Hai. I'm back again! Very quick, I know. But it's a public holiday tomorrow, which means that there's no school, which means that I can stay up later than usual, which means that I can finish off Chapter 9 of this story! Yay! We have a pairing in this chapter!
Thanks to j cloud xD again for another review :) I feel a little better about my english story having to be due in on monday (printed. great. now i need to waste more ink.)
And a small caution to readers: there will be some swearing in this chapter. Enjoy~ :)
"No way, more Rihanna?" said Hisagi in disbelief.
"Yay! Rihanna-chan~" Renji said with hearts in his eyes. Ichigo banged his head on the wall.
"Now why did I go pick give Rangiku-san that Rihanna music Rihanna music in the first place…" he muttered.
"Whoo hoo! The singing sensation R.A.N.G.I.K.U is baaack baby!" yelled a very drunken fukutaichou.
I've been looking for a driver who's qualified
So if you think you are the one step into my ride
I'm a fine-tuned supersonic speed machine
Got a sunroof top and a gangster lead
So if you feel it let me know, know, know
Come on now, what you waiting for, for, for
My engine's ready to explode, explode, explode
So start me up and watch me go, go, go, go
Get you where you wanna go, if you know what I mean
Got a ride that's smoother than a limousine
Can you handle the curves? Can you run all the lights?
If you can, baby boy, then we can go all night
Cuz it's 0 to 60 in 3.5
Baby, you got the keys
Now shut up and drive, drive, drive
Shut up and drive, drive, drive
I got class like a '57 Cadillac
And overdrive with a whole lot of boom in the back
You look like you can handle what's under my hood
You keep saying that you will, boy, I wish you would
So if you feel it let me know, know, know
Come on now, what you waiting for, for, for
My engine's ready to explode, explode, explode
So start me up and watch me go, go, go, go
Get you where you wanna go, if you know what I mean
Got a ride that's smoother than a limousine
Can you handle the curves? Can you run all the lights?
If you can, baby boy, then we can go all night
Cuz it's 0 to 60 in 3.5
Baby, you got the keys
Now shut up and drive, drive, drive
Shut up and drive, drive, drive
(NA: something goes here but I don't know what it is)
So if you feel it let me know, know, know
Come on now, what you waiting for, for, for
My engine's ready to explode, explode, explode
So start me up and watch me go, go, go, go
Get you where you wanna go, if you know what I mean
Got a ride that's smoother than a limousine
Can you handle the curves? Can you run all the lights?
If you can, baby boy, then we can go all night
Cuz it's 0 to 60 in 3.5
Baby, you got the keys
Now shut up and drive, drive, drive
Shut up and drive, drive, drive
Shut up and drive, drive, drive
Shut up and drive, drive, drive
"And that's how it's done people!" with that, Rangiku collapsed onto the floor, muttering incomprehensively. Ichimaru walked over to her and gently picked her up, taking her back into the 10th division barracks after talking briefly with Toushiro.
"About time Matsumoto passed out. I don't think I could have stood another minute with her screaming in my ear."
"Do you really think Ichimaru won't try anything with Rangiku-san?" asked Hinamori anxiously.
Toushiro sighed and folded his arms, "I don't particularly trust him, but I don't think he would stoop that low. After all, Ichimaru is very protective of Matsumoto, he wouldn't do anything that would hurt her."
"That's good then."
"Rukia, I think that the crowd needs a bit of calming-down time, don't you think?" Sode no Shirayuki asked.
After looking around at the chaotic surroundings, Rukia nodded, "Yeah, it's a little out of control." She paused briefly, and then a sudden spark in her eyes made them light up.
"Hey, Shirayuki! What do you say about some calming music? You know lots of songs like that right?"
Sode no Shirayuki looked strangely at her mistress. "Yes, but what does that have to do with me?"
"Well, you have a great singing voice, so why don't you sing some of those songs?"
"I suppose I could try. I'm not guaranteeing anything."
She glided up to the front of the stage and picked the mike up off the floor. Rukia pressed play on the music player.
Habataitara modorenai to itte
Mezashita no wa aoi aoi ano sora
Kanashima wa mada oboerarezu
Setsunasa wa ima tsukami hajimeta
Anata e to idaku kono kanjou mo
Ima kotoba ni kawatteku
Michi naru sekai no yume kara mezamete
Kono hane wo hiroge tobi datsu
Habataitara modorenai to itte
Mezashita no wa shiroi shiroi ano kumo
Tsuki nuketara mitsukaru to shitte
Furikiru hodo
Aoi aoi ano sora
Aoi aoi ano sora
Aoi aoi ano sora
Aisou sukita you na oto de
Sabireta furui mado wa kowareta
Miakita kago wa hora sotete iku
Furikaeru koto wa mou nai
Takanaru kodou ni kokyou wo azukete
kono mada wo kette tobi datsu
Kakedashitara te ni dekiru to itte
Izanau no wa tooi tooi ano koe
Mabushi sugita anata no te mo nigitte
Motomeru hodo aoi aoi ano sora
Ochite iku to wakatte ita
Soredemo hikari wo oi tsuzukete iku yo
Habataitara modorenai to itte
Sagashita no wa shiroi shiroi ano kumo
Tsukinuketara mitsukaru to shitte
Furikiru hodo
Aoi aoi ano sora
Aoi aoi ano sora
Aoi aoi ano sora
The noise level dropped quite a lot after that song.
"So I was right!" Rukia punched the air triumphantly, "Your singing actually does have a calming effect!"
Sode no Shirayuki didn't reply. She was waiting for somebody.
She walked out the door in her usual gliding steps, confident that he would follow her. Soft creaking from behind her signalled his appearance.
She stopped in her tracks, "So, you came."
He stopped too, "Yes, I did."
A long silence stretched between the two.
"Did you write that?" he asked.
She answered quietly, "…Yes."
"What were you thinking about?"
"…I thought that would have been obvious." She turned slowly, lifting her eyes up to meet his.
"I merely want to confirm my beliefs."
"Well then, what are they?" she asked almost inaudibly.
He took a step forward, "I believe that you were thinking about us."
"Am I truly that easy to read?"
"Not always. But the double meanings behind the lyrics are evident to me. Possibly not to others."
"The blue, blue sky is where you come from, what makes you who you are, what you have always wanted. The white, white clouds is my home, what makes me who I am." She looked away at the ground, as if she couldn't bear to look him in the eye anymore, "You have always reached for new heights, with or without your master. Freedom is what you truly desire, not me. I will only ever hinder you. I am an obstacle, in your way of your quest for strength. In order for you to reach those blue heavens, you must break through me, get over me, and never allow me to stop you. That is what I meant." A slight tremble showed in her voice.
"Yes, the blue sky is where I come from, the thing that makes me, me." His formerly stoic gaze suddenly became burning and intense, "But the white clouds only make the blue sky even more beautiful. Clouds give the sky variety and new life. You have the power to change me. You are not an obstacle, but an aid and a milestone that signifies a great change for the better. I do not need to break you; I need to be with you in order to reach higher. That is what I see."
"But still… I am nowhere near as powerful as you!" Her hair shielded her eyes from his burning scrutiny.
He shook his head, "Power is not of importance here. Only your heart. You just need to listen to it."
Her head snapped back to glare at him, her eyes filled with despair and frustration, "It will only cause me more pain! There are people that deserve you more than me! Haineko has better looks, Tobiume is more outgoing, the list can go on forever! So why me?"
He wiped a tear from her brimming eye. "Please, give me a chance. Give yourself a chance."
She didn't answer.
His eyes turned from the burning passionate stare into a soft, sad gaze, his voice turned pleading, "I love you, so please… Shirayuki…"
"Hyorinmaru…" The pain and sadness was replaced with disbelief.
His arms wrapped around her waist, pulling her towards him. She relented under his firm but soft grasp, resting her head against his chest, hearing the soft beating of his heart.
"Hey, you lot! Care for some jamming?" Hisagi ran up to Ichigo and Renji.
"You mean, you on the guitar, pineapple-head on the drums and me on vocals? I'm all for it!" Ichigo agreed enthusiastically.
"Watch who you're calling pineapple-head, carrot-top. And I'm fine with it too! It's been a while since I last jammed with you."
Hisagi punched his fist in the air with a huge grin on his face. After a quick discussion with Toushiro, Renji tapped experimentally on the drums, Hisagi did some last-minute tuning and Ichigo was up on-stage with a mike in his hands.
"5, 6, 7, 8!"
Kakinarase sonzai wo
Koko ni iru to...
Arata na tabi ga ima hajimaru
Whoa, whoa, whoa
Whoa, whoa, whoa
Kawariyuku kisetsu no naka wo
Ikinuku tabi ni bokura
Chie to tsuyosa wo te ni ireta kedo
(Just looks like a survival game)
Nagareteku jikan no naka ni
Okizari ni shita omoi wo
Wasureta koto sura wasurete ita
Kuzure kaketa toki kodoku wo shitte
Deaeta bokura hitori ja nai
Sarakedase kanjou wo
Banjou no omoi wo
Namidame ga unmei wo kaete yuku
Yami ni uchi narase kodou wo
Kitto aeru yo
Onaji itami no hata no moto de
Utsuri yuku kioku no naka de
Kawaranai taisetsu na mono wo
Mitsukedasou to shite samayotte ita
Boukyaku no hate de deaeta no wa
Wazuka demo tashika na nukumori
Sarakedase kanjou wo
Banjou no omoi wo
Namidame ga unmei wo kaete yuku
Yami ni uchi narase kodou wo
Kitto aeru yo
Onaji itami no hata no moto de
Sarakedase kanjou wo
Banjou no omoi wo
Namidame ga unmei wo kaete yuku
Yami ni uchi narase kodou wo
Kitto aeru yo
Kaki narase sonzai wo
Koko ni iru to...
Hibike ano akatsuki no sora ni
The song ended after a loud guitar wail coming from Hisagi. Screams and yells came from the audience, with one particularly loud squeal from Yachiru.
"More, more, more! Come on Pineapple!"
"Shut up, Yachiru!"
"Talk like that about Yachiru again, and I swear I will kill you…" Zaraki's eyes glinted madly.
"Yes sir!"
"You up for an encore?" Ichigo said to Hisagi.
"Yeah sure, but no guitar this time, my pick broke and I didn't bring my extras."
"Fine then… I guess that it's going to be all 3 of us doing vocals then," Renji joined the conversation, finished with Zaraki.
Hisagi: You ready? Let's go!
Yeah, for those of you who want to know what we're all about
It's like this y'all come on
All: This is 10% luck, 20% skill
15% concentrated power of will
5% pleasure, 50% pain
And 100% reason to remember the name
Ichigo: Ichigo, he doesn't need his name up in lights
He just wants to be heard, whether it's the beat or the mike
He feels so unlike everybody else, alone
In spite of the fact that some people still think that they know
But fuck 'em he knows the code
It's not about the salary, it's all about reality and making some noise
Makin' the story, makin' sure his clique stays up
That means when he puts it down, Shuuhei's pickin' it up, let's go
Hisagi: Who the hell is he anyway? He never really talks much
Never concerned with status but still leavin' them starstruck
Humbled through opportunities given despite the fact
That many misjudge him because he makes a livin' from writin' raps
Put it together himself, now the picture connects
Never askin' for someone's help, to get some respect
He's only focused on what he wrote, his will is beyond reach
And now when it all unfolds, the skill of an artist
Renji: This is 20% skill, 80% fear
Be 100% clear cuz Renji is ill
Who would've thought he'd be the one to set the west in flames
And I heard him wreckin' with the crystal method, name of the game
Came back dropped Megadef, took 'em to church
I'm like "Bleach, man, why you have the stupidest verse?"
This dude is the truth, now everybody givin' him guest spots
His stock's through the roof I heard he fuckin' with S-dot
All: This is 10% luck, 20% skill
15% concentrated power of will
5% pleasure, 50% pain
And 100% reason to remember the name
Renji: They call him Renji the sick and he's spittin' fire and Kurosaki
Got him out of the dryer he's hot found him in Fort Minor with Hisagi
A fuckin' annihilist porcupine he's a prick, he's a cock
The type women want to be with and the rappers hope he gets shot
Eight years in the makin' patiently waitin' to blow
Now the record with Kurosaki's takin' over the globe
He's got a partner in crime, his shit is equally dope
You won't believe the shit that comes out of this kid's throat
Hisagi: Shuuhei, he's not your everyday on the block
He knows how to work with what he's got
Makin' his way to the top
People think it's a common owner's name
People keep askin' him was it given at birth
Or does it stand for an acronym?
No, he's livin' proof got him rockin' the booth
He'll get you buzzin' quicker than a shot of vodka with juice
Him and his crew are known around as one of the best
Dedicated to what they doin'? Give it 100%
Ichigo: Forget Ichigo, nobody really knows why he works so hard
It seems like he's never got time
Because he writes every note and he writes every line
And I've seen him at work when that light goes on in his mind
It's like a design is written in his head every time
Before he even touches a key or speaks in a rhyme
And those mother fuckers he runs with, those kids that he signed
Ridiculous, without even tryin', how do they do it?
All: This is 10% luck, 20% skill
15% concentrated power of will
5% pleasure, 50% pain
And 100% reason to remember the name
This is 10% luck, 20% skill
15% concentrated power of will
5% pleasure, 50% pain
And 100% reason to remember the name
Yeah, Karakura, Kurosaki
S.S. Seireitei, Renji, Shuuhei
Las Noches!
(NA: S.S. means Soul Society, k?)
"Wait, why did we put Las Noches as our last line?" asked Ichigo confusedly.
"Don't ask me, ask Shuuhei."
"I don't know really, I just thought that it would sound good."
"It worked though, didn't it?" grinned Renji, "Ya know what, Ichigo? I just might have changed my views on you after all."
"Well, I still haven't," Rukia walked up to them, "Nice stuff though, Shuuhei."
"Thanks! At least I get some praise for my hard work," he glared at Ichigo and Renji, who visibly blanched at the killer aura emanating from him. "Kazeshini, I just might allow you to kill one person tonight."
"Nooooo! Sorry Shuuhei! You were amazing! So talented! Your work is wonderful, spectacular, awesome, whatever, the best ever! AAAAAHHHH!"
"Mwahahaha! Finally, some fun!" Kazeshini cackled madly, waving his scythes around like windmills and chased after Renji.
"Mind if I tag along too?" Zaraki shunpoed after Kazeshini.
"Rukia-sama, WHAT IN THE WORLD HAPPENED IN MY ABSENCE?" the usually calm and composed Sode no Shirayuki completely lost it.
Mayuri and his team of fellow "researchers" were busy pinning down Kazeshini, Unohana-taichou and Isane were surrounding a rather badly wounded Renji, and Kenpachi, Yachiru, Yumichika and Ikkaku were nowhere to be found.
"Apparently, Kazeshini and Zaraki-taichou went on a mad murder rampage, and the victim just so happened to be Renji. Luckily, Hinamori and Hitsugaya-taichou stopped Kazeshini with Kidou before the situation got any worse, and all the 11th division members managed to reseal Zaraki-taichou's reiatsu with his eyepatch," Rukia explained quickly. Just as Sode no Shirayuki was about to ask another question, Rukia said, "Don't worry, Renji and Zabimaru are fine. Injured, but still alive. None of the wounds were fatal, so he should be discharged in a week or so."
After Kazeshini had been resealed into Hisagi's katana by Mayuri, he took the sword back to the 12th division headquarters for research. His explanation was that Kazeshini's state was still rather unstable and he could escape from the katana if they weren't careful. The sword would be returned in 3 days to Hisagi. Hisagi handed over the katana without major argument, although very reluctantly. Who could withstand that creepy 12th division captain peering at you in that sort of way? You would do anything to get out of his sight! At least, that's what Hisagi said.
Ok, so that last part was a little random. But hope you liked it anyway! The songs don't belong to me, they belong to their respective owners.
Song List:
Shut Up and Drive - Rihanna
Blue Bird - Ikimono Gakari
Remember - FLOW
Remember the Name - Fort Minor
I changed the lyrics of "Remember the Name" a little, just to match the characters :)
Didya like the pairing? ShirayukixHyorinmaru ;) I'm not an exceptionally big fan of them, but when I looked at the english translation of "Blue Bird", I thought about them.
The next chapter is gonna be the last one in this story k? And there will be pairings too! One-sided and non-one-sided. One Zanpakutou pair and one Shinigami pair. Guess? ;)
Ja ne! TTYL