Disclaimer: like the countless times and the creative writings I have read; I will partake in this amazing 10-second disclaimer and announce that I do NOT own Bleach. :3

A/N: this is my first ever fanfic, so pleasepleaseplease be extraextra kind, k? Dedicated to my friend who helped me with this' ILI!!!!!!!!!!!!! :3

Here goes!


He thought he had it in control; he thought the training he underwent with the Visoreds was a success...

But still, how could you control something so primal and evil inside you?

Ichigo yawned and opened his eyes. He groaned, feeling beat.

Late last night there was a disturbance near the far end of Karakura Town and Ichigo had to fill in for the shinigami that was supposed to handle it was nowhere to be seen. He went alone of course, insisting that he didn't need Rukia.

She was hesitant, bent on following him nonetheless. But after watching him go with confidence and slight annoyance that he was woken up by just a trivial thing, she considered otherwise.

Rukia sighed and sat on his bed, feeling the smoothness of his comforters. It was a cold night but his covers were warm from his body heat. Rukia sighed and went back to his closet.

The sun was blinding that morning but the wind was bitter cold. Ichigo yawned for the umpteenth time before swinging his legs off the bed. He scratched his orange head and stretched his lithe arms.

'seven forty. Just nice.' He mused and knocked on his closet door. "we'll be late." He said and proceeded to going to the bathroom.

"I know, idiot." Rukia emerged from her closet, fully dressed in her winter uniform. She too stretched her arms, releasing the muscle aches. "Your closet's getting a bit small for me." She said absentmindedly.

"Urusai. Who asked you to sleep in there anyways? Karin and Yuzu provided a perfectly nice bed for you, bokeh." Ichigo said sleepily.

Rukia scowled. "don't smart-ass me. Hurry up. We'll be late."

"who's smart-assing now?" he muttered and disappeared in the bathroom.

Rukia sighed. This was going to be a swell morning.

The walk to school was bitterly cold and the wind wasn't being gentle either. Rukia, being small and all, had lost her footing several times thanks to the gusts of wind that kept hitting them. Ichigo had to catch her thrice to stop her from being blown away.

"When we get home, I'm making you fatter." Ichigo said, linking his arms with Rukia's from the back to stop her from being pushed backwards by the wind.

They reached school with frozen faces.

"at times like these, I wished I had a kotatsu set up for my table." Mizuiro said, arriving about the same time as Rukia and Ichigo. "Ohayo." He greeted them.

"good morning." Rukia said politely in her sweet voice. Her schoolgirl voice. Ichigo cringed. He always hated that voice. It was even more annoying than Kon's.

"Kuchiki-SAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAN!" Keigo lunged at the both of them. he had his goofy face on and he was ogling at Rukia. "Ohayo!!!"

"aaaah!" Rukia trilled, smiling sickly sweet. "Ohayo, Asano-San." The four of them went in class together. As always, orihime was there, sitting down while Chizuru and Tatsuki were having an intense argument.

She saw the four entering and rushed over to them. "Ohayo minna-san!" she greeted them warmly.

Ichigo nodded to her and went over to his place. Rukia mimicked him and sat at her place; beside him. Ichigo glanced at her for a moment before slumping his head on the table.

Rukia heard a thud and glanced at Ichigo. Odd, he was sleeping? Why was he sleeping? He was acting so strange today, barely scolding her or snapping at her for reasons beyond imaginable... what was wrong with him?

"Ne, Ichigo, what's wrong?" she asked.

No answer.

"Ichigo?"

She heard a groan. Rukia grew even more concerned. Maybe he was just tired. After all, getting up at four a.m just to fight off even some lowly Hollow does get you tired. Rukia sighed.

She shoul have gone instead of him. She was a hundred and fifty years for God's sake, did she really need a night's sleep that bad?

Meanwhile, in Ichigo's mind, a battle was raging. His soul self was standing in front of his hollow self.

"long time no see, King." The hollow laughed at him, taunting him.

"I thought I could control you long enough now. What the hell's going on?"

"beats me. I'm just here for the joy ride." Dark Ichigo laid back and closed his eyes, as if basking in the ambience.

"You bastard. What the hell's going on?! Why do I feel like something's wrong?"

"Hey, how should I know? I'm not the goody one. To me, everything's good when it's bad." He said mischievously. Ichigo gritted his teeth.

Hell, he had been feeling like this for a while now, it was starting to really piss him off.

It was as if his mind was... blacking out. As if something was taking over him.

Then, Dark Ichigo stopped smiling and his eyes flew open. Ichigo felt it too. That reiatsu sent them both a punch in the gut.

"what the fuck is this?!" Dark Ichigo spat, looking around.

"that's what I've been trying to figure out." Ichigo muttered, looking around.

"King, you better have a good explanation for this. What the fuck is this? And what's it doing here?!"

"I don't know. But if it's not you doing it... then..."


awwz, my first fic and I'm already having a writer's block. curse you human brain! *sigh* but anyways. like i said, this was my first fic so be kind. :3 also, i'd like to add once again, i wouldn't have had this opening if not for my wonderful, crazy friend, ILI. :3 thanks girl.

all right, no more ramblings. click that review button! oh, and i won't be one of those authors who only want compliments on how they write. feel free to leave any comment and or suggestions on how i should improve my writing skills. much appreaciated. muax.

review review reviewwww!!