The Chemical Reaction
Atagoki: Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate's life for me! xD I'm just getting in the mood for the new Pirates of the Caribbean movie that's coming out...it's insanity...I think I'm going to go nuts before it comes out. XD Anyway, here I am, writing another chapter for this piece of fanfiction. The not-so-nice bit of the story will come out now so be prepared. I'm giving you a good warning here...just keep that in mind. Also, this chapter is dedicated to everyone who wrote a review and now, I'm going to give you some feedback!
Luna: Ha, thanks girl! And thanks for beta-ing this chapter I fixed a few of the errors. You tell me if I need to edit anything, all righty?
Akum: Thanks very much. I appreciate it greatly. I will certainly keep going. :)
Broly: Lol...is that a compliment or an insult?
crashx: Your reviews are so sweet and I thank you very much. It makes me feel warm and gooey inside knowing that my writing has affected you in that way. I hope you stay in for the long haul.
temptedangel: Thanks...it's been hard for me to keep a canon plot fic going so I'm trying my hand at something knew, ya know? And I agree, some AU fics are more fun than canon fics, but only if they're done properly. Part of AU is slightly remolding the original character, but if I make Rukia someone like Rangiku it'd probably be poorly written.
Pixar: Yes, love, I shall shower you with cookies...and yes...I'm writing more.
nighteh: It's? Teh awesome? xD Thanks for the review, amor.
kisaragi: Arigatou...I'll keep the updates coming as fast as I can if you can promise to keep reviewing and letting me know your thoughts. ;)
Tasi: Eh...he was fun to write, but I've gotta change him so I can get the plot working...but subplots...subplots.
Naruto: As the plot thickens, so do the characters and their pasts.
Warning: Ooh, we're getting dangerous now! Not...just some sensuality and language...and slight sexual references
Disclaimer: I disclaim Bleach. (Weren't expecting that, were ya?)
Chapter 3:
It started out with a kiss; how did it end up like this? It was only a kiss. — The Killers
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The gentle pitter-patter of rain fell against the window and Rukia curled up in her bed at home, sipping a hot cup of cocoa and munching on a pastry as she flicked on the TV and looked around for a good movie on. She finally gave up after thirty mere seconds and popped in one of the movies she absolutely adored while studying in America a few years ago, S.W.A.T.
But even what one of her friends in the United States, Sam, called Colin Farrel's "hotness factor" did not distract Rukia. Her thoughts kept traveling to that millisecond of a kiss. It was annoying. It was infuriating. It was enough to make her want to consider jumping into ice cold water in hopes of amnesia. "Why the hell do I give a fuck? He's an asshole and after this job, I'll never see him again. Get your act together, Rukia. You don't care. You're flattered. You're probably horny from all those incense candles. Now, get a few beers, get wasted and enjoy your well-deserved goddamn day off. Come on, Rukia." But her coaxing didn't work. She repeated this to herself, but it always ended in one conclusion; she was attracted and it scared the hell out of her. She'd do her best to avoid any possible reactions. She'd—bzzt!
Ten minutes into her thought process, her cellphone began ringing to the beat of Colors of the Heart by UVERworld as well as vibrating and Rukia resisted the urge to throw it into the streets and continue watching the movie and trying to relax her nerves. She answered the phone and gave a snappy and irritated "Moshi moshi?"
"Moshi moshi, Rukia-chan. It's Rangiku. I thought we could get together for lunch. Maybe that nice restaurant near the mall...my treat!" the voice on the other line replied.
"Oh, Matsumoto-san...I don't know...erm...I suppose that will be fine...I'll come by and pick you up around half-past twelve."
"Sugoi! Great! Ja mata! See you later!" The line clicked and Rukia sighed as she made her way to the bathroom to take a quick shower.
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"Kurosaki-kun, I've brought you your lunch...can I get you anything else?" Orihime said, smiling gently. She couldn't explain it, but the highlight of her day was coming to see him everyday.
"Arigatou, Inoue. Just leave it on the table...I'll eat later. Right now, I'm not hungry."
"Demo..."
"I said not now."
She nodded her head and swallowed the lump in her throat, then stepped out and closed the door behind her.
Ichigo sighed and fought the urge to eat, but grabbed the knife and fork and pulled the napkin off the plate of food. Steak, salad, and potatoes. A typical American meal. He couldn't complain though; at least he was fed.
However, despite his attempts to eat and concentrate on savoring the bite of the juicy and well-marinated and prepared steak, his thoughts traveled back to "his" actions. He had to admit, he was pretty stupid. Kissing Rukia was a foolish idea and it was even more foolish when she kissed back. Or he thought she did. Did she? He couldn't remember. Maybe it was just him wishing she had. He mentally slapped himself and began whispering. "She hits me, she kicks me, she shoves me, she yells at me, she cusses me out and I want to sleep with her? Damn it, Kurosaki...get a hold of your fucking self. You're probably horny from all those incense candles she burns. Seriously, just ignore her and remember that when you get of here, it's the end of that. Seriously, Inoue is a much better love interest than that midget Rukia." But as hard as he tried, he couldn't do it. He couldn't think about Orihime. Only Rukia.
He felt suffocated. He felt absorbed by this place. He wanted out. He wanted to escape this hell hole. And he wanted to do it now. He fingered the steak knife with his fingers and looked up at the door as the girl with gray eyes entered the room. His amber eyes flashed. He was getting out of here now.
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"So...anything interesting going on with you, Rukia-chan?"
"Not really, Matsumoto-san. Eh...I'll just have an espresso." she told Rangiku, then looked to the waiter
"I want ice cream and cake...arigatou." Rangiku looked over to Rukia after ordering. "Call me Rangiku, Rukia-chan. We're friends. Anyway...nothing you say? Demo...what about that liplock I heard from Kotetsu Kiyone-chan?" Rangiku teased playfully.
Rukia's heartbeat quickened and she grew a disgusted look on her face and frowned. Her eyes narrowed and she dropped the dessert menu (which she was still scanning for some odd reason) from her hands and looked at her grinning friend and began examining her.
Matsumoto Rangiku—second-in-command in her division of the company, which dealt strictly with importing and exporting, and did a little bit with server maintenance. She also happened to be incredibly attractive—the figure of almost every male (and some female) fantasy. She was very proud to show she had been blessed when it came to a cup size by wearing revealing outfits and had a pair of sparkling light blue eyes matched off with strawberry-blonde hair. Her lips were full and she had an amazing smile. But Rukia wasn't the least bit jealous. At least, she told herself that, but she often found herself longing for Rangiku's height opposed to her extremely petite frame.
"What did she tell you?"
"Oh, nothing...just that you and Kurosaki Ichigo had a hot make-out session!" she giggled, trying to control herself in the restaraunt.
"That is a lie! It was a kiss, not a make-out! And it was Ichi-Kurosaki's fault!" she hissed, blinking several times.
"I'm kidding. I totally made that up. I haven't talked to Kiyone-chan in ages." Rangiku replied, raising and eyebrow. "But you did kiss...interesting. How did that happen?"
Rukia opened her mouth to reply, but Rangiku's cellphone began blasting a beat Rukia was familiar with, "Asterisk" by Orange Range. Rangiku was in love with that song.
"Moshi moshi." Silence. "Oh, hello, Hitsugaya-san. I'm on break." More silence and a stifled giggle from Matsumoto. "Ay, Taichou, you're so mean. I'll do paperwork later..."
Taicho? Rukia mused to herself in thought. Oh, I remember Rangiku-san saying that she called him that because he acted like a captain of her life.
"Okay, fine, Taichou...I'm leaving lunch. Allez bye-bye."
Rukia raised her eyebrow and called the waiter for the check. "French?"
"What? Is there a problem with adding culture to my life?"
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"Kurosaki-kun! Please, let go of me!" Orihime cried, trying to use her pager to call security. "If you do this, you will only be in further trouble...onegai! Please!"
"Stop talking, Inoue...I didn't do a damn thing to begin with and I'm not going to be treated like a criminal for that. Now, where's the nearest exit?" Ichigo hissed in her ear, poising the steak knife at her neck.
Orihime peered around the corridor and tugged at the arm wrapped around her neck. "I don't know..."
"I know you do. Now, where is it?"
Orihime began to feel beads of sweat form on her forehead and all over her body. She peered about and looked right. Wasn't that the way to the security offices of the special forces of the eleventh sector? Yes, it was...she thought. "Right...go right."
"Thanks."
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"Matsumoto, where the hell have you been?" the young, irritated captain called across the silent hall.
"Ne? Oh...Taichou! Hi! How was your day? Did you have a good lun—"
"I had a horrible lunch because I was doing the paperwork I assigned you and you were off playing hooky with Kuchiki-san here on her day off. Get your ass in the office...you're doing your share of paperwork...and half of mine for the next two weeks."
"Demo...Taichou...you're so mean!"
"Deal with it. The rest of the division and company does. Now go!" he grabbed her by the arm and shoved her down the hallway, then looked back at Rukia.
Hitsugaya Toushiro—twenty-one years old. He was quite short (although plenty of people claimed he was growing by some miracle) with spiky white hair and aquamarine eyes. His white hair was quite the spectacle, but he was not planning on dying it. He also seemed to have a knack for tanning, where as people like Rukia burned.
"Kuchiki-san; you're brother mentioned something to everyone in a meeting about telling you there's something in your office he needs you to see. Tell him if you see him that I passed on the word, all right?" Toushiro instructed, then walked off and stormed after Rangiku, his short fused temper began exploding.
Rukia sighed and shook her head, then made her way down the corridors and halls to her office, noticing Renji sitting a chair...and...jerking?
"Renji! What the hell are you doing?" she screeched.
"Sumimasen...I was playing this PSP I confiscated...it's pretty fun...wanna give it a go?"
She raised her eyebrows and then rolled her eyes and shook her head. "Hell no. Why are you here anyway?" Rukia made her way to her desk and noticed the piece of paper standing out like a sore thumb in her mass of organization. She picked it up and her eyes scanned it, then she looked at Renji.
Renji scratched his head and yawned, then pocketed the PSP. "Oh, right...your boy Kurosaki escaped and Inoue Orihime is missing. It's probable they're together."
She nodded and chewed on the thought for a minute, then looked back at him. "Wait...WHAT?"
"Well, technically he's still in the building, but anyway, I can't find him and with Inoue leading him, it's like the blind leading the blind. Both don't have much of an idea of where they're going."
Rukia took her shoe off in a quick motion and chucked it at Renji, hitting him in the chest and and she stormed over and hit him in the head. "Why did you tell me earlier? Why isn't security looking?"
"I don't know...well...actually, the security system is off line for some odd reason...must be a glitch and my cellphone reception is crap here...so I heard you were on your way back and I figured I'd wait and let you know after I looked for a bit."
"Renji, baka!" she used the palm of her hand to hit him in the head again, then grabbed her shoe and slipped it back on.
The door began to jiggle as Rukia stormed to her desk and she whipped around, looking at the door, then to Renji, then back at the door. Her eyes asked the question, to which his replied the same thing; Who?
The door burst open and two stood there, one with a steak knife poised at her neck and the other standing there in frustration. "Inoue, do you even know the way out of here?"
"Kuchiki-san! Abarai-kun!" Orihime cried.
"Ichigo..." Rukia murmured.
"Rukia..." Ichigo murmured in response.
Her eyes softened for a minute and she got a feeling in her stomach that felt awful. It was a mix of her stomach knotting and butterflies and she silently told her mind to behave. Her famous "cold, hard bitch" face appeared.
"Think fast!"Atagoki: CLIFFY! HAH. xD So...you wanna know the conclusion of this little episode? You best review. Tell me what you guys wanna see next too...I might run out of ideas soon and God forbid that. xD
Arigatou!