Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach, I don't own these characters, and I don't own my home (because my parents do).
Ch.2, but technically chapter 1. I'm sorry the last chapter wasn't very uneventful, but hopefully this chapter will get you pulled in! I feel that so far it's a pretty quick paced story, I mean, not too rushed or anything, but you'll understand once you begin to read it.
Thanks for all the reviews!
Quid Quo Pro
Ch.2
No Sense at All
Ichigo glanced at the sheet sitting in front of him, checking off of one of the to-do items Urahara had asked him to do.
"Now I just need to go to and make sure the other packages get delivered to the shop." Ichigo mumbled to himself, wanting nothing more than to return home.
Tokyo Japan was just too crowded with people. There was never an empty spot on the sidewalk, or any store not overstuffed with people. It was just…too much.
Ichigo was glad he lived in Karakura, a smaller suburban area of Tokyo.
He would admit that it was a pretty sight to see. Lights, billboards, and advertisements flashed all around him, and Ichigo found himself staring back at the fabulous lights. Ichigo felt like a tourist at times, and he supposed he was, considering he was still new at coming to Tokyo so often.
It surprised him that Urahara even let Ichigo go to Tokyo all by himself on a Friday night. One of the stores required him to travel to downtown Tokyo, which he had to admit, worried him. Downtown Tokyo was not a good area of the city, and although Ichigo felt he could take care of himself, it still scared him a little.
Yet at the same time, Ichigo felt excitement.
Going downtown would be something different, and although it might scream danger, Ichigo kind of liked the whole danger feeling. Not that he got into trouble or anything, but he'd had his share of boy fun, and liked the rush he felt.
Ichigo wasn't so sure he could feel that way in Tokyo, but anything was worth a shot.
Thinking soon became impossible as people jam-packed around him, talking to their neighbors loudly, or trying to hear who ever they were talking on the phone clearly. It felt similar to eating lunch at school, over the top. Pushing himself through the crowd, Ichigo made it to the side of where the shops were, having a little bit more room to move about. A voice much louder than the rest of the people talking around him caught his attention, and he turned his head to the right to see a bunch of televisions in the window of a store.
"The unknown Yakuza gang struck again late last night, leaving two members of another gang injured, and one dead. No one knows the name of this gang, and local officials are still unsure if it is the same gang doing the dirty work. The only evidence they have of the gang members are the symbols they wear. If anyone comes across someone wearing a black jacket, with a red dragon on their right sleeve, local officials ask that you leave immediately, and stay free of danger." The reporter went on.
Ichigo had been so caught up in the news that he hadn't realized the people walking, and quickly hurried forward.
Gangs were what made downtown Tokyo dangerous. Ichigo had heard about them plenty, particularly the unknown gang the reporter had been talking about. Were they a new gang?
Finding the next store Ichigo needed to enter, he walked briskly into the door, aggravated at the large amount of people wandering around in the small space, and tried his best to push himself through the crowd like before.
It was honestly safe to say that Ichigo could never live in Tokyo.
An old lady stood behind the counter, her glasses nearly bigger than her head.
"What do you want?" The old lady asked in a rude tone. Ichigo sighed and pulled out a small crumbled sheet from his pocket, and handed it to the lady.
"What is this?" The lady barked, averting her eyes back and forth from the list.
"I need everything on that list delivered to a shop in Karakura town." Ichigo replied. The older lady scanned the sheet again before nodding her head.
"Alright, fine kid, what's the address?" The lady mumbled, getting a pen from behind her counter.
"11265 Sakura Pine Drive, Karakura Town, Japan, 11210." Ichigo replied. The lady nodded.
"Why couldn't you have just called to get these items delivered?" The woman asked.
"Our phones have been acting up." Ichigo replied. As if it were any of the woman's business why Ichigo were coming to her shop. She sure was a nosy woman.
"Alright alright, well the delivery will take a few days." The woman replied.
"Thanks." Ichigo mumbled, and turned around, pushing himself out of the store like before to get to the exit.
Most of his jobs that evening consisted of requesting deliveries to the shop, as Urahara sometimes made Ichigo do. He only had to pick up one thing for the store, and it was small enough for Ichigo to stick in his pocket.
After repeating the process at several other stores, Ichigo made his way to the bus-stop to travel to Downtown Japan. Ichigo had only gone once, and it had been during the day.
To Ichigo's luck, most of the stores and businesses he'd stopped at while traveling around downtown Tokyo had not been too bad. He saw some homeless people, and several men that gave him a hard eye. Luckily, Ichigo had long covered up his head of fire due to the cold with the hood of his jacket, so at least no one would start something because of his hair, which had the tendency to happen when he was younger in Karakura.
The problem was that Ichigo had gotten himself lost. Ichigo was supposed to be home by eleven, and it was ten forty five. He was a little worried. Urahara never got angry with him, but Tessai on the other hand would not let him off the hook, and he was sure of it.
Seeing the bus-station in the clearing, Ichigo ran to catch the bus, although he had plenty of time to spare. It was just so dark, and all the streets sounded similar, that caused Ichigo to finally reach the bus.
To his surprise, there were quite a few people aboard, mainly old people, and a few other people that looked sane.
The bus began to move, and Ichigo leaned his head against the window. All in all, Ichigo didn't like the jobs Urahara made him do. Sure, it was an excuse to get out of the house, and he was getting paid, but it was still pretty boring, and sometimes it felt pointless.
About five minutes later, more people were entering the bus. Ichigo glanced at them as they took their seats, but his eyes suddenly froze when they fell onto a very familiar person.
Kuchiki Rukia.
She had her purse attached to her right arm, wearing a light blue coat over whatever outfit she had on. Her eyes were still the same strange violet color, and she still walked like the same quiet girl at school.
And then the questions overflowed in his mind.
Why the hell was Kuchiki Rukia in downtown Tokyo, on the exact same bus that he happened to get on? Why was she all by herself? Did she know someone down there? A family member? A friend? It would have been one thing to see anyone else from his class, but not her, not someone so thought of as being high and mighty, due to her grades and status to the school.
It was just…too overwhelming, and she hadn't even seen him. Then again, he didn't know her at all, so it was quite unlikely that she would recognize him anyway, plus, he had his hood on to cover up his orange hair.
He watched her take her seat, and had to turn his head back around when she finally sat down. The bus began to move, and Ichigo kept his eyes forward.
It bothered him how curious he suddenly was about Rukia. What kind of sick coincidence was Ichigo witnessing?
The night strolled on, and more and more people were exiting the bus rather than entering. Ichigo was in all honesty still completely unaware of where his location was, despite being on a bus that was supposed to take him closer to Karakura.
Besides, he wanted to know more about Rukia, and why the hell she happened to be in downtown Tokyo at the exact same time as him, even if it was on a Friday night.
Ichigo finally called Urahara to let him know he was still out and about. As Ichigo figured, Urahara in know way cared, and even sounded a little annoyed that Ichigo called him in the first place. He hung up his phone and glanced at a street sign outside, hoping he could figure out where he was.
Like usual, the street name brought up nothing familiar in Ichigo's mind.
Rukia continued to stay on the bus as well.
Perhaps she was lost?
More and more people left the bus, until Ichigo and Rukia were the only ones aboard. It was about 11:45, and Ichigo hoped and prayed Tessai wouldn't get on him too hard.
He was tempted to go and talk to Rukia, to see if she had any clue where she was like him, but he fought with himself. She probably wouldn't recognize him, even if he did take his hood off. Kuchiki Rukia never glanced at others. She probably only talked to people at the meetings she attended as president to all the clubs.
The bus stopped once again, although Ichigo was pretty sure no one would be entering the bus.
Ichigo was very, very wrong.
He couldn't help but stare at the two men that walked aboard, and the news Ichigo had been watching earlier repeated in his brain.
Two men wearing black jackets with a red dragon on their right sleeve entered the bus. When they both glanced over at Ichigo, he quickly turned away.
"If anyone comes across someone wearing a black jacket, with a red dragon on their right sleeve, local officials ask that you leave immediately, and stay free of danger."
That was Ichigo's immediate response to seeing the yakuza members, but then he remembered that he was not the only high school student sitting in a seat further back then him, which was where the two yakuza members were headed.
He wanted to high tail it off the bus, but he couldn't bring himself to leave Rukia, who was probably not very good at defending herself, on the bus all alone. Ichigo was a descent fighter, as he'd had to fight a lot when he was younger, when people attacked him because of his hair color.
Ichigo turned his head around to where Rukia was facing, and sure enough, the men were heading straight towards her. He whipped his head back around to where the bus driver sat, hoping to get some help, but his eyes widened.
The bus driver too had a black jacket on, and from what Ichigo could tell the same symbol on his right sleeve. When had the driver put the jacket on? Surely he hadn't had it on the whole time, while other passengers were riding freely around.
"Scoot over." A voice from behind Ichigo said. He whipped his head around to see the two men circling around Rukia, and although she did not look fearful, he had the feeling she was just the type of person that hid her emotions well.
Ichigo closed his eyes and stood from his spot, taking slow steps towards the two men and Rukia.
Being raised to protect his sisters, Ichigo couldn't help but have the natural instinct to want to protect Rukia, another student in his school he really didn't know.
It surprised him when Rukia did scoot over, and he quickened his pace.
"Hey! Let her go!" Ichigo shouted, hoping to stop the men from their actions.
The two men froze and turned to stare long and hard at Ichigo.
It was then that he noticed the two katanas at their hip, their hands gripping the hilt dangerously.
"Who the hell are you?" One of the men asked. He was bald with a strange red color on the corner of both of his eyes, probably another part of the gang.
Ichigo gulped, but moved forward.
"It doesn't matter, but it'd be wise if you let that girl go." Ichigo said back, hoping the determination in his face was enough to let them know he was serious.
"And what are you going to do about it?" The other man asked, his hair a strange maroon color, pulled up into a high pony tail. He had a bandana tied around his forehead, the same dragon symbol on his arm on the bandana.
"Punch the living daylights out of you is what." Ichigo threatened taking another step forward.
Ichigo finally glanced at Rukia again, and saw that she looked to be in…shock.
Did she recognize him after all?
"Take your hood off." Rukia suddenly spoke, her voice strangely calm.
Ichigo stared at her blankly, wondering why she would ask such a thing in the midst of being attacked. He did as she asked, and he didn't like how her eyes widened further, like his hair was monstrous.
"I know you, don't I?" Rukia asked.
"Yah er, we go to school together." Ichigo replied.
Something wasn't right.
Rukia was talking calmly, the men that were around her weren't attacking him or trying to hurt Rukia.
"You know this guy, Rukia?" The guy with the bandana asked.
Ichigo's eyes widened. How the hell did they know Kuchiki Rukia's name?
"Like he just said, he goes to my school." Rukia replied, surprise still on her face.
"Well we've got a problem then." The bald guy mumbled to Rukia.
The red-headed guy and Rukia both nodded, though Rukia looked much worried than the others.
"You know these guys?" Ichigo finally asked Rukia.
The red-headed guy stepped closer to Ichigo.
"Now is not the time kid. You shouldn't even be on this bus." The guy mumbled.
The sound of a watch beeping caught their attention, and Rukia's body stiffened.
"It's time." Rukia whispered, averting her eyes back to Ichigo's. He hadn't ever looked at Rukia very much, but he'd never seen her so open.
"What do we do? They'll be here any second!" The bald guy shouted.
"We need to hide you." The red-head guy replied. He grabbed Ichigo by the shirt of his collar and shoved him to the back of the bus.
"Hide behind the last row, and I swear, I'll slice you with this sword if you make a sound." The bald guy muttered to him. Ichigo obeyed the man, as his threat sounded loud and clear.
As he slunk onto the ground at the back of the bus, he just couldn't figure anything out. How did Rukia know those men? Who was coming to talk to them on the bus?
How come those gang members hadn't already killed Ichigo?
His body froze when the bus doors opened again, and slow footsteps slowly began entering on the bus. Ichigo looked out of the back window and saw no street signs or anything familiar.
Where were they?
Ichigo's night had really turned into something else.
It was already extremely crazy that Kuchiki Rukia had sat on the same bus as he had, but then to find that she has something to do with…a wanted and what sounded like a deadly gang?
He just hoped he could survive the night.
An unfamiliar voice caught his attention.
"Ah, Rukia-san, what a pleasant surprise." A deep voice said coolly.
"Sousuke-san, how are you?" Rukia replied, her voice sounding…too calm and peaceful.
"I was just dropping off this treaty your leader wanted us to sign." The man, Sousuke, Ichigo presumed, replied.
"Thank you." Rukia replied.
There was a long silence until Rukia spoke again.
"There was never any agreement in the treaty for the boundaries to change." Rukia snapped back, her voice a little bit more menacing and tough than before.
Ichigo was still having trouble picturing the quiet Rukia talking with such energy and life. What was he to say anyways? He knew just about zip about her.
The sounds of guns loading made Ichigo worry.
"Your leader asked me to make a new treaty, he never said any details of what." Sousuke replied, his voice not as cool and conformed as before.
"I'm sorry Sousuke-san, but this is a big problem." Rukia replied.
"It's only a problem for you." The man Sousuke replied.
"I suggest you go and redo the treaty, taking of these boundary changes. I may not be much of a threat to you, but the leader will be." Rukia replied.
"No, you are indeed no threat at all, which is why I have no problem with taking your life." Sousuke replied.
The sound of a gun shot was heard, and Ichigo rose to his feet, adrenaline filling his veins at the thought of someone hurting another person right in front of his face.
Instead, he got seven shocked stares, including Rukia, who was injured free.
"And who is this?" Sousuke asked, pointing a gun directly at Ichigo.
Ichigo had simply wished for something in his life to change, not for it to end.
A/N: Intense right? A little? I really hoped this chapter turned out alright, I mean, I know it wasn't really…fun filled, but I personally liked it. And if people are like "that seems highly impossible for Ichigo to happen to get on the exact same bus as Rukia" well I highly disagree. Ichigo wanted something crazy to happen, and he got his wish. Everything happens for a reason people (that's my belief) so I hope you enjoyed it. Things will obviously be explained to come if anyone was wondering. It's supposed to be kind of unanswered and confusing.
I know I updated this quickly, but I always do that for the second chapter since the first is usually the intro.
PLEASE REVIEW!!