Chapter 2. Travesty

15 years later....

Days turned into months. Months turned into years. Seasons take each of their turns and left their messes afterwards, leaving mother nature to clean it for herself.

Autumn was slowly retiring, when its colourful leaves were dancing in the cold wind, as winter was approaching soon. Ichitaro was sitting in the chair, twirling his blue pen whilst waiting for the bell to ring in this lazy afternoon.

Ever since he finished the math test with ease, he's still anxious on when will it ends. He starred at the window, despite people still thinks that his head was on clouds. What he actually saw outside of the school were ghosts wondering around the streets, apart from humans. Yet one of them was glancing at him. He wore a torned vintage samurai clothing, waving his left hand while his other arm was cut off as if someone was slicing his arm away.

But his distraction was cut off when the math teacher gently nudged his shoulder. When he looked at her, she wore a cute red pencil skirt, a grey shirt, which shows off her D-cups. Yet underneath, she wore a white vest and red heels as well as her long ponytail black hair. She fixed her glasses when she asked him:

" Are you finished, Mr Kagami?"

" Um... yeah. I'm done." he said

Then another kid with a brown short hair, stood up and was shocked to know that Ichitaro was the first to finished his math test. " NO WAY!!!" he shouted, as he looked at him and was very annoyed.

A trembling kid, pointed at him and was about to ask a question :" BUT HOW!? I THOUGHT HE'S_____!? ". But another kid with an orange spiky hair cut, kicked him out to the table really hard with his leg that he knocked him out cold.

" Just shut up, already." he said. Ichitaro wasn't quite comfortable for someone to fight his battle. He glanced at the kid while everyone else were in shocked.

" Ichigo, this is an exam room, not a Dojo room." said another student, with a long, blood orange hair in colour with two blue flower hair pins in each side, trying to calm him down.

" It's okay, Orihime. Keigo was being a dumbass that's all." said Ichigo.

"...."

While Ichitaro is being distracted by Ichigo, the math teacher finally broke things off.

" Alright, enough of this bullshit. Ichigo, stop being such a fucking clown and continue with your work.", she commanded as she glanced at Ichigo taking his seat, then looked at a tall kid, chocolate brown skin student as she went to the door.,

" Chad, please help Keigo and the rest of you finish the test. Ichitaro, please take your things and follow me to the principal's office."

Ichitaro packed up his things, except for the exam paper and followed her before she closed the door. However, some of the students' curiosity were peeking at the door, when they saw Ichitaro and the math teacher heading straight to the principal's office. Some believe that Ichitaro was interested in older women and he might had sex with the math teacher, while others believed that he's in big trouble.

Out of all those rumours seemed untrue Ichigo already heard that Ichitaro was actually going to leave this school for good, by one of the teachers. Even though his grades are higher and being rated as second best in class, followed by Uryuu it was due to academical competition and the school can't afford to cause anymore favouritism. As his next-door neighbour, he believed that, someday, they might things out work together.

' Be careful out there, Ichitaro.' Ichigo though.

Meanwhile at the principal's office, Ichitaro was at the chair opposite to the principal, while Koro was right next to him. He wasn't quite sure what was happening, but he'll be in a surprised when a principal had something to say :

" Ichitaro, since you and Uryuu are one of the best students I've ever had, I think it's best for you to find another school to avoid competition."

Within those words, like a knife piercing through his fresh wound, Ichitaro was devastated. He couldn't believe that the principal wanted to set him free.

" But my parents have paid up so well and I've never cheated on the exams in my life. Is it because I have three siblings? " Ichitaro asked.

" No, it's not that. And just as I said, you're one of the best students and due to fierce competition, the SGB decided that it's best for you to find somewhere else. I'm sorry. " said the principal.

" Nah, it's cool. Since I'm the youngest among the class, I guess I understand. "

Ichitaro understood that due to the fact that him and Uryuu had a head-to-head academical competition and never argued at him, it was for the best that he should be finding someplace else. But that wasn't the case.

The other reasons why the school wants Ichitaro's `departure` was because of his panic attacks. It all started since the accident when he was 5 years old. Even though it was a sensitive matter, their only decision was to never tell him about it. But rather they were doing this in a delicate way of letting him go.

After students of Karakura high had finished their examination, mixed emotions were filled. Some of the students were happy and some were a bit sad. However, to Ichitaro's case of leaving the school seemed like no one had ever cared about him. He may not care about the rumours, but sometimes he could also seen countless other things that no one can recognised.

Such as wrathful wraith-like entities roaming around the city, including learning that Ichigo was a substitute soul reaper along with a little girl with a short black hair, nearly at his age.

Koro and Ichitaro finally left off after the last autumn exam. He wore his favourite black hoodie, whilst Koro drove past at other apartments with his old 1969 Chevy Impala as hours passed.

" You okay, kid?" he asked.

" I'm fine." he answered.

Koro sighed and said : " I know that you'll miss these guys. But you'll get a new adventure of your own pretty soon."

Ichitaro looked at him. He knew that those wise words would make sense to him to start afresh, apart from seeing him with a short brunette hair waiving at the open window.

" Thanks, Koro. I should call mom and tell her that I'm coming home early. Again. "said Ichitaro as he took out his small phone, but Koro stopped him.

" Maybe, you're not going to tell her yet. I have other plans for us. Besides, you're going to like this. "

Koro made a U-turn, which fueled anger on other drivers as well. Ichitaro hanged tight as Koro is going to lead him to a certain place. However, it doesn't take long before two men were standing beneath the trees.

" We found them.", one of the man chuckles.," Kazumi is going to love this after we bring the spirit demon's head."

" Yeah, let's follow them."

~~~~~~

At the apartment, Koro went straight ahead to the 7th floor room 135. Ichitaro looked around puzzled because he wasn't sure why Koro had brought him here. It's filled with staring eyes as he followed him. That is until Koro stopped, while Ichitaro had his own `short tour` . A woman came towards Koro, wearing a long plain white dress, with a light brown apron and slippers and it appears that she was worried about something or someone.

" Is she alright?" asked Koro. She shook her head with tears in her eyes and answered :

" It's getting worse. My sister..... She....doesn't speak to me anymore. The demon....it's taking over her body." she sobbed.

" Don't worry. We'll get rid of it. I promise." he said, as he comforted the woman trying to calm her down.

As soon as Ichitaro catches up on Koro after he had finished his `short tour` at the old apartment, he felt something a little unusual, as if a giant spirit energy was squishing his entire life. ' That spirit energy....why is it....so strong....' he thought.

Without a blink of of an eye, he sensed that spirit energy and went to a room where the lady's sister was.

Ichitaro wasn't shocked to learned about this at all, but she was standing in the corner playing with her black hair. Instead, in his emotionless reaction, he saw a woman with a night gown who appeared to be that lady's sister. Her eyes were crimson blood when she turned her head to stare at him, showing that she was possessed. He stood still making no movement at her. So, he approached to her fearlessly and lay his hand on her forehead. The lady's sister quickly removed his hand from her head and slowly went sideways to her bed.

"'Don't worry, I won't hurt you. I'll just remove that demon inside you.'" he said to her, in her mind.

She snarled at him and thought he was lying at her and trying to kill her. So, she jumped on to him and was about to bite him on the neck. Ichitaro, bravely grabbed her face and neck. Then, they aggressively grabbed each others arms causing a brawling scene between them. She broke mirrors, a small television, lamp, wardrobes, a delicate small statue of a little lamb on top of the shelf and a window with his body, hence Ichitaro had more injuries than her.

Koro and the woman tried to break up a fight, but their fights had been more intense. Meanwhile, a crowds of people were gathered to see a whimsical battle between the two of them. Koro grabbed the lady's sister by her arm, but she pushed him away to the wall. The lady helped Koro to get up. By the time she was distracted, Ichitaro gradually laid his hand on her forehead.

The demon that was inside of the woman's sister, finally left her body as her crimson eyes had fadden into her normal brown eyes. She started coughing and looked around, puzzled. " Sister, who are these people?" she asked.

" Oh sister.", she said as she hugged her tightly.

Everyone clapped their hands afterwards and cheered for him. Ichitaro on the other hand, saw the demon outside from the broken window, looking at him straight in the eyes as it turned itself into a man with a black bruise-like scars on his right face.He smirked at him ,which creeped him out.

He noticed it's not only his first time he senses spirit energy, but also this could be the same demon from earlier. So, Ichitaro stood back before the man disappeared from his eyes and went out to look for Koro.

~~~~~~

In this relaxing dusk, Ichitaro and Koro were sitting on top of the Impala looking at the stars. His hand was bandaged after the incident, while his electric yellow hair was dancing in the wind. Koro on the other hand, was enjoying this glamorous twilight event.

In which he decided to relax after the everything that happened, especially after how crazy it was today. The phone rang in Ichitaro's side pocket of his hooded jacket. When he took out his phone, two messages appeared. One wrote :

ʼʼ So sorry about what happened at school. You know how Ichigo is, he'll always treat you like his little brother. Or better yet, like a son to him.

Lots of love : Orihime. ʼʼ

He internally, smiled at this cute message that she sents, but without any emotion showing. While he reads the other message and it sounded like an angry one. It also wrote :

ʼʼ Ichitaro, where are you? Mom and dad are worried sick about you. >:(

Yoshimura ʼʼ

Despite having a mundane relationship with his sisters, he had no choice but to go back home. He slides down from the Impala before he went to Koro.

" Koro, let's go. Yoshimura just texted me and she wanted me to go home." he said.

" Alright, kid. I'll start the car.", he continues as he struggled to get back up. " Man, that Demon was that robust."

Suddenly, three men appeared in front of them.

" Going somewhere?" he asked as he carried a hooked-like dagger from his hand.

Realised that they're in danger, Koro commands Ichitaro :

" Kid, go back in the car. I'll take care of this. "

" But Koro..... "

" Now, please!"

Ichitaro had no choice, but to go back to the car for his safety. And after he locked himself out, he saw a brutal fight between him and those three men. He called Isshin and his father for help, then they replied they're on their way.

After thirty minutes have passed, he saw one of the most brutal thing he'd had ever seen.

He saw Koro being stabbed from his spine all the way to his abdomen. Blood was covered from the mouth and smiled at him, like any grandfather would. And just as his brown eyes were closed and his body fell from the floor, they removed the bloody dagger and went straight to Ichitaro.

As terrified as he was, he grabbed Koro's baseball bat to defend himself, but a ray of hope had shone the light for him. Isshin and Neji arrived, but the mysterious men disappeared.

Ichitaro realise that his only friend that cared for him and his family, was gone forever. But, in his mind they're so many unanswered questions plaguing through his mind :

' Who are these men? Why would they kill him? What do they want from him? '

Ichitaro was left traumatised for the entire evening before he could spot a Crow on the lights before it flew away.