"...mily. Emily.... Wake up...."

"Hm?" I cracked open one eye to look up at a grinning Isshin. "Isshin?"

He sighed deeply and softly knocked on my head.

"I told you to call me dad..." He breathed.

"Oh yeah..." I yawned, sitting up and rubbing my eyes. He smiled and ruffled my bangs.

"Wakey wakey kiddo. Time for school."

"Oh, sorry.... Dad...." I muttered softly. His grin somehow grew and he hugged me, rubbing his stubbly cheek against mine.

"It's fine~ I set your uniform on your desk, so you get ready and come down for breakfast." He said. I nodded sleepily and he ran from the room. A moment later I heard a racket from next door and could easily assume Isshin went to wake up Ichigo next. I smiled softly before getting up and pulling on my uniform.

It was the same pencil grey skirt, white shirt, and striped tie from the show. I attempted pulling the skirt down lower and cursed silently when it wouldn't go past my midthigh. The shirt was choking me, so I unbuttoned the top button before loosely and sloppily putting the tie around my neck. I have absolutely no idea how to work a tie, so it looked awful. I brushed my now white hair quickly and blinked at myself in the mirror with my frighteningly new red eyes. My appearance has changed drastically since I've come here, and I love it. I hated how I looked before, but now I look pretty good. In the most non conceded way, of course.

I grabbed the cloak that brought me here from the chair in my room, which Yuzu had helped me clean yesterday once we finished shopping for my clothes- I told Isshin many times that I would pay him back but he would hear nothing of it, claiming that I was now 'part of the family'-, and threw it over my shoulders, tying the strings.

The cloak closed around me, hiding my body and horribly done tie from view (a/n: like how Raven's- Teen Titan- closes around her.). I opened my door and went to the bathroom, brushing my teeth, before going down to the kitchen, where Karin, Ichigo, and Isshin were eating and Yuzu was cooking.

"Ah! Good morning Emily!" Yuzu chirped, making everyone look at me.

"Morning Yuzu, Karin, Ichigo, Isshi-"

"Ah ah!" Isshin yelled, pointing a finger at me and making me blink in confusion before realizing my mistake.

"Oh, sorry, dad." I said, bowing to them.

"Very good." He chuckled.

"What do you want to eat Emily?" Yuzu asked with a smile.

"Oh, just some coffee would be fine." I said with a return smile. She went to get it but I stopped her. "Oh, don't trouble yourself Yuzu, I can get it."

"Are you sure?" She asked. I nodded and got a mug, filling it with coffee and mixing three teaspoons of sugar in it.

"You want some coffee with that sugar?" Isshin joked. I looked at him with a grin as I saw his plate.

"You want some hash browns with that ketchup." I mocked. He looked down at his plate before jumping back as if someone had slapped him as he pointing at me wildly.

"You cracked a joke!" He yelled before throwing his hands in the air with a happy 'WOOH!'.

"You guys aren't strangers to me anymore." I responded with a closed eye smile, Kakashi style!

I turned around and leaned against the counter as I sipped my steamy beverage.

"Oh!" Yuzu said suddenly. "Ichigo, Emily! You better get going of you'll be late!"

"Man..." Ichigo sighed as he stood. I gulped the rest of my coffee quickly and ran after him through the front door, waving to the others on my way out.

We walked in mutual silence until the school building was visible. Then...

"Oi! Ichigo!"

Ichigo stopped and turned around while I just kept walking. I knew it was probably his human friends from the hyperactive male voice, Keigo Asano, and without a doubt Mizuiro Kojima was most likely with him.

"Oi! Emily! Wait up!" Ichigo called. I stopped and turned around to look at him.

"Yeah Ichigo?" I asked, tilting my head at him.

My hunch was right. Beside him stood the brunette boy and his raven haired friend.

"Ichigo!" Keigo yelled suddenly. "Who is this?" He demanded, pointing at me.

"Keigo, Mizuiro, this is Emily." Ichigo introduced. "Emily, this is Keigo and Mizuiro, a couple of my friends from school."

"It's nice to meet you." I said with a small, shy smile.

"You as well Emily." Mizuiro smiled nicely. Keigo, red faced and heart eyed, suddenly kneeled before me, grabbing my hand from under my cloak and pulling it out into the open.

"Ah! Mysterious beauty!" He yelled, spewing plenty of other random crap. I blinked at him in confusion before looking at Ichigo. I pointed at Keigo with my free hand before spinning my finger next to my ear in a 'he's crazy' motion. Ichigo smirked and nodded in response as Mizuiro laughed lightly.

"Eh... Thank you... Maybe...." I laughed awkwardly, pulling my hand back. I gave him a closed eye smile and tilted my head. "You'll have to forgive me, I have this issue about people touching me. I'm sorry."

"Ah! Of course." He said in a gentlemanly manner. I let my cloak close around me.

*briiiiiiiiiiiiiiing!*

"Damn! We're late!" Ichigo yelled, running for the school.

"Gah! Wait up!" I called, running after him.

~•~>.<~•~

"Gomenesai!" Ichigo yelled as he threw open the class room door.

"Just get to your seat Mr. Kurosaki." The teacher sighed deeply. "You too Mr. Asano, Mr. Kojima."

"Hai." Those three sat down, leaving me standing awkwardly in the doorway.

"Oh, are you the new student?" The teacher asked, bringing all attention to me. I immediately looked down with a blush, wishing I could just faze through the floor to escape the curious eyes watching my every move.

"Y-Yes ma'am..." I said softly. "My name is Emily..."

"Now now, no need to be shy." She chuckled, patting my shoulder lightly. "Why don't you go take a seat next to Orihime? Orihime, raise your hand please."

I looked up to see Orihime raising her hand and nodded slightly to the teacher before walking over to the empty seat next to the happy girl. She gave me a large smile and held her hand out to me as I sat down, still feeling all eyes on me.

"Hey!" She said cheerfully as the room remained silent. "I'm Orihime Inoue, it's great to meet you Emily!"

I tilted my head with a peaceful closed eyed smile as I shook her hand.

"It's nice to meet you too, Inoue." I said gently. She smiled wider.

"Ahem, girls, lets return to the lesson shall we?" The teacher chuckled. Orihime and I both turned to the front.

"Hai, gomenesai."

We looked at eachother and both laughed a bit after we talked at the same time.

*briiiiiiiiiiiiing!*

Everyone jumped up excitedly at the end of class. And as I gathered my things, I couldn't help but hear the hushed whispers around me.

"Look at her, what's with her hair?"

"Forget her hair! Look at her eyes!"

"They're so creepy!"

"Her skin is so pale!"

"I know! It's like she's a vampire or something!"

"I wonder why she wears that cloak..."

"I bet you she's really fat, so she hides it with that cloak."

"What a freak!"

What a freak.

I cringed slightly before throwing my bag over my shoulder and hurrying from the class room, my head down as I glared at the floor.

"Hey, Emily!" I heard Orihime call. I slowed down and heard rapid footsteps approaching from behind. "What's wrong?" She asked softly. I kept my head down, my hair covering my face.

"What's up Emily?" Ichigo asked. I stopped and lifted my head to look at them, my eyebrows furrowed. I saw Keigo and Mizuiro, as well as a curious Chad, Tatsuki, and Uryu, standing behind Ichigo and Orihime.

"Guys." I said quietly. "Am I a freak?"

"What?" Ichigo asked, blinking in confusion.

"What makes you ask that?" Orihime asked.

"Hm...." I hummed, looking at my pale hand. I shook my head softly and turned around as I continued walking. "Nothing, never mind..."

"Hey!" Someone grabbed my shoulder and spun me around. I looked at a frustrated Ichigo in confusion.

"What'd I do?"

"This is about what the rest of the class was whispering, isn't it?" He demanded. I blinked at him before forcing a laugh and scratching the back of my neck.

"You caught me, but seriously Ichigo, forget it, it's fine." With that I ducked my head, spun from his grasp, and rushed to the art room.

"Dammit Emily! I'm not done talking to you!" Ichigo yelled at me. I looked at him over my shoulder and winked, sticking my tongue out playfully.

"Catch me if you can Ichigo!" I laughed, weaving through the crowd of confused students. I turned the corner and ran into someone.

"Ouch! Watch it you bitch!" They yelled at me. I looked at them to see a boy with spikey black hair and dark grey eyes that I didn't recognize from the series.

"Oh, sorry." I said quickly, bowing. He grabbed my throat and slammed me against the wall; kids stopped, but made no move to stop him.

"What's up with your hair?" He spat. "It's freakish. And your eyes are no better."

I frowned at him.

"Well at least I don't have a ten foot pole up my ass." I shot back before slamming my forehead into his. After he got over the initial shock, he scowled and drew back his fist as I just smirked at him, waiting for the pain.

Suddenly, he was pulled off of me by Chad, who glared at him.

"She's not a freak." He said. "Apologize to her."

"Chad, it's fine." I said quietly. He looked at me in surprise and accidentally let the boy too, giving the jerk a chance to run off.

"How do you know my name?" He asked. My eyes widened.

"Oh! Uh, the teacher called on you to answer question ten remember." I laughed awkwardly, scratching my neck.

"Oh, yeah."

I sighed in relief that he had bought it.

"Hey, you okay?" Orihime asked.

"Hm? Oh yeah, no problem, it's good. Hey, I've got to get to art so..... Yeah. Thanks Chad!" I said quickly, giving him a quick hug before running off.