Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach or Rosario+Vampire
Author's Notes: Well, here we are. A new FanFiction. I write this as I listen to Nujabes. Know him? Check him out. He is a brilliant musician. I guess I have decided to keep the chapter length a consistent amount. But who knows? It may lengthen or decrease according to my mood, oh I don't know. But we got this far without too much difficulty. Hopefully, there won't be any more hindrances with my writing time. Enough talk. Here's what your came for.
Enjoy. (Reviews and PMs are appreciated.)
Much love.
~SAYONARA~
(Side note: Before you read this FanFiction, be sure to read the prequels! They are posted here:)
s/9191381/1/So-It-Begins-A-New-Life
s/9285732/1/So-It-Begins-A-New-School
THANKS AGAIN!
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The bus lurched to a stop on the unpaved dirt road. It had parked next to a rather strange and ominous looking pumpkin-headed scarecrow with a wooden sign slung over its neck. The sign had "Youkai Academy" written crudely in black paint. The bus driver looked back and shouted to his passengers, "We have arrived at our destination new students!"
Daisuke looked up, eyes half-open, brushing his silver-white hair out of his face. The trip to Youkai academy was a bizarre one. Hell, he could barely remember the bus ride there. It was a long ride actually. From Ulsan, they drove… and just kept on driving. After passing endless rice fields and mountains, the whole ride became a forgotten loop in time. I must have fallen asleep… Daisuke thought to himself as he reached for his bag and stood up. He stretched his back a bit, only to find discomfort and soreness in his body. He still felt cold… but, really, he always felt cold…
Daisuke stepped off the bus and looked at the scarecrow with a raised eyebrow. It looked… out of place… He looked back to see the bus's route to this place. He saw that there was a big, long tunnel behind the bus. He strained his eyes, trying to see where the end of the tunnel led to but he couldn't. It was too dark. Then again, he saw a looming building in the distance. A large gothic-like castle that stood out like a sore thumb. In fact, everything looked out of place. The building, the scarecrow, the cliffs, and the woods. Even he felt he same way.
"Well, isn't she a beauty…" The Bus Driver sighed. "It's always new every time I see her…"
Daisuke looked at the Bus Driver's strange gaze. He followed it and saw that it led to the strange large building far off. Daisuke pointed at the place, "That…?"
The Bus Driver nodded. "That's Youkai Academy… That is going to be your new home… If you can survive of course, heheh."
"… Survive…?" Daisuke couldn't comprehend which was stranger. The Bus Driver's uncanny fondness of the rather spooky-looking school/building-whatever or the manner in which he spoke, but that would have to wait, he needed to get to the building for the new freshman orientation. Daisuke checked his new wristwatch. It read 2:36. The orientation would start at 4:30 according to the letter. He would have time to chat later. He wanted to familiarize himself with the school grounds first.
He grabbed his bag and turned to leave when suddenly someone called out his name, "Daisuke!"
He looked back and saw that it was the orange-haired boy. Ichi-… Ichigo… Was it…? He stopped and faced him. Ichigo came off the bus and towards him, luggage in tow. Getting closer to him, Daisuke realized how tall Ichigo actually was compared to him. He was almost a head taller than he was. Quite a big comparison. "What is it Ichigo?"
"Well, Tsukune, you, me, we are all new here… I mean, I think it would be best if we all stuck together, y'know?" He said. "We could get lost out here in this God-Forsaken nowhere…"
"You seem to know a lot about where we are… How do you know that this is the middle of nowhere?" Daisuke asked. "Where did we come from to get here? I mean, the tunnel doesn't seem to show where we exactly are… Or how far we are either…"
Ichigo's eyes got big for a moment. He then cleared his throat before speaking again. "I-it was just a guess… who knows…" He scratched the back of his head, half-grinning. "I was just assuming things… heh…"
Daisuke raised a suspicious eyebrow against Ichigo before looking past him to see the brown-haired boy staring off into oblivion, jaw dropped. The Bus Driver was talking to him and the student was turning paler by second. Daisuke looked at Ichigo and pointed towards the boy. "I think your friend over there is having some trouble figuring out where he is…"
Ichigo looked over his shoulder and saw that Tsukune was, indeed, in fact very shocked at the turn of events leading to this… place… He turned around and looked back at Daisuke. "Hold up, I think I am going to check on what's going on with him…"
Daisuke put his hands in his pocket and shrugged his shoulders. "Take your time…" He turned around and looked around, whistling a melancholy tune as Ichigo made his way back to Tsukune. Ichigo saw that Tsukune was a bit shaken up. He looked at the Bus Driver who was now smoking a cigar. Ichigo sighed as he put a hand on Tsukune's shaky shoulder. "What did he tell you?"
The wide-eyed Tsukune said, "That this place… Youkai Academy is a scary place… And I think I am beginning to believe what he had just told me… It does seem rather scary…"
Ichigo heaved a heavy sigh before rubbing his hand over his face and into his bright orange hair. Same old Tsukune… He is never going to change… What did I expect? "Tsukune, get a hold of yourself man… Come on, get your luggage, let's head on over to the orientation."
Tsukune suddenly looked up, staring into Ichigo's eyes with disbelief in what he had heard. "There is going to be an orientation? Where? When? How come I didn't hear about this?! And what is up with this place?! It looks like a scene from a horror movie or something!"
Ichigo let out a sigh of annoyance. "Tsukune. Calm yourself down for at least thirty seconds. I swear, if you don't, I will personally beat you until you do. Got that?"
Tsukune nodded feverously. His face was still quite pale and he was still shaking a bit. Ichigo sighed as he shifted his view towards the bus driver who was still chuckling. Shoving his hands into his pockets, Ichigo approached the still-chuckling man. As politely as possible, he asked, "What the hell did you tell him?" He used his thumb to point back at the mood-deteriorating Tsukune.
The bus driver just laughed, "I told him the truth."
Ichigo shook his head, "How much?"
"Only a little." The bus driver said, still snickering about.
"Make sure that you don't strike up any more conversations with him. From experience, I recall that he doesn't take up too well when it comes to the supernatural… Well, for now…" Ichigo said, turning away from the bus driver.
The driver nodded nonchalantly, brushing his gloved hands on his uniformed chest, feeling for an untouched cigar. "Yeah, yeah… but by then, he'll have grown accustomed to everything."
Ichigo stopped in his tracks. He quickly turned around and faced the driver. He quietly, yet firmly, asserted, "What he will go through at Youkai Academy and what he will actually be doing are two very different things. I want you to keep that in mind. This isn't some joking matter…" Ichigo paused, looking over his shoulder to check on Tsukune. "… Many lives are at stake... You ju-"
"Aye." The bus driver said, waving Ichigo off. "I've already informed from the higher-ups. You don't need to lecture me kid." He lit his cigar. He took a quick breath from it. "Go off now, you'll be late for your orientation."
"Now wait just a minute, wh-"
"Ichigo? Hey Ichigo?" Tsukune called over, face still pale.
Ichigo quickly looked back at Tsukune. "Tsukune, can you wait for a couple more minutes? I've got something to handl-"
"I think you are missing the point Ichigo." Tsukune said looking off a little bit to the right of Ichigo.
Ichigo, raising an eyebrow, shifted his attention to the now-alarmed Tsukune. "Why? What's the matter?"
"He's gone."
Ichigo felt as if he didn't hear correctly. "What?"
Tsukune, whose eyes were as big as dinner plates, stared off into supposed oblivion. Then he pointed to the area to right of Ichigo. "He's gone."
"Who?"
"HIM."
Then, Ichigo began to catch on. "Wait… You don't mean…"
"That one peculiar guy whose name is…"
Ichigo quickly turned to check for himself. When he turned, he hardly believed what he saw. The scarecrow was still there. Check. The ominous, overhanging clouds were still there. Check The only object missing from the view was:
"Daisuke."
Oh come on…
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Daisuke walked silently in the shrouded forest of dead or dying trees. His decade of spending his life in the orphanage had taught him how quietly slip away from a rather public situation. He was a natural. Making sure no one was following him Daisuke proceeded onward into the unknown forest. While walking through however, Daisuke noticed several things he felt that were rather out of place in a forest. He noticed a mass area of graves and tombstones. All the names and dates were eroded beyond eligibility. He approached one and put his hand on the rock. It felt cold. He brushed his hand across the unreadable name when he came across something. The name. From his sense of touch, Daisuke felt that he could decode the cryptic name. Brushing over each eroded character, Daisuke began to unravel the hidden name.
… That's a D… this one is… an O?... No, it's an A… And… this one… should be an L or an I… This one is a C… This one is an H for sure… Now… the last letter… It either an L or an I…
D-A-L-C-H-L? No… that doesn't even sound like a name…
D-A-I-C-H-L? No… Wait, I think I got it!
D-A-I-C-H-I! Daichi… What an interesting name…
Daisuke rested his hand upon the weathered tombstone one more time. Daichi, huh?... Were you a student that once attended this same academy as me? Did you have many friends? Did you have any family?... Were you an orphan?... How did you die? Daisuke pat the ground below him. Can you watch over me? Daisuke smiled slightly, somewhat happy to talk to someone who may have been like rubbed his pale hands on the rugged old rock. He now knew the first name of the dead boy. He sighed as he stood back onto his feet. As he turned to leave, something stopped him. He looked back at the grave. He had just one more thing he wanted to know.
What is your surname?...
Daisuke approached grave once more and kneeled before it. He ran his hand over the rough stone, looking for the first name. Once he located it, he moved his hand slightly over to the right to begin feeling for the surname. He made out the first letter with quite ease. He noticed the figure of the S easily. He then proceeded forward to the next letter.
This is… an N? No, the line drawn down is way too long… in that case, it should be an H… Moving on… This one is an I… This one… should be an R… And here is a lopsided A… And this….
Daisuke froze. The last letter made his blood run cold. Colder than he had ever been. He brushed his slender, white finger down the last letter. He ran it down the prominent slash downwards. The letter was an I.
S-H-I-R-A-I
Shirai.
The surname was Shirai. Daisuke felt over the letters again just to make sure that we felt and read were exactly what he thought it was. They were. Daisuke placed his hand on the name as he knelt before the grave. He didn't know what to say. Buried before him was a family member. Someone who knew who exactly who he was. Someone who may have had the answers to his many questions of his very being. Well, someone who ONCE had the answers. That someone was gone now. Buried. Right in front of him. Daisuke only felt a pang of regret. He closed his eyes as he leaned against the grave, wondering.
Just wondering.
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A man in white garbs stood on the trees, leaning against the long dead bark with an irritated look on his face. He wore a partially open vest revealing a hole in his chest and a number 10 painted on the opposite side. He rested his hand on the hilt of his sword as he look beyond the branches looking at a certain Freshman with white hair. He sighed as he pushed himself off the branch and shoved his hands into his side pockets.
"You are late Toshikazu. I expected better." The man said without even looking in any particular direction. He simply shook his head. "And when you are approaching a superior, I expect you to approach me upfront."
A young man wearing expensive-looking intellectual glasses popped out from the branches above with a child-like smile. He landed on a branch parallel to the tree the man stood on.
The man, Toshikazu, sat down on the sodden, old branch, "So like you Hyun-Joon-san. So tell me, what had the importance to bring you, an espada, all the way out here?"
"That would be rather confidential information…" Hyun-Joon began, "But the others can come chasing after me for all I care…"
Hyun-Joon grinned. He held a thick file loaded with various papers and documents. He handed them over to Toshikazu. He leaned back on the tree. "There is someone I would like you to keep a close eye on while I handle my business elsewhere."
Toshikazu's smile turned dark and foreboding. He chuckled menacingly. "Close surveillance, huh? So who is it this time… Well… What do you know…"
"I assume you know why I am assigning you this…" Hyun-Joon said. "The last time we had a Shirai against us, we went through a plenty of trouble… This time, things will be different."
Toshikazu shut the file and put it in his inner suit side pocket. "But in the end, the conclusion will be the same. Won't it?"
He nodded. "It seems this Shirai has already noticed the grave. I would like you to proceed with what was already planned. You know exactly what I am talking about."
Toshikazu laughed. "The Mr. Oshiro-Tactic. Simple. Leave it to me."
Hyun-Joon turned away from Toshikazu and began to leap towards another tree. "Best be I will… I will leave the rest to you then…" He stopped for a moment. "Don't get carried away Toshikazu."
Toshikazu waved him off. "I already got it. Off with you now. Shoo. Go away."
Hyun-Joon leaped off into the thicket of trees and beyond. Toshikazu stood up from his branch and straightened his glass. Refurnishing himself with the same menacing smile, he began his observation.
"Now, the fun begins."
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Daisuke dusted himself off as he stood back up. He looked at the grave one last time. He didn't realize how long he must have been just sitting there. He looked at his wristwatch as it glinted off with sunlight. The watch said the time was 3:47. He had to get moving. He quickly rushed out onto the dirt path… or what was left of one. It was a beaten off track that seemed rather shady. Daisuke shrugged off the thought and walked down. As he walked on, he heard a sound. It was a rather peculiar sound. The sound wheels are being wheeled on by a chain. The sound became louder. Along with the sound was an echoing squeak and treading of the ground. Daisuke stopped. The sound became clearer.
Wait a minute…
"GET OUT OF THE WAAAAY!" exclaimed a loud, high pitched voice. Daisuke instinctively jumped off to the side brush before he knew what was actually happening. He looked up to briefly see a girl with pink hair in a uniform much like his riding off down the dirt path in a bicycle at neck breaking speed. Daisuke straightened himself off as he stepped back onto the dirt path. He walked on.
After taking several steps, Daisuke then realized that path had faded into the ground. Daisuke observed his surroundings trying to pinpoint for various landmarks that might help him into finding his way to the Academy. He looked as hard as he could however nothing indicated directions in any way. Daisuke gave a sigh of despair.
"At this rate, I am going to be late…" He said unwittingly to himself. "What to do…"
"Are you lost?"
Daisuke jumped at the disembodied voice. The voice was definitely female. It had a pretty ring to it Daisuke observed but he quickly shook that thought from his head as he wheeled around looking for who the voice belonged to.
"Right here." The voice said. It came from behind him. Daisuke quickly turned around only to see no one there.
"Where?" Daisuke asked. He wanted to see who this voice belonged to.
From behind a tree, Daisuke saw a girl. But this girl had a rather peculiar appearance. She had long, light purple hair and her skin was white and fair, not too different from him. She had absolutely gorgeous eyes. They were a deep shade of blue and purple and almost appeared pupil-less. She wore a light sweatshirt with black sleeves and a checkered skirt. She also wore a golden pendant around her neck and had a lollipop stuck in her mouth.
"Right here."
Daisuke felt his cheeks redden at the sight of seeing such girl. He then realized that she almost had a similar resemblance to him. The skin, the eyes… Then he realized that she was also looking at him with a similar fascination.
"Who are you?" She asked. She was just as curious as he was about finding out who was who.
"Me? Well, I-I am Daisuke… Daisuke Shirai… I am new here…" He said still somewhat flabbergasted. "…A-and you are…?"
Rolling her lolli in her mouth, the girl answered, "My name is Mizore Shirayuki… I am a Freshman also."
"Well Shirayuki-san, nice to meet you… I guess…" Daisuke said, awkwardly shifting his feet about.
"Are you lost?" she asked him, her blue eyes meeting his.
"N-no!" He stammered. "What makes you think that?"
Mizore slowly walked over to him. She peered over at him and poked him in the chest. "Because I heard you."
Daisuke felt his face grow hot. He sighed. "You heard all that?"
"Well?" Mizore asked. "Tell me."
"Yes."
She put her hand on his already-cold face. "That's better."
Strangely, as she touched his face, Daisuke felt warm. Not a simple physical warmth but he felt warm on the inside. He felt… comforted. Mizore slowly pulled back her hand. Her face was slightly pink and she had a rather cute grin on her face as well. Daisuke smiled back.
"Well, let's get going. We are gonna be late." Mizore said, grabbing Daisuke's hand and leading him towards the academy.
Smiling, Daisuke ran along with her.
I think I am going to like it here…
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This FanFiction was SUPER delayed. I apologize. I was getting quite lazy and time was being a complete female dog. Yeah. But it is out and rolling. I will strive for weekly updates. Stay tuned for more. Thanks for reading! You rock!
~SAYONARA~