Everything is Different Upon Review: 3
Ichigo and Rukia helped with opening Hisana's shop. Sweeping the floor and the stoop outside and dusting everywhere.
Ichigo was a little anxious to go find out when Seireitei would next have Entrance Exams, but Rukia deserved a few worry-free days with her sister.
So they would remain at Hisana's, helping out, practicing what they could, and reading books as Rukia got to know her sister. Ichigo supposed that if it dragged on much, he should get an odd job. He watched Hisana sell a paper screen for a high price, but hers clearly wasn't a high volume business. After rent and all the rest, he doubted she had much left at the end of a month. He didn't want to eat through her savings.
They still had money left from the gang they'd robbed. He just didn't want to explain the money to Hisana.
Rukia said, "Hisana nee-san, when do you find the time to make all these screens?"
Hisana gestured to the hours posted in the window. They looked substantial to Ichigo. If Hisana meant that she made the screens in the time not devoted to actually running the shop, a tendency to overwork must run in the family.
Rukia said, "I could mind the shop while you paint screens."
"Perhaps later, when you've seen more of how it's done. But I can't leave the shop floor today. Today is Saturday," said Hisana.
"So?"
Hisana said, "Kuchiki-sama is coming."
Rukia's pause was small and almost natural. "Kuchiki as in House Kuchiki?"
"He's the young head," said Hisana, "and the 3rd Seat of Division 6, of the Gotei 13. He comes every Saturday to examine my work, so long as he isn't occupied. He's my best customer." But from the tension in her voice, and the slight blush to her cheeks, 'best-customer' clearly wasn't all.
Hisana hurriedly explained, "He pays for paper screens in his Division, and they are always being broken by the rowdy shinigami. He has to come weekly."
Rukia said, "We should get out of your way, then."
"No," said Hisana. "He'll want to meet you. He helped me look for you, once, in District 78."
Rukia was stricken. To cover it up, Ichigo said, "That's pretty generous for a customer."
"He's a true gentleman, and he knew I couldn't safely get there and back without assistance. And he'd never been to District 78 before. He thought that as a shinigami, he should familiarize himself with the lay of the land. It took no time at all to get there using Sentan Hakuja."
"Of course," said Ichigo. "I'm sure the Head of House Kuchiki does personal favors for lots of shop keepers."
Hisana gave him a very familiar glare and pulled out a green ceramic tea set. Nicer than the tea set she'd been serving them from. Simple, elegant and well-cared for. She vacillated between setting out four cups and two.
Finally, she set out four and busied herself with making the already clean shop truly spotless. Ichigo and Rukia assisted, and when Hisana was satisfied, she looked at the clock and vanished into her upstairs apartment. She returned shortly, face washed and hair brushed, expression unruffled by their looks.
Rukia and Ichigo were wisely silent, Rukia realizing that the kimono Hisana was wearing was nicer than the Kimono she'd worn the previous day. Her nicest, perhaps.
Before long, Rukia felt the pulse of a familiar reiatsu, though it was was lesser and younger than she'd ever felt it before. But still powerful. She guessed that he'd recently attained bankai.
Kuchiki Byakuya came into view.
He was dressed in the standard garb of a shinigami, missing the white kensieken in his hair, though he had the white gloves and wide white scarf.
When he saw Rukia standing with Hisana, his eyes widened, looking from older to younger. "Hisana-san?" he asked the older, voice full of question.
Hisana bowed. "Kuchiki-sama, allow me to introduce you to my younger sister, Rukia.
Rukia bowed, "It's a pleasure to meet you, Kuchiki-sama."
When she rose from her bow, Byakuya was smiling. His teeth weren't showing, but it was no little quirk of his lips, not the mere 'relaxation of jaw,' that she was used to associating with his pleasure. It was a true, warm smile, if only with his lips, directed at Hisana.
"You found her," he said. "I'm glad."
Hisana said, "In truth, she found me. She and her friend were walking through the District when someone noticed the resemblance and approached her."
Ichigo figured the 'her friend' part was his cue to step out from behind the threshold. "Yo, Byakuya-san."
Rukia stomped on his foot.
"Oi, what's the big deal. I said -san. He's my friend's older sister's friend. There's no reason to get all formal."
Byakuya's gaze, which had turned rigid at Ichigo's address, softened slightly.
Rukia stomped on Ichigo's foot again. "you should still use his surname at the very least, you idiot."
"Fine," said Ichigo, though he didn't really plan to start addressing Byakuya that respectfully. He would just avoid saying the guy's name. Not like it would be hard. He doubted they'd have much to do with each other.
Kuchiki Byakuya said, "I will take you all to lunch."
"Kuchiki-sama," said Hisana, in protest.
"It is a day to be celebrated. And I have told you to call me Byakuya-sama, at least."
"It wouldn't be proper," Hisana demurred.
Rukia couldn't tell what would be improper, Hisana calling him by his personal name or him taking them out to eat, both perhaps. But Hisana hardly looked displeased.
Improper or not, it shortly happened – not Hisana calling him by name, but them going out to eat. Hisana locked her shop and Byakuya took them first to a clothing store so that he could buy Rukia and Ichigo more reputable yukata to wear. Green for Ichigo, and for Rukia, a golden orange that contrasted perfectly with her her purplish-blue eyes.
In a hastily whispered conversation, Rukia told Ichigo that the clothing was of good quality, but not outrageously expensive. Middle-class wear that could go most places, much like what Hisana was wearing.
On hearing that Byakuya was not only helping them, but wasn't embarrassing them with a condescending gift of riches, Ichigo had forced himself to approach the noble, bob his head, and mutter, "Thanks, Kuchiki-san."
Byakuya had looked amused and said, "Points for trying," as he turned away, leaving Ichigo poleaxed.
Ichigo hadn't hated Byakuya. He'd respected the guy. He'd been powerful and hard working. Rukia and Renji had both known him a damn lot better and had seemed to admire him. He'd respected that Byakuya had chosen not to outright kill him when they'd first met, even if it'd been at Rukia's urging. He'd respected that Byakuya hadn't killed Ganju either, which he could've easily done. Ichigo had respected that, once Aizen's perfidy had been revealed, Byakuya had been willing to die for his sister. Ichigo had even sorta respected that Byakuya had been willing to kill the sister he was willing to die for because it was the law and no one should be above it, though mostly Ichigo had thought that was weird and screwed up. And of course, he'd respected that Byakuya, as an uber noble, had married a commoner because he loved her, defying his family in the process.
But Ichigo had imagined their falling in love process as something out of an old tragedy. Byakuya saving her from a Hollow, seeing her wide, frightened eyes and the white nape of her neck and falling instantly in love.
In point of fact, it seemed Byakuya had come into her shop once because he liked painted silk and paper screens and Hisana painted paper and silk screens for a living, and they'd gotten to talking and had hit it off.
It was way too normal. And Byakuya was way too normal. Young. Happy. Hopeful. With a sense of humor that wasn't bitter sarcasm hidden beneath a hundred calcified layers of pretentious dignity.
Ichigo was half-tempted to like this Kuchiki Byakuya, and he felt stupid for not having realized that the love of your life dying slowly of a painful, lingering illness only a few years after you'd defied your whole family in order to marry her was an experience that could change a person.
Their old clothes in bags, Byakuya led them to the restaurant. From what Ichigo could tell, it was like the clothing. Good quality, but not truly expensive. Not luxurious. Ichigo supposed that if Byakuya had tried to take Hisana to some place fancy, the sort of place the Head of House Kuchiki would be expected to be found, she would refuse.
As their lunches were served, Byakuya and Hisana spoke in low voices, Ichigo catching only snatches of their conversation. Byakuya was worried about Hisana's living situation, and Hisana was assuring him that there was no problem.
Rukia stole a pickled radish from his bento.
"You have your own," hissed Ichigo. He feinted toward the picked radish on her bento, and as she moved to protect, stole a piece of salmon instead.
"Manners," said Hisana, voice sharp.
Rukia said, "Manners, Ichigo," and slapped him on the shoulder. "This is a restaurant. We have to be proper." And she ate her pickled radish in a refined, genteel way.
With an extra furrow of his brow, Ichigo let her know she'd pay for that later. But for the moment, there was eating.
Watching them, Byakuya said, "You do have table manners."
Swallowing before she spoke, Rukia said, "District 78 lacks class, but we do have chopsticks, and wherever you go, crumbs on the table are a waste, and no one likes to see the inside of others' mouths as they chew."
That seemed to mark the start of an interrogation, because Byakuya said, "It's unusual to get this far in from an outer district without connections."
"We walked," said Rukia. "And sometimes we ran."
Byakuya looked blank, and Hisana looked skeptical. Hisana said, "Ichigo-kun, how old are you?"
That was a dangerous question. He knew too much about the shinigami arts and Seireitei to be a recently arrived soul, but if anyone cared to check, they'd find he didn't have an established record in Rukongai. An elaborate lie to explain both would be both notable and disprovable. "I'm not even sure. Pretty young, by our standards. But I'd rather not talk about it."
Ichigo figured that would end it, but Byakuya said, "You look very much like Lieutenant Shiba Kaien."
"Really," said Ichigo, disinterested.
Rukia said, "Ichigo and I wish to become Shinigami. We came here because we heard that entrance exams are held more often in the lower Districts."
Byakuya said, "You both feel as if you should pass. The next entrance exam is in two weeks. Simply go to the gates of Seireitei and they will direct you." He paused. "Do you have family names?"
"Nah," said Ichigo.
Rukia looked to Hisana.
"Kotsuki," said Hisana. "Konso took most of my memories of the living world, but I remember that."
"Freezing moon?" said Rukia, thinking she must be guessing the kanji wrong. But no, they were the Kanji on the sign over Hisana's shop.
"Correct."
Rukia and Ichigo exchanged a look, thinking of her zanpakutou, and how its first dance was Tsukishiro, white moon, and thinking of Ichigo's zanpakutou as well, Zangetsu, slaying moon.
Rukia said, "Would you like it if I-" she stopped, unable to say it.
Hisana said, "I would be pleased if you used the name. It's the name you were born to. It is yours as much as mine."
"I would like that," Rukia said, voice strained, face carefully blank. Ichigo leaned over, bumping his shoulder against hers as if by accident.
When that wasn't enough, Ichigo took the attention off her. He said, "I oughta make a name up though, right? Something cool."
Hisana smiled, seeing, perhaps, what he was doing. "Nothing juvenile that you'll regret later."
"Of course not," said Ichigo. "Something four syllables long, maybe, so it'll be a nice solid six-count when you say my whole name."
Recovering, Rukia said, "Honoirobaka Ichigo."
"That's a six syllable family name. Didn't you hear me?" he said, ignoring that it meant orange idiot.
"Kurimi Ichigo," said Rukia. Creamy strawberry.
"You don't get how to count, do you?" He rubbed his temples, sighing. "District 78 just does not offer a decent education." He held up a finger. "This many is one." He held up a second finger. "This many is two." He held up a third finger.
She elbowed him hard in the side.
"Oof," went Ichigo, bending over, tip of his nose brushing his rice.
Rukia said, "Don't worry, Hisana nee-san, Kuchiki-sama, I'll make this idiot choose something good."
When they'd finished their meals, and had dessert besides, Byakuya insisted on escorting Hisana back to her shop. He still had screens to look at.
Byakuya pulled up alongside Ichigo and flicked a hand at his face.
Ichigo, conditioned by battle after battle, did what he always did when anyone other than Rukia or Chad made an unexpected movement.
He shunpoed away, hands coming up automatically into fighting position.
When his mind caught up to his body, he froze.
Byakuya did not look surprised.
Sighing, Rukia shunpoed behind Ichigo, cuffed him on the back of the head, and said, "Idiot. Talk about overreacting. You know you can't let people manipulate you like that."
She shrugged, and grinned impishly at Byakuya and Hisana. "We're gonna do pretty well at Shino Academy, right?"
Byakuya's thin, bloodless, nearly familiar curving of his lips said it all.
#
#
Byakuya and Hisana spoke in low voices in her shop, Rukia and Ichigo having been sent upstairs.
Byakuya said, "Rukia seems much like you on the surface, but I suspect that she has more in common with that rapscallion she's friends with."
"They remind me of street-toughs," she said. A moment later, "They are street toughs."
Byakuya said, "They have high reiatsu and are in control of it, especially Rukia, and they have good posture, good balance. They're light on their feet, and when they shunpoed, they followed each others' movements. I've little doubt that they were the lords of their neighborhood."
"And now they wish to be shinigami."
"They have talent. They'll do well, if the rapscallion can learn some discipline."
Hisana said, "I won't ask you to to protect them. Shinigami are protectors. But could you ensure that they get into appropriate Divisions when the time comes? And that they get any help they need?"
Byakuya did not speak or even nod. He did not take her hands to reassure her. But she understood.
#
#
The courtyard was full of prospective shinigami, and their chatter made it hard to hear anything. Ichigo had made the mistake of standing behind Rukia as she signed them up at the registration table, and as they left it, Rukia handed him his ticket.
Ichigo stared at the name written on it. "The hell is this, Rukia? Kurokento Ichigo?!" Kurokento. With the black sword.
"It's a wonderful name," said Rukia, preening.
"It's lame. It's something a kid would come up with."
She hit him. "It's a beautiful, elegant name, you'll learn to recognize it easily, and it's four syllables, just like you asked."
"I'm getting it changed," said Ichigo, making a bee-line for the registration table.
She grabbed him by the back of his yukata. "Nope, too late. You're already in the system. Trying to change it now will just draw attention and make them dislike you."
"They'll do it if I say a bitch chose it to embarrass me."
Rukia said, "You're not the only one with an embarrassing name, idiot. Kotsuki? Freezing moon? You're joining me in this."
"So that's what you're after."
She laughed diabolically. "You thought you'd get to hold it over me, didn't you? You were waiting for the right opportunity. But now we're on the same footing, Kurokento Ichigo."
A quick fight ensued, ending in a mutual headlock, each with an arm wrapped tight around the other's neck, bringing them almost cheek to cheek.
Turning his head, Ichigo whispered, "It's a little on the nose."
Rukia whispered back, breath hot on his ear. "Lots of people have names that fit. It's part of destiny. Besides, you already know about your zanpakutou. Because you've dreamed of it, right? So it makes sense."
Kurokento. As embarrassing as it might be, he also sort of liked it. And it would be easy to recognize. He sighed in defeat.
The entrance exam wasn't anything. A woman looked at him to see if his reiatsu was high enough, only a flicker of an eyebrow giving her surprise away as she examined him. He was hiding his reiatsu, but even what he wasn't hiding was substantial. At an old man's direction, he did a few squats, push-ups and lunges to prove his body mostly worked. Then a different woman asked him a few simple questions to make sure he wasn't too mentally challenged or too obviously a psychopath. Ichigo answered them naturally, wondering how Kenpachi and Korutsuchi had snuck through.
But once the entrance exam was over, and all the rejects had been sent away, the placement test began, and that was exhaustive.
While Rukia went to a different rotation, Ichigo took a written test. The first bit was about finding out whether he knew how to read. It proceeded from there to law, history, and science, the science of Soul Society being awful different from what he was used to. He did badly on all of those, but did as well as possible on the few questions about Outer-Rukongai, and intentionally missed a few questions about Seireitei and shinigami.
After the bewilderingly unfamiliar science section, math would've been a relief if he hadn't been obligated to bomb everything but basic arithmetic.
Then there was the test on Kido theory. He did as well on that as he could.
That was the last of the writtens. Next was a Kido demonstration. He made balls of energy, demonstrated that he could shakily use the first few Hado and Bakudo with the use of a full chant, and damaged a wall.
He answered a few questions about how he'd learned what Kido he knew, and they were impressed when he said it all came from studying a book, and from a friend who was better at studying the same book. He was vague on how long he'd been studying it.
Next was zanjutsu. His swordsmanship was good but rough, and he was used to a much longer blade besides. He'd been using a staff for long enough that, fighting with a bouken, he kept bringing one hand up to the back of the blade so he could use it like a staff.
The instructor said that was called half-swording and was usually used in close. Ichigo supposed he should study it when he got his shikai. Considering how long Zangetsu was, it'd probably be useful.
He explained that he was used to using a staff and was sent on to the Hoho examination.
The fact that he knew shunpo clearly surpassed expectations. He undershot the target several times, as if that were a tendency of his, but otherwise did things to the best of his ability, aside from the fact that he was hiding his true strength.
Hakuda was interesting. The style was a bit like Karate and a lot more like what his dad did. Ichigo's style was a mix of Karate, what he'd picked up from his dad, and what he'd figured out himself in fights.
Unfortunately, a lot of what he figured out himself worked well against local delinquents who didn't know what they were doing, but not so well against someone who did. Still, his striking and trapping were good, but his grappling was weak. The examiner proved it, and told Ichigo to watch his guard more and commit either more or less.
He popped out into a little lobby, waited 15 minutes, filled out some paperwork, waited 15 more minutes, and was given a bouken and a canvas bag that held a small money purse with 10 Kan in it, toiletries, a water bottle, writing materials, and five folded uniforms. He was given his class sheet and told he'd be getting his books later.
After his mandatory shower (a shower, not a bathhouse, that surprised him) to get the sweat off, he was directed out of the testing area and into Shino Academy.
In its main lobby, he found Rukia on a bench, dressed in Shino Academy's uniform. She looked a lot better in it than he did. It looked bad on guys. Yukata and Kimono were fine, but he was wearing a freaking blue skirt.
Sighting him, seeing his expression, Rukia smirked and said, "Feeling feminine enough, Ichigo?""Shut up." He took the seat next to her. "Skirts aren't feminine here."
"It's not a skirt. It's a hakama. Just like a shihakusho. The legs are separate."
"It looks like a skirt."
"What's wrong with skirts?"
Ichigo said, "It doesn't have pockets. Why doesn't it have pockets?"
"You're supposed to use your interior breast pocket."
"Bah. It's tiny." He pulled his folded class schedule out of it. Ichigo said, "I've got Math 1.5, Science 1, Language Arts 6, Law 1, History 1, Tactics and Duties 1. Then on the practical side there's Kido 2, Hoho 7, Hakuda 6 and Zanjutsu 5."
"What did you choose for your Edification?"
Basically an elective. "Music. You?"
"Art, of course."
"Your poor sensei."
She slapped him. "I've also got Math 2, Science 2, Language Arts 6, Law 2, History 2, and Tactics and Duties 1."
Ichigo stared. She knew quite well that she'd been supposed to bomb all the academics but language arts. But apparently she hadn't been able to restrain herself from answering some questions right.
Rukia said, "It's fortunate I got into Hisana nee-san's books or I would've done as badly as you."
Ichigo scowled. What kind of genius was she making herself out to be? "And practicals?"
"Kido 7, Hoho 7, Zanjutsu 5 and Hakuda 5."
Kido 7. The highest level offered. She was really leaning hard on her 'self-study,' of that Kido book they'd liberated. Ichigo said, "We don't share many classes."
"Oh, is the strawberry going to miss me?" She stuck out her lower lip.
"Like hell. I'm just worried someone will accidentally step on you, midget."
"So you are worried."
He scoffed.
Rukia said, "We have the same homeroom. Advanced Class 1."
"Good thing too. You'd never make any friends without me."
Her stomp hurt his foot more than normal, and Ichigo realized that was a sensitive area. He said, "You're too intimidating, is the problem. People back way from your midgety..." He trailed off. 'Perfection,' had been on the tip of his tongue, but if he said that, she'd never let him live it down. "Midgetness."
She must've gathered what he'd intended to say, because, mollified, she tugged his sleeve to make him come with her as they 'explored' Shino Academy.
#
#
Rukia approached the residential manager she knew from experience to be understanding of people from Outer-Rukongai, since he was one himself.
She found him in a hallway, checking on rooms.
She bowed, tugging on Ichigo's shirt to make sure he bowed with her. "Kinobara-sama. I am Kotsuki Rukia, newly assigned to Advanced Class 1. Behind me is Kurokento Ichigo, also newly assigned to Advanced Class 1."
"And?" said Kinobara.
"Kinobara-sama. Ichigo and I grew up together in Outer-Rukongai. We're not used to sharing rooms with people we don't trust. There've been a couple times," she glared at Ichigo, "When this idiot attacked someone who woke him up."
"I didn't attack anyone," said Ichigo, playing along, red with indignation. "I just incapacitated him. Nothing wrong with that. He was fine after a few weeks."
Ignoring him, Rukia said, "So I wonder if Ichigo and I could share a room."
Kinobara said, "Are you married?"
"To this midget?" said Ichigo.
Rukia gagged.
Ichigo said, "Oi, isn't that a little over the top?"
Rukia said, "Vomiting would've been over the top. Gagging is subtle and understated.
"Like hell."
Kinobara said, "Is that a no?"
"It's a no, Kinobara-sama," she said sweetly.
"We have a student code of conduct."
"A wise and wonderful document," said Rukia. "We'll be sure to follow it most strictly."
Kinobara spoke with unusual bluntness. "If you get pregnant, we'll kick you out."
As Ichigo's eyes bugged out, Rukia said, "No danger of that, Kinobara-sama. I doubt Ichigo is capable."
"Hey!"
Rukia said, "He's still quite young. And stupid."
Ichigo ignored that to glare at Kinobara. "Physically, we're barely into puberty."
"That hasn't stopped everyone," said Kinobara, mildly. "Kotsuki-chan, you sincerely wish to room with Kurokento-kun?"
"Yes," said Rukia.
"And you, Kurokento-kun? Do you wish to room with Kotsuki-chan?"
Ichigo said, "Rukia is insufferable. If you put her with anyone else, they'll be demanding a room change by day two. It'll be easier for you to put us together."
Kinobara's eyes narrowed. "Kurokento-kun. Do you wish to room with Kotsuki-chan?"
"Err, yeah," said Ichigo, realizing he had to be direct. "Definitely. If it's not too much trouble. I could owe you a small favor someday. If that's okay to offer."
"Hmm," said Kinobara. "Should I take it as given that if you aren't placed together you'll frequently sneak into each other's rooms?"
Rukia said, "We would never intentionally disrespect the Shino Academy's rules. If one of us ever was in the other's room, it would be a thoughtless result of-"
"Yes," said Ichigo.
Kinobara-san handed a brass key to each of them. "Room 402. Don't make me regret this. If the surrounding students complain about moaning keeping them awake, I'll separate you two."
They took the keys, each bright pink, Ichigo more with anger than embarrassment.
Rukia pulled on Ichigo's shirt to make him bow with her and said, "Thank you, Kinobara-sama," before tugging Ichigo down the hallway before he could explode.
Ichigo said, "How can he even say that to people who look as young we do? Pervert."
"We might look young, but we're not that young."
Ichigo figured he was almost 17, which was still too young, in his opinion, but it wasn't a subject he wanted to talk about with Rukia. Though there was another subject.
"You know this will start rumors. So what was that about?"
Rukia said, "You talk in your sleep."
"I do not."
"I don't want any other students hearing your nightmares."
The potential seriousness of that shut him up.
"It was fine with the others in Rukongai. A simple Kido took care of that, and there was no way they'd break it, and even if they did, or I forgot one night, they wouldn't recognize what you mumbled. But here..."
At Shino Academy lots of people might recognize a mumbled 'Aizen.'
Ichigo said, "Plus, your snoring always drowned me out."
"I do not snore!"
Ichigo said, "True. You sound more like a horse neighing." She didn't do it very often. Mostly when she had the sniffles. But she did do it. "And you talk sometimes too."
"About serious things?"
He snorted. "Mostly you go on about rabbits." Sleeping Rukia was a bit like conscious Inoue. Though she also said Ichigo's name a lot when she talked in her sleep, which come to think of it, was also a bit like conscious Inoue.
#
#
Room 402 would've been large for one person, and was decent-sized for two. He'd expected futons, and was surprised and puzzled to see western style beds. Tall ones, with drawers underneath. Pulling a drawer out revealed that each bed was built on a combination dresser and cabinet. Two of the drawers had combination locks.
They each had a desk and a tall, narrow bookcase. They each had a window in the back wall, a sword stand and an oil lamp, even though Ichigo had seen light bulbs in Rukongai.
They each also had a Kido lamp. Powering those was probably supposed to be a part of their Kido training, but Ichigo lit each with a wave of his hand. All it needed was directed reiatsu.
Well over half the floor space was empty, and rolled exercise and meditation mats against the wall showed what the space was intended for.
A thin dark line on the floor separated the two halves.
Reading his expression, Rukia said, "We can get a screen for privacy."
Ichigo nodded. "I'm surprised they give this much space to students."
"Seireitei has plenty of space. They kicked most of the businesses out into Inner-Rukongai centuries ago and have never quite replaced all those people. Besides, they couldn't possibly offer any less than this to Noble kids. Though most of the really high Noble kids just go straight into Divisions."
"You've been doing a lot of reading," said Ichigo. A reminder that she should keep her knowledge unremarkable for her supposed background.
Rukia said, "If you'd been paying attention, you would've heard Kuchiki-sama say just that to Hisana nee-san when she was worried about us."
"Really?"
"Yes. If not in so many words."
He shrugged and moved to the drawers beneath the bed. He put his four spare uniforms into the drawer, along with the yukata he'd been wearing when they found Hisana, and the yukata Byakuya had bought him.
He went off to find out how tolerable the shared dorm restroom was.
Rukia hopped slightly to get up on the tall bed.
#
#
Ideally, they would seem like talented but unextraordinary students. Given that that was probably impossible, they'd settle for looking like prodigies. But normal prodigies, rather than truly freakish talents like Toushiro, Gin, or Kurosaki Ichigo. Being noticed by Aizen was inevitable, but they didn't want him to think they really mattered.
They took their seats for their first class, homeroom, well ahead of when class was scheduled to start. Their sensei wasn't even there yet.
Rukia was nervous. That was stupid – she was an experienced, powerful shinigami, and Shino Academy should hold no fears for her – but it was true. The last time she had attended Shino Academy, she'd been lonely and sad, all but abandoned by Renji, and Byakuya's offer had been a welcome escape.
And the other half of her, the half that had never been a shinigami, the Outer-Rukongai brat, had no confidence or experience to draw upon.
And Ichigo was talking to the guy in the next seat. She didn't know how that had happened. She was sitting rigidly and properly at her desk, and Ichigo was scowling and speaking far too casually with a handsome student with dark brown hair, and the student was grinning back, speaking animatedly.
One of Ichigo's more startling talents was his ability to scowl in a distinctly friendly way.
"Nah," Ichigo scowled, "Inuzuri. District 78."
"Really?" said the student. "Your reiatsu is well-controlled."
Ichigo grabbed Rukia's shoulder and pulled her halfway across her desk. "You can thank the slave-driver here. Shinigami this, shinigami that, ever since we met."
Rukia suppressed the urge to elbow Ichigo in the chest. Did he have to introduce her in such an embarrassing manner?
Ichigo said, "Rukia, meet Nakamura Ita. Nakamura, this is Kotsuki Rukia."
Rukia bowed at her desk.
"We go back a ways. We came here together."
Rukia said, "It's a pleasure to meet you, Nakamura-san."
"Likewise, Kotsuki-san."
Ichigo said, "I take it you ain't from Outer-Rukongai."
"No. I was born in Seireitei. My mother is the 18th Seat of Division 8, and my father is an unseated Officer of the same Division."
"Isn't that kind of rare? Shinigami having kids? From what I heard."
"Yes, but Captain Kyouraku is more tolerant than most."
"Really?"
"To the extent that my mother complains about his matchmaking."
"Tch. I'll avoid that. You gonna join 8?"
"I would rather not," said Nakamura. "I'm at the age where I need to stretch my wings and find my own place in the Gotei."
"Your parents embarrass you enough without you being in their Division, huh?"
Nakamura winced. "That is not inaccurate."
Rukia frowned. Ichigo got along well with others, mostly, but he wasn't usually so outgoing. Was he attempting to make friends since it was the first day of school? She'd supposed they would keep to themselves to avoid giving anything away, but having friends was an important form of power. Maybe he thought they should try to be influential.
And suddenly a blue-haired woman who looked about human 18 was drawn into the conversation, along with her black haired friend. A third person, and fourth person, gathering around Ichigo's desk, talking to each other a lot more than to Ichigo, who wasn't saying much, but he was still undoubtedly at the center of it.
That was familiar. Almost nostalgic. Despite all his scowling, or perhaps because of how he scowled, Ichigo was approachable. Charismatic. He was the youngest looking student, besides herself, yet people flocked around him. Just as it had been in his human high school, so it was in Shino Spirit Academy. Already.
Rukia checked the clock. There were still nearly 15 minutes to go. Most everyone had come very early, to ensure they wouldn't be late for the first day. A polite, neutral expression on her face, she listened to the students. She'd missed introductions, but the blue-haired girl called the black-haired girl 'Yoko-chan.' They were comparing class placements with Nakamura, who was sheepishly proud as he pointed to his assignments to Kido 3 and Zanjutsu 4.
Yoko-chan asked Ichigo about his class assignments, and Ichigo dropped his class list on the desk.
The students bent to look, eyes widening. Nakamura said, "Hoho 7, Kurokento-san. That's amazing."
Ichigo shrugged. "I'm good with shunpo. You should see the midget's schedule though."
Reluctantly, face composed, Rukia set her schedule next to Ichigo's.
"Kido 7," said Yoko. "Midori-chan has been taking Kido lessons for years and years and she only got put in Kido 4."
The dark haired girl, who must be Midori, nodded.
"You must be a genius," said Midori, off put.
No surprise there. People found genius more palatable when it came from guys. Brilliant girls were uppity. Ichigo would be popular, and she'd be his strange, tiny, bitchy friend who'd somehow convinced him to bunk with her.
Something clicked.
"Oh my," Rukia said, hand over her mouth as she tittered. "You praise me too highly. The examiner was generous, I think."
"Oh no," said Midori. "Your skills must be very great."
Rukia said, "While Ichigo-kun hunted, I would always stay behind and practice Kido. It is only because of his hard work that I have any skill at all." She looked at their class lists. "History 5, Yoko-chan. That's very impressive. You must've studied hard."
They chattered, Rukia remembering how it worked, almost beginning to enjoy herself, Ichigo's expression growing more thunderous with every minute.
Eventually, he broke in. "I need to talk to Rukia for a minute." He grabbed her arm and pulled her out of her seat, pulled her to the edge of the classroom.
Leaning in, Ichigo hissed, "Why the hell are you acting?"
"What's wrong with trying to get along well?"
"Nothing. But that innocent school girl act is creepy."
"It worked before," said Rukia.
"It was creepy then too."
"I didn't realize you were so easily frightened."
Ichigo said, "I'm not the one who's scared."
Rukia flinched, and Ichigo looked deep into her eyes. Rukia had given him plenty of painfully sincere and much needed advice. He could return the favor. "The midget who immobilized me when we first met: she was cold, reserved, harsh, demanding, and never less than a pain in the ass."
"Thanks," said Rukia, glaring.
"And there's no one braver. No one more trustworthy. No one I'd rather be here with. No one. Absolutely no one. You should let other people get to know that woman too. Even if it's hard."
Rukia was frozen.
Ichigo led them back to their desks in time for class to start.
#
#
Classes, classes, lunch, classes, study hall with homeroom, dinner, and a timed 7 minute shower, separate shower rooms for each gender. Rukia didn't have to fake being a little overwhelmed. It was an overwhelming day, even if it was her second time doing it. It was evening but she was ready to sleep.
They were walking along with the three people who had somehow become Ichigo's group easy as breathing. Yoko, Midori, and Nakamura.
Having exhausted the topic of the dining hall's adequacy, they were speaking of Tactics and Duties 1, the only class it was impossible to test out of and so the only class they all shared.
"The sensei was so long-winded," Midori said.
Yoko nodded. Nakamura said, "I thought I was going to die of boredom."
Rukia said, "Nuance is important. He laid out the whole structure of the class." The lecture had made her nostalgic, reminding her of her early days guiding Ichigo. "If you cannot pay attention yourself, you may copy my notes."
Nakamura looked slightly affronted, but Yoko and Midori exchanged amused glances. Someone so small being so prissy and abrasive was almost amusing. And they couldn't help respecting her forcefulness.
Ichigo said, "Are there any words amid all those doodles? Careful, Nakamura, you'll ask for her notes and you'll get a comic of a bunny's adventures fighting Hollows."
Rukia said, "Pictures and diagrams help people remember and understand, you close-minded fool."
Ichigo reached into her bag and pulled out her notebook, holding it high and turning away so she couldn't snatch it from him. He turned to Rukia's notes on Tactics and Duties.
The other three leaned in.
There were plenty of words, but there were also drawings of a cute, bipedal bunny in a shihakusho carrying out shinigami duties. Performing Konso, attacking Hollows from behind, standing alert at guard duty.
Midori said, "So cute, Kotsuki-chan."
"It helps me remember and pay attention," said Rukia, blushing.
Ichigo said, "Don't believe her. She's just got bunnies on the brain."
Rukia kicked his shin, took the notebook from him, closed it, hit him with its edge, and replaced it in her bag. "See if I let you borrow my notes."
"I took my own," said Ichigo. "Without the crappy drawings."
They reached Room 402. Ichigo said, "This is us," and unlocked the door.
Rukia bowed, saying, "We look forward to see you tomorrow at breakfast, Nakamura-san, Yoko-chan, Midori-chan.
They stared as Ichigo opened the door. It was very clear that the two were rooming together, and that was strange. The looks weren't as taken aback as they would be if Rukia and Ichigo were more developed, but still.
Ichigo said, "The midget and I are used to sharing a hut or a tent or whatever, so we asked Kinobara if we could share a room. He said okay. Later." Tugging Rukia inside, he shut the door.
Flopping on his bed, Ichigo said, "I'm so damn glad we don't look a little older."
Facing away while they changed into sleeping clothes wasn't quite automatic. When she'd slept in his closet, she'd changed in his closet. In Outer-Rukongai, they hadn't had separate clothing for sleeping in. And Hisana had a restroom.
Still, it was accomplished without much trouble, and Rukia hopped up on her bed while he was still facing the other way. That she had to jump a little to get on her bed was a fact she intended to keep secret as long as possible.
Ichigo turned out the lights and slipped into his own bed.
As they listened to each other's breathing, Rukia admitted that her desire to share a room with Ichigo had very little to do with practicality.
She felt so very exposed. A speck of ice on a frying pan. The bearer of a great secret. The literal bearer of a great weapon. The greatest secrets of her life, the greatest events, the greatest fears, were things she could only allude to with one person. The one who shared so many of those fears and secrets.
She wondered if Ichigo felt the same way. She wondered if her breathing was a comfort to him.
She slept.
:::
Sentan Hakuja is the Kido used in canon by Ichimaru and Aizen to get immediately from Central 46 to Sokyouku Hill. In this fic, characters will use it with some frequency.
Canonically, Ichigo doesn't tease much. His and Rukia's exchanges aren't quite like this. But teasing comes naturally to me as a writer, and the shallow, performative yet authentic anger/peevishness that Ichigo actually has is not something I understand.
It's unclear to me when, canonically, Kisuke hid the Hougyoku in Rukia. But it is sometime before she came to Karakura. I had intended it to be clear in chapter one that, in this fic, it is already hidden in her.
Yes, this is Ichi/Ruki. I don't do much else. I never took seriously the idea of Ichigo ending up with someone else until suddenly, it had happened. That may mean I'm thick.
I'm enjoying the fic recommendations some people are putting in their reviews. Thanks. And yes, I will update Soul Struck soon.