Bleach Fan Fiction ❯ Chicken Princess ❯ Losing Myself...to the Pavement? ( Chapter 2 )

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Chicken Princess

Chapter 1:

Losing Myself…to the pavement?

Karin's P.O.V.

As I heaved around a box full of useless fliers, I began to curse the burning sun on my back, and whatever weather god out there dominating my life. I subconsciously brought a hand to my forehead to wipe off a sheen of sweat, and then remembered angrily that the simple act of wiping off perspiration was exceedingly difficult at this moment, as my hand connected with the beak of a chicken suit.

Did I ever mention I hate my job?

"Please take one!" I yelled from beneath the thick mask, shoving my way in front of casual strollers. "We just opened down by North Street, and we offer the best deals on traditional American food today! Buy two packs of onion rings for a free extra large soda! A free teriyaki burger with the purchase of a Western with cheese combo! And we host birthday parties with one free cheese/pepperoni pizza! Call or email us to set up an unforgettable party today. Please visit our website for more information…"

We weren't always like this; my family and I. In fact, we used to own a nice little clinic in our town's suburban area. But…disaster struck when my mom died. I don't even remember her. Dad stopped caring for patients and retreated to his room. He rarely got up before noon, if ever. Ichigo became really distant, and Yuzu took over the housework. Strangely, I have very little, if any, memory of my mom…not even mental images encased in my head like Yuzu does.

Anyways, the old man recovered in about a month, but by then, we had very few, if any, patients who were still willing to trust us. In other words, our clinic was ruined.

Then came the fire.

It was just an innocent little light fixture that started it all…but our clinic was demolished. Dad began to look for a job, and eventually ended up as a patient care assistant at the local hospital.

It's amazing how fast something you worked for your whole life could just go up in a puff of smoke, just like that.

Of course, we weren't considered poor, at least, not by society's standards; we were strictly middle class.

Because Ichigo's away at college and Yuzu already has enough on her hands at home, what with all the cooking and the cleaning, I took on a series of odd jobs, graduating from a babysitter/lawnmower to a kitchen staff/cleaner/walking chicken…

Besides, it was the very least I could do, I thought to myself as a new determination came over me. I liked working, really. It made me feel useful…doing all these jobs.

"…here you go…thank you…remember, we're now open from seven to eleven, daily, come any time…"

Well…

Most of them.

I'm never in a good mood on Saturdays.

In fact by the end of the day I'm usually ready to kick some inoffensive rock into my manager's face.

Why, you ask?

Maybe it has something to do with…oh, I don't know…maybe,just maybe, it's that giant chicken suit I'm wearing right now even as I ride my bike home?

Because business has become quite slow lately, the boss made me dress up as a live, human-chicken advertisement with the business name etched onto my rear end. The point of this was to have a gigantic, eye catching, and desperatelaborer who'd do anything for eight yen per hour.

Eye catching.

Really. Eye catching.

If I were any more eye catching I'd start blocking traffic. Literally.

And trust me, in Karakura, that's not a good thing.

The first few days on my new job were a living hell; most of the time I merely seethed with fury and snarled at the occasional baffled 6-year-old who thought I was a plaything. After that…came despair…and humiliation…I was a 17-year-old girl, after all…

Nowadays, it's a whole mixture of all three - fury, despair, humiliation…not to mention hurt pride - and I made sure that everything I felt showed on my face, but since that wasn't obvious enough (thanks to the gigantic, fake chicken beak and the bright red feathers) my actions also came to my advantage.

I zigzagged along the road, daring any random passing stroller to tell me I couldn't; that'd give me a good excuse to scream my head off and/or break their nose. Oh god…maybe I do need therapy…

Just then I felt something on the back of my bike, and smelled something like burning rubber, snapping me out of my thoughts. I frowned, how odd…not only am I a big fat chicken now but is my bike going to start malfunctioning as well? Then I felt it again, like something…hitting the back of my tire. I turned around and for a second my mind went totally blank as it always did when I tried to process too many different things at once.

For the first time in my life I was stunned into absolute silence.

Did I just…get hit by a car?

Then it bumped me again, much harder this time, and I panicked. I had only kept my eyes off the road for a few seconds, but it was enough to send my bike spiraling out of control. I was leaning on hyperventilation, and I vaguely recalled screaming my lungs out as I flew off my bike, my arms flapping uselessly in the air, as if chickens could actually fly.

My whole life flashed before my eyes.

It was full of chickens…

I remember flapping my chicken wings pointlessly in the air, and then landing face-first on the pavement.

Except it didn't hurt.

A little part of me was mildly surprised that I hadn't become a pavement cake; the other, bigger part really wanted to break somebody's nose.

I touched my face; I was completely protected by a thick, outer shell -the chicken suit.

Ohmigod. I think my life was just saved by the monstrosity of a chicken suit…I got on my knees and debated with myself on whether or not I should throw my hands toward the sky and thank Kami-sama that the boss had insisted I go advertising today…in the much detested chicken suit…

At that exact moment, I caught sight of a black suede shoe covered foot appearing next to the Lamborghini that had so nearly killed me. Following after his foot, a lean, muscular boy in an expensive-looking suit ran towards me.

Oh God.

His silver hair was blowing in the gentle wind, sticking up messily.

I have never before in my life seen anything so outright sexy.

Live, that is…

But then again, maybe it's 'cuz of this funny minuscule town we live in.

A few tufts of hair hung over his deep teal eyes, and I stared. Openly. I gaped at his car, and then his shoes…

…and everything came rushing back; the burning rubber, the car, the bumps, bike spiraling out of control, me sailing through the air, then face connecting with concrete…

White, hot rage spread through my body, overtaking the shock. I could feel my face turning beet red, and I really itched to sock someone…someone like the gorgeous rich boy who had just thrown me off my bike. I had the urge to bare my teeth like a wild animal, looking at him and his perfect physique; this guy probably had more people falling over him than my entire collection of cherry-cola caps. And I bet he would never ever have to work as an oversized flyer-passing chicken, just for some back-to-school clothes… I seethed with fury at the unfairness of it all, then glared venomously at the boy running towards me. Of all the! Even Haruna's ex didn't try to run down random innocent bikers on the street! This was a whole new level of rich boy bitchiness…! By then, all traces of my original interest had disappeared…Gorgeousness just ain't everything.

He extended his hand, and I wanted to bite it.

"Are you-"

"DO I LOOK ALL RIGHT?" I screamed at him with unsuppressed anger. "DO I LOOK FUCKING ALL RIGHT TO YOU?"

He looked taken aback for a moment, then flushed a deep red.

"You're the one who was zigzagging on the road!" He glared at me angrily. "You shouldn't go on the road after drinking; I could have severely injured you and left you to die!"

I ground my teeth together. The nerve…"I am not drunk!" I spat, taking off my chicken mask so I could get in his face. "You were the one who was speeding, and obviously I am the victim here." Just another unreasonable selfish son of a bitch…I already have enough of those around in my life…

He stared at me strangely, and then looked away and sighed. "How much?" He took out his wallet, flipping through a wad of bills. "I'll pay you."

This time, I stared. I can't believe it. He just tried to pay me off.

After throwing me off the road.

I could have died!

I clenched my fists, nails digging into my palms, and strode up to him. His teal eyes never left mine…and he looked almost…expectant. What the! It was that look - never have I ever seen anyone look at me (after almost running me over) in such an infuriating way. It was that, that annoyingly enticing look (on him…only on him) that eventually made me lose it.

I raised my fist, and gave him a good, hard blow on the side of his oh so pretty cheek. "I don't want your money, asshole," I snarled. "I want justice." He was still looking at me with an unreadable expression, but I could see shock register briefly in his eyes.

I glanced at his car. You know what they say about money not being everything is complete and utter bullshit; rich people do have it a hell of lot easier. With that, I strode off to collect my bike. It's a shame, really, such a nice face wasted on such a shallow bastard. Beautiful, rich people seldom focused on the world around them, and rarely gave poor, hardworking girls (like me) a second glance. I remember Haruna's ex-, so-called, boyfriend, who's the heir to some major corporation. He had picked her up on the street, and she was absolutely smitten. But, as it turned out, the bastard merely thought of her as a toy, and was at the same time dating some American supermodel. Like I said, beauty really was only skin-deep. And needless to say, Haruna was heartbroken. Now, she's smarter. More careful. More cynical…

I smirked, glancing at my fist. That was for Haruna…and damn that felt good.

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2nd chappy almost ready. ;D