"You two! You told me you were just contractors who sold items to Shinigami stationed in the World of the Living! Why didn't you let me apprehend those two?!" the petite woman shouted at Yoruichi and Urahara.
"Kuchiki-chan," Urahara began, "do you know what that power is?"
Yoruichi gagged. "Don't call her that, you creep."
"I don't," Kuchiki said as she brushed a lock of hair behind her ear. "What was it?"
"That's the problem, kid. We don't know," Yoruichi said as she patted the young woman on the head. "But now that you're here, you're going to help me out with this."
"No!" the girl began before—
"Ow!! Not the iron claw! Ow! Fine, fine!"
Yoruichi released her grip on Rukia's head. "Let's start the school transfer process."
"School?" Rukia asked.
"Rukia Kuchiki, welcome to high school," Urahara said with an annoying smirk, snapping his fan shut.
---
"Nice to meet you all. My name is Rukia Kuchiki. I've gone to private schools in the past, so please forgive me for sounding strange," Rukia Kuchiki said, introducing herself to her new "classmates."
Why did she have to be a student?! Was she not tall enough, womanly enough to be a teacher as well? Not even a teaching assistant?!
She noticed the boy from the night before sitting second from the back on the window side. It was extremely obvious he had a cat with him, but everyone just seemed to ignore it for some odd reason.
Meanwhile, the class was buzzing because it was the second transfer of a cute girl this month!
"She's soooo smol."
"I want to bully her, and I don't know why."
Rukia heard these comments and ignored them. These people were irrelevant to her. Her only interest was getting this crap over with. She didn't even want to be involved in this right now because—
"Kuchiki-san, please take a seat wherever you'd like!"
Rukia turned and gave a bow. "Thank you, Sensei!"
She walked to the back and decided to sit next to Ren and behind Orihime.
"We can share our textbooks with you if you need them, Kuchiki-san!" Orihime whispered behind her with a wink. Ann was next to her, giving a thumbs up.
"Thank you," Rukia said politely.
She turned and looked toward Ren, who seemed to be half paying attention.
"Do you mind?"
Ren was slightly surprised. Had she not heard the rumors about him yet?
"Sure," he said, sliding his textbook to the side as Rukia moved her desk next to his.
"Another one!"
"He's sunk his claws into her already?!"
"Think he'd give me tips? I don't care if he has a record at this point."
Ren was embarrassed and facepalmed with a groan.
'Okay, maybe this won't be so bad,' Rukia mentally laughed.
---
Morgana was silent the entire class. He felt like the girl next to him was observing him for some reason. He wanted to talk to Ren and tell him about a strange dream he had. He even wanted to ask him to see if he could visit the Velvet Room as well.
'She's suspicious,' Morgana thought.
Rukia, however, was shocked for a different reason.
'Why do these three and the cat have such high spiritual pressure for normal humans?!'
The cat especially was weird!
It was a normal cat!
'What a headache,' she thought as she watched Ren pull out a small psychology book and begin to read silently while half paying attention to the lecture.
---
"Kuchiki-san! Girls-only lunch!" Orihime cheered as the class prepared for lunch.
Ann smiled and turned to Ren, sticking out her tongue. "Sorry, Ren. Boys are icky."
Orihime giggled.
Rukia couldn't help but be amused.
'They just seem like normal kids.'
"Fine, fine." Ren threw up his hands dramatically. "You wound me so! I know when I am not wanted."
He got up, gave a dramatic bow, and departed.
"Drama queen!" Ann called back at him after they recovered from his outburst.
---
Ren rounded the corner.
"Morgana, is it just me, or was that girl staring at us the entire fucking class?" Ren asked nervously.
"Yeah. That wasn't just you," Morgana confirmed hesitantly.
"How do these people not see how suspicious they are?!" Ren couldn't help but snap under his breath.
"Looks like Ryuji is over there," Morgana said.
---