Day 5: Weekend Beckons

This article, , is the second chapter of the Investigating Grat arc, which is part of Bleach: Cataclysm. Garrett Sheppard serves as the primary point-of-view character.

Garrett winced despite himself.

"I told you to stay still."

May's scolding was light however. She hadn't yet changed out of her school uniform, which consisted of a white shirt and blue skirt. She had removed the blazer however. She was cleaning a gash cut into Garrett's back by the claws of a particularly annoying, and had tied her long brown-coloured hair into a ponytail to keep the blood from it.

"... You need to slow down." May claimed. "Between these arena brawls of yours and these Hollow, you're never not injured."

"I can't do much about the Hollow." Garrett replied, a little more sharply than he intended. "Sorry. I'm a little on-edge."

"It's fine, I understand. Stop struggling and sit still!"

That was how it went for the next half-hour-or-so. Garrett was scolded for wincing every time May cleaned and stitched his wounds -- deep jagged claw-like cuts across his left shoulder-blade. It was a welcome relieve when she wound some bandages tightly around his body.

"There you go!" She exclaimed, all chipper.

"Thanks again. I don't know what I'd do without you."

"Bleed out?" May suggested.

"Maybe. I'll treat you to the cinema tomorrow if you're free?"

"I'll get Lloyd to cover the shop."

"He'll just love that. See you later then."

"Bye, Garrett."

He took the long way home. By the time he left May's single-story house the sun was setting on the horizon, though the summer heat was still lingering. It made for a pleasant enough evening. The long way took him past both the park and river. The former was filled to bursting with children not long home from school playing with their friends. The latter was deserted save for a single girl.

Garrett stopped to look.

She wore the uniform of his high-school still and was running through scripted kata down near the riverbank. The way she moved echoed her experience; there was no wasted energy, every movement graceful. Despite the ache in his shoulder begging him to go home and sleep he walked down towards her.

It was only then the figure became known to him.

"You're that transfer student... Tiffany, right?"

She stopped her exercises.

"Yup, that's me. You're Garrett, right? What brings you down here?"

"I was heading home when I saw you. Not too many in town who practice the martial arts. I was curious."

"A practice you share? Mrs. Summers said something about you boxing a few days ago."

Observant, this one. What else had she heard that day? Hopefully nothing that had came out of Lloyd's mouth, at least. Or this could get awkward really quickly.

"I'm a semi-professional boxer and mixed-martial artist." He couldn't keep the pride from his voice.

"I'm partial to the MMA myself. I'm actually looking for somewhere to train." She claimed.

"I could introduce you around my local tomorrow morning? It isn't far."

"Okay, sure. I'll meet you here around eight?"

"Sure. Anyways, I've had a rough day of it. I'll see you in the morning."

With that Garrett left with a decidedly better opinion of his new class-mate than he had before. Poor Shaun though. The guy had come within a few minutes of having his ass handed to him by a girl.

"Good thing I came along when I did." Garrett thought with a grin.

His grin did not last.

The ground shook behind him and spiritual pressure was exerted on his shoulders. He sighed. As he turned the Hollow came into view. It was an ugly looking thing -- they usually where -- with big muscled arms and the body of a snake. Its yellow eyes where slitted. It looked very hungry.

"Oh, for fuck's sake! Can you not go and annoy someone else!?"

He leapt to the side as its tail impacted the ground where he had been standing! Garrett cursed again. This thing was fast. It whipped its tail to the side and caught him in the ribs. The blow sent him flying through the air and when he impacted the floor he felt wetness in and around his shoulder, which was followed by pain blossoming in his senses.

"That was a mistake."

What happened after not even Garrett completely caught. The Hollow lunged at him with one muscled arm but in mere moments the arm went flying and the Hollow retreated, screaming in agony. Garrett's vision blurred but he saw what he thought was a woman with blond-coloured hair standing not far from him.

"Tiffany?"

He asked this before darkness took him and he collapsed. He was vaguely aware of someone cradling his head but anything after that was lost as he slipped into unconsciousness...