AN: Ok, a few things about this story before we proceed... One, i am trying to follow the storyline the best i can, but there will be some differences. Two, i am introducing an OC and im trying my best to not make her be completely overpowerful or invincible, so if you think that's the way i'm going, PLEASE tell me. (I HATE when people make their OC's ridiculously overpowered) And three, i apologize for any OOCness that may come out of this. I'm trying to stick as close to the original characters, but in order for this story to work, sometimes people might seem like they aren't acting like themselves. Just bare with me :)
Please leave me a review and let me know if you like it or not. If i don't get a lot of feedback, i just might scrap the whole thing. But if people are liking it, i'll keep writing it. I don't care if you wanna flame me or tell me im doing an excellent job :) either way, let me know what you think. Enjoy!
One more thing... i dont own Bleach. If i did, it would be nothing but Yoruichi and Soifon goodness :) And Orihime would have been killed off in the first episode... or maybe i would've cast someone else as her voice actor. Either way, things would be different, damn it!
Fade Into Nothingness
Somewhere between dusk and dawn, daughter calls father:
"Father, it's about to happen."
A sigh is heard on the other end, "Already?"
"I'm afraid so. An agent has already been sent and will be arriving tomorrow night, by my calculations."
There was a short pause before the father continues, "Then I guess it's time for you to come home."
"Understood. What about the others?"
"Don't worry about that, I've been preparing for this day for a few weeks now and devised a cover story."
"You know I hate lying to them…"
"I know, sweetie, but it is for the best. None of them can know until the time is right."
"I shall gather my things. I'll be there by morning."
"Have a safe trip, Raiden."
It was just like any other day, or so it seemed. Ichigo had been rudely awakened by his annoying father in the worst way possible and they fought like children until he had jumped in the shower. He was in no mood to deal with his hyper active father this morning. Luckily, Yuzu had already gotten breakfast on the table when he dragged his grumpy ass downstairs and his spirits brightened a little. He had been out late the previous night chasing some neighborhood thugs away from a little girl's memorial site. Sometimes people just made him sick.
He had eaten breakfast as quickly as possible and left before his father could hit him with another surprise attack. Yuzu handed him his lunch and sent him on his way, after giving him a goodbye kiss. He knew it may seem juvenile to some, but it meant the world to his sister that she was able to do those sort of things for him. Yuzu had become more like the mother of the household and it seemed to please her to do so, so he played along for her benefit. Truth be told, he felt he was too old to be treated in such a manner, but Yuzu meant the world to him so he smiled and endured like any big brother would.
School was as droll as ever, especially when Keigo was around. Ichigo often wondered why he even hung out with the guy. He was constantly screaming and running around like an idiot. Presently, Ichigo was fighting the urge to punch the guy right in the face. "Ichiiiiigoooooooo!" Keigo called out.
Ichigo felt his stomach knot with disgust, "Keigo. What a pleasant surprise," he said sarcastically. A long day of tests and lectures was only half over and Ichigo felt like eating his lunch in peace. He looked up to see Keigo, Chad, and Mizuiro approaching. "Great," he thought to himself, "I don't mind Chad being here, but those two?"
Keigo sat himself down right next to Ichigo, "Ugh, so how about that History test, huh? BRUTAL!"
"Hey do you mind not screaming so loud? I'm right here, you know."
"And then there was that science test today too! I'm scared to think of what might be coming up this afternoon!" Keigo kept talking at a much higher volume, ignoring Ichigo's earlier comment. He took out a sandwich and began waving it dramatically as he spoke, causing Ichigo to wish he were deaf.
"Hey guys!" Ichigo was taken out of his stupor at the sound of Tatsuki's voice. He looked up to see her waving at him.
He smiled and waved back, "Tatsuki! Want to come and have lunch with us?"
She thought about it for a bit, "I don't know, Ichigo, Orihime is supposed to meet me here and-"
"She can come too, of course." Right now he'd do anything to bring more people over to where he was. When there were girls around, Keigo usually didn't utter a single peep.
Tatsuki looked at all the guys who nodded in approval, especially Mizuiro. "Ok," she shrugged and sat next to Ichigo, who had scooted over to allow her and Orihime room to sit between him and Keigo. "Oh right on time," she called out to Orihime who was happily bounding towards them with her lunch in hand.
"Hey everyone!" she called out with a cheery smile. "What do you all have to eat today? I have-"
"Orihime, please," Ichigo held a hand up, "every time you tell us what you have, it ruins our appetites."
"What?" Orihime looked perplexed, "It does?"
"Yes, now eat whatever nasty concoction you have there and don't let me see or smell it," Tatsuki said as she pulled out her own lunch. She looked up at Ichigo who seemed to be reading a note of some kind. And he didn't look very happy. "Ichigo? What's up?"
He looked up at her, "Oh, nothing really, I just have a note here from my dad."
"Well what does it say?" Orihime was genuinely interested as she placed her head in her hands to look at him.
Ichigo hesitated, "It just says that my older sister is coming home today." His voice sounded so distant, almost as if he couldn't believe what he was reading.
"Come on, Ichigo," Tatsuki punched him in the arm, "quit yanking our chains! We all know you don't have an older sister! What does it really say."
"Ow! Damn it Tatsuki, that hurt!" he frantically rubbed his arm to help dull the pain. "Read it for yourself!" he threw the note towards her and began eating the sandwich Yuzu had packed him.
Tatsuki looked over the words that were scribbled on the piece of paper. She read it about five times before looking up, "I didn't know you had an older sister."
Ichigo felt everyone's eyes on him as he put his sandwich down, "Yeah I do, ok? She's my half sister from my dad's previous marriage. We don't get to see her much."
Tatsuki rubbed the back of her neck, "I guess not. I've known you forever and I've never heard any mention of her. Do you hate her or something?"
Orihime gasped in shock, "Ichigo, you shouldn't hate your sister!"
"I don't hate her!" he shouted a little louder then he wanted to. Some of the other kids in the vicinity looked in his direction to see what the commotion was all about. "Hey, don't you all have better things to do then to eavesdrop?" he called out to them. The other kids quickly turned their attentions back to their lunches. Ichigo sighed, "I haven't even seen her since she went off to college. I don't really know enough about her to hate her." His tone suggested that he held his sister in low regards and Chad, of all people, picked up on it.
"Either way, you don't seem too pleased to hear that she's coming back," he mono toned.
Ichigo sighed again, "Like I said, I don't really know her, and she's been gone for six years. We've had no contact with her since she's been gone and now all of a sudden, she's coming 'home?' How hard is it to call? I mean, I'm sure my dad would have liked to have heard from her every once in a while." It was no secret his family had a special place in Ichigo's heart, but everyone else seemed a bit shocked to hear him talk about his long lost sister this way.
"So you're upset because you haven't had any contact with her?" Tatsuki asked, trying to figure out exactly what the deal was. She had known Ichigo for a long time and she liked to think she knew him pretty well, but this was completely unlike him.
"Sure," he shrugged, "wouldn't you be? I mean, how hard is it to pick up a phone? And she can't just say that she's 'been busy' either. No matter how busy I am I still manage to spend time with my family," he scowled and crossed his arms.
Orihime let curiosity get the better of her and now she was intrigued, "Where's she going to college?"
Ichigo scoffed, "Somewhere in America. I don't even know… all I know is that some big time college over there wanted her to be on their Mixed Martial Arts team and she practically jumped at the opportunity."
"That seems logical," Chad pointed out.
Ichigo's eyes widened, "It seems logical that she left her family to go do something in America, of all places, that she could do perfectly well here?!" He was starting to lose his cool so he took a deep breath to calm himself. "Besides, we've gotten along perfectly fine here without her."
Tatsuki crinkled her brow in worry. "It seems like Ichigo is really angry. And I bet I know exactly why…" She cleared her throat, "So, how long ago did she leave?"
Ichigo got a sour look on his face, "Six years ago," he spat, "and she hasn't looked back ever since."
"Aha," Tatsuki thought to herself, "She must've left right around the time Ichigo's mom died. Now it all makes sense…"
Mizuiro, who had been silent through the entire conversation suddenly spoke up, "No matter how long it's been, Ichigo, you should keep an open mind. If she's coming back then that must mean that she misses you guys. After all, you're family and nothing will ever change that."
As much as Ichigo hated to admit it, Mizuiro was right. He took a big bite out of his sandwich and simply nodded. "Fine," he thought, "I'll give her a chance, but the minute she bails, she's disowned."
