3: Beach mode

I'm laying on a cold but soft surface. My hands; palms down, at my side. Damp grass. I opened my eyes slowly and stared up at the endless wonder. Billions of stars sparkles overhead, while a full moon guides over them. "This isn't home either!" I whispered to myself in disbelief. I picked myself up from the ground and exhaled deeply as I took in my surroundings. Silently within I wished that I hadn't been so curious. Dozens of dark figures, with hollowed out chests, blocked my view. As the enemy moved in closer, I contemplated. What am I supposed to do? Am I to exhilarate them with flames? Is that a chance that I'm willing to take? Before I could reach my decision, an orange haired guy in a black kimono appeared out of nowhere. A few swings of his huge (bag ass) sword later, and not a single darkling were standing. Even the creepy atmosphere had subsided. He defeated them so easily. Not giving me much notice he started running away. "Excuse me, you there in the black!" I called after him. His back stiffened at my voice. "You can see me?" He questioned to my dismay as he slowly started walking back in my direction. I laughed at the strange question and answered bluntly, "Obviously I can see you silly; you're standing right in front of me." He looked me straight in the eyes. I must admit, if I haven't already had affection towards somebody else, he would've been on my potential list. Dear God, he looks good in a kimono. His deep soulful brown eyes and messy orange hair is the perfect combination. "I've noticed, but how? Are you special in some kind of a way?" He asked me twin questions. I rewarded him with an ear to ear smile, before finally forming a ball of fire in my left palm. "You mean something like this?" I asked in return. He nodded his head and told me how it surely explains a lot. As we walked along the damp grass, I introduced myself and took a leap of faith by explaining my situation to him in as much detail as I could muster. "I'll take you too see a friend of mine in the morning, perhaps he'll be of some assistance to you. Until then you'll need a place to stay. I can't just snug you in, but fortunately for you my father is extremely gullible when it comes to pretty girls," he said. A slight blush crept upon his complexion while he avoids any further eye contact. Reality must have sunk in. He cleared his throat and concluded, "Just fabricate a sad story and he'll be like clay in your hands," I nodded in understanding.

I waited outside in the shadows for about fifteen minutes, before knocking on their door. I figured out the extent of my lie and every little detail that goes along with it. Not sure if my fabricated tale will cut it or not. Hoping that it won't cause more troubles then necessary. He opened up, the boy with the orange hair. The one who had yet to introduce himself to me. If it wasn't for the name plate outside the door, my story would have sounded farfetched. I entered slowly. "Who have we got here?" An elderly man asked as he flung an arm around his son's shoulders. "Mr. Kurosaki," I said as I bowed my head respectfully. "May I please have a moment of your time?" I asked him. He nodded in approval and led me towards the living area. "What seems to be troubling your lovely bones?" He asked me in an overly kind manner. I could see how his son crinched inwards as he sat down beside me. "Pardon my intrusion, but I don't know how I'm to say this," I said as I pretended to be sad. If it wasn't his idea of fabricating, he to would have fallen victim to this nonsense. He wrapped an arm protectively around me. "The truth be told Sir, that I've fallen victim to some severe amnesia," I said as I allow a few crocodile tears to glister within my eyes. I continue with a little make believed snicker. "All that I can't recall is my name and that your son and I had been romantically involved." I looked shyly down at my hands, in the process giving more affect to this lie. The young orange haired man stiffened at my side. "I'm sorry for intruding, really I am, and perhaps I shouldn't have bothered. I'll be on my way," I said as I stood. Allowing a string of fake emotions to spill over my cheeks. Kurosaki junior took hold of my wrist, which gave off the feeling that we've been connected in a deeper level. "Ichigo, my boy! Where have you hidden her all this time? In your closet?" That puts us on first name basis. But really who would want to sleep in somebody's closet? Just like that, his father started crying like an overgrown toddler. I can't tell if the old coop bought my story, is shocked beyond reason or if his just utterly disappointed in his son. He took the back of his hand and wiped the tears away like a proud father. "She's so beautiful, so don't you deny her son. Your mother would have been so proud of you," he said but I can see how a new set of tears formed behind his eyes. Apparently a touchy subject. Now I really can't say what's going on in this poor guy's head. Is there something wrong with him? One moment the man's crying like a two year old and then (like a switch had been turned on) he grins like the Cheshire Cat. "Oh, come on dad! Cool down you old perv. Leave them be," one of his sisters stated. I stifled a laugh but a small smile escaped. "We'll be up in my room," Ichigo informed his father. He wrapped his hand tightly around mine. As we head in the direction of the stairs, he stopped and said as he looked from over his shoulder, "Don't disturb us!"

As we entered his room, I noticed that we aren't alone. A beautiful creature sat on the edge of his bed. Her slick, shortly styled, black hair shimmers under the nightlight's touch. Her big round eyes is a gorgeous shade of violet. Fairylike features gracing her form. Dressed in pink PJ's. Her attention completely focused on me being here. "Hello, and who may you be?" she asked the question which her eyes already asked, and perhaps a dash to merrily in my opinion. Yet, in between the lines, I can read bitterness within her tone. Why could that possibly be? Are they a thing? I mean she is waiting in his room at this time of day. Am I meddling with deadly substances? Crossing her territory? Am I trespassing the boundaries? "Let me introduce you to Luna Rose Dragneel. Meet Rukia Kuchiki. She's a friend of mine," Ichigo introduced us to one another. Just friends, he sayswell; does she see him in the same light? Or is Kurosaki Junior dense when it comes to these kinds of things? I really can't say. "How do you know her? Is she and Inoue acquainted too?" I looked up at him but can't seem to read is expression. "Who is she? Or is it a-? Oh my God… are you gay!?" I spat disbelievingly, but quickly covered my mouth. Rukia burst out in bubbles of laughter. I turn my attention to her small figure. "Absolutely not! Orihime Inoue is a girl in my class. We're very good friends too," he assured me; yet somehow I doubt that. Rukia swallowed her last giggles and said rather boldly, "Friends? Seriously Kurosaki? I've never knew anybody as dense as you." He looked at her in total confusion. "Me? Dense? Am not! I would have surely noticed-" but his sentence was cut off by a sudden knock at the door. In reaction, I pulled him in by the nape of his neck and kissed him full on the mouth. He must still be single, because not once had he tried to deny me. I'm lost in the moment. Oh boy, how he can kiss a woman! We pulled away lungs screaming for air. Standing in the doorway was a few unfamiliar faces. Amongst these strangers stood a beautiful young lady. Hurt plastered upon her features. If I didn't know any better, I'd say that she's close to tears. She turned and walked away at a quick pace. "What did you just say about… not being dense?" Rukia asked before she too left the room to console the sad girl. So she must be; Inoue, I thought to myself. Either she's extremely shy or he really is as dense as Rukia made him sound. Here I come along, making everything a thousand times worse, like they need any of that.

"Who might you be, my fair lady?" A bold headed guy asked with a broad smile. The one to his left hid him behind the head where not so much as a hair grew. "Are you blind Madarame, they were clearly making out when we entered his room. Shame on you! Though, I'm not trying to be rude buddy, but I too would like to know who she is Kurosaki?" I looked at them dumbfounded. Taking like I'm not even in the room. Ichigo rubbed the back of his neck which made him look like a mischievous schoolboy. Something about this pose makes me think about Natsu. "Guys I'd like you to meet Luna Rose Dragneel. Meet the guys (from my left): Renji Abarei, Ikkaku Madarame, Yumichika Ayasegawa, Toshiro Hitsugaya and Shuuhei Hisagi." He pointed at each in turn, like I couldn't tell my lefts from my rights. I have to admit that both: Renji (the red-head wild card) and Hisagi (the mysterious raven haired guy) are both on my radar. I'm so sorry my love, but this world where I found myself is contaminated with overly hot men. "Miss Dragneel, perhaps you'd leave this sorry ass, orange haired brat, and let a real man give you the time of day," Hisagi stated cool and collective to everybody's surprise. The looks they gave him makes me think that maybe aliens have abducted him. Even after the men confronted him about his action, he's eyes never once left mine. "Are you just going to stand there man? Say something!" Renji spat to my dismay. An angry expression flashed across his face, mirroring the shade of his hair. "Babe, can't you tell that your friend's harassing me," I asked rhetorically. I'm enjoying this make believe game perhaps a little too much. I fold my arms around Ichigo's torso. Secretly wishing that Shuuhei would just kidnap me, and take me away from this scene. I will have to confess my sins when I wake up from this vivid string of dreams. Ichigo rubbed the back of his head confusingly. "God damn, Kurosakiyou're some sorry excuse of a boyfriend. If she were mine, I would've punched him right in the face," Renji confessed. I held my hands up as signature to stop. "I'm so-so sorry Ichigo, it's not you. I'm afraid it's me." I said as I bite down on my lip to keep a laughing fit from erupting. His bewildered expression is worth a thousand words. "I had to do it. I simply couldn't pass on the opportunity. I think it's about time to come clean, don't you?" I asked as I turned my full attention towards him. He nodded in a quick response. Ichigo informed them how I came to be here. That I needed a place to stay and how the only way to account for that was to fabricate a story which his gullible father bought. He shared my sad-sad tale with the guys and to my astonishment, the room filled up with an outburst of laughter. "So, while you're stuck in our reality, how about you and I hang out?" Hisagi were the first to try his luck. I accepted his offer mostly to humour myself.

Over the next few weeks I met Ichigo's friend, a man who goes by the name of Kisuke Urahara. He informed me that I can't speed up the process. Apparently it's all up to me. The curtain will make its appearance when I'm ready and not a second earlier. He told me that the secret is to become one with my given surroundings and sub come my fear (if I had any of those), which currently I don't. Missing my family, friends and other loved ones won't bring the curtain back any faster either. Now it makes more sense. I know what I am to do and I have an idea how I'm to return successfully. I need to put my trust into others and allow myself to trust them. I need to fall in love with somebody other then Gray Fullbuster. I need to live in the moment and take it step by step. Laugh to my hearts content. I simply need to enjoy life as it is. Not worrying about where my next drink or meal would come from, because if I follow the rules to the nine, there'll always be somebody willing enough to help at times of need. Most importantly, I shouldn't try to rewrite their story, whatever it may be.

When the curtain finally came for me, when I least expected it. In the end it was never about me dating Hisagi. On the contrary, it wasn't my story to begin with. Correcting my mistakes was the key after all. As Ichigo and Inoue started dating, my journey came to a sudden end.