Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach. If I did Ichigo and Rukia would be together already.

In case you didn't notice already, the bold and italic writing is the 'beta-reader' a.k.a. current me, and the normal bold is the 12-year me.

Chapter 3: Watch Out For Karma And Irony

March 30th, 2082. Shinigami Academy, A Wing.

A week until the classes start, huh... Ichigo thought. He was briskly walking through the hallways, following the map he had been given to his room.

Ichigo stopped in front of an unremarkable wooden door. A sign with the numbers '217' written in Japanese kanji was hung on the door.

'Wonder if my roommate is there already... or if I even have one yet.

Ichigo opened the door, his eyes landing on a boy sitting on one of the two beds in the room.

The room itself was simply furnished, with a bed and a dresser on each side of the room. Light came into the room from a large window on the far wall.

"Hello," a blond-haired boy greeted, putting the book he was reading on the bed. "Nice to meet you. My name is Kasumi-Ouji Kotarou."

"Hi," Ichigo said in turn. "Kurosa-gi Ichirou, nice to meet cha."

Frowning, he stared at Kotarou intently. He looked somewhat familiar.

"Do I know you?" Ichigo asked, finally.

"Probably not. You're from Rukongai, right?" Kotarou asked.

"Erm, yeah," Ichigo said, scratching the back of his head. That was a lie.

"I'm a noble," Kotarou said simply. Picking his book back up, he proceeded to ignore Ichigo.

"Hmm." Ichigo grabbed Kotarou's book, causing him to let out some protests. Ichigo ignored them. "You're a noble, right? Then you've probably never been out much. You've probably been protected in your mansion all your life. This is the perfect chance to explore!"

Ichigo grabbed Kotarou's wrist and dragged him out the door.

Kotarou blinked. The way of the nobles was not exactly common knowledge.

How did a boy from Rukongai know even that much?

Shinigami Academy, D Wing.

Ichigo scowled. "This place is way too big. This is the twentieth Zanjutsu classroom we've run into. How many are there?"

The two of them were walking through the hallways, systematically opening every door they spotted. Well, Ichigo was doing most of the opening.

"Why did you drag me out?" Kotarou complained.

"Perfect time to figure out where everything is. Come on, Kotarou, we'll be lost on the first day if we don't look around."

"That's Kasumi-Ouji-san, Kurogi-san," Kotarou corrected.

"Meh, we're friends, right?" Ichigo smirked

"Since when?" Kotarou demanded.

"Since now," Ichigo answered, opening another door.

Kotarou sighed. "If you say so, Kurogi-san."

"Oi! You two! What are you doing here?"

Katsura and Ichigo turned around to see three burly sixth-years. They were the very epitome of stereotypical school bully.

Ichigo scowled. "We were just exploring."

"Yeah? Well, this is our personal zanjutsu room."

"I was under the impression that no one owns zanjustsu rooms," Kotarou muttered.

"You're awfully confident for a first-year, considering that you probably can't even use a sword," the one in front growled.

Ichigo realized that it was a bad idea to anger these sixth-years, even though they seemed like they had jumped out of a badly written school story.

"We were just going," Kotarou quickly said.

"Sure, then go," Burly No. 1 sneered.

"I'm afraid you're blocking the doorway," Katsura said.

"Yeah? Then I suppose that you'll have to fight us to get through. You see, I hate first-years. They're so weak. And annoying. So, I like to teach them a lesson." Burly No. 2 held up a shinai, a wooden weapon used for practice.

Ichigo sighed. "You guys are idiots, aren't you?"

The three sixth-years glared at Ichigo.

"You'll pay for that!" Burly No. 2 snapped.

"You little-" Burly No. 1 was knocked out before he could lift his shinai. Ichigo had shunpo'd behind him and had hit him on the back of the head.

Before the other two could even speak, Ichigo knocked them unconscious as well.

Kotarou's eyes widened. "That... was..."

Ichigo winced.

"So cool!" Kotarou exclaimed, an excited expression on his face. A moment later, he coughed and composed himself.

Ichigo blinked in surpirse. He wasn't expecting that.

"Uh, okay..." Ichigo muttered.

"Where did you learn to fight like that?" Kotarou asked.

"Erm, Rukongai was a rough place," Ichigo said, fabricating a lie.

"And shunpo?" Kotarou demanded.

"That was shunpo?" Ichigo said innocently.

April 1st, 2082. 2:37 p.m.

Ichigo sighed. There wasn't anything to do, as Kotarou had gone home to his mansion until school started. Kotarou came yesterday just to see his roommate, and to see what sort of Academy was.

His uniform had been delivered earlier today, so he was wearing his new blue/white hakama.

Ichigo lay back down on his bed. Suddenly, the door flew open.

"Ichigo!" Rukia cried.

I should've locked the door.

Ichigo quickly sat up. "Rukia? What are yo-"

Rukia hit Ichigo on the head, a slight frown on her face. "Why didn't you tell me that you came to Soul Society, idiot? And what's with your hair?"

"Why does everyone ask me that?" Ichigo muttered, irritation lacing his voice.

"Anyhow, I need to show you around Seireitei!" Rukia exclaimed, her hand tightening around Ichigo's arm. She dragged Ichigo out the door.

Well, more specifically, Rukia pulled Ichigo and Ichigo reluctantly followed her.

He was in the exact opposite position as yesterday, when he was the one dragging Kotarou out the door.

Oh, the irony.

Rukia and Ichigo briskly walked along the streets of Seireitei.

"This is the restaurant district!" Rukia exclaimed as they turned into a new street, gesturing towards the stores.

"Seireitei has a restaurant district?" Ichigo muttered, giving the restaurants a cursory glance.

"Of course! Shinigami have reiatsu. Therefore, they need food." Rukia said matter-of-factly.

"... who owns the restaurants?" Ichigo asked, his curiousity getting the better of him.

"Certain Rukongai spirits are allowed to open up shops in Seireitei," Rukia explained.

"Anyways, don't you have work?" Ichigo asked.

"No." Rukia shook her head. "I have a break today."

They walked in silence for a few moments, before a voice broke through the silence.

"Ichigo?" a voice called out.

Ichigo and Rukia turned around.

"Ichigo! It is you!" a familiar redhead grinned at the two of them.

"Renji!" Ichigo exclaimed.

"Hey, Ichigo. Nice hakama." Renji smirked. He was porting a white haori on top of his Shinigami uniform. "You're going to the Shinigami Academy, huh?"

"Shut up." Ichigo scowled. "Did you get more arrogant after you became the captain of the 5th squad?"

"Scowling as usual, Ichigo," Renji retorted. "Hey, Rukia. Did Ichigo tell you that he came to Soul Society?"

"No, that idiot didn't say a word," Rukia complained.

"If he didn't tell his girlfriend that he came, then he probably didn't tell anyone," Renji decided, nodding as if he had figured out something important.

"Rukia's not my girlfriend!" Ichigo snapped, his scowl deepening.

"I'm not his girlfriend!" Rukia exclaimed at the same time.

"Whatever you say," Renji said, a knowing smirk on his face.

"Don't you have paperwork to do?" Ichigo demanded, changing the subject.

"My lieutenant is doing it," Renji said cheerfully.

A shout of 'Abarai-taichou!' could be heard from their current position.

"Oh, great, she found me. See you later, Ichigo!" Renji gave Ichigo and Rukia a little wave before disappearing in a blur.

Rukia rolled his eyes. "He's always skipping out on his paperwork."

"Didn't he have to do it when he was a vice-captain?" Ichigo asked.

"Nii-sama did most of it," Rukia explained. "Now, let's go to the shopping district next! Do you still have that ticket that Nii-sama gave you a few decades ago?"

"Huh? Oh, that thing that allowed you to buy anything from a Kuchiki shop in Soul Society?" Ichigo rummaged around in a pocket for a moment. "Yeah, I still have it."

"Good. Let's go!" Rukia exclaimed.

April 1st, 2082. 10:56 p.m.

Ichigo flopped down on his bed with a sigh.

Geez, Rukia didn't have to drag me to all those different places...

I'm dead tired now.

I sure hope that she doesn't decide to drag me to a bunch of different places tomorrow as well.

I have five more days until class starts.

Ichigo shuddered at the thought of being dragged around for five more days straight.

He closed his eyes, slowly drifting off to sleep.

Next time, Ichigo starts the Shinigami Academy.