Rain Rain Go Away Chapter 8
Previously from chapter 7:
…Ichigo followed Lady Naomi's instructions and had found himself at the academy with success. Naomi helped him register, and now he was alone.
The academy grounds were bustling with students. This was certainly nothing like his middle school back home. For one, all the students wore traditional Japan uniforms and for another, students from where he was from did not wear wooden katanas around their waist. Ichigo was about to take on one hell of a challenge but he could not back down now. It's not as if there is anything to look back on anyway. He took his first step in and already he was bombarded with kids just like him.
"Hey watch where you are going new kid!" Ichigo fixed everyone with a scowl. Maybe it wasn't so different from where he was from.
As Ichigo wandered around, the more and more he felt lost. This school was so huge and everyone seemed to know where they were supposed to be. He took his hand and scratched the back of his head. He wondered if there was even a headmaster here or someone who could guide him to where he was supposed to be but everyone kept their distances from him just like in Rukongai. At least here though he wasn't being beat up on for his looks. From where Ichigo stood, everyone stood out. There was no look-alike in the crowd other than the uniforms. Quite blunt, he shouted, "OI! Anyone know where I'm supposed to go?" Ichigo heard snickers and giggles from those around him and every once in awhile he saw people look at him funny. He guessed they wouldn't crack. "What?! Is there something about me you find funny? If you all have a problem with me, say it to face instead of acting like a bunch of stuck-up jackasses!" His eyes scanned the crowd and they all fell into a hush and hurried off to their classes. "Some help you guys are.." Instead of walking around like a loser, he walked outside onto the school grounds.
"I have no idea why the hell Naomi would want to send me here, but here I am acting like a fool waiting for help."
Ichigo then felt as if his body gave out as the air around him spiked with so much spirit pressure, that his body could not keep up and he blacked out.
As he was unconscious, some voice in his head spoke, well more like sung to him. The words sent shivers down his bones.
Nobody likes you,
Everyone left you,
They're all out without you,
Having fun
When he came to, he was no longer at the Shinigami academy. His head felt heavy, but also wet. He wasn't sure what to make of himself, so he took a hand and raised it to his forehead. His hand made contact with a damp cloth. With little to no effort, he sat up. Ichigo was in a garden. As his senses came back, he heard the sounds of birds with trees swaying in the light breeze. He blinked once, as he stood up. He blinked again and he was not alone.
"Hey if anyone is there, show yourself! What kind of pychofreak abducts a helpless soul while he is down? You must be some…" his voice faded as he saw his 'captor.' His alleged kidnapper was a girl, and a familiar one at that.
"Can you keep it down kid? This is not the place to be a loud dumbass, it's supposed to be tranquil and calm. You are anything but those two so I suggest you keep your mouth shut."
Ichigo was not good with transitions, nor was he good with common sense. "WHAT THE HELL?! I was not doing anything malicious at the school grounds, honestly! DOES EVERY GIRL IN THE SOUL SOCIETY ABDUCT HARMLESS MEN HUH?! Oh I see your little plan. You just couldn't stand to see my face huh? So you waited until I was defenseless to dispose of me. You sure are clever, but I'm not stupid, I kicked some hollow ass the other day and…" again he was cut off.
"What? A hollow attacked? Where?"
Now Ichigo looked confused. It was as if this girl was more interested in the hollow then him now. Maybe she didn't want to kill him after all. "Uhh yeah, 78th district south Rukongai, ahh what did they call that place? Inusahuri, inuzusiri, inuyasha…."
Ichigo heard the girl gasp. He didn't turn his head in time to see the shock on her face.
"What? Did I say something wrong?" Ichigo's confusion was evident in her voice but that could also be his subconscious mind telling him that he's too stupid to comprehend his own confusion.
The girl recovered herself and acted as if his information was never distributed to her. "Nothing, I will just have to report that to my captain. Arigato…I'm sorry I seem to have forgotten your name."
Ichigo scoffed arrogantly. "I see how it is 'miss I'm too rich to remember all the commoner's name.' well I have news for you hime, my name is Kurosaki."
The girl looked like she wanted to pop one on top of kurosaki's head but she maintained her dignity and resisted the urge. "I'm not either of those two names Bakamono! You may call me Kuchiki, let's pray tell you remember that. I am not princess. I wouldn't talk so arrogantly to someone you barely know boy!"
Kurosaki seemed to calm down. "Alright then Kuchiki-sama. Now will you please tell me why the hell I'm here?"
"Hold your horses. You will get dizzy again. I'm surprised that you didn't pass out from my presence here. Don't push your luck. My brother and me were on our way to the central 46 chambers for important business when we passed the Shinigami academy and there you were in that tree. It's no surprise you blacked out. My brother's spiritual pressure is overwhelming to those anywhere within distance of him. His spirit pressure has an enormous radius that can spread out over 400 yards. He's the 6th squad captain and the head of the noble Kuchiki clan. Your body probably gave out when we passed you."
Ichigo tried to absorb what he was told. "I see, but that still does not explain the part why you wanted to help me. This thing isn't life threatening right?"
"No, but had I left you, you would have been out cold for awhile. My guess is that with all those Shinigami students, you may have felt lightheaded. Do you not know in order to become a Shinigami, you must have some sort of reiatsu in order to even be a student. What kind of idiot are you boy?"
Ichigo looked serious as he looked over at Rukia, his eyes almost begging Rukia to continue no further. This look made Rukia stop in her tracks. "Listen Kuchiki, I'm new to this whole death god thing. To be honest, I only made the decision that I want to become a deathgod because I made a promise to myself and a special person. I killed her once, the second time I was not even there to say goodbye. I don't care if it means I might die by the time I graduate because I WON'T die. I want to protect everyone that is important to me. There is no time for failure. And I figured I must have something because I wouldn't have saved those souls if I didn't destroy that hollow. So you see Kuchiki, I'm not so keen to just live like a nobody in Rukongai."
Rukia looked almost touched by Ichigo's little speech. He was just like her when she was in Inuzuri. "I see…you are either the noblest man alive or the most stupid one. Kurosaki, you do know what's at stake here right? Not every student makes it out alive. There is no mercy there, and the students will chew you out easily. Not to mention, even if you do graduate and get your zanpaktou, it does not mean that you will be admitted into the Gotei 13."
Ichigo did not look the least bit scared or worried. "Aww geeze you sound like a broken record Kuchiki. Listen to yourself! It should not matter what you think will happen to me. I will become a Shinigami! Why are you so determined to make me not go through with this huh? If you got something to say, say it to my face midget!"
Rukia, in a swift move kicked Ichigo in the stomach. "Know your place boy! No one talks to me like that, do you understand?" Her cold eyes burned into Ichigo's skin.
Ichigo gulped; he was never talked to that way and it frightened him. Maybe it was just him, but he felt as if there was something that Kuchiki wasn't telling him and his hunches were correct when he sharply looked at her in the eye and she turned the other way, in the process.
"I am only doing my duty by telling you the consequences of your choices…I was down that road before." Rukia looked as if it ached for her to say that. Ichigo wanted to ask more but he feared that it wasn't his place to say so when he barely knew her.
Ichigo then grinned at Rukia, now giving her the chills. "Well lets see miss Kuchiki if I am truly ready to become a Shinigami, under your help with this Shinigami thing. If I prove that it isn't my destiny, let fate be the one to tell me my heart is wrong in this situation ne?"
Rukia looked taken aback by Ichigo's proposition. It was strictly forbidden for unseated Shinigami to tutor anyone who hasn't even graduated from the academy. If her brother caught her doing this, she will be dealt with accordingly. On the other hand, she had taken a liking to Ichigo since his resolve did not seem so easily broken and his heart was so strong in spite of his history. And if she were right, she would feel the pleasure in being able to help someone open his or her eyes. Her decisions and their effects were on a balance beam both equally balanced but the one with helping Kurosaki was slightly stronger. "Kurosaki…alright, I will tutor you. However since I am new myself, you will have to wait until sundown when I myself had trained so I can teach you what I learned. One thing to keep in mind, Shinigami must master hand to hand combat, foot to foot combat, kidou and swordsmanship. Those are the skills you are taught at the academy. If I cant touch you up on all of that and send you back there, you will graduate in no time. HOWEVER, this is only if after all of this, you will still go through with this."
Being normal Ichigo again, "Well then, let's hope this goes by quickly so I can rid of you and I can free up your precious time Kuchiki-sama."
Rukia mentally twitched. "Call me that again little snot and I will send you to kingdom come!"
"Alright then, I think whatever kingdom you're from is bad enough for me. So I will see you tomorrow night then?"
"Yep, I'm already so excited."
"Aww, don't be like that, I'm not that bad." Ichigo made a goofy grin, while running his fingers through his bright orange hair. "Just be there, it won't be right if only I show up."
"I'll keep that in mind, see yah Kurosaki!"
"Yeah, same here."
With the words that were said, the sun finally set, the two souls part their separate ways, both with ambitions that will entwine with another sooner then they think.
Legalities: the lyrics show in italics when Ichigo blacked out were from Letterbomb by Green Day. I meant for the lyrics to be like a foreshadowing to future events. This is like the turning point in the fanfic. I know I should have made it longer but when I have a major even turn up and I have the time, I will make a bigger chapter. I still have no idea how many chapters I will make. Hope you liked this chapter