Another Begins

by Kiwifan7

"The journey is over, I wonder when the next will begin." Following the events of the Final Fantasy XIII trilogy, Lightning finds herself in Karakura town, running into an orange haired man almost immediately. However, one can never escape their past... Adult Ichigo/Lightning. A/U

2. Chapter 2

a/n: And here we are with Ch. 2. I have to say, I am really enjoying seeing this story unfold. I know that this crossover won't get the most favorites or reviews, but I just love these characters together!

On a side note: A massive, enormous, never-able-to-convey-my-gratitude thank you to the incredible H-thar who beta'd this chapter! If you're a FFXIII fan, check out her awesome work.

You know the drill: Read, review, but most of all-Enjoy!

The setting sun was bright, and the breeze gentle as Ichigo drove along the city streets. Blaring sounds of guitars filled the area, streaming from his lowered roof, and he smiled from behind his sunglasses as the few people walking the calm streets all turned to see what was causing the commotion.

He didn't know when it had started, but he found that he absolutely loved this time of day. The wind through his hair, his music up loud, yet not loud enough to cover the heady growl of his car's engine; it was perfect. It wasn't even about the stereotypical ego boost, not for him.

Well, he thought, revving the engine, Maybe just a little bit.

This was one of the few times in his life where he got to simply be Ichigo Kurosaki. Not Doctor Kurosaki, not Substitute Soul Reaper, not war hero, not big brother, not supportive friend. Behind the wheel, he had no responsibilities other than that of a safe driver. There was a sense of freedom in driving fast, a tangible—something— that he had never experienced before, and he had quickly become addicted.

Though he treasured each aspect of his life and respected the responsibilities that came with being who he was, Ichigo found joy in the peace that came with time to himself.

Revving the engine yet again, he reveled in the responsiveness of his car. Never the materialistic type, Ichigo's car was the one area in which he had allowed himself to splurge. He lived in a modest apartment, had few expensive possessions, and did not spend much on himself, yet he had quickly fallen in love with the thrill of driving fast.

He blamed it on Yoruichi. Ever since she had trained him in flash step he had been intoxicated by speed and couldn't just limit it to his spiritual form. The thrill of the world blurring past, the confidence in the grip of his tires on the road, and the bliss of the incredible symphony of his tuned engine had made this one purchase something that was solely for him.

Surprisingly, no one had given him much grief about it. Though his vehicle was loud, and to some, ostentatious, his decision had actually triggered quite a few smiles from his friends and family, who had only demanded a chance to ride with him. Ichigo smiled as he recalled all of the fun times he had enjoyed in this car.

He sighed, though, because the drive ended too soon. Pulling into a parking lot, he claimed a spot near the entrance and scanned the rest of the area. It was a part of his routine, really.

Every day that they could, Ichigo, Uryuu, and Chad would all meet at Tatsuki's gym to work out together. It had been a few years, but shortly after graduating college, Tatsuki had purchased one of the local dojos and turned it into a state of the art athletic center for not only martial artists, but a variety of athletes.

There had been a few questions about where the money for such a large venture had come from at the beginning, but when she showed them an entrance to an all-too-familiar desert underground, there were only eye rolls and congratulations. Kisuke had been happy to back her as an investor—though no one was comfortable enough to ask where he found the money—as he was glad to have another place to train the spiritually aware besides his own store.

It had turned out to be a good investment, as the gym quickly became one of the more popular spots in the city.

It also became a place that Ichigo, Chad, and Uryuu were able to express their competitive natures without causing massive damage to the city. Whether they were testing who could lift the heaviest weights— excluding Chad, of course—proving who could do the most repetitions, or even sparring with bokkens, mocking and exultant shouts could always be heard from the three men.

Seeing that both of his friends' cars were already there, Ichigo grabbed his bag from the trunk of his own and made his way into the building, eager to see the normally smug look on the Quincy's face slip when he got his ass handed to him.

XXXXXX

Claire sighed in aggravation as she kicked shut the door to her apartment and threw her bags onto her couch. The past week had been one of the more trying that she could recall, and she couldn't have been happier that it was the weekend.

One week. One single week that she had been living this new life, and she had already found herself frustrated. She couldn't say that she was disappointed that nothing horribly exciting had happened. That had been a novel experience in itself. However, actually getting to the 'settling' into her new life had been much more difficult than anticipated.

Finding a place had been easy. The day that she had come to the apartment that had been listed on her suspiciously ready identification, she had walked in, provided her papers, and gotten very reasonable accommodations within an hour. Walking in, she'd found that it was even generously furnished.

Getting clothing had been rather easy, as well. Claire had discovered that 'Etro's Severance Package,' as she called it, had included quite a bit of money. More than she'd ever really had before. Within two days, she gathered a fully stocked wardrobe, kitchen, and even some of the local technology.

She had been quite pleased with herself that she had not only ventured out and gained the technology of her new world, but that she had also quickly learned how to use it. Claire couldn't say that she would have ever come up with the names of iPhone, iPad, or any of the other numerous devices, but she was self aware enough to know that she was no marketing expert.

However, she soon encountered some measure of difficulty. First and foremost, boredom. Her former military life had been too structured to allow any option to be bored. Life as a l'Cie had been even more eventful, and her life as a savior had been the busiest of all. Now, however, there were no enemies to fight or missions to accomplish.

She was a civilian, and she needed something to do before she ripped every strand of hair from her head.

Her job search had been a nightmare. Claire had found and applied for several jobs all around the city, trying her hand at many kinds of employers. Private security, sales, and even teaching had been sought out. She had met many different people who had been interested in what she had to offer and what she had to say, and she had gone to several interviews within a few days.

Lightning had failed them all.

Her name may have been Claire Farron, but there was no way that Lightning would ever disappear completely. The tough-as-nails, no-nonsense soldier was always lurking beneath the surface, waiting to pounce on idiocy and bullshit.

Knowing her skills as she did, private security seemed a logical choice. She had no desire to join the military and instantly submit her life to its rigidity yet again, nor did she want to join a local police force. The freedoms that she currently enjoyed were something that she was quite happy to keep.

Still, security jobs in the private sector were apparently known to bring in quite a nice paycheck and could allow her to use her wide range of skills, right?

Apparently not. Just remembering that particular interview made her blood boil.

"Well hello there, Ms….Farron, is it? My name is Jack Wilkins. What brings you to Caleson, Fogerty and Associates?'", a smarmy, arrogant looking man in an impeccable suit asked. His accent was slightly off, but it was of little concern. However, as he sat behind his luxurious desk, his eyes roaming the length of Claire's figure had immediately earned her ire.

"Hello. I am inquiring about a job as one of your security consultants."

"Oh? A consultant, eh? Well, those jobs only go to our most experienced applicants. Real experience, as our consultants are usually hired into high tension areas. So, just what kind of experience do you think you have?"

Biting her cheek at the condescending tone, Claire straightened even further, pulling from all areas of her vast experience to keep her composure.

"I have worked in regular military, as well as…we'll call it advanced recon…working in highly volatile areas. I have experience in wilderness ventures as well as urban."

The brow that disappeared into Jack's hairline was almost enough to break Claire's stoic facade. 'That's right, asshole. My experience outweighs yours by a few hundred years' she thought to herself, holding her smirk in check.

Her impression on him was short lived, however, as she soon heard a soft chuckle when Jack stood and walked around to the front of his desk. Leaning against its edge, he looked down at Claire and smiled. The smile was cold, nearly cruel, and the words that followed only supported her assessment.

"Not a scratch on you, though, I see. That, your incredibly vague resume, and your pretty pink hair kinda makes me wonder about what you're telling me. Here you are, a former soldier with a jacket of qualifications that most would kill for—literally—and yet, you don't have a mark on you.

"Now that tells me a few things. It says that you're either just another girl looking for a publicity boost—a thrill-seeking brat—or you're a nice, shiny new mercenary. Honestly, I have no use for any of that crap. We do serious work here, not adrenaline rushes or kills for hire, so why don't you just head back to Afghanistan or South Africa, or wherever the hell it is that you came from, all right sweetheart?"

As he spoke his last sentence, he leaned forward and patted Claire lightly on the arm. It was the final straw for Lightning, and she reacted. Without hesitation, she reached up and violently gripped his wrist, whipped his arm forward and forced his face down, onto his desk.

"The reason that there are no marks is because I'm damn good at what I do. If you don't want to hire me, that's fine, but don't give me any of your condescending shit, and don't you ever question what I do. Got it, sweetheart?" she growled, driving his face into the wood of the desk.

Of course, that had led to her own personal escort from the building, but she could not say that it had been a worthless endeavor. She certainly hadn't been bored, then. The thought brought a small smile to her face.

Still, she had been itching to do something physical, and that event had only exacerbated it. While none of her other interviews had ended in such a way, they had all been ruined when Lightning's patience hit its limit. Pacing around her apartment, Claire only became more frustrated with every pass.

What in the name of Etro am I supposed to do here?! I have nothing to fight, nothing to protect, and damn it all if I don't have anything to do, period! People are just the same as in Cocoon, but—

She paused, pinching the bridge of her nose. Bitching about the world wasn't getting her anywhere. Taking a deep breath, she placed her hands on her hips and let it out slowly. She needed to find something to do, something to take her mind off of things and help her get her focus back, and an idea struck her.

Sure, complaining wouldn't help her feel any better, but beating the hell out of something would. Remembering the fancy gym and dojo combo that she had passed several times in her trips around town, Claire suddenly knew how she could get her mind off of her annoyances.

XXXXXX

"This set wasn't that heavy, Uryuu," Ichigo taunted as he stood at the head of the bench, prepared to catch the weights for his friend in case he faltered.

A loud clang rang out as the Quincy shoved the heavy bar onto the rack. "I'd like to see you do ten reps of that, you cocky jackass. Without using any reiatsu, this time. I could cheat like you, but I choose to actually push my physical body." Scoffing, Uryuu pushed his glasses back up his nose. Ichigo always gave him hell at the gym, yet he rarely did any better.

"Aw, quit your whining. You always have some excuse or another for when I whip your ass, don't you?" Ichigo retorted, rolling his eyes. It's not like he could really control his reiatsu anyways. This was common knowledge.

"Even if you can't control it, it's still pretty weak of you to have to use it to lift some weights, don't you think?" Uryuu asked, his eyebrow rising almost in perfect sync with Ichigo's growing scowl.

"Oh yeah, watch me. I'm going to knock these out, no problem, and send you crying back to Orihime yet again. I'm sure she'll—"

"I'm sorry, were you two complaining about something?" a deep voice asked. Turning, both men groaned in exasperation as they saw Chad lifting over twice the weight that they had been squabbling about.

Seeing that he had both of their attention, he chuckled as he dropped one of his hands to his side, pushing the weights up with only one hand. The looks on both of his closest friends' faces were priceless, as were their angry shouts.

"Kiss my ass, you body building freak! I can't help it that your arms are bigger than my legs!"

"Chad, I—damn it. I have to agree with Ichigo on this one. That's just not even fair."

"Ah, sorry. It seemed that you two needed perspective on what you call strength", he said in an amused voice, holding up his unused hand to make air quotations. Chad, while normally quiet and reserved, couldn't help but to get caught up in the competitive atmosphere that always materialized around them.

"Bastard."

"Show off."

A laugh was his only response as he finished his set and placed the bar back on the rack.

"Whatever," Ichigo began. Instantly, his scowl disappeared, giving way to a challenging grin. "Anyway, since it looks like we're just about done with weights, anyone up for getting beat down in a spar, once I finish my last set?"

Sighing, Uryuu pushed his glasses up once more and said, "If you really are that big of a glutton for punishment, let's do it. I can't say that I ever get tired of your little temper tantrums when you lose."

"I think I'd like to give it a shot, as well," Chad added, quickly raising his one visible brow at the disbelieving looks leveled at him by both of his closest friends.

Chuckling, Ichigo patted Chad on the back and while grinning evilly at Uryuu and said, "You know what? Let's do it. It could be fun to get him up to speed in a sword fight, and if that doesn't pan out, it'll be fun seeing just how quickly he joins us in all of this complaining that he says we do."

"You're right, that does sound fun," Uryuu agreed, sending a smug look to Chad as he moved around the stand when Ichigo laid down for his last set, until the man's ever stoic expression made him grit his teeth in annoyance.

As Ichigo lifted the bar, Uryuu added, "Though now that I think about it, with the way he takes hits, you'd need Zangetsu to get anything more than a grunt."

"Are you that afraid of me, Uryuu? I suppose I could tie one hand behind my back, if that would make you feel better."

"Hahaha—Oh shit!" Ichigo shouted, barely getting the bar onto the rack as he broke into heaving laughter. It wasn't often, but when Chad joined them in their trash talk, it almost always became the funniest thing Ichigo could remember hearing.

Looking at the begrudging smile on Uryuu's face, he knew that the Quincy thought so, too.

"We'll see, Chad. Let's go, and I'll show you just how scared I am."

XXXXXX

It took only a matter of minutes for Claire to reach the gym. Luckily, it happened to be within a few blocks of her apartment, which had her excited. Should this place turn out to be a decent spot to work out, she would have found her first positive piece of a routine.

The building was massive, both tall and expanding into the distance. To her surprise, and delight, it was incredibly clean and well kept. The lobby was inviting, with bright colors giving an appealing view, yet not so much that it was overwhelming. She was impressed, as stylish, modern decorating and friendly staff greeted her.

"Hello, and welcome to Fitness Firm. Is this your first time with us?" a pleasant—if not a bit too energetic— young woman in athletic apparel asked.

Nodding her head, Claire watched as the woman grabbed a folded towel from a neat stack and walked to her, holding out the towel as an offering.

"That's great! Thanks for choosing us. Your first session is, of course, complimentary. Please feel free to use our gym equipment, but also check out our numerous classes that we offer. Everything from cardio workouts, to martial arts, we do! If at any point, you would like a tour, please let anyone wearing one of these red shirts know, and we will be happy to help. Enjoy your workout!"

Grabbing the towel, Claire muttered a quick "Thank you" before escaping the almost too-friendly woman through the glass doors and into a room filled with exercise machines. While she could not fault the woman for her excellent customer service, she just wanted to burn some energy. Looking around at the fitness machinery, she knew that she'd have that chance.

Thirty minutes later, and Claire had worked up a sweat. It had been too long since she'd been to a gym. After a warm-up run, she had moved on to the weight racks. The tension in her muscles and the strain of pushing the heavy weights had been a welcome stress.

How long had it been since she had done something so normal? She could barely recall a time where she had simply been left to her own devices to enjoy herself. Even in this new life, she had been spending all her free time trying to acclimate herself to status quo existence, but the strain of working out was something solely for her.

Set after set, she pushed herself to the beat of the music she was listening to. In her efforts to learn the technology of Earth, she had begun to discover music that she actually enjoyed. Loud guitars and heavy vocals drove her exercises, keeping her feeling energized and motivated.

Finishing her last repetition, Claire dropped the dumbbells that she had been using back on the rack. She stretched, savoring the particular feeling of the tightness in her muscles that had been nearly forgotten. She was probably going to be sore, but it would definitely be worth it. Continuing to stretch, Claire looked behind her only to catch a pair of men staring.

She sighed in exasperation as she stood up. While she could not say she hated that men often found her attractive, these were interrupting her time. She was not here to look for men, nor was she here to impress anyone. She was here to try and rebuild some of her routine, as well as work off some stress from the past week.

Why can't you assholes just get that?! she thought irritably.

Shaking her head, she grabbed her towel and walked out of the weight room. Normally, she could easily ignore the stares of others. She had gotten plenty of practice as a hated l'Cie, even more as the despised Savior, but today just bothered her. Feeling some of her previous frustration return, she stalked down a hallway.

After just a few steps, loud noises caught her attention.

Clack! Clack Clack! Clack!

"Come on, princess! Get the lead out and fight!"

Clack! Clack Clack Clack—Clack!

"Ow, damn it!"

"What's the matter, carrot-top? You told me that you were going to mop the floor with me, but at the rate you're going, I can only mop with your tears."

Clack!

"Ngh!"

"Ha! Serves you right, you cocky little bastard! And just so you know, Uryuu, your insults suck. Mop with my tears? Isn't that cute. Did your li'l Hime give you a joke to tell?"

"S-Shut up! I just focus my mind on better things than pointless jokes. Whatever. Whoever loses has to buy drinks tonight, got it?"

"Hey, if you want to get my tab, that's fine by me."

Walking faster, Claire hurried down the hallway to see what this commotion was all about. It sounded an awful lot like Snow and Hope whenever they sparred against each other, which was a fond memory, but one of the voices sounded familiar.

Whose voice would I even be familiar with here?

Reaching a large, open doorway, Claire peered around the frame. The room was very large, with several sets of sparring mats laid out. The loud clacking continued, growing louder as she caught sight of two men in gym clothes fighting with wooden swords. Closest to her, a man with jet black hair wearing a white sleeveless shirt with bright blue shorts danced around, catching a strike with his blade. While thin, the man was muscular and clearly able to handle himself— he swung his sword as if quite used to it.

Hm. Decent foot work, not bad on the strikes, but he doesn't seem that comfortable using two hands on his blade. Damn, he's fast, though. Faster than he really should be. I wonder if it's…Ichigo?

Her thoughts were interrupted as the dark haired man sidestepped, revealing his opponent. Bright orange hair stood out against the walls of the room, and she looked down to see the rest of her first acquaintance in this world wearing a light grey sleeveless shirt and black shorts.

Claire looked on as the man she knew to be a doctor moved as fast, if not faster, than his opponent. Up, down, right, left, Ichigo swung his sword in punishing strikes, only stopping to block before going on the attack again.

Further analysis seemed to justify her initial thoughts about the man. The aggressive, almost feral manner in which he fought could only have been born from combat experience. Sure, his footwork wasn't the greatest, nor was his technique very 'technical,' but there was a simple grace about his movements that she could appreciate.

Seeing the pair continue in a long series of strikes, neither able to fully reach the other, she felt her face flush very slightly as she further analyzed Ichigo's style. As his motions turned him to give her a profile perspective, she was able to see that his shirt's arm holes were far wider than normal, and she caught a glimpse of rigid abdominal muscles.

Damn.

Swallowing the feeling that she was no different from the men she had just walked away from, Claire couldn't deny that Ichigo was a good looking man. He was tall, muscular, and aggressive in an animalistic manner—all factors she could definitely appreciate.

Now that is someone you should get to know better, Claire. He is one pretty—

She quickly shook her head though, as Serah's voice once more rang in her mind. She could think that a man was attractive without thinking anything further, and she didn't need her sister to—

And he's a doctor. Looks and moves like that, as well as someone who cares for others? What are you waiting for?

Claire slapped a hand to her face. It was a new sensation to actually be arguing with her sister's voice in her mind. This strange world was clearly driving her crazy, inducing an internal argument with someone else.

Her thoughts were interrupted as she heard the dark haired man speak.

"Careful, Ichigo. Looks like we have an audience. I would hate to embarrass you in front of yet another unsuspecting lady, as you seem to lose all sense of coordination when around them."

Pressing his sword insistently against his opponent's, Ichigo grunted before slowly turning his head.

"What the hell are you talking—wait, really? You're really bringing that up? It was a damn accident! I couldn't help it when I ran into—Claire?!"

Claire could only raise a brow and smirk slightly as their eyes met. So, it seemed that Ichigo had not only told his friends about his inability to walk in public without running someone over, but he even remembered her by name. The shock on his face was somewhat flattering, as he seemed pleasantly surprised to see her. A small grin was forming on his face before he grimaced and turned back to his opponent.

Clack!

"Ow! Damn it all, you four-eyed jackass!" he shouted as the dark haired man took advantage of the lapse and struck in him in the ribs with the sword. Grabbing the sword, Ichigo yanked it free and in turn punched the other man in the stomach, forcing a loud expulsion of air from his victim.

"How's that for a cheap shot?"

With a winded growl, the dark haired man struggled over possession of the wooden sword for a moment more before a large wadded towel flew in from the side and hit Ichigo in the head.

"I apologize for my friends' behavior, Miss Claire," a low voice called out from the direction the towel had come.

Turning, Claire realized that there were actually three people in the large room. Wondering how she could have possibly missed him, she looked to what turned out to be a massive man. With dark hair and skin, the man's muscles were monstrous. Even Snow would have been jealous.

Breaking her from her thoughts, the tall man continued talking as he moved toward her. "They can be quite competitive at times. Uryuu is unable to let opportunities to annoy Ichigo pass him by, and Ichigo can never let someone have the last word… or hit, in this matter."

The large man had a kind expression on his face. He had a steady gait, and like his friends, he seemed to be very aware of and able to handle himself. It would make sense, Claire knew, for those with military backgrounds to band together— like minds and all.

As the third man arrived in front of her, she was slightly stunned as he reached out his hand to shake.

"Hello Claire. My name is Chad. It's nice to meet you, and to put a face to the name of the woman whom Ichigo ran over. I apologize yet again for Ichigo and Uryuu's lack of manners, as they are still bickering rather than coming to greet you."

She couldn't help the small smile that crossed her face as she firmly shook his hand. The aggravated looks on both Ichigo's and the other man's face made her chuckle lowly and she caught the hint of a smirk on Chad's lips.

"It's nice to meet you, Chad. It's quite all right, as I am sure Ichigo will find another opportunity to try and run me over again, especially if his sword fighting technique is any indication."

A pair of snorts met her comment, as well as an indignant scoff. The snorts quickly turned into full on laughter, while Ichigo's scowl seemed to become permanently etched onto his face.

"We are doing our best to teach him both manners and how to properly use a sword," Uryuu chuckled. "He has done the best he can, given his denseness."

"We do what we can to help him survive in the civilized world," Chad added with a grin of his own as he released her hand and stepped back.

"Yeah yeah, Chad," Ichigo growled, stalking forward to stand next to him. "You're just the nicest guy in the world, aren't you? All you and Uryuu do is bust my chops, and now you've gotten Claire in on it as well."

A bark of laughter escaped Claire before she could help it. She had so dearly missed having people act so normal around her that she could do nothing but get caught up in it. True, she didn't know these people at all, but the atmosphere that they had was just too inviting.

"I don't think that they really had that much to do with it, Ichigo," she jibed. "You seem to be doing well at bringing it on yourself, don't you think?"

The guffaws of laughter that erupted from the men on either side of Ichigo made her smile wider. His scowl was back, yet she saw it soften a little as he watched her try to cover her laughter.

"Hardy har har. I'm just glad I can be a source of amusement for you all," he said, his scowl looking more and more like a pout with every passing moment. Shifting his wooden sword, he crossed his arms and sighed in annoyance.

Claire couldn't pass up the opportunity and laughed again.

"Well, there's no need to be so sad about your poor relationship with gravity," she said. "I can't do much for the manners part, but if it's that big of a deal, I could give you some pointers on your footwork and strikes. You've got the spirit for it, but you could use a little finesse."

By the time she finished, Claire was frowning. What started out as a joke had accidentally turned into her offering to train him. Knowing and working with men as she had, she was instantly aware that she might have just offended his masculinity.

Damn it, Farron. The first person to actually be decent to you here, and you go and pull something like that? It's a safe bet that his offer for any kind of help just expired. Not that it matters, because I doubt his medical practice would be able to help pull your head out of your ass.

However, Lightning's scolding of Claire's stupidity was interrupted by a loud sigh, followed by the man named Uryuu looking relieved and exclaiming, "Finally, someone else gets it! It's been such a burden, being the only one who knows how to decently wield a blade. So you are well versed in swordplay?"

Claire nodded, confused at the turn of events. After what felt like a long pause, she looked over to Ichigo and saw his fingers pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Aw hell, not this again. You just had to give him more ammunition, didn't you?"

The words had no real heat to them, rather exasperation. A thoughtful hum came from Chad, who turned to Ichigo and said, "She's right, you know. You're strong, but some footwork and swordplay help wouldn't be the worst idea in the world."

Ichigo's head came up to meet her gaze. Rolling his eyes, he hitched a thumb towards his friends and said, "Do you see what you've done? Now you've sent Uryuu into self-righteous-mother-hen mode, and then Chad has to be all zen-master and make sense. For the record, though, I'll have you all know that I'm pretty damn good with a sword!"

He turned to snap at the Quincy, "You know that better than most, Uryuu."

Claire paused, shocked. He wasn't mad? Aside from Snow, most men that she'd ever given advice to—barring her ranking above them—had turned into petty children. Ichigo just seemed annoyed that Uryuu had more material to mock him with, not because a woman was telling him how to fight. It was confusing, as it felt like she was back with her friends, the way they were when they all had l'Cie powers and were bored on Pulse.

She didn't have any more time to think about it, as Ichigo continued to talk.

"So you're good with a sword, huh? Well, if you're not too tired, you wanna to give us a demonstration? It'll get Uryuu to shut up, and he might even learn something, given that you want to teach."

A slender, pink brow raised at the challenge hidden in his words.

Well, well, the doctor has a sense of humor. Sounds like he isn't used to losing very often. This should be interesting, maybe even fun. Still…

"Are you sure?" she asked, not wanting to alienate the first group of people that didn't make her want to hit something. "I didn't come by to try and be a jerk or anything. I wouldn't want to im—"

"Don't worry about hurting him," Uryuu interrupted. "That head of his is pretty much made of stone, so he can take a good beating. He just has no clue what he's doing unless he's hacking as hard as he can at something, so you may want to watch your head for any wild swings."

"You're one to talk!" Ichigo barked back, reaching out with the wooden sword still in his hand and whacking his friend on the knee. His other hand snapped out and grabbed the sword from Uryuu's hand and tossed it to Claire.

"Come on, nothing wrong with a friendly spar, right?" Ichigo said, looking up at her with a sudden smirk. "Don't worry, I won't swing too hard, if that's what you're worried about. These are bokkens, so they won't do much damage if one of us gets a good hit."

Claire tested the sword with a few swings while Uryuu and Chad backed away from where they would be fighting, smiling to herself. While not as heavy as what she was used to, the bokkens were relatively similar to many of the blades that she had held before. She couldn't deny that she was a little excited for this. After so many years of living by the sword, she felt a little odd not having used one in so long.

"That's good to know. Can't have the doctor getting hurt, right?" she teased. Chuckles from all three men met her comment, and she continued, "Though if you get into trouble, you can always try your running-me-over trick."

Sighing, Ichigo muttered, "I'm never going to live that one down, am I? It's not like I—" He was cut off as a piece of wood whistled in front of him. He was prepared for the second swing as a loud 'clack' rang out.

"Oh, were we going to talk all day, or did you want to actually spar?", Claire asked innocently. Putting pressure against his sword, she added, "If you really think you can beat me, I might just let your run-over stunt go."

"Not a chance, Ichigo," Uryuu's voice called out. "Regardless of how bad she beats you, you're not living that one down."

"Shut up—ow!" Stepping back, Ichigo rubbed his thigh where Claire had scored a hit that stung. Seeing her crouched, ready to attack, Ichigo couldn't stop the smile that broke out at her challenging grin.

"Cheap shots like Uryuu, huh? Heh, let's go then."

Clackclackclackclack

Strikes rang out from both fighters. Claire swung for his shoulder, as Ichigo jabbed for her midsection. Ichigo swung wide to break her guard, while Claire pulled back to avoid his counter. High, low, right, left the blows came, each seeming to test the other for weaknesses. Neither gave any ground, yet neither could seem to gain an advantage in their initial clash.

After a few more hits were traded, the two separated.

"Not bad, Claire, but weren't you going to be teaching me something?" Ichigo said, a cocky grin on his face.

XXXXXX

Ichigo waited, excited, as he stood across from Claire. While she wasn't on the level of many of the people he had fought, she had a strong knowledge of sword fighting. She must have been a former fighter, maybe an martial arts competitor wherever she came from? There was a hesitance, a slight misstep that made him dismiss the idea of military or any type of necessitated fighting.

Still, how cool was it that the woman he'd met knew how to fight with swords?

It seemed that his taunt had finally worked. The widened, stunned eyes and almost hungry grin that followed meant that he hit his mark.

Good. She's pretty good, and this is beginning to get fun. Maybe she'll break out a fancy maneuver or something.

It was strange. Normally, when he met someone, they were either a patient or an otherworldly being that held a grudge against him and humans. This woman was just a nice person who was surprisingly tolerant of his poor manners and seemingly full of cool surprises.

Finally, someone who is normal and—oh damn!

His musings were cut short as the smile on Claire's face faded. Her body tensed, and her stance shifted. Thoughts of normality were lost as she seemed to subtly transform, her expression one he had seen many times before.

She launched at him without warning. Quick as lightning, she unleashed a barrage of attacks—side to side, up and down, at angles, it didn't matter. It seemed that the moment he saw her sword swing from the left at his shoulder, she had turned and was swinging at his knee.

Clack! Clackclackclackclack

Her form was mesmerizing. There were no wasted movements, and one strike was a fluid transition to another. Blocks were quickly countered as she transitioned from defense to attack and back in so little time that even Ichigo had trouble keeping up.

There was no way she hadn't experienced battle before. Her expression was fierce, and her body moved with lethality and precision.

Wow, she is… incredible. I've faced shinigami that were easier to fight than her. And damn, she looks, um… yeah. Damn it, get your head in the spar!

After swinging a hard cross at her left arm, he leapt back, trying to give himself space to regain his stance and his attention. However, Claire quickly and roughly blocked the strike, knocking his arm wide. Not giving him a chance to recover, she ran at him.

Clackclackclack—thump.

"Shit!" Ichigo shouted as he fell to the floor, his ribs, back and knee stinging from the rapid hits that she scored, as well as from the impact of hitting the ground. Looking up, he saw that the point of Claire's bokken was pressed against his neck.

"Lesson one, be careful of who you taunt. You never know whether or not they can put you on your ass," she said, a smirk playing on her lips.

Laughter rang through the room as both Chad and Uryuu had front row seats to Ichigo getting his rear handed to him. Moving the sword, Claire reached down and offered her hand to her victim.

Before he could take the offer, Chad came over and held his own out to Claire.

"That was quite impressive, Claire. I enjoyed seeing your skill. I have to run, however—sound checks to do for a show tonight. It was nice to meet you. Maybe we will see you again."

With one final shake, Chad left, giving Ichigo a thumbs-up before making his way out. Turning back to Ichigo, Claire extended her hand again.

"He's nice."

Letting her help him up, Ichigo rubbed the back of his neck. "Yeah, Chad's a good guy," he said automatically, taking a long and thoughtful breath. "Damn, looks like you got me. How the hell are you so intense? I mean, those were some hardcore fighting moves that you just pulled."

A brief look of discomfort passed over her face, yet it was gone before he could even fully notice it was there. "I told you that I could teach you a thing or two. It's all right, I've taken down a lot bigger…guys…than you. Still, you have good form and respectable strength, they just seem a little disconnected. I just can't put my finger on why, though."

Ichigo stood in shock as Claire looked at him, deep in thought. She was struggling to analyze him? Sure, she couldn't know about how he really fought, but still, his style shouldn't be that different in the human realm. Something about what she said made him wonder just how much she had actually seen. Her gaze was sharp, and her attention to her own style seemed meticulous, so why couldn't she have read into his fighting style?

"It's not like your style is hard to read. Swing, hit something. Swing, hit something. Not exactly Byakuya, are you?" Zangetsu's voice murmured in his mind, annoyance bleeding through. The spirit had become fond of randomly interrupting his thoughts after the last war, and—as always—it made for some rather uncomfortable and exasperating moments.

Shut up! Ichigo thought, incensed at the interruption for such a stupid comparison. Though he had matured, and was even on friendly terms with Byakuya, comparisons with the man were always something that made him bristle. It's not like he was a bad guy, but his formality and sense of decorum made Ichigo cringe.

"Have you ever used two swords at once?" Claire asked, breaking through his inner conversation.

His eyes snapping to hers, Ichigo looked dumfounded. She had seen enough to deduce that he used two blades, just from that?

No way. I call bullshit.

"What makes you ask that?", he wondered aloud, trying to figure out just what gave it away. There was just no way that she could possibly—

"You hold your bokken two-handed like you're holding a broadsword, sometimes, but at other times it's like you're holding a saber or something smaller. The way your free hand moved a few times made me wonder if you've ever dual wielded swords."

"Well hot damn, King. Looks like you found a pretty observant one. Hopefully she'll miss just how pathetic and lonely you are, Mr. Workaholic."

Ichigo tried his best to ignore the spirit of his zanpakuto as he stared in astonishment. If he didn't know any better, he would swear that Zangetsu crafted these kinds of remarks in preparation for the perfect moments to zing him. He supposed that now, with no impending doom as there so often was, the spirit had to find something to do.

"Is there something wrong?" Claire asked, one brow raised in suspicion.

Shaking his head, Ichigo replied, "No, no, just surprised, that's all. That's amazing, because I have used dual blades before, and generally prefer to. How in the world could you have picked up all of that in just one spar?"

"I thought so," she replied, walking over to the wall where the rest of the bokkens were placed. Grabbing a tanto-sized one, she tossed it to Ichigo. "Try that, and let's see what you've got. We can do 'Q and A' later. No holding back this time, or I'll have to make the sting from my hits last a little longer."

Smiling at the threat, Ichigo caught the smaller blade. He shifted it to his left hand and felt himself balance out. At least, in his mind. Ever since he had gained his second Zangetsu, his preference had switched to dual wielding, but he only fought that way when away from the eyes of the spiritually unaware.

Rushing forward, Ichigo began his attack. Two blades swung at once, the first with another coming seconds behind. One from the top, the other in a jab. On and on, Ichigo went through combination after combination against his opponent's staunch defense. However, it was only twice that he heard the telltale hiss of him finding his mark.

Claire, on the other hand, was unbelievable. Every strike was met with a glancing block or a clever dodge that left him hitting air and rushing to defend against her counters. It was as if she was dancing around him, as most of his strikes seemed to only just miss her.

Ichigo was stunned. Granted, he was suppressing his reiatsu as much as he possibly could, but Claire was giving him a strong run for his money. Her breathing was becoming slightly labored, but they had been at it for quite a while.

However, he had been planning his moves, setting her up to pin her with a strike and jab from both sides that would trap her.

Finally, she seemed to falter for a single opportune moment, stepping backwards. Ichigo dropped into a full lunge and pushed his arms forward, pointing the smaller blade at her abdomen and swinging the larger at her shoulder.

His jaw dropped in awe as she suddenly ran towards him, stepping onto his bent knee and pushing off into an acrobatic flip over his head. Before he could turn, he felt a series of sharp smacks on his ribs and hip before a bokken pressed against his neck.

For a moment, the only sound was their heavy breathing. The relative silence was shattered by a loud exclamation.

"Holy shit! Did I just see Ichigo Kurosaki get his ass handed to him in a sword fight?!"

Turning, both he and Claire saw an attractive woman standing in the doorway wearing one of the gym employees' red shirts and black athletic pants. She had short, spiky black hair and a wide grin.

"Yeah yeah, hello to you too, Tatsuki," Ichigo muttered. Getting to his feet, he turned to Claire and blew out a loud sigh. "She's right though, my ass was thoroughly delivered to me. Claire, this is Tatsuki Arisawa, the owner of this place and one of my oldest pains in the—oof!"

Claire was stunned as she watched Ichigo bend double over the fist of the newly arrived woman. The woman now looking at her.

"Sorry, Ichigo, I didn't catch that," Tatsuki carried on without sparing a glance at the winded man. She cupped a hand around the ear nearest him. "I think you were saying something about how nice it was that your oldest and dearest friend in the whole world was stopping by to say hello. Don't get all pissy just because I came in to see you getting whipped by… Claire, was it?"

Tatsuki smirked at her. "How did a girl like you end up having to work out with this moron?"

"Oh, um… Right," she stammered, trying and failing to sheathe the bokken on impulse. "I'm Claire Farron. I met Ichigo on my first day in Karakura Town, and he made an… impression. As for why I'm working out with him, I heard him from down the hallway, and my curiosity got the better of me. I was just showing him some tricks in swordplay."

"Wait…Claire!" Tatsuki blurted. "That's where I know your name from! You're the one that Ichigo ran over, like the klutz he is! I can see why you looked so intent on beating him. You were pretty impressive— not many can get the best of this one."

"Hold on a second. How the hell do you know about that?!" Ichigo asked, frustrated at how many of his friends seemed to know about the embarrassing story he had only told Uryuu. Cutting a glance at the traitor, he noticed that the dark haired man was conveniently studying his nails.

"Blah blah blah. Who cares how I know?" Tatsuki continued, brushing off Ichigo's indignation. "I know you have no charm whatsoever, so I guess you've resorted to running over women to get them to talk to you— that's what matters. Anyways, are you coming to Chad's show, tonight? I know you aren't really Mr. Social, but I figured I'd ask."

"Of course he is," Uryuu interjected. "He lost, so he's buying."

Rolling his eyes, Ichigo shifted his glare at him, "You know good and well that I'd be going either way. I haven't missed a single show, unlike you. And as far as losing goes, I didn't lose to you, four-eyes. I lost spectacularly, sure, but not to you."

"Ichigo, you could have four ears and still not be able to remember a conversation. I never once said that if you lost to only me, specifically, that you'd pay. We only agreed that the loser would pay. You lost; therefore, you pay."

"Cheap-ass bastard."

"Sore loser."

"You two can bitch and moan all you want, later. I swear, you're like a couple of little kids, sometimes," Tatsuki snapped. Turning back to the only other woman in the room, she asked, "So Claire, how is life in Japan treating you so far? I'm sure that you've been on the hunt for jobs. Any luck?"

Raising her brow in surprise at the incredibly normal way Ichigo's friends treated her, she answered, "Japan has been really interesting. I have to say, I do like Karakura town. The job hunt is still in progress, though. I've had a few interviews, but nothing has panned out so far."

The excited look on Tatsuki's face was slightly confusing, but Claire had no time to think about it, before she said, "Well then, why don't you come with us tonight? We're going to a show at the best bar in town. Our friend Chad plays in a band, and we all like to go and support him. Lucky for us, they're actually really good!"

Unsure of what to say, Claire looked at Ichigo, who rolled his eyes at the source of their trouble.

"Tatsuki, calm down and quit pressuring her," he sighed, turning back to Claire with a hesitant smile. "You're welcome to come with us, Claire. I'm not really the bar or club scene kind of guy, but it's always a good time with the group, and Chad's band is pretty great. Also, as you have heard, I am buying tonight."

The offer did sound intriguing. A night with people who were going out of their way to be friendly couldn't be too bad. And Chad was in a band? The kind, giant man performing on stage was something she definitely needed to see to believe.

Looking up, she saw Tatsuki watching her with shining, expectant eyes.

"I suppose I could come," Claire relented. "I'll just need to go home to shower and change, first."

"Great! Ichigo can drive you to your place, then to the bar, right Ichigo?"

"Uh, sure thing Tats," he answered, looking slightly bewildered. Tatsuki did not often volunteer him for extra duties, and he wasn't sure it was even necessary. Claire was not helpless. While the offer was nice, she could find her own way.

"I can get there on my o—" Claire tried, to no one's notice.

"Great!" Tatsuki carried on with enthusiasm, making a shooing motion at the two men. "Now go get showered, Ichigo. You and Uryuu stink, and I need to talk to Claire about a few things while you nasty boys get cleaned up."

Claire's brow raised at the cutoff, as well as the string of assumptions. While never one to tolerate being ordered around, excepting from her former military chain of command, Claire didn't want to be too rude to the woman. Tatsuki wasn't being terribly rude, herself, just pushy in a way that reminded her of Snow.

A pair of snorts and shaking heads were the only response to the steamroller that was Tatsuki. Gathering up their gear, Ichigo and Uryuu made their way towards the door. However, before he left, Ichigo turned to Claire with a small smile.

"I know she's bossy, but she's not too bad, Claire. And I know that you could make it there on your own, but the bar is a little way's off. I'd be glad to give you a lift there and back, if you want. Your choice."

He waved once at the other woman. "Tatsuki, just text me whatever you guys decide."

Before Claire could fully return the grin, he was gone. Turning back to Tatsuki, she was met with an enthusiastic face to rival all previous ones.

"So, while they clean up, I want to talk to you about something."

XXXXXX

The sun was still in the sky when Ichigo had finished showering. Quickly dressing, he made his way out to the main lobby. Tatsuki had sent him a message saying that Claire would be ready to go when he was, so he sped up to keep her from waiting too long.

That was the sole reason for his hurry, he told himself. He just didn't want to be rude by making her wait. His racing up the stairs to the lobby had absolutely nothing to do with what Tatsuki might actually say to Claire, with no one to keep her in check. Nope, nothing at all.

Rounding a corner, he managed to catch the tail end of their conversation.

"…still can't believe that you beat him like that. I think that this will be a good thing, for him. I used to wear him out when we were kids, before he got all tough and crazy strong. I'm glad he found someone that can bring him back to Earth for a minute."

"Back to Earth?"

"N-nothing, I just mean, you know, that his head's always in the clouds and stuff," Tatsuki stammered. "Anyway, I am glad we got to talk. I think you'll be happy with your decision."

Jogging over to where the two women stood, Ichigo looked to Claire and asked, "Decision? Did you finally decide to cut me some slack?"

Claire and Tatsuki both laughed and turning to face him.

"Eavesdropping, are we? It'll take quite a bit more than losing to me in a sparring match to make me forget my first moments in Karakura Town, Ichigo," Claire said with a raised brow, eliciting another laugh from Tatsuki.

"I can admit, though," Claire continued, "It's not the worst start."

"Damn, Ichigo, you really do know how to make a lasting impression," Tatsuki quipped. "There's nobody you can't piss off, is there? Still, you have to take Claire home to get ready for tonight. So what are you waiting for?! I'll probably beat you there if you don't get going!" Her voice had raised to a shout as she pushed both of them toward the door.

Rolling his eyes, Ichigo smirked as he subtly made a rude hand gesture behind Claire's back to Tatsuki. "Come on, Claire. Let's get out of here before she gets even crazier."

A low chuckle was Claire's only response as she walked out of the open door with him.

As Tatsuki watched the two get into Ichigo's car, she couldn't help the satisfied smile that crossed her face. He had met someone through his sheer idiocy that might be able to break through that thick skull of his and get him to actually live his own life.

Claire, huh? Not a bad addition to our little group, Ichigo. Not bad at all.

XXXXXX

Just how long does it take for her to get ready? Ichigo thought in mild irritation as he sat in his car. He'd put up the roof of his car at nightfall, yet his music still rang out loudly. Taking his hands off of the steering wheel, he gave up muttering the lyrics to the song, but nodded his head to the beat.

He had been surprised to see how closely that Claire lived to the gym. Well, he had been surprised half an hour ago.

Sighing, he knew that he wasn't exactly being fair. Patience had never been his strong suit, and in reality, she honestly hadn't taken that long. Having to shower and get ready for a night out with people she had only just met could easily take longer than a few minutes. Given her behavior on the ride to her apartment, he knew that she was probably nervous.

Ichigo laughed aloud at the thought. Though likely accurate, it was funny to think of Claire being nervous about meeting more of his friends when she had been more than comfortable beating him mercilessly in front of them.

He couldn't be mad about it. He had tried, and it just wouldn't work. She hadn't boasted or bragged— she'd simply been honest about the fact that she could teach him a few things, and when he had taken her up on the offer…

She took him down.

It was somewhat refreshing. All of his friends usually took great joy in trying to win against him, yet none really could. Uryuu and Chad came the closest, along with Renji and Rukia, when they were in town. Still, when it came to a serious fight, he was in a league of his own.

Now a human with no spiritual awareness at all had showed up to give him a rough wake-up call.

Claire was something else. He was still in awe of her transformation, from friendly spar partner, to seasoned fighter in the blink of an eye. After seeing her true skill level, Ichigo could much more easily guess the reasons for her discomfort when he initially asked about her abilities. People who had experienced actual combat, with the exception of idiots like Kenpachi, were not usually eager to talk about it.

Hopefully, that didn't mean that she would be opposed to further sparring. Her incredible insight, and undeniable skill made for a great fight. Besides that, Ichigo couldn't deny that Claire was just cool.

Cool? Damn, I'm so glad that I'm saying these stupid things in my head. My comments are becoming as dumb as Uryuu's. Still, she is…cool. Damn it! Get a thesaurus or something!

Regardless of whatever term that he used, Claire was easy to be around. Fearless, snarky, and down-to-earth, she had been fun to work out with.

Speaking of 'down-to-earth,' Ichigo was going to have to have words with Tatsuki. Putting aside her bull rush of conversation, he couldn't imagine what she'd been thinking. She hadcome way too close to talking about carefully guarded information. He could only imagine Claire's face if he were to say something about shinigami or spiritual power.

She seemed to be a pretty good person, and he didn't need Tatsuki scaring her away with things that would make Claire think that they were all insane.

They had more than enough ability on their own to make her think that.

"You're trying awfully hard to make sure this woman likes you. Aww, has the King found himself a queen? That's just precious."

Oh shut up, he thought back, groaning in exasperation. There is nothing wrong with wanting her to see our group as something other than idiots. Even you have to admit that she's not too bad.

"Not too bad? Even with all of the growing up you've done, you're still like a kid going through puberty. Girls aren't 'gross' anymore, King. It's okay to admit that you like this woman. There are far worse one's out there that her. She's a lot easier to be around than that Orihime, and the fact that she can kick your ass like that puts her in my good graces."

Ichigo couldn't respond immediately. He knew that he loved Orihime like another sister, but Zangetsu did have a point. Stories about aliens, which still hadn't stopped, and talk about so many girly things was beyond exhausting. Ichigo didn't care about clothes shopping. He didn't care about getting his hair done, and beyond laughing hysterically, he didn't care about joining her and Uryuu for dancing lessons.

At least Claire can fight. Still, I can't leave it finished on that note. I have to get a win. Watching her was intense. She was— His thoughts cut off as he saw her walking out of the front door of her apartment building.

Damn.

Damn, indeed.

Her rose-colored hair hung just as it was when he'd first met her. He looked further to see her wearing a sleeveless button-up shirt with a high collar, and a skirt.

It's almost unfair. She's a good fighter, enough that she can teach technique, and she cleans up like that?

It annoyed him to dwell on it, but Ichigo couldn't deny an attraction to Claire. Pushing the thought to the back of his mind, he got out of the car. If nothing else, it would be a chance to get to know her better tonight. She needed friends before anything else, and to be honest, he did too.

Considering her mealy-arrived status and clearly eventful past, Claire needed to be around people who were just there for her. Luckily, Ichigo could see her easily fitting in with the rest of the group, if what he had seen so far was an indication of what she was always like.

Moving over to the passenger door, Ichigo pulled it open.

"Chivalry?" Claire asked, side-eyeing him. "I can open a door just fine on my own, you know. Given the way this day has gone for you, shouldn't I be opening your door?"

While he would normally argue with anyone who jabbed at him, Ichigo couldn't stop the bark of laughter that escaped.

This woman's worse than Rukia!

"No no, the winner shouldn't have to open her own door. Please allow me," he said with a bow.

"Ah, well when you put it that way, I suppose it makes sense."

Shutting the door behind her, Ichigo couldn't hold back a grin. Damn, this woman had his number and wasn't afraid to let him know it.

Yes, she would fit in nicely with the group.

XXXXXX

Claire winced slightly at the volume of the music playing in the bar. Walking in behind Ichigo, she felt incredibly out of place. The establishment was fairly large, with a wide floor and tall tables spread through out, and it was packed. People were standing and talking loudly all around, and she received more than a few glances and winks when they squeezed by.

Rolling her eyes, she redirected them forward to catch Ichigo's head turning away from her. Claire smirked slightly, shaking her head in amusement. She'd caught Ichigo stealing glances at her more than a few times.

It was rather cute. She was certain that he had very little romantic experience, going by the 'stealth' that he employed when looking at her. The looks had been bothersome, at first. It was her gut reaction to assume that they were like all the others she had noticed— leering glances and single-minded smiles.

Yet, her perspective had changed when she noticed that his smiles were the same as when she goaded with him about their fight. There was a sense of humor, a begrudging contentment whenever the topic was brought up, but the smiles were always warm. Small and brief, but warm.

Luckily, the ride over hadn't felt too awkward. The silence had been comfortable, as it hadn't really been silence at all. The moment that his radio came on, familiar riffs and loud vocals made her look to him in interest. She had been listening to the same song when working out.

Claire sighed in relief as she followed Ichigo through the crowd. It was looking more and more like she had found a kindred spirit in him, and she was thankful that there was at least one person here around whom she didn't have to pretend to be more like Serah. Of course, as she thought about it, all of his friends were likely similar.

It made the impromptu social outing so much easier. Still something that kept her a bit on edge, but it was easier nonetheless. Here she was, meeting an unknown number of people, all of whom were somehow attached to the first person she had met in her new life, her first—dare she say it—friend. That would be stressful enough, even without the crowded public setting.

Shaking her head, she focused on the goal of survival. No matter how potentially unpleasant it might turn out to be, she would survive. She continued with the mental pep talk until she noticed that Ichigo had stopped.

Looking up, she saw that he was watching her expectantly. "What?"

She frowned at his knowing smirk and nod.

"It's a lot to deal with, I know. I asked if you wanted to grab a drink at the bar before we meet everyone at the table."

"No, it's fine. I'm perfectly capable of human interaction while sober," she snapped, trying and failing to squelch her bubbling aggravation. "You don't have to walk me through every little thing, Ichigo."

She instantly felt guilty as his face fell, a confused expression in place of the intermittent smiles she had been catching.

"Okay, sorry," he said, his face still confused, and she thought a little hurt.

Damn it Farron, fix this! He's been nicer than any guy you've ever met before, and hasn't asked a thing in return! He wasn't trying to boss you around or anything, he's just trying to be a friend. Get over yourself and pay attention. He's no more comfortable here than you are!

Of course he was uncomfortable. She had seen his body tense the moment they had walked through the door. He had been commiserating, and she had snapped at him.

Pinching the bridge of her nose with one hand, she reached out and grabbed his arm with the other. When he turned, she stepped closer, motioning for him to bend down to her level.

Speaking right next to his ear, she said, "Look…I… Sorry about that. Crowds make me a little tense, and I'm going to be meeting a bunch of new people. You're right— it's a bit to deal with. I'm fine, but I didn't mean to snap at you."

Almost before she had finished speaking, she noticed him shaking his head and holding his hand up.

"Don't sweat it," he said over the din of the crowd. "I'm glad that you decided to come out tonight. Don't worry about meeting everyone. They're going to like you, I'm sure. You won over Chad, Uryuu and Tatsuki pretty easily, so the rest will be a breeze."

Standing tall, Ichigo took a deep breath in and let it out in a whoosh. "I don't know about you, but I think I could use a drink."

With no real reason to protest, Claire followed him to the bar. She was pretty sure that 'a drink' would be nowhere near enough to make it easy. A few minutes later, they made it to the table where Ichigo had said everyone would be gathered.

It seemed that everyone was.

Uryuu sat next to a pretty, orange haired woman, carrying on an involved conversation. Next to her was Tatsuki, who was talking animatedly to Chad, sitting across from her. Several other people filled in the seats around them, but she didn't know any of the new faces. A sandy haired girl sat next to another whose hair was pitch black. Across from them was a pair of guys with the same respective hair colors.

"Ichigo!" a chorus of voices shouted as they approached the table. Loud chinks of glass met their arrival as several present raised their drinks to each other, and Ichigo deftly pulled Claire out of the way as someone's drink sloshed out of their glass and onto the floor.

Shaking his head, the apparent star of the show simply raised his beer to them in a sort of salute. The sandy haired man looked excited as he tried to get up from his chair, but Ichigo's arm instantly shot out and held him in his seat. She didn't hear what he said, but the man looked crestfallen at being held down.

"Hey everyone, look! Ichigo's near Claire and still on his feet!" Tatsuki shouted out, holding her glass high and smiling widely. She hadn't been lying about beating them to the bar, as it looked like she had been here long enough to have a few drinks already.

"That's Claire?! She's so pretty!" the orange haired woman next to Uryuu exclaimed. "Ichigo, how could you run over such a pretty woman? She just got to this country, and you knock her to the ground! She's going to think that all Japanese people are rude. I keep telling you to be nicer to girls and you'd have a girlfriend by now, but you—"

"Are you kidding me, Uryuu?!" Ichigo cut in sharply. "You told Orihime, too? You're more of a gossip than Yuzu! I told you it was a freaking accident!"

"Hey!" the sandy haired girl shouted, standing up so quickly that her chair clattered loudly to the floor. "I am not a gossip, Ichigo, and how could you run over someone?! Orihime's right— you should be nicer to girls, or you'll never find someone to want to be with you! How could you be so mean?"

"Damn, Ichigo," the dark haired girl next to Yuzu chuckled. "You haven't even been here a full five minutes and everybody is on you. It's okay, though, I am so used to you having your head up your ass that it's no surprise that you ran her over."

When Claire turned to look at Ichigo, he had his head leaned back and his bottle glued to his lips. She couldn't help the smile that tugged on her own.

Patting him on the back, she turned to the group, "It wasn't that bad. He did give me at least five seconds to enjoy my first day of Karakura Town before he trampled me."

Hearing a loud glug before a choking noise, she looked to see that his bottle was suddenly down, and Ichigo began coughing loudly. Claire's brow rose as Yuzu ran over and began fussing over him.

"Why did you drink it so fast, Ichi-nii? You know that you should be more careful, and it's embarrassing that you're doing it in front of—"

Her voice faded into the loud conversations and background noises of the bar, but Claire wasn't really sure of what to think of the woman touching Ichigo so much and being so caring over him. Her attention was drawn though, as she felt an arm around her shoulders, pulling her closer to someone.

Her pulse shot up, and her body tensed. This was not okay. Too many people, and now someone was touching her? Seeing that it was Tatsuki, she was about to try to escape the hold when the woman said, "But that's not even the best part! Guess who I saw whip Ichigo in a sword fight today at my gym?!"

"Oh, come on," Ichigo rasped from the side as everyone stopped speaking and stared in shock. Claire knew what was coming, and she tensed.

Oh shit

Ignoring him completely, Tatsuki stepped back from Claire and held her arms out at her, as if making a grand presentation.

"My new sword fighting and combat instructor, Claire Farron!" she shouted.

Claire didn't quite know whether to be flattered or insulted by the open mouthed stares that she was receiving. However, after a few awkward moments of being watched, the sandy haired man slammed his glass onto the table as he stood up and rushed over to her. Dropping to one knee, he spread his arms wide as he began to nearly cry as he spoke.

"You beat Ichigo?! I'm in love! Claire, oh sweet Claire, marry me! I'll be so much better to you than a ruffian like Ichigo! He has no idea how to treat a lady, but I—Keigo Asano— am a lover of legend! You have to say yes, or I'll—Ow!" Keigo cried as a hand roughly smacked his head, sending him all the way to the floor.

"Shut up! You're not scaring this one away. I like her!" Tatsuki snapped.

"Anyway, let's move along," she continued, stepping back to join Claire and pointing around the table. Though slightly slurred, she introduced everyone.

"You already met Uryuu. He's a doctor that works at the hospital with Ichigo. Next to him is his girlfriend, Orihime; she owns a bakery downtown. The jackass on the ground is Keigo. He's annoying, but harmless. The guy who was sitting next to him is Mizuiro. Nice guy, likes older ladies. You met Chad, too. Next to him is Karin Kurosaki, one of Ichigo's little sisters. The one who's doing the whole creepy mother hen thing is Yuzu, his other little sister."

"It is not creepy! Don't be mean just because I choose to be nice to people, rather than beat them into submission!" the offended girl cried. Claire hid her smile, her relief at the clarity unexpected, and instantly disregarded.

"Yeah yeah, I'm just glad that incest is illegal," Tatsuki muttered, which caused laughter at the outraged look on Yuzu's face, not to mention Ichigo's. Karin was laughing so hard that she was pounding her fist on the table, rattling the glasses.

"What the hell, Tats?" Ichigo asked, his expression still intact.

"Yeah!" Yuzu joined in, bringing her drink to her lips. "Even if we weren't related, what makes you think that someone as ill-mannered as Ichigo would ever have a chance with me?"

Any anger, tension, or ill feelings dissipated with the eruption of laughter at her comment.

"Come on, Claire, have a seat. Just be yourself, because I think everybody already likes you," Tatsuki said as she moved back to her seat.

Sitting down, Claire turned to see that Ichigo was talking to a server that had come to their table.

"Everybody want more of the same thing you've got?" After they all nodded their assent, Ichigo ordered another round for the table. The previous scene must have been a regular occurrence, Claire guessed, as he had all but let it go.

"I need another drink to put up with these people," he muttered as he sat down next to her.

Hmm, maybe not completely let go.

Within moments, a round of drinks arrived at the table along with several plates of food. Dubbed 'community grub' by Keigo, the group began grabbing food and continuing their conversations.

Claire noticed herself calming as the minutes passed. She found it easy to ignore the dull roar of the crowd around them, particularly because their table was possibly the loudest, yet she couldn't complain.

She also found constant entertainment in the way the group interacted with each other. Whether it was Tatsuki shoving Keigo whenever the overly-friendly man would share embarrassing stories from their high school days, or Orihime's dramatic stories that were closer to reenactments; Uryuu's progressively less-subtle hand gestures to Ichigo when Ichigo would laugh at the dark haired man's roles in those stories, or Yuzu's obvious embarrassment when conversations became less innocent, it all reminded her of her former family.

Karin and Chad had quickly become her favorites at the table. While all had their own charm, those two kept her laughing at their constant antagonizing of Ichigo. The younger woman seemed to know each and every button to push with her older brother, and Chad's stoic delivery kept the entire table bursting with laughter.

"I know that they're all crazy, but hopefully you're having a good time," he said as he turned to her several minutes later.

Hearing the implied concern, Claire allowed a small, sincere grin.

"I am. I'm glad I came, too. They really love giving you a hard time, huh?"

"You don't know the half of it," he admitted. "Still, they all seem to like you. Keigo a little too much, but that's just him."

"Yeah, that's the first marriage proposal I've ever gotten. Quite an event, I have to say."

They both laughed. It had been one hell of an entrance, yet neither could say that they were having a bad time.

Within moments, more drinks arrived as everyone else was involved in conversation about some event going on the next evening. Chad had slipped away to get ready for his performance, but the group were occupied as the topic of Ichigo's recent defeat resurfaced.

Eventually, Claire had tried to turn down the next drink Tatsuki shoved her way.

The woman had been, as always, a freight train. 'No' didn't seem to be a part of her vocabulary, and she gave a very Fang-esque vibe. The way she talked, punched Ichigo and Keigo, and put more drinks into Claire's hand every time it was empty made it hard to say no to such familiarity. Perhaps it had been the fact that she reminded her so much of her recently separated family, but Claire was easily caught up in the group's charisma, her discomfort melting away in the aura of their kindness.

As she sipped on her drink, a mostly suppressed idea in the back of her mind began to make more sense. She didn't really like to admit it, but her time before Earth had changed her irrevocably. Claire— or Lightning, more so— had experienced life with family, and she had learned the value of company, of friendship. Seeing the way that she was being easily included in so many conversations was disarming.

After a time, and several more rounds of drinks, Chad finally came out on stage. The entire table began cheering loudly, with Tatsuki and Keigo standing and whistling. Everyone was clapping, and Ichigo even shouted in support of his friend.

The band was amazing. After her…not sure which number drink, Claire was certain that Chad's band was her favorite of all time, and even cheered a little alongside the group. With the loud guitars wailing and impassioned vocals humming in the speakers, she was happy.

It felt like a lifetime ago, she giggled to herself at the sad truth of the statement, since Claire had spent so much time with friends. Shaking her head as she tried to steady herself in her seat, she knew that it had been longer than that since she'd had so much to drink. She couldn't even remember a time when she had gotten seriously drunk, either, even when she was in the Guardian Corps.

Aside from the knowledge of Chad's band's supremacy, the only fact that she could focus on was that alcohol on Cocoon didn't hold a candle to the potency of what she would later remember Tatsuki calling 'tequila shots'.

Potent's one way of putting it, she thought as she leaned back in her chair.

Taking a breath, she tried to steady herself as the environment in front of her didn't seem to want to stay still. Still, she was still having fun. As the night went on, the groups' jokes only became funnier, and the food that kept coming to the table tasted better and better.

It may have been a few hours, it may have been more, but eventually the group started to wind down. Orihime had fallen asleep on Uryuu's shoulder, and even Tatsuki had begun to slow down. Surprisingly, it had been Ichigo's little sister Karin who'd taken the most shots, but even she was now resting against Yuzu's disapproving shoulder.

Turning, she saw Ichigo on his phone. "—five minutes? Sounds great. I'll have addresses for you when you get here."

He ended the call, slipping the phone into his pocket before picking up his glass of water. Ichigo had stopped drinking a couple of hours ago, saying that whoever buys is the designated driver or taxi coordinator.

"How are you feeling, Claire?" he asked, looking over at her with a grin.

"You know," she slurred, "that techy stuff is pretty strong."

"Techy stuff?" he asked, looking confused. Suddenly, realization dawned as he chuckled and said, "Oh, tequila? Yeah, that shit will take anybody down."

Claire frowned. "Tuh-kee-lah. Tuhkeelahhh. Whatever it is, damn…"

"I'd say it's about time to get you home, huh? I've got rides coming for everybody that should be here any minute now. Let me make sure they're all going where they need to go, then we'll head out, okay?"

"Yup", Claire replied, popping the 'p' loudly. She rested her heavy head on her arms, waiting for him to come back in before she got up.

The next thing that Claire knew, her head was resting against something soft. Cracking her eyes open, she briefly saw the back of a messy head of orange hair as it walked out of her room, before her eyes closed once more.

XXXXXX

Mornings. Hateful, bright, and far too early.

Whoever invented mornings should be shot, Claire thought as her eyes opened to the blinding sunlight streaming in her window.

This is why she never got drunk. How many times, when she had been in the Corps, had she been forced to put up with hung-over soldiers? Their whining, their complaining, their headaches and nausea—she understood.

Had she really drunk so much last night? She remembered cutting up with the group, laughing and having fun, and Tatsuki saying something about shots. She also remembered Ichigo…

Ichigo!

Looking around, she quickly realized that she was at her apartment, still in her clothes from last night. He had apparently brought her home and put her in her bed. As she was still clothed, she supposed that it was all right, but what must he have thought? He seemed perfectly fine when they were talking last night—before her memory hit a blank.

Peering over the edge of the bed, she saw a trash can with vomit in it.

Oh no.

Had she vomited on him? Or in his car? She didn't remember the make, but she remembered that his car was very expensive looking. Reeling as she reached over too quickly, she tied the bag in the can to seal away her sickness.

Damn, Farron, way to go. He takes you to meet his friends and you get drunk and puke all over who-knows-what. Who needs enemies with friends like you, eh?

Clairefell back to her pillow, throwing an arm over her face. It was funny— she had jumped thousands of feet out of a falling aircraft, done acrobatic fighting maneuvers in a meteor shower, and had fought a god in the emptiness of space. Yet, cheap alcohol had trampled her like a stampede of Pulsian beasts.

How weird. Some tough 'Solider Girl' I am. Sazh would be laughing until he cried

Her thoughts were interrupted by the sounds of rattling keys and an opening door. Body tensing, she reached under her pillow and grabbed a knife that she kept. Old habits die hard, she had told herself.

Hearing paper rustling as well, she turned to the door, only to see Ichigo appear and softly knock before noticing she was awake.

"Morning, sunshine. How are you feeling?" he asked with a knowing grin.

Asshole.

"I can say that I've had my better days," she grumbled as she fought the urge to smother herself with her pillow. Not only did she have to wake up feeling like a train wreck, but it seemed that Ichigo got a front row seat to her hangover.

"How did you get into my apartment?"

Holding up a set of keys, Ichigo set them on her dresser and answered, "You don't have a way to lock it from the inside and still be able to leave, so I locked up and held onto them when I left last night. Bringing your keys back is part of the reason I'm here."

"Oh", she said, startled somewhat at his consideration.

Sliding her knife back to its home, she raked a hand through her destroyed hair. She wasn't really comfortable with him being here when she most likely looked like death and had a trashcan with vomit in it out in the open, but damn it all if he didn't just keep finding ways to be nice.

"And the other part was… ?" she asked.

"I just wanted to check up on you. I know Tatsuki and Karin are pretty fond of those tequila shots, but I wasn't sure how you'd hold up. Plus," he continued, holding up the bag in his hand, "I brought you some breakfast. Something to help the hangover."

Well shit. Here he goes being all helpful, yet again, and all I can do in return is hold myself together and pray that I didn't throw up in his car.

"Uh, thanks," she muttered lamely. Not used to being in such a vulnerable state, Claire was uncertain of what she should say. Her brow raised as Ichigo produced a couple of pills.

"No problem." Ichigo pulled a somewhat greasy-looking item from the paper sack and placed it in her hands, smiling as he said, "Here, eat up. I know you probably don't feel like eating at the moment, but trust me, this will help. Orihime's bakery makes them and they're great for hangovers."

As she adjusted herself to the smell of the food that suddenly assaulted her, Ichigo handed her a pair of pills. "Also, take these. They'll help with the headache."

Whatever the hell that food was called, it was amazing. Claire wolfed down some kind of sandwich that was full of eggs and chased it with a large bottle of water. While not the perfect cure, it definitely took off the edge.

"So," Ichigo began, "did you have a good time last night? I can promise that everyone likes you. I woke up to a ton of texts telling me that I better not piss you off, and to make sure you hang out with the gang again."

Wincing at the pain her chuckle caused her head, Claire smirked. "I enjoyed myself. You know some really interesting people, that's for sure."

"Oh yeah. Rockers, bakers, 'Legendary Lovers'," he said, smiling at the memory from last night.

"That's right! I was proposed to, wasn't I?"

She was surprised to see Ichigo look slightly ashamed. "Uh, yeah, sorry about him. Keigo is really socially awkward. He's harmless, pretty much like a puppy."

"You're apologizing? I feel like I should be. I've never really been that drunk before. Can't say that I've ever experienced tequila, either. I didn't…um…Your car, is it fine?" she asked, looking down at the trashcan.

Understanding lit Ichigo's eyes. "Yeah, it's fine! You weren't sick until you got here. Don't apologize. I am glad you came," he said in a rush. "To be honest, I didn't know if I'd run into you again— no pun intended."

"Really?"

"Yeah. I mean, you seemed pretty cool, so I was lucky that we did cross paths again. It was fun yesterday. And Tats told us that you are working at the gym now, so I'll be seeing more of you."

Both of Claire's eyebrows shot up. This was unexpected. Even after her behavior, he still wanted to see her and hang out? Weird. She was glad for it, but it was still weird.

"Actually, speaking of seeing more of you…" he began, rubbing the back of his neck.

Claire held her breath, alarmed. Did he see something, as in 'see' something? What did I actually do last night?

Ichigo cleared his throat. "Yuzu wanted me to invite you to dinner tonight, at her apartment. She's having most of the gang over, and she's an amazing cook."

Relief flooded Claire as her worries came to nothing. Still, an invitation to have dinner at his sister's apartment? The group must have really liked her if she'd gotten away with being drunk and still been asked to join them a second time.

"Are you sure? I don't want to impose."

"Um, you do realize that I'm the one inviting you, right? Your coming would, by definition, be the opposite of imposing."

Claire glared at him for a moment before conceding. "Fine, smartass. I'll go, because I enjoyed meeting everyone last night."

Releasing a deep breath through his mouth, Ichigo looked relieved at her answer. At her suspiciously narrowed gaze, he clarified, "I was told that I would get you to the dinner tonight, or I'd have hell to pay. Yuzu may not look dangerous, but she can make you pay if you piss her off."

Shaking her head, Claire gave a small chuckle. Who knew that the fighting doctor Ichigo Kurosaki was a big softy when it came to his siblings? She couldn't say anything against it, as she had never been one to tell Serah no.

The more she talked with Ichigo, the more he proved to be like her.

Claire shook herself from the musings and back to reality. She needed to shower, brush her teeth, and make herself even remotely presentable before seeing other people.

"I see. That's good information to have, I suppose," she finally replied. Glancing at the trashcan on the floor, she did what she could to smooth her shirt and skirt. She had no idea how, but things had turned out quite differently than she had expected.

"Thank you, by the way, for getting me here safely last night. I wasn't really expecting to get anywhere near that bad, so it's nice to wake up in my own bed. However, I need to get up and have some time to—uh—recover, I suppose."

Frowning at the laughter that met her words, her scowl softened somewhat as Ichigo started to head for the door. He stopped, suddenly, and turned to hold out another of his business cards.

"My cell number is on here. Just send me a message or give me a call whenever you'd like me to come get you," he said, automatically raising his hands when she visibly tensed.

"Before you say it, yes, I know you can get yourself around town. You're cool to hang out with, and even like my kind of music, so I never mind offering a ride. Dinner isn't until seven, but I'm probably going to be out driving some today, because the weather is gorgeous. If you get bored and want to see some more of the town, just let me know."

Claire was slightly stunned at the invitation. He hadn't asked her on a date or anything, just to hang out on a pretty day. It actually did seem like something that would be fun to do, but she wasn't sure that her head wouldn't explode if exposed to direct sunlight, given the way she currently felt.

"I-I might take you up on that," she stammered. "I have to wait and see how I feel once I get a shower and drink a ton of water, but I may just give you a call later on. And I am glad that you realize I can do things for myself. I'd hate to have to teach you more than sword fighting."

Any remaining tension vanished once she heard Ichigo laughing. Maybe she could actually do this 'humor' thing. It had never been her strong suit, but it seemed to be working with Ichigo and his friends, so far.

"Sure thing, Claire. I still have to find a way to get a win. Though, if you're working at Tats' place now, I'm sure I'll get a chance," he said, turning to leave again. "Well, I'll see you later. Just give me a call if you want to see some more of the town before dinner."

With that, Ichigo waved and strolled out, shutting the door behind him.

Claire smiled slightly to herself as she made her way to the bathroom. Maybe things weren't as bad as she had thought. She had gone from bored out of her mind to having several friends and a job within twenty-four hours.

Looking in the mirror, though, Claire cringed at the sight of her hair sticking up in every direction and the bags under her eyes. It was a rude awakening to her own less-than-satisfactory state.

Still, he asked you to hang out before dinner with his friends and he was looking straight at you.

As she started the shower, she felt more and more certain that she would probably take Ichigo up on his offer. The sense of normalcy that he and his friends gave her provided her with the first real sparks of excitement that she had felt for her new life.

She could definitely get used to this.