Ichigo sighed lightly when the bell rang for lunch. He quickly grabbed his bagged lunch and made for the roof, their other friends joining shortly.

Hoshi saw her friends head toward the roof and she followed. She took a seat and got her sandwich out. She wondered if she should mention the odd feeling she had today. "Do you guys think something feels just a little off? She said after a little bit. She knew if anything bad were to happen she would have to be ready.

"So I wasn't the only one thinking that something was wrong..." Rukia thought out loud, getting several nods from the group. She was glad that she wasn't the only one who was feeling unnerved about today.

"at least I'm not the only one feeling weird today," Ichigo responded before taking a bite of his sandwich. After swallowing, he turned towards Rukia, "Speaking of which, where were you the last couple of days?" he asked, waiting for an answer from the petite shinigami.

Hoshi was glad she wasn't the only one either. She wondered if her dad felt the same thing. She took a bite of her sandwich and tried to remember what she dreamed last night. She wondered if it had anything to do with it.

Tatsuki took a bite of her sandwich as well, hoping that she was ready for whatever came towards them.

"I was doing somethings for nii-sama," Rukia responded as Ichigo looked at her for a few minutes before going back to his lunch. He didn't see nor hear the breath Rukia was holding from escaping. She hated lying, but she didn't want Ichigo or anyone to know the fact that she could use Bankai.

Hoshi finished her lunch. She hoped the second half of the day she could concentrate better. She excused herself saying she wanted to head to the library before lunch was over . She wanted to be alone for a little bit. Her grandma died yesterday afternoon . Hoshiwould have normally told her friends but with the strange feeling in the air she didn't .

Tatsuki noticed Hoshi leave and went to get up before she was stopped by Ryu telling her that it felt like she wanted to be alone for a while. After hearing that, Tatsuki just nodded. She just hoped that while she was alone that Aizen wouldn't try contacting her.

Hoshi made it to the library safe. She didn't sense anything that she felt was evil . Walking to the fiction section she choose a book that she had wanted to read . She sat down in a chair near by and started to cry. She didn't much last night , but the shock of the news had worn off . The bell rang and she wiped her eyes while she headed to check the book out and head to class.She sat down in her seat and put the book in her bag.

Tatsuki headed back into the classroom, seeing Ichigo and Rukia already there. She headed back to her seat as she noticed Hoshi was at her seat, her eyes a little puffy and red. "Hoshi-chan, are you okay?"

Hoshi shook her head no. "I'll tell you guys after school. I promise." She said quietly. She knew she should have stayed home today. Her dad even said she could if she wanted to, but Hoshi said she would be alright. Hoshi knew her grandma was in a better place now, but it still didn't make losing her any easier.

Tatsuki noticed how sad she sounded and just nodded, knowing that Hoshi would stay true to her world.

The rest of the day went quickly. Hoshi knew she would have to tell about her grandma. She put her books in her bag and hoped she wouldn't break down when she did. She made it though the rest of the day alright. The feeling in the air seemed heavier than it did that morning. She went to karate club like she usually did and afterwards waited by the gate for her friends.

Ichigo walked home with Rukia, both of them not in any clubs at school. Ichigo noticed a few punks following them, but didn't let it bother him. He noticed that they were following at a safe distance and trying to keep away from the pair. As they were walking, he whispered to Rukia, "We're being followed."

Tatsuki noticed that Hoshi wasn't performing as best as she could, and assumed that it had something to do with whatever was on her mind. After the club activities finished for the day, she saw Hoshi at the gate and waved lightly. "Did Ichigo and Rukia-san head home already?" she asked.

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((sorry for the late response, just got internet back))

Hoshi waved back."They did. I'll tell them tomorrow . Grandma died yesterday afternoon." Hoshi said with a sad look on her face." Dad was there when she did. I knew when I saw her on Monday that she didn't have much longer." Hoshi cried after she said this.

Tatsuki hugged the girl and just let her cry, not minding that her shirt was getting wet. She rubbed her back as Hoshi continued crying. Before long she slowed down before stopping altogether. "Feeling better?" She asked, concerned.

" I am." Hoshi said. " Thank you Tatsu. I feel better. Dad said I could stay home today , but I thought I would have been better off going to school. That's why I left during lunch. I wanted to be alone for a little bit." She hugged Tatsuki. " I better get going soon. I'll see you tomorrow."

Tatsuki returned the hug and nodded lightly, understanding what it was like to lose a loving relative. She shook her head lightly to get rid of the bad memories. "I'll see you tomorrow Star-chan," she said as she waved towards the girl before heading to her own house.

Ichigo dusted his hands off lightly. "Now that wasn't bad for a warm up," he said, chuckling at his own joke, to which Rukia just rolled her eyes. He sighed before taking out his phone and calling for a couple of ambulances to pick the idiots up and make sure they wouldn't die on the streets from their stupidity.

Hoshi waved back and ran towards home. She felt a strong reitstu comming from behind. She ran faster and turned down her street. She was afraid to look behind her. It wasn't familiar to her, but she had to be careful. She went inside and locked the door behind her. She knew it wasn't who had followed her before and it wasn't Aizen . She was getting tired of being followed. Hoshi went upstairs and changed into regular clothes. Her dad would be home later. He still had to make some arrangements for her grandma's funeral.

Hoshi sat outside . It was almost dark and her dad would be home soon. Hoshi had finished her homework and came out here to try to relax. It was getting chilly out and the leaves were starting to change color. Her dad got home and she went to bed after they had talked . She didn't want to dream again . The dreams had been vague but she remembered some of the faces that she saw. Why was she dreaming about them?

Tatsuki fished her set of keys out of her pocket before unlocking the door and heading inside. Once she got there she relocked the door after taking her shoes off. She then sat down with tears flowing from her eyes as forgotten memories came back to torment the girl. She thought that she was over the pain of losing her parents at such a young age, but apparently hearing Hoshi talking about losing her grandmother made them resurface. She was so distracted by her thoughts that she didn't feel the presence of someone slipping into her apartment. However, when the intruder accidentally tripped on a bottle, she was instantly alert.

What's going on? she asked herself as she waited in a defense position.

Ichigo saw Rukia climb the tree and head into their bedroom before opening the door. Dodging his father, he closed the door with his foot, said door hitting Isshin in the face. Looking around, he saw Yuzu sigh, knowing that this was a daily occurrence for both father and son.

Hoshi had notced the sad look in Tatsuki's eyes before she left. She felt guilty about that. Knowing that her friend had lost her parents when she was young. She laid there on her bed trying to sleep. She hoped Tatsuki was alright.

She later woke up with a start. She heard voices in the yard. She got up and checked on her dad . He was asleep. Hoshi snuck down the steps and went to the front yard. She hid in the bushes a listened to the two argue. They were discussing the best way to apprehend her dad. They argued that they would have to take his daughter if he didn't agree to go .Hoshi ran back inside and locked the door. No one was going to take her dad anywhere. Hoshi woke up the next morning by the door.Her dad asked her why she was there. Hoshi told Tetsu what she had heard that night. He had a strange look on his face . Tetsu knew that those men wanted him to testify. Not yet . He thought.


Hoshi got ready for school and left with Chad . She had to tell Ichigo and Rukia what she heard.

Ichigo stood in front of the school gates as he saw Hoshi and Chad make their way towards school. He saw that Hoshi looked scared and wanted to talk to him.

Hoshi waved and walked toward Ichigo. She didn't see Tatsuki yet. Which made her more nervous. "Ichigo I had something freaky happen last night. I woke up because the dogs in the neighborhood were barking. I then heard two men talking and I heard them mention my dad's name. This scared me and I went outside to hear more. One was arguing that my dad had to go with them even if it meant they take me too. The other man , who was calmer than the other one, said that they wouldn't take me and would use me instead to convince him to come. He also said that he thought someone was listening to them. I ran back inside and stayed by the door in case they came back. I told dad and he got a strange look on his face. Almost like he knew who was there. I don't know what to do. I didn't see what they looked like, but I'd recognize the voices if I heard them again. " Hoshi said this quietly. She had to tell him about this.

Ichigo listened and scowled. Before he could respond, he noticed Tatsuki running towards the school building.

Crap! Ryu, why didn't you wake me up?! she asked as she continued running, not hearing the zanpakuto's grumbled response of not being an alarm clock. She appeared in front of the gates soon after, panting lightly. Seeing the look on both Ichigo and Hoshi's faces, she caught her breath as soon as she could. "W-what happened?"

"Hoshi-chan can't seem to catch a break apparently," Ichigo said, explaining to Tatsuki as best as he could, not liking what was going on with his friend.

" Do you have an idea who might be sent to get my dad?" She said sadly. She didn't want this to happen . Not now, not ever." Dad said not to worry." Hoshi couldn't help it . She would fight to keep her dad here. She was determined to keep him safe.

"I don't know...Rukia might though," was all that Ichigo could say, knowing that if they for her, he would definitely let Hichigo out to attack them.