Disclaimer: I don't own anything from Gravi.

Authors Notes: Hello again one and all! It's been a while to hear from me, I know, but I'm back with a vengence! not really. I just want to explain a little about this fic.

Ukai Noriko, while being a main character through Nittle Grasper, is truly a background character. Maybe it's because there's so much focus on the 'gay' aspect of Gravitation that very little is focused on the females, but whatever the cause may be, after I took on her as a role in an RP, I thought little of her as well.

This fic is based on her 'life' on my RP site. The true facts may be a little fuzzy, but please focus on the story as a whole. I hope it will give a new perspective on the characters we see so often, but care so little about. Enjoy!

Noriko's Story

A troublemaker.

That was always my title. You could never hear my name without 'trouble' attached to it. From the day I was born, until now, that word has hung over me like a dark cloud and all I want is a sunny day. Just one.

Sure, back in High School it was great. I was wild, reckless and everyone loved it. They were some of the best days of my life, and a lot of the time, I wish I could just go back to them. The troubles that cause me teenage problems, that were the end of the world, aren't so bad now.

It Begins

Oh man, oh man, oh man! I was late! Or, going to be if these giggling idiots in front of me wouldn't walk just a smidge faster…

"Sorry!" I called back, turning half way as I rudely pushed through them, laughing on the inside.

Okay, being late isn't new to me, but this was music class! Get it? Probably not, but I should put it this way:

I live for my Synth.

Not only have I been playing since I was young, but I'm good. I would make it my life if I could. But I don't have a snowball's chance in hell to make it my life's work.

Turning back around, I've started jogging lightly, only to run into someone's back.

Shit, now I know I'm late! The chimes are ringing throughout the halls, last minute lockers are slamming and feet are scurrying. If those bitches had just gone faster this never would've happened!

Oh wait, the person I ran into…

"I'm so sorry," I apologize in earnest. "I was rushing, there were these chicks walking slowly and I pushed 'em and then I was jog…ing…"

He turned to look at me, stooping to pick up a pink stuffed bunny at his feet. His eyes were the sharpest blue, highlight of deep violet running through them. They closed as he smiled pleasantly, tiny crinkles forming in the corners of his eyes.

"Don't worry," he told me, going into the same classroom I was heading for. His voice was like cream on silk. "No harm done."

Wordlessly, I followed him, brushing past teacher in a daze as I snagged the desk next to him, finally finding my voice.

"I don't recognize you… did you just move here?" I asked, leaning towards him.

"Yeah," he said absently, staring around the room.

I was about to ask another question when a quiet blonde with the most stunning teal eyes slipped into the room languidly, taking a seat behind me.

"Hi, Tohma-kun!" I greeted him, as everyday. While I waited for the usual response back (we'd been playing this little game since High School had started) I noticed the new guy staring at Tohma with hungry eyes.

"Call me Nori-chan, and your name?" I asked slyly, now having introduced the two.

Tohma's eyes quickly glanced at me, nodding before turning his full attention back to the new guy.

"Good afternoon, Noriko-san," he said quietly, taking in the sight of the stranger. "Lovely day, isn't it?"

I was shell-shocked.

Tohma said more than usual… it was a bit frightening.

"Ryuichi… or moron, which ever you prefer," Blue Eyes introduced, watching Tohma intently.

I saw Tohma's eyes light up at the name. He was hooked. I'd been trying to be more friendly towards Tohma, because… well, look at him! Soft-spoken, smart, a kick-ass musician…

And I had a crush on him.

So, while they stared at each other, I continued to chatter away, telling Ryuichi all about Tohma, right in front of the blonde.

"Seguchi Tohma, awesome Synth player. One of the best," I informed Ryuichi, who nodded silently.

"And what is it you do, Ryuichi-kun?" Tohma's soft voice asked.

"Sing."

Tohma and I exchanged glances quickly. Just because you could call yourself a singer, didn't mean you were a singer.

"Care to show us?" I asked, getting up from my seat, heading over to a piano.

Ryuichi shook his head, eyes downcast. "Singing's for whores and druggies… at least that's what my father said."

I shook my head at him, smiling as I looked at Tohma. "Tohma-kun, would you play the song you showed us last time?"

The blonde nodded and took the other piano, and started playing. Music was the one time I truly got to see everyone. Tohma would always become more animated, friendly.

"Just let it flow," I told Ryuichi, listening to the music before I started to accompany Tohma. Rude, yes, but I never ignore an urge to play. "Tohma's music always make's me sing, and I can't sing for shit!"

"She's right. We've all asked her not to sing anymore, she sounds like a harpy," Tohma's voice rang out softly over the music.

I stuck my tongue out at the blonde, who just gave a little 'what did I do?' look right back. Together, we continued playing, Tohma's original piece lost in the new meld we created together. Then, barely audible, we heard it.

Ryuichi's voice.

The gentle voice wove its way in and out between the notes of the music. Threading a new melody within the one we had already. The gentle tinkling of the keys and the tremor of Ryuichi's voice continued on towards a dizzying height, the clash of all three of us finishing strongly together awakened us, bringing us gently back down to our surroundings.

Tohma and I looked at Ryuichi, his face taut as he clutched the pink bunny tightly to his chest. The classroom around us erupted into spontaneous applause, of which I joined in, ignoring the sting of tears in my eyes. A good voice can always make me tear up.

"Ryuichi, that was wonderful," Tohma told him earnestly, face looking slightly in awe.

Without a word, Ryuichi rushed out of the classroom, away from us. Suddenly, it felt like I had fallen apart once he was gone. Tohma went after him and was only a few strides behind. We found him at the hallway intersection and he turned, face stricken, tears brimming.

"I'm sorry!"

It was such a forlorn cry of apology. It couldn't help but tug at my heart. We advanced towards him, Tohma closer than I. He cringed back, as if we were about to strike him.

"I said I was sorry! What more do you want, to hit me?"

"Ryuichi, for what?" I asked him. What could there be to apologize for?

"Ryuichi, if I could but your voice in a bottle and sell it, I'd be a millionaire," Tohma informed him in all seriousness.

"Listen to the Business Guru," I implored, rocking back and forth on my feet. "He knows what he's talking about. He nearly gagged me one time!"

Still wary, Ryuichi chewed thoughtfully on one pink ear of the stuffed animal in his possession. "Really?"

"Yep!" I said cheerfully. "And I was only warming up!"

A small smile flickered across everyone's face. Good. Now everything could maybe be like it was before. It had been such a strange feeling, playing with them.

I watched as Tohma said something that made Ryuichi blush. He was going to be the talk of the school by tomorrow. The voice and face of a God, a nice personality, though awkward, he just… made you want to be near him.

Tohma and I said a few more encouraging things to Ryuichi, Tohma's words seeming to be more effective… or more listened to than mine. But, it got the job done. He was more willing to come along with us. We had to get back to class.

"Come on back to the music room with us," Tohma coaxed softly, touching Ryuichi's arm.

He looked at Tohma for a moment, suddenly engrossed by the blonde as my mind worked rapidly. A little time left, and if I didn't go through with this now… this may never happen again… all of us together like this. It was a sad thought, but I didn't think it would be enough to actually invite these guys to go somewhere… with me.

"Yeah… we're probably going to be in trouble," I laughed absently, watching them.

Screw it. They wouldn't go for it anyway…

"Hey… what are you guys doing later?"

Shit… my mouth must have missed the memo…

Tohma looked a little startled at my question, but thoughtful. "I haven't got any plans, Noriko-chan… why do you ask?"

Oh, they were going to laugh at me for this one… either that or think I was a complete oddball.

"Well…," I paused, not sure if I should go on. "There's this place… a few blocks down from here where they let people perform…"

I was still rocking back and forth where I stood, my eyes had drifted up to watch the ceiling as I continued to speak.

"So… maybe we could… go try it out, y'know?"

Tohma look instantly intrigued, teal eyes lighting up. He spoke soft and slow.

"Well… that sounds like a lot of fun, Noriko-chan." He turned towards Ryuichi. "Our first official concert. What do you say?"

Now all eyes were on Ryuichi. He was the final vote in this.

"Nothing tonight… or any night… I have no life," he told us (more like Tohma) as he shifted closer to the blonde.

"Well, how would you like to see your voice affect the masses?" I asked him happily, trying to get him to say yes. "C'mon, let's all play together again, we all fit."

Ah, crap. Now they know how I feel about it. Bad mouth!

Thoma had seemed to make the final decision. "Then it looks like you have plans tonight." He smiled. "You and… what's your bunny's name?"

Ryuichi looked like he was finally taken out of his reverie from Tohma. "Oh! Kumagoro," he introduced us with a blush.

"Kuma-chan!" I squealed, tapping the stuffed animal's plastic nose. "So," I went on, grinning, happy that they had agreed. "They already have a piano, but I've got a keyboard, unless you have something you want to bring?"

"Hello, Kumagoro," Tohma greeted the bunny, petting it's head and ears. He straightened up, smiling at me. "Oh, I can bring my own. I use the ones here because I have to, but I prefer my own."

That smile was enchanting, I almost blushed. "Alright, meet me out front after last class. My car's the crappy red one."

I laughed again(something I always do when nervous), but stopped when I heard the bell chime.

"Oh shit…"

"We'll see you after class, I know which car is yours," Tohma told me, patting Ryuichi to tell me that he would show him. "You run to class before you're late, you have Ugami-sama next, and he's a real bastard about tardiness."

He knew which car was mine? That seemed odd to me, but I brushed it aside, thinking that you couldn't miss it compared to all the sleek, modest gleaming cars in the parking lot.

Ryuichi backed away as Tohma touched his cheek and murmured a quick good-bye as he rushed to the bathroom. He was strange… I couldn't help but enjoy his company.

"Don't be late!" I called behind me, pushing my way through the now crowded, bustling hallways of identical uniforms.

SL here!

Chapter 1 took exactly a week to write. From copying post after post into word, altering 'her's', 'she's' and 'they's' to 'I's', 'my's', me's', 'mine's' and 'we's' it was a long process.

A lot of chapters should be up today.These chapters can take from a week to three days for me to complete. It's a hard task, but I'm enjoying though I run into road-blocks every five seconds it seems.

My ideals for this story will have to be sacrificed for sake of completing it. Not everyone is willing to help me RP this out. A lot of Past work has to be done. But, oh well. Noriko is still an invisible character a lot of the time. I don't ask for reviews often, if at all and mean it. But I would truly like some reviews on this one. For some reason, it means something to me. Thank you all!

SL