You Win Some, You Lose Some, a bleach fanfic

A/N: Hey people! Sorry, this will be a replacement publish for the monthly publishing of 'The Musician' since I haven't finished the 4th chapter yet, and am feeling quite stuck in the conversation part. This means I will be publishing 2 chapters of TM this coming month(April). Wish me luck in finishing those before the next deadline! \(^w^)/

These being said, I hope you all enjoy this one! It's still at the intro part, so no angst yet.

To my fanfic twin, Confusion no Hime:Damn! Gal, I really don't want to turn into an akuma and afterwards be decimated by the exorcists(readers of TM) for breaking that monthly-publish promise, so this one's my bargaining chip… Please accept it, Earl-sama? T_T

(P.S. This is the fic I've based from my post THAT TIME in lj~ remember that? ;P)

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Disclaimers: I don't own Bleach, nor Samurai X/Rurouni Kenshin… Just after recently implementing a monthly exercise regime and it's already killing me(brain dead and asleep majority of the month), I don't think I'd be able to make a brilliant idea like them so fast… Even if it is vacation time(Hell, who knew that vacation time could be more busy than when there's school?).

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Chapter 1: First Year of College, First Semester, Introductions

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April 7, 2008

"Building 3-West, 5th floor, classroom K…" The boy muttered to himself continuously, head rotating almost 360 degrees as he strode purposefully while searching for the route to his destination.

It was the first day of school. His first day as a college freshman.

Walking through the clean, well-travelled, wide corridors, his orange hair glistened under the sunlight passing through the glass walls of the building. Steps jerky and stiff in excitement, he entered the elevator and proceeded to press the button for the 5th floor, waiting patiently for the others to go on board and get off on their designated floors.

His first step to becoming an engineer. His first step to learn how to fly.

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May 12, 2008

Amidst the chitter and chatter in the classroom, a pair of oak brown eyes was focused on something aside from the undecipherable equations on the whiteboard wall. On the laptop screen adjacent of their team's table, his attention was fully captured by his classmate's wallpaper.

A classic Rurouni Kenshin in sepia coloring.

He loved that series as much as he loved his… Well… He just definitely loved it. RuroKen was simply incomparable. Deciding to ask for the wallpaper from his classmate, he hesitated speaking at first since he had never really had a proper conversation with the other guy despite them being classmates for 6 weeks already.

'Well, this is a good ice-breaker as any, I guess…'

Deciding to take it slow, he asked the first question which came to mind. "Hey dude, is that RRK?"

'…Great, I sound like a complete moron asking something so obvious.'

The other teen turned from his seat and took a moment to stare at him, then finally gave a knowing grin. 'A fellow RRK comrade!' the other's eyes seemed to say.

"Yep, definitely is… Ya want it?" He asked, his easy stance remaining as he leaned back on his rotating chair.

"Really? Great! Here's my email, uh… Ggio Vega, right?" Ichigo hesitated as he passed his notepad, unsure of how he should address the other, given how little interaction they have had.

"You an RRK fan too? I'd never have thought!" The girl sitting beside Ggio Vega, Soi Fon, exclaimed excitedly.

"Call me Ggio, Ichigo." Smiling pleasantly at as he took the notepad from Ichigo's hand, he proceeded to send the image file.

"And call me either Soi or Fon!" Gaping amusedly at Soi Fon, Ichigo decided that it really was weird seeing the usually stoic girl looking so excited, her chinky eyes becoming even smaller at her apparent excitement- but he was somehow accepting of it, he understood such emotions of liking something like RRK after all.

"Or just call her both." Snorting as he passed the note back to Ichigo, grimacing as he got a sharp pinch from the girl for his cheeky response. "There, all done."

Ggio gave a cattish grin as though in acknowledgement of another RRK fan. "So… Who's your fave? And which Hiten Mitsurugi Ryuu technique have you already tried to imitate and done 'successfully'?"

Ichigo grinned widely at that.

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June 25, 2008 [12:30pm]

Giving one last pat at his hakama, Ichigo addressed his teammates distractedly. "Hey, you guys remember which parts of the worksheet are yours to complete right? Please make sure to finish them before I return, so I'll just have to input everything into our presentation…"

"Leave it to us Ich, go and do yer dance! You're gonna be late fer the performance if ya dun hurry up." Receiving a not so light smack on his backside, Ichigo made an annoyed frown at the infuriatingly ever-grinning Ggio before thanking his team and excusing himself from class. He was running late.

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June 25, 2008 [2:15pm]

"Ahhhhh… So tired! Thanks for the help just now you two…" Ichigo tiredly plopped down on his revolving chair, still wearing his full dance regalia.

"Nah, no need ta thanks us, you were the one who completed all the group's work already before lunch. WE should be the one thanking you!" Snickering as he ate a biscuit, Ggio's glee was short-lived as he received a sharp head-chop, courtesy of Soi Fon.

"Owww! The hell was that for!" Rubbing his injured head, he glared at the said culprit of his pain, wincing as he was threatened by more hits should he decide to voice out his complaints more.

"Quit whining you lame kitty! You know that Ich hates it when anyone implies even just a little bit that he hogged all the work of the team! He hasn't even eaten lunch yet, see?" Scolding the other like a mother would to her children picking on someone weaker, she emphasized Ichigo's state of quiet and weakness at not being able to eat his lunch— now slumped on his chair, almost dozing off.

"Here, eat them all, I bought them just now since I had a feeling you wouldn't be able to take a break from the dance performance." Snatching the biscuit packs from Ggio after giving him a warning glare, she proceeded to pat Ichigo's head tenderly, waving the colorful packet in front of his face and placing it on his hand once she got his attention.

"Wow, thanks Soi Fon! You're the best!" Receiving the food with much gratitude, Ichigo began to eat the snack while unlocking his computer to arrange the files for their daily class presentation as the other two passed him their assigned tasks from before he left. He carefully began double-checking the data, making it more presentable and interesting for the audience. In a few minutes, he was finished with all the editing, and proceeded to do a final review of the files before he saved them and uploaded their team's work to the class' module database for the day.

"…So there's this activity we have on Friday where we get to welcome and tour the foreign students around the school. Ya guys wanna sign up for it? You can get 3 extracurricular points for it afterwards." Ichigo asked, tone hopeful.

"Hnm… Sounds interesting, count me in on it!" Soi Fon declared enthusiastically.

"How about you, Ggio?" Ichigo and Soi Fon looked up expectantly at Ggio, as though using their minds to silently will him to join. His reply to their invitation made both groan loudly and begin to hit Ggio on the head, HARD.

"Will there be any hot babes there?"

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The trio had become good friends in their first semester . They were practically inseparable and were even dubbed as the "Taiyou Kyoudai" by their class and professors, in reference to their bright personalities when together. It was also intended as a description of them as a whole, most probably due to their similar hues, Ichigo with his orange hair, Ggio with his golden eyes, and Soi Fon with her ever-present yellow sash and the two gold rings hanging from her hair.

The eventful Friday in which Ichigo had invited the other two to participate in one of his club activities by the Student Culture Group, where they had been requested by the school to receive and entertain the visiting foreign students, was the turning point of the trio's relationship. Needless to say, Ggio and Soi Fon really did join the club afterwards, and so eagerly at that. It was amazing how easily the other club members welcomed his newcomer friends inside the group. They truly were like one big, happy family after that.

It was really like the golden age of youth. The trio were always together, sleeping over at Ichigo's house, going out for eating trips and being made to eat strange concoctions courtesy of Ggio Vega, after which they would suffer from slight diarrhea… But the slight inconveniences didn't really seem to matter to them. They were having fun, they kept safe, and that's all that was truly important.

Unknown to them, they would soon be facing the first of the many trials in the sincerity of their bonds and loyalties.

Footnotes:

Taiyou- means 'the sun'

Kyoudai- means 'siblings'