>>37838370
You recognize her almost immediately. Reddish hair, a pretty face, stylish clothes. Her name is Ren, and she is a friend you've probably spent your most enjoyable times with. Although 'best friend' seems a bit much, you'd probably say her name if you were asked. She's your 'best' friend in the way that she is someone you enjoyed spending time with a little more than with most others.

You haven't seen her the entire summer break, and you haven't talked much in school on the first day after it. Your friendship seems to have gotten cold, at least compared to what it was.

Ren tilts her head in surprise, looking over the small girl that bumped into her. She does not seem to notice you; of course, you are a spirit right now, after all.

"... You're Aiko? Good, uh, evening? I'm surprised to see you out so late." She seems to be uneasy. She probably didn't expect to see anyone from her school.

"Good evening," Kimiko calmly replies. "I enjoy going out on walks during the late evenings."

"No kidding, huh? Uh, you're right, though, it's... it's late; I must have gotten carried away for a bit. I should go home." Ren turns around, trying to leave. Kimiko looks your way, as if unsure of how to act.

>"Ask her why she's out, Kimiko. She can't hear me, so you'll need to handle the conversation."
>"Let's go on with the patrol. We shouldn't waste time. We can ask her during school."

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>>37838388
Forgot image.

>>37838388
>"Ask her why she's out, Kimiko. She can't hear me, so you'll need to handle the conversation."

>>37838388
>Ask her why she's out, Kimiko. She can't hear me, so you'll need to handle the conversation.

>Something doesn't feel right.

Mushroom, could you please describe these stylish clothes?

>>37838388
>>"Ask her why she's out, Kimiko. She can't hear me, so you'll need to handle the conversation."

>>37838388
Voting over, writing!

So, what do we think guys. Is she a space case or a calculating hereditary exorcist who favors giving hollows an arrow to the knee?

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Clarissa might be a murderer, but she'll never be THIS edgy.

>>37838645
She wants the hollows to get hitched so they can't go eat souls anymore?

>>37838805
I...I didn't realize I strung that together in a way that would make that joke.

Now I wish it had been intentional.

>>37838645
I'd say space case. a bowtoting soul destroying jackass would of instantly noticed MC in spirit form right?

Randomly find this. I didn't actually mind bleach during the first few seasons. Then it went full redonkulous with ever growing levels of power.

>>37839124
So instead of being our Ishida, she's more likely to be our Orihime.

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QM is writing? Post Shikai!

>>37839189
If mushrooms pic is any indication no. her rack is not nearly godly enough for such a thing.

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>>37839250

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>>37839306

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>>37839325

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>>37839346

>>37839286
Orihime is not defined for her bust, she is defined by her gentle nature and her uselessly pining after the MC.

That said, I wonder if there is a guy classmate who is weird but handsome and popular that fruitlessly pining after Clarissa and doesn't realize she's gay.

>>37839384
We wouldn't be gay for much longer

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>>37839360

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>>37839398

>>37838409
>>37838414
Kimiko nods and makes a few swift, long steps to catch up to Ren. They continue walking together, side to side; maybe Kimiko thought that stopping her right now, when it's this late, might put her on edge, especially since she's so eager to leave? You follow after them. Ren is moving along the path of your patrol, anyway.

"I think I've seen you before, somewhere." 'Aiko' continues the conversation.

"Uh... yeah. We're schoolmates. I'm Ren from class B." Her voice sounds a little shaky; she's probably unnerved.

"So... I may have strange hobbies-..."

"No kidding."

"...-But why are you out this late, too?"

Ren held her silence, gradually speeding up her walking pace. Kimiko does not relent, stubbornly matching her speed. When it becomes clear that she won't stop following her, Ren stops. She wraps her arms around her light jacket clad shoulders in a nervous looking hug, and glares at the would-be Shinigami with unconcealed disdain.

"You're a bit dense, aren't you? Stop following me," Ren anxiously glances around; for a moment, her eyes look right through you. She plants her hands on the sides of her blue skirt, on her hips, and beratingly glares at Kimiko. "I mean... you're being really weird. You're out alone during the night, and you're quietly walking with me like a weirdo; I've never met you before, and you're being pretty annoying by sticking your nose into a stranger's business. It shouldn't concern you what I'm doing, so..." She trails off, though Kimiko still seems to be patiently waiting for an answer to her question, having apparently taken no offense whatsoever. Ren looks at her, and, after a sigh, reluctantly answers. "...I thought I saw someone, so I went out to follow him."

(1/3)

>>37839439
"Who did you see?" Kimiko's follow-up question seems to make Ren even more agitated. She hugs herself again, eyes still occasionally jumping towards dark corners. The girl is hesitant in her response.

"It's... I thought I saw my uncle. Well, it's obviously impossible, because he... he died recently. In the earthquake," She pronounces the last word with clearly expressed skepticism. "...Great, looks like I'm the weirdo now."

"It's okay. I believe you. Where did you last see your uncle?"

"Are you making fun of me?.. I... it's probably just the loss getting to me, or something. I mean, I'm not really broken up about it, since I've only seen him like once in my life, and I don't even remember what he looks like all that well, but... I've never lost a relative before."

Kimiko continues waiting for her answer. Ren frowns, probably annoyed by Kimiko's silent, stubborn approach, but continues with an ever-present reluctance in her tone.

"I came here because I thought that he went this way. I didn't really see him ever since I left home. I heard a noise around here, so I went to check it out," She crosses her arms, suspiciously looking over the girl. "I'm pretty sure that noise was you. Is talking to yourself also a hobby of yours?"

Kimiko shows off her phone. Ren sighs in what seems to be relief.

"I guess that explains it... were you, uh, talking with Clarissa, per chance?" She asks, using a tone that makes her sound like she's not really all that interested, and looks away. Ren ends up looking directly at you, or, well, through you.

"Well, I..."

(2/3)

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>>37839384
Also defined by her occasional spaciness before Mexico happened.

>>37839461
"Are you two, uh, friends? I mean, I've heard some rumors, but Clarissa doesn't seem to be the... the type," Kimiko seems to be clueless as to what she's implying, which seems to annoy Ren. "I mean... you never heard the rumors? I guess they involve you, so nobody would really share, but... well, what's your relationship with Clarissa?"

Kimiko glances your way.

>"Tell her that we don't know each other."
>"Tell her that we're friends."
>Shrug and let Kimiko say whatever she thinks would be best. You don't really want to lie to a friend, even if indirectly.

>>37839473
>Shrug and let Kimiko say whatever she thinks would be best. You don't really want to lie to a friend, even if indirectly.

>>37839473
>Shrug and let Kimiko say whatever she thinks would be best. You don't really want to lie to a friend, even if indirectly.

>>37839473
>Shrug and let Kimiko say whatever she thinks would be best. You don't really want to lie to a friend, even if indirectly.

>grumble to self about the rumor mill and wonder who you need to put the fear of god in later.

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>>37839465
Such wonderful spaciness

>>37839473
>Shrug and let Kimiko say whatever she thinks would be best. You don't really want to lie to a friend, even if indirectly.

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>>37839592
Is spaciness the right term?

>>37839661
She was a whole new kind of special and adorable back then. Fucking eating a whole loaf of bread

>>37839473
Voting over, writing!

>>37839700
We need such a spacecase in our cast, be them girl or guy.

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>>37839405

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>>37839748
Sad that Clarissa didn't have any younger siblings. These two make life in the canon MC's house fun.

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>>37839498
>>37839512
Kimiko closes her eyes and lightly shakes her head in a barely discernable nod. She then turns back towards Ren and gives her a friendly smile.

"We're lovers."

There is a brief delay before the words click in your and Ren's heads. Ren's face flares up, now matching the color of her hair.

"W-what?!" Is what both you and your friend exclaim in perfect unison, both screams directed at the innocently smiling girl. You gawk in silent fury, and Ren continues to mumble something.

"N-no way, so the rumors were true... n-no, I don't believe you! You probably actually knew about the rumors, didn't you? You were just pretending not to so that you could make fun of me like this, weren't you?! Y-you..!" But Kimiko continues smiling. It angers Ren enough to make her turn away and walk, each step akin to a furious stomp.

"What the fuck, Kimiko?!" You walk up to the girl, just barely resisting the itch to punch her in her smug face.

"It's okay, I knew this would happen. We can continue the patrol now." Kimiko covers her mouth with a hand, giggling.

"But do you know what'll happen if this gets out?! Yeah, that's right, you don't! Neither do I! My reputation could be ruined! How am I going to walk to school and look all those girls I know in the eye again, and how are they going to do the same? Do you know how dangerous it is to stand out these days? I mean, I stand out like a glowing lightbulb in the dark already, but that's not any reason to make it even worse!"

"Don't worry about it, Clarissa. She didn't look like she believed me, and even if she did, I really doubt it'd leak. I mean, she's a friend of yours, right? She probably has your interests at heart, ahaha..."

You bonk her on the head.

"Ow! That hurt!"

>"There's more where that came from. Prepare yourself."
>"I'm going to fucking get back at you for this one day."
>"God damn it, let's just... go back to the patrol."

>>37840239
>"God damn it, let's just... go back to the patrol."
Clarissa has a reputation? Eh, I doubt it would be 'ruined' as she says.

>>37840239
>God damn it, let's just... go back to the patrol

We're going to have to get the particulars about why our love life ended in murder soon. The suspense is killing me.

>>37840239
Voting over, writing!

Just got out of class catching up. Afternoon Mushroom.

...fuck I mistyped the title in the archive. This should be thread 07

So is she the Quincy or just some one who can see ghosts?

>>37840546
If she was a Quincy, she would have more clearly seen us...unless she's playing it cool. Then again, Clarissa knows not of the Quincy or their history.

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Now I'm thinking about a genderflipped Orihime, thanks guys.

>>37841006
Meek and quiet girls can be cute. Meek guys are annoying as hell.

>>37840306
>>37840316
"...Let's just fucking go." You resist the temptation to dish out more corporal punishment, and the two of you proceed with your duties. Kimiko is still chuckling, though, and it's pissing you off.

The patrol continues until you finish the lap around town. It was completely fruitless, and you should have probably abandoned the effort a couple hours earlier; Kimiko suggested it at first, but... it didn't seem like either of you ultimately felt like it was a good idea at the time, since you said that there was supposed to be the spirit around, so with a silent, mutual agreement, you kept at it for a little longer. You hope that you'll see that girl at the dojo again during the day. Maybe she's afraid of the dark?

It doesn't take long to return home. You have to give Kimiko a boost up to the second floor of your house, and you enter your room through the open window. You settle back into your body, throw the girl off your bed and onto the futon you laid out for her, and go to sleep.

...

Paul knocks on the door, yelling at you to wake up.

Ah, this isn't enough rest. You need to immediately crawl out of bed or you'll just end up falling asleep again.

...You fall asleep again.

You wake up a little while later, with someone lightly shaking you in your bed. It's Aiko, waking you up in the same way she always has, with a gentle smile and harmless pushes.

"Good morning. You should get up now, or you'll miss breakfast."

...Ah, that's right. It's not Aiko.

"I'm awake." You grunt at her, slowly rising up and shoving the covers aside.

Other than that, it's a routine morning. You manage to convince Paul to make you a decent lunch for tomorrow (it's too late to do that now) on the basis that you'll be stealing Aiko's food if he doesn't. He promised to find a different way to punish you for lies, though as long as he doesn't touch your rations, you're sure you can handle it.

(1/2)

>>37840591
Red bandages will give it away. Remember that.

>>37841436
The trip to school and your arrival there are both uneventful. It seems that Ren didn't say anything after all, because all the girls you know are not having any trouble interacting with you, and none of the boys are looking at you with resignation and despair.

...Well, some are, but that was always the case, so that's nothing unusual.

Ren seems to be avoiding you, though. Whenever you end up meeting eyes, she immediately turns away.

There are several absentees today, most with family issues probably relating to the recent 'earthquake', one infamous idiot due to injuries, and Naoko, who has no known reason for her absence.

As you sit down behind your desk, someone points out that there is something stuck to the side of your desk. It's a yellow sticky-note, with the text written on the wrong side, where the glue is.

"I know what you are. Meet me at the school stadium at midnight, alone."

It's pretty clearly a threat. There's only one secret you have that might warrant a secret meeting during the night, but even then, who could possibly have written this? A Hollow? They don't really seem like the type to do this. Another soul? Why would they need that, and how would they even reveal the secret if they're invisible?

You hide it, discarding curious inquiries as the note being some random trash that got stuck to your desk.

The time for lunch comes, and Kimiko's standing at the entrance of your classroom again, smiling and cheerfully brandishing her lunchbox. Ren went to have lunch on the roof, as usual. She's been acting very... strangely.

You might want to talk about the note with Kimiko, but you have until midnight to discuss that, which, theoretically, leaves you with plenty of time.

>Have lunch with Kimiko. Discuss the note immediately.
>Go have lunch with Ren.
>Take Aiko to the roof and have lunch with Ren and everybody else... as volatile as that might end up being.

>>37841469
>Go have lunch with Ren.
Disregard note. Acquire rest tonight.

>>37841469
>>Go have lunch with Ren

It looks like we've kind of alienated all of our friends. Might want to try and salvage that.

>>37841469
>Go have lunch with Ren.

So someone knows Clarissa likes girls then?

>>37841469
>Take Aiko to the roof and have lunch with Ren and everybody else... as volatile as that might end up being.

There is no way this could go badly.

>>37841469
>Go have lunch with Ren

>>37841469
Voting over, writing!

>>37841690
Welcome to our rooftop garden of womanly intrigue.

Who is best fullbringer in your opinions?

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>>37842397
Sado Yasutora

>>37842468
He gets a bitchin' glove?

>>37842500
Actually it's his arm, no glove. And in the end he gets two 'bitchin' gloves'

As for me, I'm just pissed that Tatsuki never gets a fullbring.

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>>37842500
Right bitchin glove shoots lazors and gets a bitchin shield. Lefty gets super punches that leave enormous skull shaped craters

>>37842672
Out of all the things I could complain about my brain is mad that the craters are in the shape of a skull.

>>37841516
>>37841526
"No," You tell Kimiko as you walk past her. She follows you. "I need to talk things over with Ren. It's your fault that I need to do that in the first place. So you're not coming with me, Kimiko. There's no Hollow this time, is there?"

"But if one crops up-..."

"Then you know where to find me. I'll be up on the roof, but seriously. Let me talk things over with my friends. Don't follow me."

Kimiko obediently stops, and you leave her behind. That last line may have come out meaner than you intended it to, so you find yourself lingering. You turn around. Her expression is just as dejected as you expected it to be, made even worse by her attempts to hide it. It's a face that you've seen a lot on Aiko, especially during the last few months. It's an expression you wish you were less familiar with, and it hurts to look at it. You turn away.

"Stop it," You end up nearly hissing at her through gritted teeth, which was not what you intended to do. You try to shake it off. "We'll do it another time, okay?"

You glance her way again. She doesn't look sad anymore; the girl looks inquisitive. She stares at you for a little longer, but then walks away, leaving something unsaid.

You walk up the stairs, and continue on your way towards the roof.

(1/3)

>>37842792
...

"Yo." You casually greet your circle of friends, sitting down by the four girls. Looks like they were so involved in their conversation that they didn't even notice your approach. There's some sarcastic, over exaggerated gasping as you sit down, mixed in with some greetings. Ren looks away.

"CLA-RI-SSAAA!" Someone takes her time chewing your name with an open mouth. That same person then makes a swing wide and quick enough to contest a whip, and gives you a really mean slap on the back. One backed by over a month's worth of pent-up lack of back pats, a supposedly habitual ritual that occurs every meeting (albeit usually in a much less painful way). You cringe from the impact; the strike probably left behind a bright red handprint where it hit. "It's nice to see ya!"

You grab one of the short haired girl's grinning cheeks, and then the other, and start pulling really hard. The 'pat on the back' burns like a bastard and your body is still shaking a little bit from the impact. "Nice to see you too, Akemi."

"Awawa, yoo gonna pool my cheeksh ov."

"That's what I'm tryin' to do."

"Clarissa is right. You tried to slap her shoulder blade off, she has a right to retaliate." An elegant girl with long, dark hair adjusts her glasses, making them flicker in the light. Your brother has a habit of doing the same thing.

"See, Akemi? Tomoko gets it," You pull even harder for a bit more, making the girl squirm and helplessly flail her arms about, but then let go. Her cheeks are unhealthily red. You take a better look around as you open your lunchbox. "Well, we're missing some folks. Sakura and Mizuki ain't here."

"Sakura will be gone all week, and Mizuki is absent due to the 'earthquake'. I do not know how she is involved, however." Tomoko explains, moving another measured, tiny portion of rice into her mouth with her chopsticks.

(2/3)

>>37842811
"It's been a while... since you talked with us, Clarissa." A sleepy voice greets you, dully looking your way with half-closed eyes. The girl has her blue hair forming into a neat bob-cut.

"It was only a day, Moriko."

"Ah. Was it... really? It felt like... a lot more. Like... a month."

"That's because I didn't hang out with you guys in over a month."

"But you said... it was only a day."

"It was only a day since school started and I had lunch with you guys."

Moriko's drowsy gaze wanders off, puzzled.

"...We talked yesterday in class, you know. Do you remember that, Moriko?"

She looks even more confused, as if you piled even more weight onto her already struggling mind.

...You should probably leave her be.

Ren is still trying not to look at you. She hasn't said anything so far.

"...Hey, Ren. How's it goin'?" You try asking her. She nervously twitches, as if the question startled her.

"I-I'm fine, Clarissa."

You eat some rice, gauging her reaction and contemplating your next move. She does not seem talkative, and her behavior is abnormal enough to only remain unspotted by Moriko. No one seems eager to ask, though. It's like there's some sort of tension specifically between you and Ren, and everyone is just scared to get between it.

There are... a few ways you can think of to 'handle' this tension. You're pretty sure you know what Ren's problem is, and you should try to approach the subject of preferences with a little... grace.

>"So... did you guys get boyfriends while I was gone?"
>"I heard ya talked with Aiko recently, Ren. You, uh, wanna talk about that some more? I've got nothin' to hide, you know."
>"Are you sure you're okay, Ren? It feels like I'm botherin' you or somethin'."
>Other (Write-in).

>>37842832
>"Are you sure you're okay, Ren? It feels like I'm botherin' you or somethin'."

>>37842832
>"Are you sure you're okay, Ren? It feels like I'm botherin' you or somethin'."
So I'm guessing she's either a homophobe or maybe has feelings for us herself and dosnt like that we're taken. I'm leaning toward the first option.

>>37842832
>"Are you sure you're okay, Ren? It feels like I'm botherin' you or somethin'."

>>37842922
Second possibility would be healthier for us. Dating or getting involved with the person who wears your ex's corpse as a body suit is creepy as hell.

>>37842832
>are you sure you're okay, Ren

I like this cast

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>>37842832
Voting over, and so is the thread for tonight, getting late! Next thread will start with the most voted option.

Next thread is tomorrow!

If you have any questions or feedback, shoot them my way!

Thanks for reading!

Hopefully, things will step up a notch in the next two threads.

>>37843140
Thanks for running.

>>37843140
Thanks for running Mushroom.

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>>37843140
Thanks Mushroom.

Tell me, will the King Of Newyork be showing up in this quest?

>>37843253
He might!

I haven't used any canon characters yet, but that doesn't mean that I won't!

>>37843373
Am I imagining things, or did you once say only 1 or all but 1 of the Gotei 13 lineup was being changed?

>>37843253
There might be a soul pill, but it might be a different personnality.

>>37843463
Only one of them is different from the canon lineup, yeah.

>>37843525
Is that 1 change Byakuya Kuchiki because our inciting Shinigami encounter isn't Rukia?

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>>37843673
...but...but the pretty.

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>>37845312
>>37843673
No no no, if Ichigo doesn't exist then obviously the change in the lineup is going to be...

Shiba Clan ain't nothing to fuck with.

>>37843522
Well, its the difference between a normal artificial soul pill and a mod soul pill.

Heck, we may be using one to turn soul reaper in a tight spot soon...buuuut when Kimiko needs to leave...what about using the Pill to keep anyone from knowing Aiko is dead?

...no, that is a terrible idea.

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>>37845430