Icy Nocturnes
Fanfiction based off of: Bleach
Original Story: Tite Kubo
Chapter 1: Prelude
"Aya."
She nodded.
"You have nice piano hands. Long fingers, a good reach. And a wonderful voice, too, Aya. Don't forget that. Don't dirty your hands. Keep them clean."
A pause.
"The more you play, the better you'll get. Music is something beautiful. It can convey words that you can't speak. Always play it with a pure and honest soul."
Don't dirty her hands. Not a hard request. She could do that.
******************
"Satori Aya, what in the world happened to your shoes?!" exclaimed Tatsuki. "They're bloody as hell!"
"I got in another fight," said Aya, plopping down into her seat and propping her dirty loafers indecorously on the desk in front of her. "Ended up kicking some people in the faces…probably broke their noses…"
Tatsuki groaned, sliding into the seat next to her.
"First period hasn't even started, and you already got in a fight…" she said. "Go wash your shoes, would you? Some blood's caked over the soles."
"It's not my blood," Aya said breezily, simply dusting off her feet. "Stupid seniors, trying to get me to 'humble' myself. It's not even me causing trouble half the time—it's Kurosaki!"
"What about me?" a voice said above them.
Aya looked up at its owner and scowled, her black eyes narrowing,
"Morning, Kurosaki," she growled. "Way to get me in trouble with those seniors."
"What'd I do?" he asked innocently.
"Could you try not acting so arrogant around the upperclassmen?" complained Tatsuki. "You got me in trouble a few times before too."
"Hey, it's not my fault that you two are known as my 'sidekicks.'" Ichigo set his school bag down on the desk opposite from Aya's and sitting in the chair.
"Che, sidekicks?" repeated Aya with disdain. "Tatsuki and I can beat the shit out of you any day, Kurosaki."
"Definitely," said Tatsuki. "So don't degrade us to 'sidekicks' just because you're the self-proclaimed 'leader' of our group."
"Yeah, yeah. Tatsuki has a worse reputation than you, though, Aya."
"Probably because of all those karate competitions she participates in…"
"Yeah, and because I'm a better fighter," said Tatsuki with a playful smirk. "Though I hear that a couple of guys are lookin' to fight the Firebird of Karakura High lately."
"Man, why is Aya the only one of us that has a nickname?" grumbled Ichigo.
"Tatsuki has one. It's just the Monster Girl who's the strongest female in Japan," smirked Aya, fingering a few strands of her short permed hair.
"I want a nickname too," said Ichigo with slit eyes.
"What would it be?" sniggered Tatsuki. "Bleached strawberry?"
"Shut up," he snapped as both girls started laughing. "Oh great…here comes Hitsugaya and his little gang…"
"I feel bad for him, honestly," said Tatsuki. "It's not like he asked to be followed around."
Ichigo rolled his eyes. "Tatsuki, any kid who becomes a national singer in high school is asking to be followed around by a group of stalking girls."
"Though exactly why they do, I have no idea," murmured Aya. "He's not even five feet…"
"You're barely five feet," snickered Ichigo, "so you have no right to talk."
"Shut up, Kurosaki," said Aya, her black eyes flashing.
"Jeez, Aya, you're so touchy about your height," grinned Tatsuki.
"You'd be touchy about it if you were only 153 centimeters," she said a tad angrily. "Damn it, I'm a high school second year and I don't even come up to Kurosaki's shoulder."
"We're the same height; it's not our fault that we're short. Ichigo's just too tall."
"Shorties," retorted Ichigo. "But hey, at least you're not a freshman who looks like an elementary school kid…"
"Poor guy," said Tatsuki. "The upperclassmen adore him though."
"It's just 'cause he's huggable," said Aya with a shrug. "He sings okay too."
"You like him?" smirked Ichigo.
"As a singer, he's not half-bad," said Aya coldly, "but stop making stupid jokes about me actually liking him. I like guys taller than me, thank you."
The group stopped speaking as there was a loud increase in volume outside the classroom. Aya caught sight of the short, white-haired freshman passing by the window. His face was impassive, though Aya thought she could see annoyance in those ice-blue eyes of his. A horde of girls followed him, giggling all the while, escorting Hitsugaya to his class.
"Okay, that's just sad," said Ichigo, shaking his head and smiling. "Poor kid…he's even got the nickname 'Ice Prince.' That's definitely the result of fangirls..." The group passed, and the conversation took a turn. "Say, Aya, can you hang out tonight? Senkaimon High's gang wanted to fight tonight."
"No can do," she answered. "I'm not free on Fridays, you know that."
"Yeah, yeah…just thought I'd check. Saturday night, then. Is that Urahara guy still workin' you hard?"
"Nah, it's not that bad. He and Yoruichi just try to kill me whenever I enter."
"It's good training," grinned Ichigo. "I'll come with you after school; I want to drop by and say hi."
"Me too," said Tatsuki. "Orihime wants some sweets."
"Man, why does she go to Senkaimon?" said Ichigo. "What a lame school…"
"She says hi, by the way."
"Really," said Ichigo, uninterested.
"Jeez, Kurosaki, when are you going to acknowledge that she likes you, and that you like her back?" Aya said.
"Never," muttered Tatsuki under her breath. "He's just dense."
Before Ichigo had a chance to retort, the door slid open and the teacher walked in. The three of them sat through the entire lecture, passing notes and occasionally speaking out without a care. The teacher had no choice but to ignore them; after all, who was going to risk getting in the way of Class 2-C's year belligerent trio?
******************
"Finally, it's the weekend," said Ichigo lazily. "I thought it'd never end."
"I think I'm just going to skip on Monday," yawned Aya. "School's so pointless."
"Man, we suck," smirked Tatsuki. "We're always at the bottom of the charts when it comes to scores."
"Who cares?" said Aya. "After all, Kisuke's just going to make me work at his store when I grow up…"
"Lucky, my parents will kill me if I don't get into college," scowled Tatsuki. "I guess I'm not worrying that much; my karate could probably get me into a sports college. But seriously, Aya, you're just gonna work at some sweetshop? You could do something else, you know."
"Yeah, but Kisuke won't like it…"
"It should be up to you," said Tatsuki defiantly.
"Whatever…what're you gonna do, Kurosaki?"
"Probably go to some college," he said in his naturally laid-back manner. "My old man doesn't care. I'll probably have to stay close to home to take care of my sisters."
The three of them arrived at the school gates easily, with most of their classmates and underclassmen parting the way for them, furtively glancing in their direction and whispering rumors under their breaths, like how Kurosaki had beaten up the gang leader from the high school down the street, or how Monster Tatsuki had completely destroyed a gorilla woman in the national karate championships, or how Firebird Aya had singlehandedly broken the noses of three third years this morning…
The Karakura trio paused in front of the school gates, their pathway blocked by a group of third-years.
"Get outta our way," said Kurosaki in that drawl of his.
"You three second-years are so cocky," sneered the leader of the pack. "Looks like we seniors need to beat the crap out of you and teach you guys a few lessons. Let's start with how to call us 'sempai.'"
"Outta our way, sempai," said Aya, lathering the honorific in sarcasm.
"Unless you want to get hurt," Tatsuki said, eyes narrowed.
"Arrogant bastards," snarled the third year, breaking into a run. "Looks like we'll have to do this through force."
"Which is always the best way," said Ichigo, catching the leader's fist easily and twisting it behind his back.
The two females leapt up and took off into the gang crowding around the exit. With a flurry of kicks from Aya and punches from Tatsuki, the third-years fell to the ground, utterly defeated. Ichigo tossed aside his victims and walked easily out of the school grounds.
"That was refreshing," he remarked. "Nice job, you two."
"Like we need your compliments," snorted Aya.
"You know, Aya, if you used your fists, things would probably be easier for you," commented Tatsuki. "But I'm guessing you don't want to dirty your hands?"
"…Yeah, I've just grown up not getting my hands really filthy…"
"Because of your mom?"
"Yeah…"
"It's not a big deal," said Ichigo reassuringly. "You still fight fine."
"Whatever," said Aya. "Let's get to the sweetshop before Kisuke completely flips out and sends Jinta and Ururu to find me…"
******************
"I'm back!" called Aya as she slid open the door to the Urahara Shop.
Two shadows immediately appeared behind her. She turned around and kicked up, blocking someone's leg, twisting her body in an ungainly position as someone else aimed to poke her neck with a cane. She didn't quite dodge it enough, however, and a hand grabbed her face and slammed her onto the ground.
"Ho, ho!" said Kisuke gleefully, removing his hand. "You've getting better, Aya-chan! You managed to dodge Yoruichi's kick!"
"Great!" beamed Yoruichi, helping Aya to her feet. "Oh, looks like your friends are here. That's embarrassing…oh wait, it's just Kurosaki and Tatsuki."
"What other friends does she have?" said Ichigo, inviting himself in the store.
"I wish Aya would get some cute girlfriends and invite them over," said Kisuke tearfully. "I feel like Yoruichi and I have raised her to be a bit too tomboyish."
"It might help if you guys stopped trying to kill me the moment I walked in the store," said Aya. "Where're Tessai, Jinta, and Ururu?"
"Out to buy supplies," said Kisuke happily. "Have a good day, Aya?"
"Relatively…'bout as good as it gets, I suppose."
"Your shoes are bloody," said Yoruichi, her lips pursed as she glanced down at Aya's shoes. "Did you get in a fight again?"
"They started it," Aya said defensively. "I was just walking to class, and part of it was Kurosaki's fault—he's the one who pissed them off to begin with."
"Aya, we taught you how to fight for self-defense, not so you could join a gang and beat people up," said Kisuke disdainfully.
"It was self-defense," said Aya indignantly. "And I don't beat people up for fun; they get in the way."
"Ichigo, Tatsuki, please control yourselves as well so Aya won't be influenced so much," sighed Kisuke. "You three are a bit too violent, if you ask me."
"Says the person who attacks his freeloader every time she comes home from school," scoffed Ichigo. "But yeah, sure, we'll keep it down."
"You guys here for dinner or something?"
"Nah, just to drop by and say hi," said Tatsuki. "I'm gonna get some sweets to take over to Orihime."
"Me too."
"For Inoue?!" said Aya, stricken.
"No, for my sisters," said Ichigo with a roll of his eyes.
The two of them paid for their candy and with a final wave to Aya, left together. Kisuke looked down at Aya, who was sitting on the ground behind the candy counter.
"You going to work again tonight?" he asked with feigned indifference.
"Yeah."
"…Aya, you know how I don't like you working there—"
"It's not dangerous, Kisuke. You've been there."
"Yeah, I know, but I'm still uncomfortable with you being out so late…"
"Don't worry about it. I'm going to eat dinner early—I have to get to the club before eight tonight."
Kisuke let out a breath.
"Very well. Try to come home before one though."
Aya nodded and left to the kitchen to make her own dinner.
******************
"Aya, you need help with your makeup?" asked Yoruichi, popping her head in the entrance of Aya's bedroom.
"Sure," said Aya, sitting down in front of her mirror, already wearing a classy low-cut dress.
"Your dress is a bit low," commented the catlike woman, reaching over Aya for the foundation.
"It's okay, I'll wear a cardigan over it."
"You know how Kisuke and I don't like you working there, so be careful, all right?"
"Jeez, Yoruichi, you've been there yourself. It's not dangerous. I've worked there for years, and I've never seen a fight. Besides, it's not like our school prohibits part-time jobs."
"I suppose…and it's not like you can't defend yourself. I don't know, maybe I just see your timid mother in you sometimes…and it worries me."
Yoruichi slid a tube of lip gloss over Aya's lips and ran a mascara brush through Aya's eyelashes. Within a few minutes, Aya's face was properly made up, and the teenager made her way downstairs, followed closely by her guardian.
"I'll drive you," offered Kisuke.
"I will," said Yoruichi. "For some reason, Kisuke, someone who dresses so old-fashioned can't really be trusted with a car…"
He blew off Yoruichi's insult and waved to Aya in farewell as she climbed in the car.
"Come home soon!" he called. "Don't get in trouble!"
Aya waved back and they drove off to the busier side of town. It was already nighttime, and the lights from billboards and store signs lit up downtown like a lava lamp.
"It's here, right?" said Yoruichi, slowing down in front of a sophisticated looking building.
"Yeah," said Aya, hopping out. "Don't worry about picking me up, Yoruichi—I'll ride the bus back."
"You sure?"
"Yeah, I'm fine."
With a wave, Aya slipped through the side doors to the underground club, a semi-classy and popular place to hang out by the name of Raven's Nest. The club wasn't one of those wild, raving places that teenagers often went to; it was mainly a bar for older people to relax on a Friday night, to drink wine and listen to a pianist.
To listen to Aya, actually.
She'd been the pianist and singer on Friday nights of Raven's Nest for two years, having stumbled across its ad in a newspaper and joining as soon as she was in high school. She'd inherited her mother's pianist abilities and utilized them to make a little money.
Of course, no one knew that.
What would people think if the feared Firebird of Karakura High was actually an ardent pianist? The things it'd do to her reputation…so no, no one knew about Aya's side job, playing piano for the club and sometimes singing, if requested. She enjoyed it, sure, but she definitely wasn't going to admit it to anyone. Besides, Kisuke and Yoruichi didn't really like her musical affection; it reminded them too much of her mother.
Her boss, Kyouraku Shunsui, walked up to her with a jovial smile as she entered the room.
"Oi, Aya!" he said. "Good to see you!"
"Hello, Shunsui-san. All ready to go?"
"Yeah, go ahead and warm up. Oh, and I forgot to tell you, there might be some important people here today, so if you do a good job, they might ask you to join their recording companies!"
"…No thanks, Shunsui-san."
Her boss gave a sigh.
"It'd be a good experience, you know," he said seriously. "Think about it, okay?"
Aya nodded and walked over to the piano, an old grand piano that was propped up on a stage. The stage was a bit off to the side and barely lit in order not to disturb the atmosphere of the calm place. Aya began to play varying songs, some classical, some form popular culture. Her fingers glided over the smooth keys as she closed her eyes, immersed in the old, resonating sound of the piano.
She was suddenly aware that someone was staring up at her. Odd, considering that she was supposed to be part of the ornamentation of the room, not an attraction…
Aya opened her eyes and looked around the room. Her hands continued to play the melody of the piece as she noticed that the room had begun to grow crowded with people, many of them dressed in expensive suits. She heard someone clear his throat from right in front of the stage and looked down.
Her eyes widened. As if she couldn't recognize that white-hair or those piercing blue eyes from a million miles away…
It was Hitsugaya Toushirou.
Free Talk:
Hello, welcome to Icy Nocturnes! This is my first Bleach fic! :)
I actually started writing this because of a request, so I haven't really quite planned everything out...and I'm also juggling three other fics (if you're a fan of DGM or One Piece, please read them!) so please be patient with updates!
I'm a bit iffy about this start. Tell me what you think! Please review!!
-m.n.-