*So I present to you Chapter 9 of To My Death I Fight. Before I say anything, I would like to announce that this story has several entries now up on Tvtropes! I discovered the links by complete accident, but when I read them, I couldn't help but realize that my story is awesome!
*I've been asked a few times what Tournesol means. Yes, it means Sunflower in French, but that is not why I chose it. It is a reference to the most powerful Greatsword in Final Fantasy XII. Of course, that is in name only. Ichigo's Tournesol is merely a blue-colored katana similar in nature to the Scissor Blades. You can chalk the choice of the name to Kisuke, who might just be a big fan of RPGs.
* If anyone wants to draw a picture of Ichigo wearing Mugetsu, that would be fantastic.
*I have some ideas for character themes. These are just out of the blue. Think of them as Omake if you want to.
1) Ragyo + Junketsu Combined Battle Theme: Lightning Returns: SUPREME GOD BHUNIVELZE (The first 2 minutes or so at least)
2) Nui Harime Explanation / Flashback Theme: Team Fortress 2: Right Behind You
...
Chapter 9 – Bohemian Rhapsody
It was his lunch break and Aikuro Mikisugi was busy reading one of his favorite novels. He really had nothing better to do at the moment. Ryuko Matoi was still getting acquainted with her Kamui, Senketsu was its name if he recalled corrected. He wouldn't be able to speak with her face to face until she realized Senketsu couldn't be activated with a small blood donation. Ichigo Kurosaki, on the other hand, Aikuro didn't know what to make of him. The boy had a Kamui, which was interesting to say the least since he hadn't expected it, but his utter lack of knowledge regarding anything going on at Honnouji Academy intrigued him.
"Perhaps I'll talk to Ichigo again soon," Aikuro muttered as he turned the page in his book, "But then again, I'm worried about my personal health if I do end up talking to him. This is a worrying conundrum…"
Several minutes passed in peaceful silence before his cell phone began ringing.
Normally that wouldn't be a problem. Every teacher at Honnouji Academy had a cell phone, courtesy of Satsuki Kiryuin, so that they could be contacted on short notice. What bothered him was that it was his personal Nudist Beach cell phone that was ringing. There were only a few people in Japan that knew his number and all of them knew not to bother him while he was undercover at Honnouji Academy. The chance of being discovered as a spy was too great of a risk. Deciding that whoever was calling him had a good reason, Aikuro flipped it open and yawned, "You've reached the wonderful man known as Aikuro Mikisugi. How may I be of service?"
"Hello to you as well, you naked bastard."
Aikuro nearly fell out of his chair upon hearing the familiar voice.
"Hold on just one second!" He stammered into the phone before quickly walking around his office and making sure he was completely alone. After locking his door, drawing his shades and making sure the bugs planted by Inumuta were recording junk and irrelevant data, he let out a chuckling sigh, "Isshin Shiba, or is it still Kurosaki? My, it's been quite a long time since you decided not to speak to me."
At the other end of the line, Isshin Kurosaki was busy looking over several new and, at first glance, superfluous additions to his home, "Yeah, it's great to speak to you as well, you naked bastard, but something's come up that I think you should know about."
Sitting back down, Aikuro leaned backwards and propped his feet up on his desk, "Important enough to speak to me after over a decade of silence?"
"You know why I didn't call or speak to you," Isshin responded.
"Yeah," Aikuro's eyes fell, "After I heard what happened, I couldn't help but realize I would have done the same thing if I were to be in your situation."
Isshin sighed and closed his eyes, "What's done is done. Besides, we have a much bigger problem on our hands than some small personal vendetta."
Aikuro's eyes widened in realization, "You don't mean – "
Isshin grit his teeth as he answered, "Ragyo's started making her move."
That was the worst thing that Aikuro wanted to hear. After taking a moment to catch his breath, he asked, "Are you certain?"
"I'm keeping things close to the chest on this one, Aikuro," Isshin admitted, "But I advise you to be extremely careful in the near future. I don't know if Ragyo will start making her move in a few weeks, a few months or even next year, but the fact remains that it will be soon. If what I saw at Revocs was any indication of her mindset, she is extremely confident about something. A confident Ragyo is something that scares me. She all but admitted that there was nothing I could do to stop her, and that's not to mention that Nui Harime was hiding nearby the entire time I was there. As much as she likes to imagine herself as being superior to everyone she meets, Nui cannot fool me."
Aikuro knew very little about Isshin's relation to Ragyo, but what he did know implied that the two of them had once been very close friends, "If you know so much about Ragyo Kiryuin, why do you refuse to help us? You must know that your knowledge and experience would be invaluable in taking her down before things can get out of hand."
"If only it were that simple," Isshin bolted a panel into place and took a step back, "Ragyo is too smart of a woman to not realize something like that. She's most likely already aware of my relation with your group and what I might have told you. I wouldn't put it past her to have spies watching my every move. So even if I were to come to Osaka, the odds that Ragyo's already planned for that is quite high. She may be a crazy and sociopathic bitch with no regard for anyone but herself, but she's anything but stupid."
"If what you say is true," Aikuro's voice was full of concern, "Then what was the purpose of calling me?"
"It's about Ichigo," Isshin stated immediately, "By now, he's probably discovered that his uniform is actually a Kamui. You've probably already spoken to him as well. I don't know what Kisuke was thinking when he decided to make a Kamui, but I need you to, as a favor to me, watch over him. Ichigo may be smart and strong, but he's always been stubborn as a mule. He won't back down from a fight if it comes to that. Make sure he survives his time at Honnouji Academy, especially since several people are going to start taking an interest in him."
"Hmm…you're worried about Satsuki Kiryuin's plans for him?"
"It's not Ragyo's daughter I'm concerned about," Isshin ran a hand down his face, "If you knew half the things I do…you just need to trust me on this."
Isshin heard Aikuro sigh across the line, "Fine. I guess I owe you one. I'll make sure Ichigo doesn't do anything stupid. I'll contact you if anything new comes up, Isshin. Be careful."
With that final warning, Aikuro hung up, leaving Isshin Kurosaki alone with his thoughts. After nearly a minute had passed, he lowered his cell phone away from his ear and decided to go back to work.
"You aren't the only one with a trick or two of their sleeve, Ragyo," Isshin muttered to himself as he continued working on making his house completely safe.
It was something that he started years ago with Masaki. Sort of a pet project, if one could call it that. After rescuing Ichigo from Ragyo's clutches, they both realized what her plans were but could do nothing to stop it. To the rest of the world Ragyo was known as the strict CEO of Revocs who helped make her company one of the most powerful on the planet. If either Isshin or Masaki had accused Ragyo of the heinous acts she was truly guilty of, not only would they be laughed at, but Ragyo would come after them with the full force of Revocs and COVERS behind her, the consequences for both sides be damned.
So instead of actively working against Ragyo, and incurring her undivided attention, Isshin decided to go on the defensive. The first thing Isshin did was make Kisuke place memory modifiers throughout Karakura Town that would work to prevent Revocs from gaining a foothold in the town. It wouldn't stop someone like Ragyo from knowing the town existed, but it would stop her from setting up a subsidiary within the town. The second thing he did was something he hid from everyone, and Isshin meant everyone. No one knew what he had done, and Isshin hoped no one would ever found out. Even Masaki, bless her heart, didn't know about what he had absconded from Revocs with after rescuing Ichigo. It had been nothing but a spur of the moment decision, but in the end it might be one of the key events to stop Ragyo's plans.
"If only I could believe that," Isshin thought gloomily as he finished installing a panel of his Anti-Life Fiber security system. It had taken a pretty penny, courtesy of an oblivious Nudist Beach, but when he was done, the Kurosaki household would be impervious to anything containing active Life Fibers, apart from those he expressively allows within its boundaries of course. Letting out a breath of exhaustion from nearly three hours of working outdoors, Isshin was about to go back to work when a soft-spoken voice suddenly appeared right next to him.
"You look a little tired, Mr. Kurosaki. Would you like some lemonade?"
Isshin put on a goofy smile, "Why yes I would! Thanks a bunch for helping me out with this little renovation project of mine, Ururu. I know it must be a bother to help out and all, but I really appreciate it."
Ururu Tsumugiya's blush momentarily intensified before she tapped her arm proudly, "I-It's not a problem, Mr. Kurosaki. I'm stronger than I look, you know."
"That you are!" Isshin guffawed as he ruffled her hair, "But please call me Isshin! Mr. Kurosaki makes me sound like an old man!"
"O-Okay," Ururu turned around and, without so much as a grunt, lifted lumber and metal weighing nearly half a ton over her head, "Where do you want me to put these?"
Taking a sip from his lemonade, Isshin said, "Just put them in the back. Since Karin and Yuzu are staying with Yoruichi and Tessai, they won't be bothered by the noise."
He wanted to see Nui Harime just try and get inside his house again. If she so much as stepped one foot inside the barrier, she'll be burned alive. Isshin sighed in depression as he realized that would never happen. As psychotic as she may be, Nui wasn't an idiot, no matter how she acted.
"Damn, a man can dream…"
...
"The gap between the rich and poor is pretty large."
Ryuko's observation broke Mako out of her sleep, causing her to jolt back to consciousness with nearly perfect fluidity, "It makes perfect sense, since Honnou City is ruled by Lady Satsuki. The top-tier students are given homes in the really expensive residential areas while No-Star students like us have to live in the slums."
"Your position at school determines where you live?" Ryuko grumbled into the palm of her hand as she gazed out of the trolley. They had just entered the living quarters for the One-Star students and already she could see quite the difference. Instead of homes constructed out of anything available and multiple families living in the same building, there were rows upon rows of middle-class housing and apartments that were leagues above the Mankanshoku's home.
"Yep! Pretty straightforward, huh?"
"I guess," Ryuko blinked before she remembered something, "Hey, didn't you say that Ichigo lives in the student dorms?"
"I did?" Mako brought a finger up to her chin, "Oh, I did! Yep! Honnouji Academy has student dorms. They are where exchange students with lots of money stay. Usually the dorms are empty, since most of the exchange students prefer the One and Two-Star housing, but the dorms are really nice, even if they are super expensive to stay in."
"They're that expensive?" Ryuko asked amazed, "Then how does Ichigo afford it? He didn't seem like the kind of person to have a lot of money."
"I don't know!" Mako replied with the exuberance of someone talking about winning the lottery, "But Ichigo's super smart! He's, like, a genius or something."
"Ichigo's that smart?" The trolley jolted to a stop as it finally arrived in front of Honnouji Academy. As Ryuko stepped off, while Mako did a front flip out of the window, she saw a familiar figure shambling towards them.
"Good morning, Ichigo!" Mako waved towards the tired Ichigo.
"Hey Mako," Ichigo waved back with a tired yawn. He was still trying to come to grips with what happened last night. When he returned to his dorm, he had spent a few hours going over what happened instead of going to bed. He just couldn't get what the girl had said to him out of his mind. Ichigo knew without a doubt that she could have wiped the floor with him within the first few seconds if she really wanted to. The fact that she instead talked to him, albeit in a very creepy and disturbing way, implied that she had an ulterior motive. If push came to shove and he was forced to fight her, Ichigo wasn't certain that even with Mugetsu's full power he could fight her to a standstill, let alone actually win.
"You look like something Mako's dog dragged in," Ryuko pointed out with concern upon seeing his exhausted state, "Didn't get much sleep last night, huh?"
"You could say that," Ichigo answered while rubbing his eyes in an attempt to remove some of the tiredness plaguing him, "After everything that happened yesterday, I needed time to come to terms with what's going on at this school. I've been here for less than a week and yet some of the things I've seen just doesn't make much sense to me."
Ryuko propped the silver case containing her Scissor Blade onto the ground and sat on it like a makeshift chair, "I know what you mean. Before I came here, I was known as the Kanto Vagabond or, as those idiots in Kobe called me, the Guitar Case Drifter. I've seen a lot of weird things, but Honnouji Academy takes the cake. Two words, Ichigo – Beef Tank."
Ichigo quirked an eyebrow, "Beef Tank?"
"Don't ask," Ryuko said with annoyance, "So Ichigo, you never told me where you came from."
"I'm from Karakura Town," Ichigo thought about how different Karakura Town was from Honnou City. The sheer number of differences between the two towns was something that his mind couldn't completely grasp. It was almost as if they existed in different worlds, "Sure there are some strange things in Karakura, but nothing quite like this. We didn't have clothes that could transform into suits of armor, turn your skin as hard as steel or give normal people superpowers. Hell, the most exciting thing that happened was a ghost sighting or two."
"Sounds like a boring place," Ryuko smirked. Noticing that Mako had wandered off to watch a flock of birds fly by, she added, "I don't think Mako's quite all there."
"I know someone like her," Ichigo remembered Orihime's daydreams and imagination. While her experiences in Hueco Mundo tempered her once legendary imagination and exuberance, she sometimes fell back into her old routines, much to all of Ichigo's friends collective annoyance, "The best thing to do is to just let her do her thing. Eventually she'll come back to reality."
"And if she doesn't?"
"Then we call a doctor," Ichigo deadpanned. Noticing what time it was, he began heading into Honnouji Academy, "We should head to class before Gamagori shows up."
"That's right!" Mako's shocked voice rang out from where she had stopped following the birds, "Only ten minutes until school starts! If I'm late just one more time, I'll be expelled!"
Quickly catching up to Ryuko and Ichigo, she turned to her best friend and said, "Oh! That reminds me! Ryuko, my mom said that if you need someplace to – "
While Mako was talking, Ichigo had been walking in front of her. So it was quite odd when he felt something fly by over his right shoulder and hit Mako in the face.
"Mom said that!" Another volley, this time over his left shoulder, smashed into Mako's face, "If you don't have a place to stay!" A third volley hit Mako's face, causing Ichigo duck out of the way as a fourth volley screamed through the spot where his head had just been, "You can stay! With us! She's already filed the paperwork!"
Ryuko stared in shock and awe at the bruised and smoking face of Mako, "Are you ok, Mako? Ichigo?"
"I'm fine," Ichigo pulled himself off the ground and dusted Mugetsu off, "But the person who just tried to hit me isn't going to be."
"You must be the transfer students that were rude to Lady Satsuki," a haughty voice announced, drawing ever closer as she spoke, "For the moment, I have no interest in anything concerning you. I'm the Girls Tennis Club captain, Omiko Hakodate, and I'm here on official club business."
"How is trying to kill us club business?" Ichigo stared at Omiko Hakodate as if she had grown another head, which, by the attire she was wearing, she might as well have. The club captain wore an exaggerated version of the standard female tennis uniform with two glowing red stars stitched across the front as well as on her visor. The underside of her dress was filled to the brim with tennis balls, giving it a strange appearance. Held in one hand across her shoulders was a black and red tennis racket that glowed with the number of Life Fibers stitched within it.
Hakodate smirked at Ichigo, exposing her razor sharp teeth, "You must be Ichigo Kurosaki. Your attitude and lack of survival skills are everything Lady Satsuki warned us about, but you need to shut up and stay out of this. Club member Mako Mankanshoku failed to fulfill her daily club obligations. She is to be purged as a result, which is all standard procedure as stated in the Honnouji Academy Athletic Club Guidelines. Now let the punishment commence."
With a snap of her fingers, all of the One-Star students lined up behind Hakodate tossed a tennis ball into the air and aimed not at Mako, but at Ichigo and Ryuko. While Ryuko used her silver case as a makeshift shield, blocking the tennis balls from hitting her body, Ichigo was more proactive and used his sheathed Tournesol, which he had decided to carry at all times after what happened yesterday, to block and deflect those aimed at him.
"What's wrong with you, you crazy bitch?" Ryuko shouted from behind her shield, "What did Mako do wrong in the first place?"
Hakodate slammed the end of her racket into the ground, "You're knowledge of Honnouji is severely lacking, transfer student. Mako Mankanshoku skipped yesterday's club practice. Anyone who fails to come to practice without a legitimate excuse is required to suffer the 110 Million Cannonball Serves. Unless you wish to partake in Mankanshoku's punishment, you will stay out of the way. An outside like you or Ichigo Kurosaki has no right to complain about club policies!"
"Yesterday?" Ichigo stepped in front of Mako. With Tournesol still sheathed but held in front of his body, he said, "Mako was held hostage yesterday and nearly killed for doing nothing and you're trying to punish her for that?"
"Tch," Hakodate spit at Ichigo before grinning. Raising her tennis racket into the air with one hand, she pointed it at Ryuko and said, "I don't care if she was almost killed or not! The issue I have is that she was taken hostage without permission. If she had simply had Sanageyama sign the standard Kidnapping Exemption Form then there wouldn't be a problem."
Ryuko angrily slammed her silver case on the ground, "That makes no sense at all!"
Hakodate ignored her and shouted, "Begin!"
On queue, the line of One-Star tennis players lobbed another volley of tennis balls into the air, but this time aimed at Mako. As Mako gasped and comically covered her eyes, Ichigo and Ryuko stepped in front of her and used their respective weapons to block or deflect all the incoming projectiles.
"Cut that out, damn it!" Ryuko grunted from behind her case, feeling the impact of each and every tennis ball making contact. She could see a few dents already forming in her case. Just how hard were these tennis balls being hit anyway?
"These people just don't quit," Ichigo responded. His ability to deflect the tennis balls with Tournesol wasn't as high as he would have liked it to be. For every five tennis balls he stopped, another two managed to get through his guard and hit him. It was lucky that he was made of tough stuff or it would hurt, "We need to do something, Ryuko."
"I know," Ryuko replied while readjusting her hold on the silver case. Turning towards Mako, she said, "Get out of here, Mako! You'll be expelled if you're late one more time, right?"
"I almost forgot!" Mako shouted and darted around the line of tennis players; "I'll see you guys later!"
"Clever little girl," Hakodate admitted angrily before turning her attention back to Ichigo and Ryuko, "So by that little comment, I'm guessing you two are going to take us all on? Well now, this has gotten rather interesting. And here I thought today wasn't going to be any fun at all."
"I do owe her for a meal and a place to stay," Ryuko answered with a smirk.
"I don't need a reason to help people," Ichigo answered, as Hakodate's attention shifted to him, "Just wiping that smirk off your face is all the motivation and reason I need to stop you."
"How very funny of you two," Hakodate grinned, "But don't get too full of yourself. Just because you defeated Fukuroda, transfer student, that doesn't mean you can stand up against me. Boxing is nothing like tennis!"
Confident in her abilities, Ryuko pointed at Hakodate and shouted, "I'm going to make quick work of you! You ready Ichigo?"
"If you're asking if I can transform, the answer is no," Ichigo whispered to Ryuko, "Mugetsu still needs another day or so to adjust herself to my blood. If I tried to activate her now, I'll be risking my life."
Ryuko's eyes drifted to Ichigo, "What are you talking about? Your Kamui is powerful enough to take them all out in less than a minute!"
"I'm not going to risk it," Ichigo repeated, "Besides, we don't have the time to fight her. There's only a few minutes until the first bell and I don't want to have to deal with Gamagori again."
"Tch," Ryuko grit her teeth as she realized Ichigo was right. Still, she couldn't just back down from a fight. In all the fights she had been in, not once had she run away or backed out when challenged. It was who she was and nothing was going to change that, "You're right, Ichigo, but I can't stop now. If Satsuki Kiryuin is the one who killed my dad, I need to find out why she did it! If you don't want to fight, can you at least make sure Mako remains safe? I have a feeling these guys aren't going to let her go so easily. Now, let's do this, Senketsu!"
There was complete and utter silence as Ryuko attempted to transform only for nothing to happen. Beating her hand against Senketsu's single eye, she growled, "Hey! What's the matter with you, Senketsu? I said let's get to it!"
"She's talking to her clothes…is she freaking insane? How disappointing," Hakodate looked crestfallen at Ryuko's apparent insanity. Turning to Ichigo, who was staring at Ryuko with what could only be described as a mixture of embarrassment and disappointment, she grinned, "Well now, isn't this a turnabout. Since your friend seems to have lost her mind, you must take her place, Ichigo Kurosaki! Now die!"
Hakodate's Goku Uniform glowed briefly before hundreds of tennis balls shot out from under her dress and began hovering in the air. With a fluidity afforded to her from years of practice, Hakodate grabbed her tennis racket with both hands before slamming the mass of tennis balls forward towards Ichigo and Ryuko.
Ichigo managed to see the volley coming and leapt back and out of the way, the tennis balls missing him by only a couple of inches. Ryuko, on the other hand, had turned away from Hakodate to admonish Senketsu for sleeping on the job. It was only when she realizing something was coming towards her and turned around that the tennis balls slammed into her body and knocked her over the edge and into the water below.
"A love game?" Hakodate cursed, "That was no fun at all. And here I thought she would be some sort of a challenge. So, Ichigo Kurosaki, it's just you and me now. Let's see how you stand up to my Goku Uniform!"
"NOT SO FAST!"
Hakodate and Ichigo looked upwards as a large shadow grew ever larger. Before either of them could react, Ira Gamagori crashed to the ground accompanied by a sonic boom.
"Omiko Hakodate!" Gamagori bellowed, "Punishment upon students does not fall onto your shoulders! I shall overlook your punishing of Ryuko Matoi due to her challenging you to a fight, but if you attempt to attack Ichigo Kurosaki, there shall be hell to pay! Am I understood?"
"Yes, Gamagori!" Hakodate and her fellow tennis club students bowed respectfully, "I shall follow your orders. And what of Mankanshoku?"
Gamagori folded his arms across his massive chest, "Since Mankanshoku is part of the Girls Tennis Club, deciding her punishment for failing in her duties falls to you. Now where do you think you're going, Ichigo Kurosaki?"
Throughout Gamagori's exchange with Hakodate, Ichigo had wisely decided to try and get out of there. He had barely made it halfway before Gamagori's full attention was focused on him, "I don't want to be late to class. Since you're the head of the Disciplinary Committee, I'm sure you understand and all."
"Trying to use the same rules I enforce against me, how clever of you Ichigo Kurosaki!" Gamagori acknowledged as he stepped towards Ichigo, "But it is a useless gesture. I know the Honnouji Academy Rulebook inside and out. There is nothing you can say or do to stop what is coming!"
Ichigo took a step back, "Are you here to fight me?"
"Fight you?" Gamagori looked insulted at the sheer notion, "Of course not! It is against Honnouji Academy regulations to fight without the express permission of Lady Satsuki or a member of the Elite Four except when dealing with internal club affairs."
"Then why are you here?" Ichigo tensed up, "I still have several minutes before the bell rings."
"That is true," Gamagori acknowledged with a nod of his head, "I am here to personally escort you to Lady Satsuki. She feels it is time to have a serious conversation concerning your placement in Honnouji Academy."
"Oh great," Ichigo kicked the ground in front of him. He knew this would happen eventually. Even Satsuki, with her remarkable patience, would get tired of him snubbing her every attempt to talk with him, "Can't you just torture me or break my arm instead?"
"You dare speak about Lady Satsuki in such a manner?" Gamagori seemed to triple in size as he towered over Ichigo, his body enveloped in shadows and his eyes glowing points of yellow lights, "Take back what you said right now!"
For several seconds Ichigo stared up at Gamagori. As the tension between the two teens increased to the point where Hakodate was even beginning to back off out of fear, Ichigo intensified his glare and, in one swift motion, spun around and began running away as fast as he could.
"H-Hey!" Gamagori was shocked by Ichigo's abrupt cowardice, "Get back here, Ichigo Kurosaki!"
"Hell no!" Ichigo shouted back as he sprinted across the Honnouji Academy courtyard as fast he could, "There's no way in hell I'm going to speak to Satsuki again. You can just tell her you killed me for all I care!"
"No excuses will be accepted!" Gamagori shouted in return as he chased after Ichigo, nearly barreling over Hakodate in the process. Summoning a whip using his Goku Uniform, he tried to capture Ichigo only for him to jump over the whip before it could wrap around his ankle, "Lady Satsuki has demanded your presence. You will comply with her request, Ichigo Kurosaki!"
"What the hell's your problem anyway?" Ichigo shouted as he continued to dodge and jump over Gamagori's attempts to restrain him, "Don't you have anything better to do than chase me down? I'm sure there's someone vandalizing school property somewhere!"
"I was given an order by Lady Satsuki to bring you to her," Gamagori jumped into the air and began falling towards Ichigo, "And nothing will stop me, for I am the Disciplinary Committee Chair! The rules of Honnouji Academy flow through my blood and give me purpose!"
Ichigo stared at Gamagori's falling body with abject terror as he tried to push his body to go faster, "Can't you do anything, Mugetsu, like turn my feet into jet boots or something?"
"I'm afraid not," Mugetsu admitted in a resigned tone, "It looks like this is the end for us. For what it's worth, it was fun fighting alongside you, Ichigo."
"AHAHAHA!" Gamagori laughed in triumph as he finally caught Ichigo, albeit not the method he would have preferred. Pinning the orange-haired teen's body beneath his own massive one, Gamagori announced, "Now, if you are done running, I am to escort you to see Lady Satsuki. So I hope there will be no more funny business, Ichigo Kurosaki, or I might have to get serious. Do you understand?"
"Damn…" Ichigo muttered from his pinned position, "You can…go to…hell…you bastard…"
...
"I see that you received my summons, Ichigo Kurosaki."
There was a rumble as Gamagori turned around and walked back into the elevator leading down from the roof of Honnouji Academy, his head hitting the ceiling and denting it along the way. Now completely alone with Satsuki Kiryuin, Ichigo said, "It's not like I had a choice in the matter."
Satsuki's gaze was locked firmly on the horizon in front of her. As a stiff wind blew through the area, causing her air to sway in the breeze, she said, "I do believe the first order of business is an apology."
"An apology?" Ichigo didn't know why he was dragged up here, and frankly he didn't care, but if Satsuki Kiryuin was apologizing to him, everything he knew about the world was wrong.
"Yes," Satsuki took a deep breath but still did not turn to face him, "My previous conversations with you may have been a bit heavy handed. For that I apologize."
"You're kidding me," Ichigo didn't know whether Satsuki was mocking him or sincerely believed that was all she had to be sorry for. While every attempt at talking to him since his arrival at Honnouji Academy ended in the form of an impromptu interrogation, he could deal with that, "Do you really think that's what I care about?"
Satsuki turned her head slightly around and, by the look in her eye, Ichigo realized that she had no idea what he found wrong with that, "What are you inferring, Ichigo Kurosaki?"
Ichigo folded his hands in Mugetsu's pockets and slouched his shoulders slightly, "You really don't get it. Nothing you say will make me forgive you for allowing Mako to nearly die yesterday for something she had no part in."
Satsuki turned to fully face Ichigo, her icy blue eyes staring daggers at him, "You are naïve about how the world works, Ichigo Kurosaki. Honnouji Academy is a place of law and order, a place where those with the power or the will to achieve their desires thrive while those weak and lazy fall. If I had allowed Mako Mankanshoku to walk free after assisting Ryuko Matoi in her foolish attempt to attack me, the system would have fallen apart. That, Ichigo Kurosaki, is how this world works."
"How the world works?" Ichigo repeated in disgust. He had heard those words once before, from Kisuke as he sealed Aizen away, but the context between the two instances were entirely different. Kisuke had muttered them in an attempt to show Aizen that what he was doing would have destroyed everything, but Satsuki was using them as an excuse to enforce her own brand of Social Darwinism on those around her, "Just what is going on in that head of yours that you think killing people is the right thing to do?"
"I did not invite you here to speak with me only to hear your criticism, Ichigo Kurosaki," Satsuki unsheathed Bakuzan and pointed it at Ichigo. With her face a mask of indifference, she calmly continued, "I have several question for you, and this time you will not be able to avoid them."
"Tch," Ichigo knew this would eventually happen. Ever since his first arrival at Honnouji and after that stupid test, Satsuki had been trying to speak with him about one thing or another. It was almost impressive that she could find him with ease. Reaching over his shoulder and grasping Tournesol's hilt, he said, "That's funny. The way I see it, you're threatening to kill me if I don't answer your questions."
"You need not worry, Ichigo Kurosaki. I do not attack without provocation or reason," Satsuki admonished and, just to prove her point, swiped Bakuzan once through the air before sheathing it in its' scabbard once again, "Now, if you are no longer feeling threatened, perhaps we can converse like civilized people."
"It's not like I have a choice in the matter," he mumbled as he removed his hand from Tournesol.
"Very well," Satsuki took a step forward, her heel clicking on the ground, "Let us begin. Have you ever met my mother, Ragyo Kiryuin, or spoken with her?"
"Your mother?" Ichigo thought long and hard about that question. It wasn't what he had been expecting, "I can't say that I have, although my dad seems to know quite a lot about her."
Satsuki's eyes narrowed at the implication but her tone remained steady, "How well does he know her?"
"I don't really know," Ichigo looked away and scratched the back of his neck, "I don't try to pry into my old man's business. If he wants to tell me something about his past, I'm not going to force him to say anything until he's ready."
If Satsuki had been expecting another answer, she was sorely disappointed. Isshin Kurosaki was a walking enigma. From what little Inumuta had been able to dig up on the man, he had been in contact with her mother as long as twenty years ago. She wasn't naïve enough to believe that Isshin Kurosaki saved her mother's life like the newspapers stated. Her mother was not that weak or grateful enough to give someone a reward for helping her. If anything, she would have killed Isshin Kurosaki just to keep up her appearance as the indomitable CEO of Revocs. It was only when she had Inumuta dig a little further that the puzzle revolving around Ichigo's father deepened.
There was almost nothing about Isshin Kurosaki in the Revocs servers. From the few bugs that Inumuta had been able to plant within Revocs that survived her mother's thorough surveillance sweeping, Isshin Kurosaki showed up some time during Student Evaluation Day and proceeded to head directly to her mother's office, but no matter how much she dug, further information on the man was scarce. There was absolutely nothing on the man's relationship with her mother or even what they talked about. It was almost as if someone had purposely deleted everything about him. That led Satsuki to her original assumption that Isshin Kurosaki was a lot like her mother. It wasn't until she spoke to the man on the phone that she realized she was mistaken. What was the connection between her mother and Isshin? How could someone with a disposition like Ichigo Kurosaki's father be acquainted with a woman like Ragyo Kiryuin?
"Your blade," Satsuki stated while switching topics. The likelihood that Ichigo Kurosaki knew anything about her mother, or was even aware of what she was capable of, was exceedingly small, "I can recall but one weapon with the same composition as your blade, and that weapon is currently in the possession of Ryuko Matoi. I also know for a fact that only one Scissor Blade exists in the world so tell me, Ichigo Kurosaki, how is it you came into possessing a similar weapon?"
Ichigo could sense a strange feeling emanating from Satsuki, "Why should I tell you anything?"
The constant wind blowing through the area suddenly picked up and, without warning, Satsuki raced towards Ichigo with Bakuzan drawn once more. Leaping back and drawing Tournesol in retaliation, Ichigo quickly blocked Satsuki's overhead strike while sparks shot out from between the clashing weapons.
"Damn it, what's your problem?" he asked from behind grit teeth. Satsuki was strong, but she was nothing compared to that girl from last night. With his feet firmly in place on the ground, Ichigo gave a shout and pushed Satsuki back with all the strength he could muster.
"It is indeed as strong a blade as I expected," Satsuki calmly stated as she landed back on the ground, Bakuzan held firmly within her right hand, "To be able to stand up to the strength of my Bakuzan, which can damage a Kamui, is no easy feat, but that is not taking into account your own skill, Ichigo Kurosaki. Ryuko Matoi might possess the Scissor Blade, but she wields it much like a child does a toy sword or stick. She does not use techniques or styles. She simply attempts to overpower her opponents through brute force. I find the prospect of such an exquisite weapon remaining in her possession inexcusable!"
"You sure like to hear yourself talk…you know that, right?" Ichigo muttered with Tournesol held diagonally in front of his body, "Did you force me to come up here just so you can see if I'm planning something against you? Because if you did, I can tell you right now that I have no interest in getting caught up in anything you or your underlings are planning."
"I find your lack of respect both highly insulting and strangely relieving," Satsuki stated with a huff as she sheathed Bakuzan for the second time in less than five minutes, "But you shall address me properly from now on, lest you face the consequences for such impudence."
"I'll respect you when I find you worthy of it," Ichigo replied with equal coldness, "But quite frankly, I don't think you'll ever earn it. From what I've seen and heard during my short time here, it's clear to me that Ryuko has more honor than you'll ever possess."
"More honor you say?" Satsuki tensed up at the mention of the word. Stepping towards the edge of the roof, but never getting close enough to slip off, she asked, "You say I don't have honor, but can the same not be said about you, Ichigo Kurosaki? I wield Bakuzan for the purpose of seeing my dreams come to fruition! What reason do you have to wield your blade?"
"Reason?" Ichigo had been asked that very question many times during his first few weeks as a shinigami when Uryu started that stupid Hollow contest. At the time he thought his answer was correct, since it managed to make Uryu shut up, but as time passed and things changed, he realized what he told Uryu was no longer good enough, "I'm not looking for power or glory. I'm won't say that I can stop anyone who gets in my way, nor will I be satisfied with just protecting those close to me. I want to protect as many people as I can from those that would step over them in some misguided attempt to increase their own power."
Satsuki went to reply but was cut off as Ichigo continued. His brown eyes seemed to pierce into her blue ones with a familiar intensity as he held up Tournesol, "This blade was created by Kisuke Urahara, a man who was targeted for something he didn't know anything about. I will use the gifts he gave me to find out more about the woman with the purple Scissor Blade that attacked him and as well as why she attacked him."
"Nui Harime?" Satsuki thought with shock, although her facial expression remained schooled and stoic, "How is she involved with Ichigo Kurosaki? For what reason would she go out of her way to attack someone not even associated with or against Revocs and my mother? That's random, even for someone like her. There has to be something I'm missing."
"So your goal is vengeance then," Satsuki stated with dissatisfaction, "It is a pointless goal. The man you called Kisuke Urahara is already dead. Nothing you can do can change that. It is better to move on with your life and forget about reaping your vengeance against someone that you cannot defeat. Even with your Kamui, Mugetsu, you would not stand a chance against that woman."
Ichigo Kurosaki caught the familiar way in which Satsuki spoke of this woman. She knew her, but he still could not figure out just how Satsuki knew her. Turning around to leave, he decided to go with one final comment, "Perhaps you are right about that. Perhaps I cannot beat her. She might even kill me, but until I try how can I actually say I lost?"
The determination behind Ichigo's words momentarily stunned Satsuki. After she watched him take several steps, she decided to impart one final piece of advice, "If I were you, Ichigo Kurosaki, I would be cautious about trusting your Kamui."
Ichigo stopped walking, "What are you talking about?"
Satsuki stared at the courtyard below. Hakodate had caught Mako Mankanshoku and would start punishing her soon enough, which meant Ryuko Matoi would be returning soon as well. Ryuko Matoi might be a variable, but she was predictable. She would never let a friend be put in danger. Perhaps fighting Hakodate would be all the motivation needed to display all of her Kamui's power, "Kamui are made to look the way they are for a reason. Take away from that what you will."
"I suppose I will," There was a pregnant silence after Ichigo spoke that lasted for several seconds, but eventually he asked, "Let me ask you something, Satsuki, why are you so concerned about my personal life? There are hundreds of students here at Honnouji, but you've been focusing your attention on me."
"Because my mother has taken an interest in you," Satsuki answered bluntly before adding, "I do believe that is all I require from you, Ichigo Kurosaki. You know the way down."
Turning his back on Satsuki, Ichigo calmly and collectively walked to the elevator and found to his surprise that it was already waiting for him. Stepping inside, he waited for the doors to close before dragging a hand down his face.
"God, that sucked."
"I know," Mugetsu added. During his time talking to Satsuki, she had wisely decided to not say anything and see how things played out, "What do you plan on doing now, Ichigo?"
"Huh?" Ichigo leaned against the wall of the elevator and frowned, "I don't really know to be honest. At first I came here solely because my dad registered me without asking me first. But now…now I think he had a reason all along. The man may act like a child, but everything he does seems to have a reason behind it. After what happened last winter I can't take anything he does at face value anymore. I just need to figure out what he's planned."
"Last winter?" Mugetsu's eyes blinked and gazed up at Ichigo.
Ichigo shook his head, "Don't worry about. It was just something personal that forced me to see my dad in an entire new light."
"If you don't want to tell me about it, I understand," despite what she said, Ichigo could tell that Mugetsu was hurt that he didn't trust her enough to tell her about the Winter War, "But what are you going to do about Satsuki? You and I both know she will not let this go so easily. Her interest in you is not just a passing fancy."
"What the hell do you mean passing fancy?"
"I do not remember how, but Kisuke Urahara imprinted onto me several pieces of information, one of which was how the female mind works. He must have assumed you would be oblivious. It seems that he was correct."
Ichigo glared as an imaginary Kisuke Urahara appeared in his mind while laughing behind that stupid paper fan of his, "If that woman with the Scissor Blade didn't finish him off, I'm going to kill him myself. That bastard can go to hell for all I care. As for Satsuki…I have a feeling that she will make her next move quite soon. Knowing my luck, she has a Kamui of her own just waiting to be brought out for a special occasion."
