Disclaimer: Tite Kubo owns Bleach!
Hi guys, after some much thinking over, I'm rewriting my story, Social Experiment, which actually used to be called Contradictive under my friend on the site, Sabathiel.
She doesn't really care for this anymore, so it's basically mine, but the plot idea and some of the OCs in here are hers, though I did cut a few of them out and changed Matsuda's name (kind of) ^^;
This chapter is just me rewriting Sabathiel's original first three chapters. It's all her work, just slightly modified, and I'd rather just keep it all together instead of splitting them up.
Enjoy, and please tell me what you think.
"Dear New Student,
It is with sincere pleasure that we inform you we can offer you a place in our incoming freshman class of the Shinô Reijutsuin – Soul Reaper Academy. Good health is of the utmost importance in maintaining good academic standing as well as quality of life. We aim to support you in all aspects of your health during your time at Shinô Reijutsuin, beginning with making your arrival as smooth as at the Shinô Reijutsuin have a proud 2000-year history of developing young kidō wielders, secret remote officers and court guards. We wish you the best in your future endeavors.
Wishing you the best of health,
Shigekuni Yamamoto-Genryūsai, G.C.
General Captain
13 Court Guards"
Asahi Byakuya sighed in relief after reading over the letter and set it down firmly onto the pathetic excuse of a coffee table they had. He looked over the envelope once more, thankful that it wasn't a 'thin' one and then carefully folded his letter and tucked it inside his robes so not to lose it.
"Byakuya!" a boy said as he came into the shack they lived in. "Is that the letter from Shinô? Why'd you open it without me?"
Byakuya shrugged in response. "You're late, Nori."
Matsuda Noriyuki was short for his age, barely hitting 5'5 with curly jet black hair that fell over his bright hazel eyes. "Where's mine?" he asked with a small pout.
"You didn't bother to ask if I even got accepted?" Byakuya asked, raising his eyebrow as his 'best friend' so carelessly cast him aside. Regardless, he pointed to their pathetic coffee table where two letters were neatly laid out, one thick and one thin.
"Yes, and for a reason too," Noriyuki protested. "You should have waited for Takeshi and me."
"Where is he, anyways?" Byakuya asked as Noriyuki hesitantly poked at the thick letter, seeing his name on it. He tried to remain optimistic for Takeshi who had yet read his letter.
"He's securing dinner for us," he replied, making a small tear in the envelope as if he could sneak a peek at what fate held for him.
"Just read it. Takeshi won't care," the taller one snapped, irked by Noriyuki's immaturity.
Noriyuki looked really torn between the letter and to the door, praying that he wouldn't have to choose between the answer that could change his life forever and the look on his friend's face when he found out he was the last to read his letter. Lucky for him, he didn't have to choose as Takeshi chose that moment to come in through the door with their other friend, Yuriko.
"We have dinner!" she announced, producing four juicy red apples for them. Seeing the envelope in Noriyuki's hands she excitedly exclaimed, "The letters have come in? Hurry and open it!"
"Did they?" Takeshi asked, looking at Byakuya and Noriyuki. "I assume you've already opened yours?"
"I've been accepted," Byakuya stated, not really caring what he thought.
"I waited for you," Noriyuki answered with a bright grin.
"Thanks for waiting," he said sarcastically to Byakuya as he fondly mussed up Noriyuki's hair. "But congratulations," Takeshi said as he went to get his letter, trying not to let the thinness of it get to him. "On a count of three?"
Noriyuki nodded, "One."
"Two."
"Three."
Noriyuki let out a cheer of triumph. "Dear New Student, it is with sincere pleasure that we inform you we can offer you a place in our incoming freshman class of the Shinô Reijutsuin – Soul Reaper Academy!" He exclaimed as he read the first line of his acceptance letter.
Takeshi remained silent for a moment, rereading the words quickly to himself before shaking his head and then sighing in defeat. "Dear Mr. Aizawa, it is with sincere regret that we inform you that we cannot offer you a place in our incoming freshman class." Takeshi sighed again and tore the letter into shreds without bothering to even finish reading it.
"You didn't get accepted?" Byakuya gasped in surprise. "How is that possible, Takeshi? You were the-"
"Stop it," Takeshi said firmly. "I don't want pity." Looking up, he forced himself to look at Byakuya and Noriyuki. "Congratulations, you guys deserve it. Looks like I'm stuck here until next year. And Byakuya, don't be ridiculous; you were the brightest of us all."
Noriyuki looked at him sadly. "And this is where the cookie crumbles."
"When do you two leave?" Takeshi asked.
"The school year doesn't start until a few months so we'll be around," Byakuya answered.
"That's good to hear," Yuriko said.
"No, it isn't!" Noriyuki protested. "No offense to you all, but I want to get out of here as soon as possible and become a Shinigami. It's been my dream for forever, ever since I was saved from a hollow by one. I can't wait any longer! Right, Byakaya?"
Yuriko laughed at Noriyuki's enthusiasm. "You two better visit, alright?" she said as she hugged Byakuya and Noriyuki. "Have fun, and do be careful, alright? I don't need you two getting killed in the line of duty."
"Yeah, yeah," Noriyuki replied, slipping out of her embrace to escape her nagging. "Takeshi, you have to make it in next year, alright? Get that acceptance letter!"
"Will do," he replied with a broad grin. "Try not to get into a whole lot of trouble without me."
"Like Nori can do anything with Byakuya around," Yuriko laughed, earning a frown from Byakuya.
"I know right? He's such a downer," Noriyuki laughed. "Listen, I hate to be cliché, but friends forever, okay?"
"Friends forever," they all answered.
"Woah," Noriyuki gasped as he stared at the entrance to the Seireitei. "It's amazing, isn't it, Byakuya?" Without waiting for his friend's reply, he hurried on ahead with wide eyes. "Amazing!"
Byakuya rolled his eyes. "You're too easily entertained," he muttered, as he looked over his shoulder to see other students from the Rukongai coming in... as well as the rich people lucky enough to be born inside the Seireitei. "Nori, let's hurry and find the entrance ceremony and orientation."
"Oh, right," Noriyuki said agreeably. "We get our schedules there, don't we? And room assignments!"
Byakuya nodded quickly. "Just go," he said, just trying to avoid getting any attention drawn to them.
"Welcome, freshmen!" a teacher shouted as groups of students passed them. He rambled on about the school's academic histories and continued directing the students to places. When prompted by Noriyuki, he directed them to the main building's auditorium where they took seats in the back.
The auditorium was huge and housed at the most ten thousand students to show just how elite and prestigious their private academy was. The sixth year class president opened with a speech, declaring just how important the incoming freshman were and through their rigorous work, they, the next generation, would become soldiers of the Gotei 13 destined to serve the Seireitei and protect those in need from the hollows that plagued their world. After welcoming the class to the Shinô Academy, the class president left with a rounding applause after dismissing the students to pick up their schedules and receive their room assignments.
They filed in lines according to their year and the first letter of their surname to receive their schedules. "Er, Asahi Byakuya," he said when prompted by his attendance clerk. She gave him his schedule as well as a check. "What's that for?" he asked, looking at it with a puzzled look.
"You're on scholarship, aren't you?" she asked, frowning at him and wondering why he had never heard of anything. "Your test scores were outstanding so you have a full ride. The check is to get your books."
"Oh, thanks," Byakuya mumbled, going back to meet Noriyuki who snatched the schedule and check out his hands with a confused look. "Apparently, I'm here on scholarship."
"Oh, congratulations, that saves money for our books. I can share with you, right?" he asked, looking over Byakuya's schedule.
Asahi Byakuya
01 Demon Arts Studies
02 Movement: Hohou
03 Swordplay Studies
04 Demon Arts: Kidō
05 Hand to Hand Combat Studies
06 Hand to Hand Combat: Hakuda
07 Movement Studies
08 Swordplay: Zanjutsu
"I have... Demon Arts Studies, Kidō, Movement Studies and Zanjutsu with you," Noriyuki said happily, knowing that he landed the jackpot, considering those were Byakuya's best subjects. "Do these courses kind of seem repetitive to you?"
"Well, considering Kidō, Hohou, Hakuda and Zanjutsu are the four necessities to become a Shinigami, this Academy didn't have much of a curriculum to begin with," Byakuya answered. "I think there's one course to study the topic, and the other course is where we actually perform the topic."
"Makes sense, I guess," he answered, "but I have Hakuda before Hakuda studies. That kind of defeats the purpose, doesn't it? How can I practice it if I don't know anything about it?"
"I'm sure the curriculum works just fine," Byakuya assured him as they headed to their dorm room. "Is it just us two?
"Yeah," Noriyuki replied as he fumbled with the keys to unlock the door. Dropping all his bags, he jumped on the closest bed, dubbed it his own, and then relaxed. "We made it, Byakuya. We actually made it."
"Yes," Byakuya agreed with a soft smile. "Yes, we did.
At the Kuchiki manor, the youngest and only heir slept soundly as she rubbed her check against the silky sheets. With a soft sigh of contentment, she stretched and then hugged the covers against her delicate frame. The covers over her felt like running water and it seemed to just slide through her fingers.
"Lady Hisana?" Her handmaid softly called out as she gently knocked on her Lady's door before slowly opening it and entering. "Your father has requested me to tell you that you are to be getting up now and that you are to get dressed and be down for breakfast as soon as possible," she said meekly as she bowed her head down.
"Alright, thank you," Hisana sighed, stretching again and touching the soft carpet with her bare feet. She pulled her night gown against her body as she headed to the bath prepared by her maid. She slid the gown off her shoulders and gently stopped her maid from helping. "Thank you, but I'll be fine."
"Yes, Lady Hisana," she said with a nod and left her mistress to deal with her other morning chores.
Hisana slowly slid into the tub and made a sound of appreciation as the heated water warmed up her skin and she cleansed herself with a fragrance of crushed lilies and passion flower. Her peace was abruptly shattered when she could hear her father's voice echoing as he firmly told one of the servants to retrieve her. Kuchiki Sojun could never be pleased. She shook her head and reached for a towel to dry herself off. She slid a robe on and brushed out her smooth hair before putting on her red uniform and heading down to the dining room.
"Good morning, Father," Hisana mumbled as she seated herself across from him.
"Good morning, Hisana," Sojun answered gruffly. "Classes begin today. Eat up quickly. No one in my family is going to be late for class. And what did I say about your wet hair?"
"But Father," Hisana started as she was cutting her breakfast into bite-sized pieces. "It's still very early. I still have time to dry my hair before I leave."
"You'd better. You look like you're from Rukon," he said, lifting a piece of food to his lips. She nodded and ate her breakfast in silence. "Hisana, dear, you did pick up your schedule yesterday, correct?"
"Yes, Father," She replied, reaching for the neatly folded slip of paper in her pocket. She unfolded it and handed it over to her father to read:
Kuchiki Hisana
01 Demon Arts Studies
02 Movement: Hohou
03 Movement Studies
04 Hand to Hand Combat: Hakuda
05 Hand to Hand Combat Studies
06 Demon Arts: Kidō
07 Swordplay Studies
08 Swordplay: Zanjutsu
"I'm going to go dry my hair," Hisana announced so her father wouldn't bother her. "I'll leave right after."
"Hisana, don't be late. It doesn't look good for the family," he said, refolding the schedule and setting it on her bag. Hisana rolled her eyes from her room.
The morning was lovely with warm sunlight pouring through the windows. It would have been a perfect one for Byakuya if his new custom-made alarm clock hadn't yanked the covers off of him while exclaiming, "WAKE UP!" in his ear. Byakuya could only groan in response and opened his eyes to slowly glare at Noriyuki who was crouched down by his bedside. "We're going to be late," he said, already dressed and ready to go.
"Already?" Byakuya gasped, jerking up into a sitting position. "How is it possible that you're up before me?" Noriyuki, usually lazy, liked to sleep in... unless there was food involved...
"For breakfast?" he finished sheepishly.
Byakuya glared at him and then flopped back down to sleep. "Go without me."
"But Byakuya, food!" he said, as if that was the answer to life. "We have a guaranteed meal plan where we can eat as much as we want!"
"I don't understand how you'd be able to inhale all that food considering your size," Byakuya answered. "Go without me. I'll meet you in class." Noriyuki shrugged and reminded him to get up half an hour from now and then left after telling him where they should meet.
Unable to get back to sleep, Byakuya finally got up and took a hot shower to rinse off. He closed his eyes, feeling quite relaxed despite his rude awakening from Nori. He washed the soap off and quickly rinsed to rid himself of any remaining suds before toweling himself off. Byakuya slid into his blue academy uniform and glanced at himself in the mirror once more. He looked neat, tidy and presentable. He locked the dorm as he left and went off to find Noriyuki at the cafeteria where they said they'd meet.
"You're late, and you got up before me," Byakuya grumbled, after finally meeting up with his friend.
"What? No way! We still have twenty minutes before class starts!" Noriyuki protested, pointing to his watch. "See?"
"Neither hands are moving," his friend pointed out.
"Eh?" he gasped, looking back at his watch with an uneasy grimace. "So, uh, how much time do we really have?"
"About five minutes," Byakuya stated, turning away to walk down the hallways quickly. "We're lucky our first period is so close to the cafeteria."
"What is our first period, anyways?" Noriyuki asked dumbfounded, obviously not having looked over the schedule. "Was it Hakuda?"
"No, I'm not even in your Hakuda class," Byakuya answered flatly. "Kidō Studies is first. You... never bothered to memorize your schedule, did you?"
Noriyuki shrugged. "Why bother? You're in half of my classes, after all."
"Nori, I'm not in the other half of your classes," Byakuya pointed out as he hurried into the classroom. "Great, no seats," he muttered, looking around quickly before the bell rang. "Excuse me, can I sit here?" Byakuya asked quickly to a girl who, in his opinion, wore too much perfume.
"Sure," she replied, not even looking at him.
Noriyuki glared at Byakuya, muttering something about how life was unfair because Byakuya got a seat next to a pretty girl and he had to sit behind them with a guy twice his size.
The class started a few moments after the teacher, Nishimiura, paced around at the front of the lecture hall. "Good morning, class! As you all know, this is a Demon Arts Studies class. If you didn't know that, I'll assume you're probably in the wrong class." His comment caused several students to chuckle. "I'll say it again that this is a Studies class. There will be no attempt at any of the Kidō Arts in this class; you will attempt those in the performance class. Continuing, the seats you're sitting in is now your permanent seating. I will pass a seating chart around in just a moment."
Noriyuki groaned and leaned forward to hit Byakuya in the back of the head. "This is all your fault," he hissed.
Byakuya could only frown and attempt to interpret what his friend meant. "How is it my fault? You're the one who has the broken watch and eating disorder."
The girl next to Byakuya shushed him. "Are you trying to get us kicked out of this class? Nishimura-sensei does do that without a second thought, you know." She said crossly before opening a notebook to take notes on what the teacher was saying.
"Yeah, listen to what she said," Noriyuki added. "And I do not have an eating disorder!"
In the middle of the class, Byakuya snuck a glance at the girl's notebook to catch her name. Hisana. It was a nice name. Hisana…? He frowned. She didn't write her last name on the notebook. Sooner or later, he would have to make a comment about the heavy fragrance. He assumed that Hisana was not from Rukon and was most likely from one of the decent families of the Seireitei.
"What are you looking at?" she asked suddenly, noticing that he was staring at her notebook.
"I'm just reading what notes you took and copying some of it," he answered casually, not trying to be creepy at all. "I can't hear Sensei very well."
"Um, okay," she said as she looked back up to the teacher and nudged her notebook towards him so he could read it easier. "I'm Hisana, by the way. I figured we should learn each other's names since we'll be sitting here for the rest of the school year."
"Oh. I'm Byakuya," he answered, not wanting to add his last name. He was tired of comments like, "Asahi? How high is that family in the social rankings?"
"And your friend?" she asked, gesturing to Noriyuki who, unsurprisingly, had already dozed off during the lecture.
"That's Nori, he's my roommate," Byakuya stated.
"Oh, how nice," she said, focusing her attention back to the professor.
After the tedious hour and a half, class was over. "Finally!" Noriyuki exclaimed. "I like this Academy. I mean, it's awesome that we only go to four classes a day."
Byakuya frowned. "What?"
Hisana looked at him and chuckled lightly. "You didn't know? There's no way that we can have all eight classes in one day, so we go to the first four today, and then the last four tomorrow. It's an AB schedule," she explained.
"Pretty convenient, huh?" Noriyuki grinned as he looked at Hisana. "What class are you going to next?"
"The Hohou Performance class," she answered, quickly sliding her belongings into her bag. "Well, nice to meet you. I need to hurry since my second period is on the other side of the campus." She sighed and waved goodbye before leaving the room.
"Oi, Byakuya?"
"What?"
"Don't you have your Hohou Performance class second?"
"Oh, damn it," he hissed, shoving everything into his bag.
"See you, Byakuya," Noriyuki laughed as his friend bolted out the door.
Hisana looked up as some students arrived to the training grounds a few seconds before the professor walked in, frowning when she recognized one of them from her class before. She watched him intently as he found a seat on the bleachers way in the back on the other side, obviously trying not to draw any attention to himself. She tapped her fingers on her thigh, trying to recall his name."Hm, it began with a 'B'... Byakushi? Oh right, Byakuya." She looked around for his little sidekick, and was secretly glad that he didn't have the same class.
The Professor immediately opened up with the syllabus, considering it was the first day, and had no intentions of actually making them attempt any Hohou techniques until everybody had their first Movement Studies class.
"I wonder how that trash got in," someone behind Hisana whispered.
I didn't know they let in those kind of people," someone else answered and the comment was rewarded with a soft giggle
"Excuse me, but who are you talking about?" Hisana asked when her curiosity got the better of her. She turned around to face a male and a female student.
"That guy over there. The one who showed up late," the girl replied as she gestured all the way over to Byakuya. The girl was petite in size with auburn curls tied with white ribbons.
"He's from the Rukon district," the boy added. From his looks, it was safe to assume he was related to the girl. "It's those kind of people that lower the Academy's standards."
"Oh," Hisana said as she looked over to Byakuya. He was taking notes on what the teacher was saying which was something she should have been doing, but it was hard with the two whispering behind her.
The girl stopped talking to her brother and began to take notes but then suddenly she realized something. "Oh my god, you're Kuchiki Hisana!" she exclaimed in a hushed voice. She leaned forward to tap Hisana's shoulder. "I didn't realize that one of the four noble family's heir was attending the Academy, let alone in my class."
Her brother looked rather surprised at hearing her exclamation. "A Kuchiki in our class? Please don't take this as offense, but I thought the Nobles hired private tutors, or joined the Gotei 13 right away."
"I didn't want a tutor, and I have no intentions of joining the Gotei 13 until I am fully trained," Hisana answered coolly. These people were insane. First they pick on the guy from the Districts and now they criticize a noble who attended a public school. "They're like vultures," Hisana mused to herself.
"I'm Andou Natsumi and this is my twin, Ren," the girl introduced quickly with a smile. "I hope we can be friends."
"Of course," Hisana said politely, turning away from them. "Andou," she thought to herself, trying to recall what her father said about other families. Before she had left her manor, he had spouted off some names, telling her they were a good crowd to befriend. "I guess I'll have to ask him tonight," she thought.
After second period was lunch break, and the moment class was dismissed, Natsumi very affectionately linked arms with Hisana and brightly said, "Kuchiki-chan, come eat lunch with us. We'll be eating with Ren-kun's friends who are heirs of some elusive families of the Seireitei. Of course, none are from a family as aristocratic as yours."
"They flaunt their family name and social status," Hisana noted to herself as she followed Natsumi and Ren. Natsumi was sure to introduce all of her friends to Hisana, emphasizing their family names as she did so and Hisana carefully made an attempt to remember them. In this clique, knowing each other's family names and statuses seemed to be mandatory.
"Andou," Hisana said to Sojun when he joined her that night for dinner, and followed it up with the other names of her newfound friends.
He looked up at her with a surprised look. "Excuse me, Hisana?"
"They're surnames of other families with status," Hisana explained. "I met them today and they seemed alright. I was just curious about what you know of them."
"Andou is a good family," Sojun answered. "They're probably the most prominent out of all the ones you named. Their son, Ren, is a fine young man. He'd make a great a husband and head of family," he elaborated, dropping a hint to his daughter.
Hisana blatantly ignored it, pretending to be dense and oblivious to what he was implying. "They're nice and all, but I think they cling to their social status too much, especially Andou Natsumi. They were talking about how disgraceful the Academy is for allowing student from the Rukongai to attend."
"Oh?" Her father looked at her curiously. "There are people from the Districts attending?"
"Yes, they're in some of my classes," Hisana replied.
"That's absurd," her father exclaimed. "It's one thing to let them enroll in the first place but a completely different thing to let them attend a class with a noble."
Hisana bit her lip, remaining silent. She decided it would be best that she didn't let her father know that she sat next to one of 'those District people' in History.
"Ochibi!" Noriyuki said to Byakuya when they retired to their dorms after their Kidō class.
"What?" Byakuya asked, looking at him with a frown and wondering if Noriyuki had just called him short.
"They called me 'Rukongai Ochibi' in my Hakuda class!" Noriyuki explained with an annoyed look.
"Well, you are short, from Rukon and have no social status, so they got you for a trifecta," Byakuya said lightly.
"Bifecta," Noriyuki corrected quickly, and received a frown for the word he coined on the spot. "Having no social status and being from Rukon is the same thing, but that's not the point! It's not my fault I can't get past 5'6!"
"You're actually 5'5..." Byakuya corrected, further destroying what little pride Noriyuki had left. "If it makes you feel better, they call me trash."
"At least you're tall trash..." Noriyuki muttered, still hung up about the height difference. "You tower six inches over me..." Giving up, he flopped down onto his bed and sighed. "I hate the people here."
"I do, too," Byakuya answered agreeable.
"Just wait," Noriyuki murmured. "I'm going to graduate from this Academy and I'll become a seated officer and then I'll eventually become one of the greatest, and tallest, captains this place has ever known. I'll show them."
"Sounds like a plan, Nori," Byakuya answered. "We'll be great captains together."
The following day, Byakuya to his Hakuda Studies class early, in an attempt to get a good seat. While waiting on the professor, he reviewed his notes in case of a Kidō pop quiz (because rumors stated that Nishimura was the devil when it came to quizzes) and nibbled at the breakfast he smuggled in. A sudden squeal dragged Byakuya's attention from his notes to Hisana who had just arrived in the classroom.
"Kuchiki-chan! I didn't know you had this class, too!" Natsumi squealed as she jumped out of her seat and ran up to Hisana. "Good morning! How are you today? Arisu-chan is in this class too! Quick! We should get a seat together and we can hang out."
Thankfully, the seat that Natsumi had hoped to give to Hisana had been taken by somebody else, and Hisana politely declined it, not wanting to make the other person move on her behalf. Instead, she chose to sit with Byakuya who still had an empty seat next to him. "Good morning," she said cheerfully.
"Good morning?" he asked, and couldn't help but to wonder just what on earth she was doing.
"I'm surprised I have yet another class with you," she said. "You were in my Kidō Studies and Hohou class yesterday, and now we have Hakuda together. What else do we have together?" Politely, he dug out his schedule out of his bag and slid it over to her with a frown. "Asahi," she said, reading his surname out loud. "How pretty." Glancing back down to his schedule, she scanned it briefly and exclaimed, "Ah! We have Zanjutsu together as well! Amazing, I don't think I have this many classes with anyone else. How lucky, right?"
"That's nice..." Byakuya mumbled, not really interested. "What are you doing here?" he questioned quietly, deciding to just get straight to the point.
"What do you mean? This is my class," Hisana replied with a somewhat confused look.
"Why are you sitting here? With me?" he elaborated. "I'm sure you've already hear that I'm here on scholarship and am from the Rukon District."
"You're here on scholarship?" She repeated with wide eyes. "Impressive! Just how good were your test scores?"
"That's not the point!" he muttered, trying to get back on topic.
"So? I don't care; you and Nori are nice to me," she said. "If you want me to leave, then I'll leave," she added, sounding a little hurt.
"Stay or leave. Do whatever, we don't mind," Byakuya said quickly and looked down at his notes again.
"Thanks," Hisana said, putting on a sincere smile. "I'm going to stay. Besides, I like you better than the others. You don't care about social statuses so you'd just have to accept me for who I am."