Tears of the Clueless

Cat's Got My Tongue

As promised, there was someone waiting for me. Two someones, in fact.

One, a bald man with red at the outer corners of his eyes. The other, another man with chin length bluish back hair and orange arm warmers. Both wore black robes and had swords on their hips.

"Are you the girl we're escorting?" The bald one asked. I nodded.

"What's your name?" The other one asked.

"Ali... Just call me Ali," I said softly.

"I'm Ikkaku," the bald one said.

"I'm Yumichika," the other said.

"It's nice to meet you..." I said, bowing. When I straightened, I saw that they both were staring. "Do I... Have something on my face?"

"You're very cute," Yumichika said bluntly. I blushed.

"Er, well, thank you," I said shyly, self consciously tucking my bangs behind my ear.

"So, Ali, I heard that Ukitake-taicho himself brought you here," Ikkaku said as he and Yumichika started walking. I hurried after them.

"Yes, he did."

"Why?" Yumichika asked.

"I'm... I'm not really sure..." I said, walking into the space between them. "He just found me where I died while I was singing and brought me here..."

"Where you died?" They said in unison.

"Yes, in an alley. Hard to miss, what with my blood on the concrete and the chalk outline...." I'd mumbled the second sentence, yet they still seemed to have heard.

"Doesn't sound too pretty," Yumichika said, wrinkling his nose.

"O-oh, don't worry about it!" I said quickly. "Really, it's no big deal."

"I'd hardly call the place you died no big deal," Ikkaku said. "So, how'd you croak?"

"You barbarian! That's rude and insensitive!" Yumichika scolded.

"I was just asking a question! Damn!"

"It's not a problem, really!" I assured. And it was basically true, I was repeating what happened so frequently, it hardly fazed me now. "Long story short my father pushed me off a building."

"That's awful!" Yumichika said, disgusted.

"It could have been worse," I shrugged.

"How?" Ikkaku demanded.

"He could have succeeded the first ninety seven times," I answered. "And those attempts weren't pretty, trust m-ah!"

Why'd I cry out like that? Simple. I'd ran into someone and tumbled to the ground.

I should really watch where I'm walking, huh?

"I-Im so sorry!" I exclaimed, rubbing the back of my head, which had hit the floor. I started helping pick up the forms I'd made them drop.

"It's no trouble, really," he said as he scooped up papers as well. "I should have seen you."

"Ugh, I'm such a klutz. I hope I didn't mess anything up," I said guiltily.

"No worries, really," he said lightly. I reached for a paper and he did as well, his hand covering mine an making us look up at each other.

He had a lot of tattoos, starting at his eyebrows and going down his toned chest and probably even further. His hair was pulled back into a spiky ponytail and he had a very definite widow's peak. His eyes were the deepest chocolate brown imaginable, and I knew I'd get lost in them if I didn't look away. He wore the same black hakama as Ikkaku and Yumichika.

"S-Sorry..." I muttered, pushing a strand of hair behind my ear as I stood. He followed my lead and I handed him the papers I'd gathered.

"Hey, thanks. Say, what'd you say your name was again?" He asked.

"Just call me Ali." Wait, did I tell him my name earlier? I don't think I did. "And you?"

"Renji, Renji Abarai," he said, balancing the papers on his arms. "I've got to deliver these to Squad 4's barracks, so I'll catch you later, right, Ali?"

"Yeah..." I said, watching him walk away.

"Now, now, no drooling missy," Yumichika teased. I immediately snapped my mouth shut.

"I wasn't drooling," I denied quickly. They laughed at me and I scowled at them, punching both their arms. They only laughed more.

"Whatever, lets just get you to the academy before you go love struck again," Ikkaku chuckled.

"Hey!"