Disclaimer: - I don't own Bleach. Kibo Tite owns Bleach. The closest I come to owning Bleach is my bottle of White king in the laundry.

WARNING MASSIVE SPOILERS

Turning The Rumour Mill

He came in at night surprising everyone in the small room they shared. "Yo! Ichi-Bro! I found out you were joining this year so I transferred over to your room!" He stood there grinning.

Shiba Ganjyu was a tall broad shouldered man. His squared jaw and pug nose worked well to hide his childish playfulness. Ichigo stared at him, shocked that Ganjyu was standing in his room dressed in a black Shinigami uniform. "What are you doing here?"

"Didn't you read the locker names? Man you are dumb!... I'm training to become a Shinigami bro! I'm in your year!" annoyed by Ichigo's lack of attention.

"You are!? I thought you hated Shinigami?" A little surprised, Ichigo fought to keep his face from showing it, pursing his frown ever so slightly tighter.

Ganjyu merely shrugged. "Long story Ichi. I'll tell ya another time. Lets just say that after all that's happened everything is forgiven and forgotten." Ganjyu smiled at the confused look Ichigo gave him. "Sis told me everything in the end… and after… influence by certain people I met, I decided that Shinigami's ain't that bad after all."

"Certain influences?" Ichigo smiled. Ganjyu wasn't the type to admit anything directly.

"Anyway so who's the other roomies" Ganjyu folded his arms behind his head trying to change the topic.

"Hi, my name is Hyou." A muscular, young dark haired teen, nodded slightly to Ganjyu. He had taken the top bunk opposite side of Ichigo and was lying in bed reading.

"Yo! Hyou. I'm Shiba Ganjyu" Ganjyu greeted him. "No family name?"

"No, a lot of people in Rukongai don't have family names. I was too young to remember mine when I originally died." A sadness crept into his dark eyes. "Hyou was given to me by someone I knew so it'll do I guess. Besides I like the name"

"Fujiwara Saito" A young ash blonde sitting at the only table studying textbooks stated.

"Shiba Ganjyu" Ganjyu repeated slapping himself across his large chest.

"Shiba… as in the noble house Shiba?"

"Yeah" Ganjyu replied eyeing the Shinigami warily. "Problem?"

Saito merely smiled, shook his head and went back to his text books. "Hey Ganjyu" Ichigo trying to break the uncomfortable silence, "Help me put up this altar. Need you to hold it while I nail the damn thing in."

Ganjyu turned around and saw the large photo in a slender black frame. He recognized the photo, his face solemn, replied "Sure Ichigo"

Rukia arrived early morning, the next day, just as Ichigo was still changing. Saito had already left by then, so it was Hyou who opened the door. "Good morning, Kuchiki-sama" He bowed politely.

She bowed in response and her eyes drifted over to the orange haired youth struggling to get his uniform on quickly. "Late as ever I see." she quipped.

"Shut up!" was Ichigo's flat reply.

Stepping into the small room she noticed a small altar was set up on the wall next to the door. A small lion plushie was sitting beside an enlarged photo of the plushies face. A small incense urn sat beside a tablet with the deceased's name, Kon. "May I?" she whispered to Ichigo.

Ichigo nodded and took out a bag of incense taking 3 for himself, he passed it over to Rukia who did likewise before giving it to Ganjyu. Hyou looked on, entranced by this macabre scene, wondering if he wasn't witnessing the birth of some weird plushie religion. After all they were already dead and yet, here were three people, two of which were nobles making ancestral offerings to a plush toy.

Finishing the ceremony with a clap and quick prayer they stepped back and started to converse. "Dumb ass! Get your shoes on already" She was starting to get angry again seeing Ichigo still not fully ready. The steam was building in her eyes and it was only a matter of time before it blew up. "And what's with you socks, they stink! Don't you ever wash em"

"Shut up bitch! They're new." Ichigo starting the shouting match. Secretly inside however he smiled, grateful for the familiar routine.

"You smell! Did you wake up too late to bathe this morning as well"

Ichigo cursed under his breath making sure she wouldn't hear, but unfortunately for him her ears were very keen.

Ganjyu laughed at this and quickly excused himself from the room, heading out to the dining hall. Hyou raised an eyebrow, curious as to what the relationship between a first year academy student and a noble Shinigami was. He quickly excused himself and left after Ganjyu. Ichigo lost all the air in his lungs as a small fist found itself embedded in his solar plexus. He struggled to maintain his footing as this same fist dragged him by collar out of his room. "Hurry up all or they'll be no breakfast left for you."

"Shiba-san" a voice called out behind him.

Half jogging to catch up to Ganjyu, Hyou took a moment to catch his breath before asking his question to his bemused peer. "Are they always like that?"

Smiling Ganjyu replied, "Yup always!"

"Who is he anyway? He must be fairly important if he's so close to a Kuchiki"

Ganjyu, having promised Captain Ukitake not to reveal anything about Ichigo, grinned inwardly. Outwardly he strutted, posing with his thumbs pointing at himself, "HA! He's not as important as me." Seeing the confused look on his comrades face, he added in an even bigger voice "I am the self proclaimed Shining star of West Rukongai, self proclaimed Master of Justice of the Shiba Nobility and the self proclaimed Future Greatest Shinigami of the Gotei 13, Shiba Ganjyu"

Surprised eyes were drawn to him but seemed to have little effect on his humility. Hyou didn't know whether to run or hide from embarrassment.

The dining hall was large and it's ceilings were high, in total there were three rows of tables laid out in parallel, along the length of the hall. The smell of miso soup permeated the air, wafting from several bubbling cauldrons of the stuff. As with most buildings in Seireitei, it was made with polished timber with polished timber floors and had one main double door, at it's entrance, left open for meal times only. Reaching the dining hall they grabbed their breakfasts and took seats at the end of the long wooden table row nearest the back window.

Ganjyu grinned as the hall seemed to get suddenly quieter. Two familiar figures stood beside the doorway arguing, oblivious to the whole world it seemed. Hyou looked up from his meal in interest.

"Stupid Ichigo. You don't wear your Asuachi like that! You slip it through the first and second wrap of you sash not the inside!" Rukia pulling the sword back out and slipped in into Ichigo's sash for him.

"I can do it myself bitch!" Ichigo angered to be treated like a baby.

"Right, like you've ever worn one before."

This was true, Ichigo conceded, Zangetsu had always been carried on his back by chain. He could only scowl at her logic. "One more thing, try to keep low and stay out of trouble!"

She smirked causing him to scowl further. Turning around quickly he stormed off cursing under his breath. Rukia, satisfied turned around and headed back to her division headquarters.

Ichigo got his breakfast, found Ganjyu and Hyou, and went to take a seat with them. Ganjyu just laughed at Ichigo and Hyou looked on embarrassed. "What's wrong with you two?" Ichigo asked flatly as he ate.

"Bro, you and Rukia have no clue whatsoever do you.. "Ganjyu replied, shaking his head and continued his breakfast.

Ichigo scowled in confusion, wondering what the hell was going on. He took his timetable and glanced at all his classes as he tried to match up the various rooms and outdoor locations to the map Rukia had given him. "Damn that Rukia! She cant even draw a decent map!"

His roommates looked over at the map and laughed. Ichigo couldn't help but laugh either. The map had several faces on it, each with a name scrawled beside it. To the trio they all looked like Chappy the Rabbit but with varying features such as glasses or a beard. It would be hard now to look at their new instructors without laughing. "KUROSAKI-KUNNN!!" a familiar voice rang out.

"Inoue!" Ichigo shouted over the din.

She made her way to their table and sat down on the last available seat excitedly. "It's been a year since I saw you! Last time was at your funeral!"

Laughing, the group began talking and chatting away over breakfast. Actually it was more Inuoe and Ganjyu who spoke but inside Ichigo was still happy just to see familiar faces. Only Hyou noticed the stares and murmured whispering directed at them. He wasn't the type that liked attention, but now, here he was sitting with a guy that had connections with two noble houses and seemed to be very good friends with the most popular girl in the academy, Inoue Orihime. Rumours were circulating that she would be graduating soon, close to the record three years due to her services during the war and here she was sitting at the same tables with juniors, all because of one person, Kurosaki Ichigo.

"Well, I guess we know how he got into this academy.." a lone voice carried over from the a different table. "Must be the noble connections"

Ichigo flustered, turned around and found himself at the end of a staring competition with another Shinigami. He seemed to be in his mid twenties, with a mop of light, chocolaty hair and a slight stubble. The man merely half grinned at him and rocked slightly back on his chair. "Got a problem with me buddy?" Ichigo found himself shouting.

"Oh I wasn't referring to you my friend. I was talking about a sempai I know in the seventh year. He's really hopeless. Don't know how he got accepted."

Ichigo closed his eyes and sat back down and took deep breaths to control his temper. "Who is that jerk?" Ichigo asked to no one in particular.

"I don't know his name but his family name is Tsukimoto," Inoue answered. "His brothers a fifth year and I heard he's a real genius that should be graduating soon."

"How do you about his brother?" Ganjyu asked slyly, hints of a smile appearing at the corners of his lips.

Inoue turned scarlet at this, annoyed, Inoue accidentally blurted out a little louder than she intended "He's been trying to ask me out for 2 years now! He just doesn't understand no means NO!"

Inoue embarrassed by her sudden outburst hung her head down, attempting to hide her face in the shadows of her hair. Ichigo, Ganjyu and Hyou couldn't help but burst out laughing. They finished their breakfast quickly, turning around they caught a glimpse of the man fuming in his seat ignoring them. Inoue then left them to return to her class, so the trio left for their first class together – Soul Society Law.

Soul Society Law class was in a large amphitheater like lecture room, seating 300 academy students. Ganjyu didn't last thirty minutes of the lecture before he was sound asleep and snoring. Hyou tried his hardest to keep Ganjyu awake, constantly prodding him with the sharp of his elbow. Eventually even the instructor gave up on waking Ganjyu. Ichigo felt the cold stares of his fellow students, even catching a few of them sneaking glances at him on occasions. The whisperings and occasional finger pointing worked miracles in destroying his concentration and note taking. The class couldn't end fast enough in Ichigo's opinion.

Ichigo stood in the hallway, breathing a sigh of relief, looking out at a small rock garden thinking this felt like high school all over again. Even he had to admit however that he didn't exactly have a normal high school career. A voice spoke up beside him, in a measured whisper that no one else could hear. "Stay away from my cousin, Kurosaki, you sully our name."

The young male glared at him briefly before walking away. Angry Ichigo wanted to run up to him and find out exactly what he was on about when a hand grabbed onto his sleeve preventing him from chasing after him. Ichigo turned shouting "What Ganjyu?!"

He found himself face to face with a startled red haired female. Her eye's unusually, were also red and her complexion was pale but perfect. The most unusual thing about her however were her lips seemed to be tainted black. She looked startled and stepped back slightly. Ichigo sighed, "Sorry, thought you were someone else." She smiled at him.

Ichigo feeling uncomfortable started glowering at her. "What?" he asked

She pointed in the direction the man had left and shook her head. Ichigo cocked his head, perplexed. She grabbed a small brush from the sleeve of her uniform, and a small scroll from the other. She uncorked a small bamboo cylinder tied to her sash, wetting the brush in her lips she scribbled a few words on the scroll, tore it off and handed it to him. She continued pointing the brush at where the man had left and shook her head. He read the words 'Kuchiki Minosuke'. Then the thought struck him "You're mute?"

She nodded her head and a sadness invaded her face. Ganjyu had finally left the class, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes, Hyou following slightly behind. Seeing this, the pair walked casually up to Ichigo who was reading a scrap of paper. Noticing the slim red head, Ganjyu sidled up to them, "Yo! Ichigo bothering you? So, what's your name?" Lame Ganjyu thought, but better than nothing.

Ichigo handed him the paper. Ganjyu read it, 'Yamada Yukino'. Confused he looked up at Ichigo. "You asked for her name,"

She turned around and smiled nodding to Ganjyu. Ichigo sighed and almost whispered "She's can't speak"

"You mean…"

"Yeah" Ichigo cut in.

"Oh.. Sorry um.. Yamada-san" Ganjyu was genuinely apologetic. Yukino merely shrugged.

"Let's get to our next class" Hyou chimed, "it's Kidou Basics out at Yard 11"

They arrived at Kidou class a few minutes late and was thoroughly berated for their tardiness. Ichigo looked at the small group, searching for the face of Kuchiki Minosuke, but he wasn't there. Instead his eyes rested on one particular male, one that he had met just hours earlier at breakfast. Asking Yukino he soon discovered the man's name, Tsukimoto Kenjimaru.

They were practicing they're first Kidou spell, Demon art number 1, Sai, a binding demon art, on straw dummies. The idea of which was to bind down the arms of these straw dummies and continue up to harder materials like wooden dummies as they got better at it. Ichigo noticed with some displeasure that Kenjimaru was already allowed to practice against live opponents. Ichigo, Hyou and Yukino was still struggling with basic reiatsu preparations for the demon art. Ganjyu was the only in their group up to wooden dummies and Ichigo wasn't happy. Even though the Shinigami passing requirement was a minimum of one kidou spell only, Ichigo didn't like to lose or be seen as undeserving. So silently, the three of them struggled, struggled and struggled some more.

"Having trouble there Kurosaki-kun" Kenjimaru offered. "Would you like some help… tips?"

"No" Ichigo glared at him.

"Are you sure? Wouldn't want you disappoint your sponsors."

Ichigo went to lunge at him, Ganjyu grabbed Ichigo from behind and swiftly pulled him away, "Instructors watching, he's not worth it."

Kenjimaru walked back to his spot laughing to himself. "Really…Knowing the right people isn't enough to become a Real Shinigami."

Ichigo swore to himself, he silently made up his mind, this would not finish here. Calming down he turned back to his practice and continued his struggle by himself. The class ended with no success, only Ganjyu seemed to be capable of handling kidou, Hyou had at least gotten up to straw dummies but Yukino and Ichigo still couldn't get the hang of reiatsu preparation yet.

The last class was Maths. Ichigo thought that was unusual until Hyou explained that it really wasn't a pass or fail subject, just merely a way to weed out potential candidates for the technologies based 12th Division. In later years it was a totally optional subject. Surprised though he was, he had finished high school so all this work was fairly simple for him. It seems you didn't have to be a maths whiz to become a Shinigami at all. Instead Ichigo used this time to practice his reiatsu preparation for kidou. "Kurosaki-san!!" the instructor boomed out. "I understand you want to keep practicing your kidou lessons, but not in my class. If you think you already know all this without having to pay attention why don't you come up and show us then."

Resigned Ichigo went up and surprisingly, he did know all the work, after all it was basic algebra. Returning to his seat, he saw Ganjyu struggling to do his work, furiously copying down everything Ichigo had just written. But he also saw everyone giggling and laughing at him, he heard whispers of '12th Division' and 'Nerd'. All this he could take but what hurt him the most were the whispers of 'he sucked at kidou' and 'sponsored by nobles'.

As he passed Yukino she smiled warmly and flashed him a small sign reading 'Ignore the losers'. Ichigo chuckled at this, he didn't know she had it in her. Thinking logically she wouldn't being to win any swearing matches if she had to write everything down, and they could always refuse to look. Sitting down, one pair of eyes demanded his attention and he stared angrily back at them. Only one more hour Tsukimoto Kenjimaru, one more hour left of class.

As the day finished, Ichigo made the excuse to his friends that he was to meet Rukia elsewhere. Because it concerned her, they believed him as he walked away from them. He circled the building and followed after one particular person. Finally when they reached a quiet, spot of grass, just outside a first year barrack, Kenjimaru turned around. "What can I do for you Kurosaki-kun?"

"I just came to tell you you're a real asshole!"

"Well… At least I'm here because I deserve to be and not because some noble bitch is all over him"

"What the hell do you know about me anyway! What the hells your problem!" Ichigo shouted.

A couple of doors opened, the inhabitants inside stepping out to watch the spectacle. "My problem is I don't like you." Kenjimaru smirked. "I don't like you, or people like you who get by because they suck up to the nobility."

Ichigo fumed, it was true that his application for acceptance was seconded by Rukia, but only because she knew he truly was capable. He didn't ask her to, she offered.

"You're reiatsu's so weak…" Kenjimaru continued.

This was true too due to Ichigo intentionally trying to hold it down all day. "…you suck at kidou, and you can't even prepare reiatsu properly. What are you going to do when you face a hollow? Maths it to death? What the hell can you do?"

"I can kick you're ass punk!" Ichigo shouted, bringing even more people out.

"Right, with what? That Asuachi? You can't even call your Zanpaktou out yet can you. With you're reiatsu I doubt if you'd ever be able to" He laughed. "If it wasn't for your little girlfriend we know you wouldn't be here playing Shinigami."

Some of the crowd that was now gathering out to watch, chuckled, some nodded agreement infuriating Ichigo even further. He drew his Asuachi, pointing it at Kenjimaru. "Say what you want now, 'cause I'm seriously going to KICK YOUR ASS!"

Kenjimaru leered evilly at Ichigo. "Is that a duel challenge then?"

Ichigo smiled. "You're on!"

End Chapter 2

Well how was it? Please Read and Review. Constructive criticism welcomed as I really need the help on 1) story construct, 2) dialogue construct and 3) paragraphing constructs.

Draft 1.2