her reverie and instantly turned back, a look of anger briefly flashing in her gaze. She resisted the urge a moment, however, and simply slowly stood. Standing there a moment she began to debate, twirling her pen slightly faster in thought. She waited a moment longer before she sighed… deciding what to do.

Behaving like the girl would be of no use, saying nothing would be of no use… so it was distraction time. She leaped on her seat and pelted the pin at the jock so it’d hit him harmlessly in the back. “Hey….How is that girl supposed to ask you out if you’re too busy hurting people to listen to her? Jeez, can’t you tell when someone’s trying to get your attention?” She called out loudly to the jock, feeling all eyes rise to her but not much caring. She hated the attention but she’d gotten use to it too…

Ryu looked up at the girl, absolutely perplexed. Wh-... what was this now? He couldn't find words for how silly she looked picking on the jock. Well, if it was Ryu he'd be slamming into a locker. But... she was a girl.

The jock looked to the girl, pissed off before shoving away from the girl and back to his friends.

Ryu dropped his face into his palm, knowing that that action wouldn't get them so much angry at the new girl, but use it as an excuse to make Ryu's life miserable. He doubted those jocks even remembered the original reason they started hating him by now; they just hated him for the sake of hating something now.

“That was my favorite pen too….” Ash said mildly as the jock ended his fight with the girl and walked back to his desk. She ignored the eyes still on her and hopped down to the ground, having intended to simply distract things before they got blown out of proportion. She stood a moment in silence, gazing towards the jock and his friends but not really seeing him…no she wasn’t really seeing the room out all but just her own inner thoughts. For a moment she wasn’t the cheerful self she usually was but appeared more like the expressionless, spooky thing that had made her family able to believe the doctors…

Snapping free of it she shrugged and sat down, glancing at Ryu. She gave him a warm smile and helpless sort of shrug. She knew her stunt would gain her a less then perfect reputation…but she suspected she’d have more of them to do before the year’d be over….

Ryu looked up at her as she sat down again before writing down something on his notepad. He handed to her with a weak smile on his face.

'You don't have to help. I would rather you be happy.'

Well, she was going to be miserable if hse got caught up in this mess. It was a constant war with Ryu in the center of it all. It wasn't fun at all, but he wouldn't argue. If he tried to ignore it, he could live.

Seeing the note Ash couldn’t help but laugh, a grin crossing her face. She turned towards Ryu and shook her head softly. She leaned back to nearly whisper her reply, “If you knew me well enough you’d know better then to say that… I don‘t care if everyone things I‘m weird…simply means they‘re paying attention” Turning back she took out another pen, beginning to doodle quickly in thought. It started as a random flower then continued to form a bunch of flowers.

Ryu huffed and leaned on his good arm, completely taken back by the girl. She was different from anyone else he'd met before. It was strange, but at the same time... refreshing. His expression lightened up a bit as there was a few moments of silence before the teacher walked in and class begun.

( Class time is boring. Feel free to skip. >O )

The huff merely earned a smile from Ashli as she focused on the front of the class and spotted the clock. It was close to time for class. She saw as it began and tried to focus, at first having difficulty simply because it felt strange to her now… unnatural. Still she was not stupid by any means so she did have it reasonably in hand and notes fairly well done by the end of class. She leaned back again, glancing over the room and then Ryu for a moment. She paused, however, blinking as she felt the hair raise on the back of her neck…something supernatural was coming close. ...probably a ghost she dismissed

Ryu rubbed his tired eyes as the teacher left. Ugh... he wanted to have gym class soon so that he could get some fresh air. He looked up at Ash as she looked back at him, quirking a brow at her sudden shivers and spooked expression. He held his notepad up, holding it for her to see.

'What's wrong?'

“Somethings around….” Was her cryptic reply, her eyes meeting his. “Like yesterday…” Ash added, to make it clearer what she meant. It was funny how easily she could sense something before she even saw it, perhaps they sensed her too and that’s why they seemed drawn to her… She didn’t know… all she knew was she hated that feeling…expecting the hallow from her nightmares to pear around the corner someday…She glanced around her, knowing something was there but not where or what… not yet…

Jeez. It was boring. Nothing exciting happened anymore. After he faked his death, everything had quickly calmed down between Hollow and Shinigami. Oh well. At least this world was more entertaining that the desert sand of Hueco Mundo. It was... nicer.

He breathed deep before looking around the street before something entertaining. She was next to some school; huh. He'd never gone to one of these before. His eyes dragged up the building as he snorted. How boring. They would only teach what he already knew, anyways. Besides that, what did he need to learn? Nothing. He could be the stupidest fuck around and no one would give a shit.

He brushed some hair that had stuck to his jacket off before looking up suddenly. A strange shadow... a wolf...? He watched it for a moment as the wolf snarled at him before rolling his eyes. "Spirit mutts. Great."

- - - - - - - - -

Ryu looked around the room before peering out the window. He couldn't figure it out; he felt nothing weird. Of course, he never could sense these things. He was pretty terrible at it. He could only see them. He didn't really mind that, though.

Ash shivered again, glancing towards the direction of the Hollow as she felt the most chill in that direction. She bit her lip, resisting the urge to act as scared as she felt. It reminded her too much of that night a little over a year ago. She shook her head as if to clear it, closing her eyes as she reached back to touch Ryu’s hand as a simple gesture of comfort. No… One of those things…not here…. Not like that…

She took in a breath, her hand squeezing tighter on Ryu’s hand… No… this.. Was a child she saw. Why did it feel so similar though? Yet different too…? What was it? She said nothing, however, simply trying to focus and push it away. It was funny… the kid’d be cute if he were alive…

Ryu blinked before looking out the window at the little boy. Was she afraid of him? Ryu was suddenly surprised before her tight grasp on his hand. He blushed and looked back at her before freaking out a bit. He... he was always swarmed with girls, but... but... they never went so far as to grab him like this.

He swallowed before writing something on his bad, holding it out to her.

'He won't hurt you.'

Reacting from fear, pure unadulterated fear, she didn’t even notice his blush… it took all Ash had not to move to squirm in her seat or do anything other then squeeze his hand. Her eyes didn’t lift from the boy, sensing that there was some similarity… enough that she wanted to run from the room and scream at the top of her lungs but she didn’t.. Ash contained herself, only her wide fearful eyes and tight hold on his hand showing she was scared…

She only glanced over as she heard him move the pad, her eyes going to the message. “He…reminds me of…someone…someone cruel…” Ash whispered softly, closing her eyes as she took a few deep breaths. She forced the fear back in, making herself let go of his hand and putting her own back in her lap. “I…Sorry…” She muttered, turning her body so he couldn’t’ see her face. She curled her hands into fists in her lap, her face calming though the shaking of her hands showed it was an act….

A shinigami with dark green, almost black, hair was laying on the roof of a house staring up at the sky. His white robe made him look out of place compared to the modern building he was laying on. It was so peaceful... a little too peaceful. "Ahh, I'm going to go crazy if I have to seat here any longer. Something needs to happen!" he yelled out. "Captain, you aren't even suppose to be here. You need to get back to the Soul Society before you get into trouble," said another shinigami with a black robe on.

"It is even worse there. The only thing I could do there is train. So unless you want to be my punching bag I'm not going back." the white robed shinigami told his subordinate. Then their hollow alarms went off. "Alright, action" he said as he looked down at the devise. "Wait... that can't be right." The white robed shinigami had jumped up and ran off, leaving his subordinate. All he could here was, "Captain wait for me!" but he there was no way he was going to waste time waiting on others with something like this around. "That spiritual pressure. Could it be..."

Dante huffed at the wolf as it watched him. "Boring fucker..." He muttered miserably before heading off. His gigai covered up a good amount of his reitsu, the problem was that it was failing. Life time or your money back, they said. Well, it had lasted over a hundred years, that was a lifetime alright. He scratching the back of his head, messing his hair before letting it fall back into place. He'd have to go buy another one soon.

He stiffened up as something... unnerving neared him. It was... hah. Why was he so worried? Shinigami? They had limits put on them before they left soul society. Those bastards had so many protocols to protect the living it was nuts. He ignored it for now, shoving his hands into his pockets and he headed straight across the school courtyard and into the building. Oh, yes. Let's see the Shinigami beat up a 'poor little boy' in a place swarming with these living scum.