Chapter 11: Great! But can you sing?
Yeah hi! I forgot to tell you all- that song that Ichigo and Rukia danced to in chapter 9 is called Mother earth by Within Temptation. It's a really cool song that I think you'd like to listen to when you get a chance and want to put chapter with song. If you don't know where you can listen to this, go to a sight called youtube, k? This story will have a lot of songs in it now…A LOT. So I'm encouraging you lovely fans to take a few minuets and listen to the songs while you read. It helps the mood…or at least, to me it does. And I got a few more illustrations up on deviant art. Look for angelover35, k? Thank you all again for your support. Couldn't do it without you!
It was nearing Christmas in the town of Tokyo. The days were cold and the nights were even colder. While Ichigo was in the hospital, mother earth decided to let it snow, let it snow, let it snow.
And let it snow, she did.
By the time Ichigo had shoved his way threw the hospital's revolving doors, the sidewalk was already four inches berried in fluffy, white snow. And it was still going. It wasn't blizzard-worthy- just a light drizzle with snowflakes the size of dimes, and the sky dark with gray clouds. He was yanking on his coat as he sprinted down the sidewalk, just missing a couple walking arm and arm in their thick trench coats and wool hats and gloves. Their rich looking exterior and the way they scoffed when he nearly ran them into the street reminded him just how low class he was in society. If wealth ranks were based off of countries, he was probably Third world in these parts. He passed a theatre already lit from head to toe, advertising it's newest movies in bright, white bulbs – as if the world wasn't white enough right now- and blinking neon lights. He pulled on the last sleeve of his jacket as he popped the Vikeaden bottle with his thumb and tipped it to his mouth. He made sure he only had one in his mouth before he closed the bottle and shoved it in his coat pocket. He kept his mouth open, making sure the pill didn't dissolve on his tong just yet, when he bent down in mid stride and scooped up a hand full of snow. He plopped the white fluff into his mouth and let it melt, than he drank it with his pill.
He cringed at what he just did, but he could never swallow a pill without some form of liquid to go with it. And he just didn't have time to stop at a convenience store and buy a bottle of water. Not to mention his own water bottle was already empty.
He looked at his wristwatch that read 3:10, and he sighed. He wasn't even half way there. He'd drive if his car wasn't at the school parking lot…and that brought up the question as to how he was going to get back home…but he'd worry about that later. Right now, all he needed to worry about was getting to the theatre before 3:30…
God, he was so fired.
(Theatre)
Rukia walked back and fourth on stage, hands locked tight behind her back and head straight down. Renji and Shuuhei were sitting cross-legged on the stage behind her, watching as she passed in front of them nervously.
He was late.
The second day of practice and he was already late. Perhaps she had overestimated him when she thought he would be here on time, and if not, early? Or maybe she had overestimated him from the very start? Was he worthwhile? Was he really worth risking everything she had? Because she had failed to bring up the fact she didn't work for…really anyone anymore, and this news of taking in a new pupil and working in a theatre owned by Tsushima would not only get Ichigo kicked out of any chance of becoming successful, but would probably end Rukia's chances as well. Not to mention Ichigo didn't even know she was fired. He didn't know he was doing something illegal. He didn't know…
"Relax, Rukia. He'll show." Said Renji, when Rukia passed by him. He was busy pulling on his dance shoes and tying them to his ankle when he spoke. Rukia jumped a little, stopping for only a milli-second before continuing to pase. She flashed him an unsure smile, bringing her hands to her front and weaving them together.
Shuuhei jumped in, having pulled on his second shoe by now. "Yeah, you're over reacting. He's only," he looked at his wristwatch. " 5 minuets late."
"Yeah well, in those five minuets we could have been practicing." Rukia said, her voice edgy from hr nerves. What if he had already found out about her being fired? What if he didn't come because he knew the truth? Was that why he was so late? Or maybe… it was something else? Did he have something hiding from her too? Perhaps he had a girlfriend that he had to get away from? Or maybe a sick relative? Or maybe he wasn't even in Tokyo? He could be in Hiroshima or someplace far away. If that was the case, she'd be very pissed off, more so than now. Oh, he better show up.
"So this guy must be pretty lenient." Began Shuuhei, in hopes of getting her mind off panicking. Rukia stopped on the side of the stage opposite of Shuuhei's and looked over her shoulder, frowning.
"How so?" she asked.
Shuuhei shrugged and raised his eyebrows briefly. "I don't know. Just to volunteer with someone who doesn't have a job—and I didn't mean that offensively," Shuuhei caught himself, hoping he didn't just offend Rukia. She just shrugged. "It's just a big jump for a teen, is all I'm sayin'." He finished.
Rukia bit her bottom lip and fiddled with her fingers. "Well, it's kind of funny you should say that."
"Why?" Shuuhei asked, standing up and stretching out his legs.
Rukia looked upwards, still nibbling at her lip. "He uh…kind of…doesn't know."
"WHAT?" Renji and Shuuhei shouted in unison. Rukia cringed when their voiced echoed threw the auditorium. She knew she'd get that reaction from them.
Renji stood up and sprinted to her. "You haven't told him you were fired?" He grabbed her by the shoulders and looked her dead in the eyes. Rukia bit down harder, nearly drawing blood as she innocently smirked and shook her head.
Renji growled and rolled his eyes, before turning away from Rukia and walking about three steps away from her. Upstage.
"Well, you…you have to tell him!" Renji spoke loudly, turning back to her after rubbing his forehead.
"NO!" Rukia shouted out, putting her arms out as if to stop him from walking at her. "He won't know…can't know." Rukia's voice grew softer, as if she was more so pleading than anything. "He can't know anything about me. Not Kaien, not the car accident, not my leg. Nothing." She looked them all in the eyes, her gaze tense and demanding. Forcing them to understand and more so…obey her command. Ichigo must not know anything about her mishaps of the past, for if even in the slightest way, it would damage their newborn confidence in each other. And she wanted absolutely no foul-ups.
A loud smash of the door- like a hammer taken to it's hard wood, turned all their heads to the left, where Byakuya came flying in behind the curtain. He looked like he was in distress…he actually looked like he was in distress and that only meant one thing…bad news.
"Byakuya," Rukia stated in surprise, turning the subject immediately to something different. She didn't wait for Renji and Shuuhei to swear their oath of silence over Rukia's past. She figured they got the memo by her somber speech, and would do as she said just because…well…just because.
Renji could only bite the corner of his mouth and sigh when Rukia suddenly switched gears. What could he say?
No, Rukia. You must tell the truth even if it means giving up both your dreams and watching them float down the drain. It's the way things are! Yeah. That'll fly.
He turned his own poignant face into a tight smile when Byakuya approached them, just in time to mask his ever-troubled face with fake concern before he noticed. Byakuya was out of breath, like he had been running for quite sometime and his face was even whiter than before.
Rukia's smile disintegrated when she saw the fear in his equally blue eyes… and she suddenly felt her stomach tighten. "Byakuya…Byakuya, what's wrong?"
Byakuya took in a deep breath, and she heard him wheeze just a little. "Mr. … Mr. Kisuke… is coming to see you…"
Rukia's eyes shot open. "What!" Mr. Kisuke, or better known as Urahara Kisuke to his friends, was Tokyo's greatest choir director and talent scout. He had met Rukia before when she was younger, way back when she was in the regional choir for an anonymous group called the Hummingbird choir. He had fallen in love with her voice when she sang The Prayer as a solo during her very last concert, and ever since then had been trying to convince her to join his choir. But he was just a little too late. She would have been glad to take him up on his offer…if only he had asked before she sent in her résumé to Tsushima. The day he asked her to join was the day she was accepted into Tsushima, and at the time Tsushima mattered way more. He had also known Kaien. Had been his singing mentor since he was five. The last time she ever saw Urahara was at Kaien's funeral, and he looked just as torn apart as she felt. But now he was back, trying to convince her to join. And again…he was a little too late. And he couldn't have come at a worse time.
"You can't be serious, Byakuya! The Mr. Kisuke?" Renji said, stepping up beside Byakuya. He turned to glance at him and nodded.
Shuuhei ran up and took his place by Rukia, putting his hand on her shoulder. "He doesn't know about Ichigo and Rukia's fling, does he? He can't possibly--"
"What does he want?" Rukia cut in.
"He heard about you getting fired…and he… he wanted to talk you into a brief job offer… a singing one."
Rukia's jaw dropped open. "How did he know that I could sing?" Byakuya shrugged as he drew in one last haggard breath, finally getting his lungs under control. He stood up straighter than he had been, and was now towering above all of them, even Renji.
"And what did you mean by brief?" Renji asked.
Byakuya licked his parched lips and said, " It's only one time. He needed to find someone to sing for the opening of his show choir concert.
Byakuya nodded again, still trying to catch his breath. "It's true…I have the… note right here." He held up a crumpled piece of paper and handed it to…anyone who would grab it. Both Renji and Shuuhei's hand shot for it, but Rukia got it before they managed to even get close. She cheated away from them and scanned briefly over the notice. The three huddled around her looking over her shoulder to get a glimpse at what it said.
"What does it say?" Shuuhei asked, unable to read it from his weird placement at her side.
"It says, 'Dear Rukia, I heard about your unfortunate mishap some years ago with your fiancé. I must tell you, I am deeply distraught about Kaien's passing, and am wishing you the best of whishes. I also heard about your letting go of Tsushima…"
Your letting go…. That was a nice way of putting it.
"…And that too, tore me apart. But enough about the past. As you may know, I have a new concert coming up, and my opening duet, due to illness, had to decline their place as the opening singers. I am writing to you, Miss Kuchiki, to tell you that your talents haven't been forgotten. I am writing to ask you most favorably to lend your voice to me for the concert. And you will be handsomely paid for your efforts, mid you. I feel greatly that you may be able to accomplish this within a small amount of time because my opening song will be The Prayer. A song, I know, we are both familiar with."
"As for your partner, that will have to be discussed between us over dinner tomorrow. It will be my treat; so don't worry about paying anything. I still haven't forgotten you, Rukia. You are still just as amazing as when I first heard you sing all those years ago. Please lend me your voice so that…" Rukia's voice broke. She hadn't realized that she had been crying until a tear dropped on the black type of the note, smearing the word it fell upon. She sniffed and whipped her burning cheeks from the falling tears, than began to read again. "So that your talent may once again be made known throughout Tokyo. Your biggest fan, Urahara Kisuke."
She let her hand and the note fall to her side as she drew up her other hand and pressed it to her upper lip. Her sobs were raking her body so much she could barely stand and Renji came up and wrapped a large arm around her waist, drawing her close.
They were all silent as Rukia cried into Renji's chest, than after a few beats, Shuuhei's whispers broke the silence.
"What are we gonna do about Ichigo?" he asked Byakuya, guarding the side of his mouth with his hand to make sure Rukia didn't hear him.
Byakuya did his usual answering shrug when Rukia answered.
"It's okay. I have an idea." Apparently Shuuhei wasn't as sneaky as he thought he was. He bit his lip and smirked to himself before taking a step back. Rukia had pulled away from Renji when she spoke and she whipped her eyes harshly as she walked past Shuuhei and Byakuya, up to her backpack lying by the boom box near the end of the stage.
"What are you going to tell him?" Shuuhei asked.
"The truth…for once. I'll tell him that I have to sing for a friend and if he wants to be the partner Urahara is looking for, than he should do it." She opened the biggest pocket and yanked out a small towel and dapped the tears from her eyes.
"But what if he can't sing?" Byakuya asked, his cold exterior having returned. Rukia threw down the towel on her backpack, upset over her own weakness rather than their distrust in her partner.
"Than I'm sure Urahara and I will figure out something."
She turned her back to them than bent backwards, stretching her back. Renji came up and bent forward, looking her in the eyes.
"So is that what you're doing today with him?" he asked.
"Doing what?" she eked out as her back began to strain against gravity.
"Finding out how well he can sing?" Renji replied. Rukia stood up, nearly butting heads with Renji, than sighed, feeling her muscles relax again.
"Yes." She replied. Renji just nodded and smiled, latching his arms behind his back as he watched Rukia walk circles on the stage as she stretched out her own arms.
Again, a door slamming drew all their attention upwards, this time to the main entrance in the back of the auditorium. Ichigo was huffing and puffing as he jogged down the isle, soaking wet from sweat and melted snow.
"Ichigo!" Rukia said, in shock at his condition when he came into the light at the edge of the stage. "Where in the hell have you been?"
Ichigo wheezed as he let his backpack slide off his shoulder and onto the floor. "I was…at the hospital…" Ichigo gasped.
They all gasped in unison, but Rukia was the only one to speak. "Why?"
Ichigo ran a hand threw his wet hair but kept his arm up there for a moment. " Old medial issue arising again…nothing big."
Rukia paused, her eyes wide. Was he terminally ill or something? Leukemia maybe? There she goes again, jumping to conclusions.
Ichigo saw her distressed look and he paused in his breathing to gaze at her. "Hey, don't worry, I'm fine! It's just a problem that arises every once in a while. But I got the medicine and I'll be fine."
Great. It is Leukemia! Oh god, not again!
Ichigo hoisted himself up on stage and threw off his jacket, letting flop on the floor beside his backpack.
He put his hands on his hips and smiled. "So…shall we?"
Rukia's mouth shifted, but no words came put. She had to turn away to get her vocal cords to work. "A…actually…we're not dancing today."
Ichigo's arms fell to his sides and his face went into shock. "What?" Shit, was he fired?
"Nope!" Rukia's voice had it's hyper yet stern aged again as she kept her back to him. "We're doing something quite different." She turned on her heal and looked at Ichigo, her arms behind her back. "Have you ever heard of Urahara Kisuke?"
Ichigo nodded. "Yeah. Isn't he the head of Tokyo's leading choir?"
Rukia nodded and 'hmmed'. " Well he has written to me with a promising offer. With pay."
The 'with pay' part caught Ichigo's attention right away. Maybe he would get paid enough to pay off his housing bill and maybe get some food in his fridge?
"What all can you do artistically, Ichigo?" Rukia said, her tone of voice turning into more of an interviewer rather than a teacher.
Ichigo paused and shrugged. "Well I uh…can dance, write, draw… what does Mr. Kisuke want with us, though?"
"Rukia smiled, ignoring his last question. "Well that's great…but can you sing?"
Ichigo raised a suspicious eyebrow. He hesitantly nodded. "Yes…"
Rukia's turn to smile. "Good."
