The great wild Chappy chase!
Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach, Kubo Tite is the owner, sadly.
A/n- I think the characters are pretty OC in this one… spare me! Also, this is my first Bleach fanfic and I hope it's passable. Please enjoy it, and review!
Chapter One… The Usagiberry
Ichigo swore that he would never approach such a goddamned place. Entering that hell on Earth was equal to admitting that he did dye his hair orange when he was three. Of course, that was just an expression. His hair was natural.
But anyway…
He loitered in front of the violently pink themed shop with the enormous signboard. Grimacing at the cheesy music that came out from the open door, he prayed that no one he knew from school would see him.
Chappy… chappy one two three!
Chappy, chappy ichi, nii!
Chappy, chappy please buy me!
It was the worst rhyme he had ever heard in his life. But that was not the problem.
It was the situation that was the problem….
Reminisce mode…
Four hours ago, Urahara's store, 1pm
Ichigo walked into Urahara's store, yawning. Due to a sudden call from the ex-shinigami salesman (in the form of a bloody message splattered on the wall) he had gone over. Of course, he had caught up on some much needed sleep before going to the shop. That made him arrive two hours later than the time said in the message.
" Oi, Urahara, what's so important…"
The words practically died on his lips as he saw the reason why Urahara had needed him so urgently. For, sitting calmly on a chair in the interior of the store, was the 6th division squad captain himself.
Kuchiki Byakuya dressed in a suit, with an all too familiar expression his face.
" Kurosaki Ichigo."
Ichigo took a step back, staring at Byakuya with a stunned expression on his face, his eyes drifting to the well-pressed suit that the captain was wearing.
Where the hell did he get that suit? And…He spoke out loud. " What are you doing here? Look, I know the shinigami are here to search for Arrancar and all, but why did you call me for and…"
Byakuya looked bored and shook his head, interrupting Ichigo in the middle of his rant.
" Kurosaki Ichigo, I'm not here to scold you, so would you just keep quiet for a while? Besides, you're late. I specified a meeting time two hours earlier than now. I'm actually here in this distasteful shop for Renji's sake. "
Ichigo blinked, surprised that the older brother of Rukia actually found enough warmth in his heart to help his red headed punk of a lieutenant.
" So… what's up with Renji?"
Byakuya's eyebrow twitched as he leaned back against the chair. Ichigo silently predicted that the suit would not wrinkle, and he was right.
" Apparently, today is Rukia's death day. It's the day… that she died on Earth. Shinigami don't usually celebrate their death day as its rather taboo, but it's a urban tradition that the shinigami's friends cheer him or her up."
He ignored the gaping hole that was Ichigo's mouth, and continued.
" Seeing as Renji is busy throughout the day due to some missions and… I have some important things to attend too, both of us are unable to commemorate Rukia's death day with her. Also, the rest of the divisions are currently busy with preparations to search for Aizen. So…"
Ichigo sensed that Byakuya's voice had a tone of smugness in it, but he couldn't put his finger on it. His eyes darted around the cramped shop, hoping to spot an escape route.
Don't say what you're gonna say…damn it… he's totally enjoying this… don't say what you're gonna say…
" You will be the one commemorating it with her, Kurosaki Ichigo."
He just had to say it. Why must it be me of all people? I mean, yeah, a death day is as important as a birthday, but…
Ichigo cleared his throat, preparing himself for his defense against that command. He shifted from foot to foot and finally came up with a delicate enough answer.
" Um… Byakuya, you're her stepbrother … and you know, Rukia's just bunking with me… and all… shouldn't you be the one to celebrate it with her… besides I made plans to head out with Inoue and the rest today…"
He knows I'm lying, damn it! Look at his face! I look like an ass, babbling away like this…Byakuya cleared his throat, forcing Ichigo to stop in the middle of his defense.
"That can be easily solved. All you have to do, Kurosaki Ichigo is to buy Rukia a small gift. You do have a lot of this mortal money…right? I have to go now."
Without waiting for an answer, he stood up and strode out of the store, leaving nothing but the faintest of chills and a stupefied Ichigo.
Lurching back to the present…
Ichigo shook his head, still refusing to step into that condemned hell of a shop. Also, the music from the shop, combined with Byakuya's smug face was driving him mad.
I know, I know. I owe a lot to Rukia… but why, why must Renji ask me? And since when did EARTH know about Chappy? I thought it was some rabbit icon on the Soul Candy! Man… This is stupid and all… but for Rukia…
He gritted his teeth, and walked in. He ducked the Chappy sticker freebie that came from the Chappy mascot who was standing at the door welcoming customers. The store was surprisingly empty, save for the large amount of Chappy merchandise. Ichigo was sure that Rukia would go raving mad in the shop.
He peered around nervously, hoping to find something in the quickest time possible. But before Ichigo could even take a single a step, a clatter was heard, and a door at the side of the shop opened, revealing the shopkeeper.
Ichigo's mouth turned into another black hole as Kisuke Urahara smiled at him through the trademark sunhat.
"Ah… if it isn't Ichigo! May I introduce you to the Chappy sweets? All packed in a dispenser like Soul Candy! New bought in, too. The girls love them."
"U-URAHARA? WHAT THE HECK ARE YOU DOIN' HERE?"
Meanwhile, back at the Kurosaki household, Rukia gazed out of the window of Ichigo's room, sighing.
" Today is the day I died… my death day. I didn't expect Nii-sama to give me a present, but Renji could at least give me the Chappy slippers I wanted…and just where… is Ichigo?"
She shrugged, and got up from Ichigo's bed, heading towards his desk.
Oh well… I might as well take this opportunity to take the blank papers and crayons that he was hiding in his desk.
Ever since the day Rukia had drawn all over his art homework in a bid to liven it up, he had banned all drawing materials from her, and she wanted revenge. Humming loudly, she proceeded to lie on Ichigo's bed and picked up a black crayon from the box. She scrawled a wobby Chappy on the blank slate, the first shinimgami of the 14th divison Chappy army.
TBC