Karakura Days and Nights
by Ulquiorra9000
Chapter 10: Weeping for Lost Lovers (why is Isshin such a big baby?!)
"Rukia! You look amazing, little lady!"
Isshin Kurosaki threw his arms wide and beamed goofily as he pulled up the family van into the Kuchiki driveway and hopped out. The engine still idled as Isshin beckoned Rukia over, and his three kids groaned.
Giving a return smile, Rukia Kuchiki crossed the front lawn's garden with Byakuya in tow, and to Ichigo's eyes, she looked positively radiant in an expensive-looking (no surprise there) deep purple kimono with floral patterns and a yellow obi sash. She even had a gold hairpiece on, and a traditional paper fan in one hand.
"Thank you, Mr. Kurosaki," Rukia said. She smoothed the collar of her robe. "Orihime and Chizuru worked hard to help me, though." Next to her, Byakuya wore a simple dark green men's kimono, plus a thin silver scarf and his usual hairpieces.
Isshin waved a dismissive hand as Ichigo stepped out of the car. "Oh, call me Isshin, will you, Rukia?" he implored her. "We're all friends here! Right?"
Byakuya huffed. "I'll be at the convention with Grandfather by 11:00, Rukia. Please have a good time." He gave Ichigo a funny look that was swiftly returned.
"My lady," Ichigo said in his best gentleman voice as he extended a hand for Rukia to take. His navy blue yukata was pretty warm in the Sunday morning sunlight, and itched a bit. He tried to ignore it. Rukia's like a queen! This is gonna be your day, Ichigo... stay the course! He felt his insides squirm and he tried not to flush.
Rukia nodded as her petite hand clasped his. "Lead the way, Ichigo." Her eyes roved over Ichigo's form. "I had always hoped that you could clean up and look like a gentleman. Just in time!" She made a teasing smile.
Ichigo laughed with his dad. "Well, I try. Thank Uryu for finding a tailor. Who sneaks extra bills into the price," he added sourly.
Isshin put his hands on his hips. "Good stuff," he commented. "Hey, Byakuya, are you sure you ain't coming with us? C'mon, be a pal..."
Byakuya shook his head. "Like I said, I have to help my grandfather with last-minute preparation for our exhibit. We have only the finest -"
Isshin made a face. "Okay, I get it." He brightened and clapped his meaty hands together. "You ready, Rukia? Let's take off!"
Everyone climbed back into the car. Rukia waved hello to Karin and Yuzu. "You both look wonderful," she said warmly. "But didn't you want to say hello to Byakuya?"
"Well... he's..." Yuzu started vaguely.
"Patronizing as hell," Karin finished, arms folded over her bright red yukata.
Rukia winced. "Sorry. Let's just have a fun, relaxing day, all right?"
"Sure will," Isshin said, rolling out of the driveway. "Nothin's gonna go wrong today..."
*o*o*o*o*
"SON OF A BITC -"
Isshin roared his anger as he swerved the family van around a car that had suddenly pulled out of its parking spot at the Nadichi convention center parking lot. Rubber squealed as Isshin yanked the steering wheel hard to starboard, and the other car honked angrily.
"Dad, knock it off!" Karin grouched. "We've been in the parking lot for ten minutes already!"
"We've... gotta find... a good spot!" Isshin grated, going much faster than necessary around a corner. "Somewhere!" Veins stood out on his beefy arms and he snorted like a bull.
Rukia hung onto Ichigo for dear life. "Maybe we should have taken a cab," she muttered in his ear, and Ichigo grinned.
"I heard that," Isshin groaned. "Let me just... mother of -!"
Ichigo winced as the van's front end scraped a silver sedan with a thump, and the other car's alarm wailed like a banshee.
"Dad...!" Yuzu cried.
"Fine, fine!" Isshin looked back at everyone and had a wide, devilish grin on his face. "Your old man ain't goin' down like this, I promise!"
Rubber burned as Isshin raged around the parking lot, blatantly leaving the other car behind. Finally, he slipped into a spot near the entrance and pulled up, killing the engine. "See? Easy," Isshin panted, depositing his keys into his yukata's kinchaku carrying bag.
Ichigo rolled his eyes as Rukia still clung tightly to him for dear life. "Way to validate what the Kuchikis think of us, dad," he said. "And the Ishidas, and the Tiers... and my teachers..."
"Yeah, well, we're here!" Isshin boasted, unlocking all the doors. "Hop out, guys. Let's get started!"
As soon as the terrified Rukia unclamped herself from Ichigo, Ichigo gently took her hand and escorted her with the family across the jam-packed parking lot to the massive convention center. Already, other families and couples formed a crowd to the front doors, the air alive with excited chatter and people calling out for each other. More than a few people were already photographing each other in their finest wear.
"It's like a carnival, isn't it?" Isshin commented.
"You wish it was a carnival, don't you?" Karin said slyly. "Because carnivals let you go wild like a monkey..."
Isshin drew himself to his full height. "I like festivals, too, Karin. I'm a gentleman!"
"Yeah, my dad the calm and professional valet..."
Isshin went red and clammed up as Yuzu giggled.
If the front grounds were crowded, it was nothing compared to the inside. The walls rang with more chatter and a few crying babies, plus announcements on the intercom. It took positively forever to get through the ticket line, and Ichigo was sure that he'd be Ginrei Kuchiki's age by the time he got his admission ticket. Luckily, that didn't happen, and he and the others joined the general crowd. Everyone was going in different ways to different exhibits and shows throughout the place like multicolored fish wearing kimonos and yukatas.
"Damn, it's a maze in here!" Isshin complained, looking over a map. He showed it to the others, tracing his finger along the hallways. "I think they expanded on this place since we were last here. Remember, Ichigo? We barely even got lost."
"Yeah, well, let's try not to get lost this time," Ichigo said, eyeing the map. Damn, five floors and a bunch of add-ons... it really is a maze. Is there a minotaur in here, too?
Isshin cocked his head. "Hey, Ichigo, Rukia... weren't some of your friends gonna be here...?"
"HEY! RUKIA! KUROSAKI!" a girl's loud voice rang out.
Ichigo nearly jumped out of his skin as a familiar dark-haired senior stepped from the crowd to join the Kurosakis. Bambietta Basterbine had a manic grin on her face, her arms wrapped possessively around Uryu's right arm. She waved. "It's 'bout time you slowpokes got here. Jeez!"
"What she means is," Uryu said wearily, "is hello."
Rukia gasped, hands over her mouth. "Bambietta, you look..."
Bambietta grinned and tugged at the collar of her kimono. "Like a knockout? Yeah, hon, I know."
Ichigo had to agree. Bambietta's kimono was made from shiny pink silk with elaborate flower patterns in gold and white thread, and her silver obi sash had a single, very elaborate starburst pattern on it. She also had a kinchaku carrying bag and paper fan like Rukia. (And she had ditched her usual baseball cap.)
"Damn, Uryu," Ichigo said in awe, "you've got some, uh, fancy fingers on you to sew that thing up..." He winced.
Bambietta giggled. "Well said, Kurosaki, just so well said."
Ichigo went red as Uryu gave an apologetic look from behind his glasses.
"He's a real sweetheart, making this thing for me," Bambietta said warmly, planting a long kiss on Uryu's cheek. "I owe him a favor or two. But hey," she added, "you all look pretty good too, 'specially you, Rukia. The Kuchikis really know how to fancy themselves up, don't they?"
"I had help," Rukia said with a modest smile, "but thank you. Uryu, you're looking good!"
"My thanks," Uryu said kindly, smoothing out his bright red yukata. "I'm glad you folks could make it. Bambietta and I were just trying to decide what to do first..."
Bambietta unhooked one of her arms and swatted Uryu's shoulder. "Silly. We've gotta find the fifth and sixth elements of this triple date first!"
Karin made a face. "Triple date?"
Ichigo felt himself flush. "One thing led to another with my friends, and we set up a triple date for this convention, so -"
"Magnificent!" Isshin declared, pointing a victorious finger at the heavens. "Today is the day where love blossoms and -"
Ichigo clamped a hasty hand over his dad's mouth. "Let's keep it down to a dull roar," he said grouchily.
Yuzu giggled again. "Don't worry about it, Ichigo. It just means you're all grown up, doesn't it?" She nudged Rukia, and both Rukia and Ichigo went red.
"Seriously, though," Bambietta insisted, "where did that chump Grimmjow go? I thought I saw him earlier!"
Ichigo frowned. "How long ago was that?"
"Maybe... fifteen minutes?" Bambietta said uncertainly, tilting her head in thought.
"Was he, uh, alone?" Ichigo asked.
"He was," Bambietta said, unable to fight a grin. "He sent me a text saying that he was starting his date with Halibel and was gonna meet us, but Uryu and I couldn't find them at all! Then I thought I saw Grimmjow on the other side of the third floor alone, going really fast."
Rukia made a sympathetic noise. "He lost his date?" She clasped Ichigo's hand as though expecting him to suddenly drift away.
"Or maybe she ditched him," Bambietta said idly.
Uryu scowled. "That's not nice!"
"Sorry," Bambietta said hastily. "But really, Grimmjow's a buffoon! We've gotta find him and Halibel before our triple date is ruined!"
A loud sob caught everyone's attention. Isshin openly wept, wiping his face with a hanky from his kinchaku bag. "Lost lovers... that Halibel girl must be so distraught! I could cry!"
"You already are," Karin grunted.
"Look," Ichigo said loudly before the situation could get any more stupid, "did you guys try calling Grimmjow and Halibel's cell phones to find them?"
"We certainly did," Uryu said, "but neither answered. I'm not surprised; it's loud in here."
"And it's not like I've got Mr. and Mrs. Tiers' phone numbers," Bambietta added. "They'd be boring to talk to, anyway..."
"I guess," Ichigo said. "So, we'll each take a floor and look for both of them, and have them meet us at... let's see..." He checked the map. "The entrance to the ground floor's main concert hall. Okay? Send texts to keep us updated."
"Sure. Oh, hey, there's a taiko drum ensemble playing there at 11:30," Bambietta noted, pointing at the concert list. "We oughta bring 'em back in time for that!"
Uryu winced. "I've been to a taiko concert. It gave me such a headache, all the booming and pounding..."
"Nonsense! Taiko drums make you into a man!" Isshin declared, recovering at once from his weeping.
Yuzu glanced up at her dad. "That doesn't even make sense."
"Okay, dad, why don't you take Karin and Yuzu to whatever you like on the first floor and look for them?" Ichigo cut in. "I'll do the third floor. Uryu, the fourth, Bambietta, fifth -"
Bambietta tossed her dark hair. "Hey, a junior can't boss me around!"
Ichigo threw the map onto the floor. "Fine, then where?"
"How about... heck, the fifth floor after all," Bambietta decided.
Ichigo scooped up the map with far too much force. "Rukia, d'you wanna check the second floor?"
Rukia nodded, an amused smile on her face. "Not how I thought our day would start, but... all right. Good luck, everyone."
Ichigo nodded and headed for the stairs, fuming as he made his way through the crowds. His freakin' dad being a wacko in front of Rukia, Grimmjow getting lost... things would smooth out once he found Grimmjow and -
"Halibel?" Ichigo blurted when he emerged on the third floor and found her timidly making her way through the bustling mass of patrons.
Halibel smiled gratefully and waved as she made a beeline for him. "Ichigo! You won't believe what happened..."