Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach. At all. Would be cool if I did, though...

Author Note: Ugh, this chapter was SO FREAKIN' HARD to write. I had it all planned out in my head, but actually writing it down totally killed me. Ugh... now I have a headache... anyway, this is from Toshirou's POV. Oh, and no more lemons. This story just doesn't work for that kind of thing. Keeping it M for safety reasons, though. Right... now excuse me while I go to sleep.

I Hate That I Love You

Chapter Something: The First Practice: Yoruichi Insanity

Stupid school... why does it have to be so pointless? I thought dully to myself, absently doodling during world history, a subject I'd pretty much memorized. Yamamoto was talking about the cold war between the USA and Russia, and his voice just droned on and on and on... like an annoying flying buzzing by your ear.

"... And I suppose Hitsugaya-sama would like to grace us all with his mind's presence." Yamamoto said in a quiet, controlled voice, and I blinked lazily at him while several kids smirked.

"Yes?" I drawled insolently, and Yamamoto's eyes narrowed.

"Please enlighten us, Hitsugaya, on what the effect of the cold war was on Japan." Yamamoto asked coldly, and I stared at him blankly. Why would I care about something stupid like that?

"Who knows?" I said with a shrug, and the class erupted into laughter. Annoyed, I frowned and looked down at the advanced calculus I'd had to make up for missing the class, wishing everyone would stop talking. I wasn't even that funny.

"Hitsugaya-sama," Yamamoto said coldly, once he got the class under control. "Please take moment to think wisely about your course of actions, or you'll find yourself down at the office in three seconds flat." He told me, and I knew it to be true.

Of course, I wasn't worried, as the whole school staff (with the exception of Yamamoto) pretty much feared both me and my father. So even if he did send me down, I wouldn't get in trouble. All the same, I nodded and pretended to look like a good student, when in all honesty I couldn't have cared less.

"Yes sir." I said, and Yamamoto nodded approvingly. The rest of the class passed smoothly as I lapsed back into thought. So far, the whole day had been really strange. I hadn't been attacked by a mob of girls, and every one of my friends was keeping their distance from me. Not only that, but Kurosaki is acting like he wants to kill me for some reason, while Matsumoto's no where in sight. It's really weird.

I must've missed something important yesterday. Maybe they found out what Matsumoto was up too? I guessed, absently running a finger through my white hair. But I wouldn't have had it any other way, because I had to miss my last two classes. No exceptions. Just thinking about yesterday caused me to tense up, and I lightly drummed my fingers on my desk.

Bedump, bedump, bedump-

"Hitsugaya-sama, stop that." Yamamoto snapped irritably, just as the bell rang. Not bothering to look at him, I stood up and walked out the door with the rest of my class mates.

"Hey Toshirou." Startled, I looked up to see Karin. I blinked, my usually quick mind surprised.

"Karin?" I said, shocked, and the girl narrowed her hazel colored eyes, a sign I'd quickly learned meant she was mad.

"What do you mean, Karin? Is there something wrong? Are you angry at the way things turned out?" She said bitterly, and I stared at her.

Huh?

"What?" I asked in confusion, and Karin gritted her teeth.

"You're such a jackass! I try to be nice to you, and this all I get!" She said angrily before turning and stomping off, muttering curses under her breath. I blinked, feeling a slow, fierce anger burn through me.

I'll never understand that crazy women. I thought to myself with an irritable sigh before finishing gathering up my books and heading back to class.

"Hey Toshirou man, I seriously think Ichigo wants to kill you." Madarame told me, and I stopped to stare at him.

"What did you say Madarame?" I asked, completely baffled, and Madarame shrugged.

"Ya know, over the play thing. If looks could kill, you'd be dead and freezing in hell by now. Oh, and call me Ikkaku." Madarame said before walking off, leaving me more confused then ever.

Play thing? What play thing?

"Dammit Toshirou!" Suddenly I found myself pinned against a locker, with a seriously peeved off Ichigo Kurosaki glaring at me with glittering brown eyes.

"I-" I started only, to be cut off by the raging man.

"You think I'll let you get away with seducing my sister?! Do you?! Why else would you have Matsumoto pull the strings? Oh, I knew you had a thing for her, but I never-"

"Wah-?" I started, only to be interrupted by Kurosaki. Honestly, the man is like a raging rhinoceros, thick skull and all.

"I swear, if you put one finger on her, I'll make sure you seriously regret it!" He yelled, and there were several scandalous gasps.

"Kurosaki! Put Hitsugaya down at once!" Came the stern voice of Yamamoto, and Kurosaki hesitated before dropping me and storming off. He bore an astonishing resemblance to Karin in the process.

"Are you alright?" Yamamoto asked in a kindly tone, and I nodded, absently massaging my neck.

"Yeah..." I said, trying to figure out what exactly was going on.

"All juniors please report to the auditorium. I repeat, all junior please report to the auditorium." Shunsui came on, his annoying sing-song voice causing me to scowl.

"I better go." I told Yamamoto, who smiled tightly.

"Good luck, you'll need it." He told me, and I twitched irritably.

What the hell is going?! I thought to myself, swearing for the first time in... a long time. I walked down the hall at a quick pace, contemplating, before sighing. I honestly didn't have a clue.

Little did I know, I would soon find out.

"Hey there, Hitsugaya-san! Ready for the play?" Shunsui said the instance I walked into the auditorium. I stared at him, not comprehending.

"What...?" I said slowly, noticing Karin and a bunch of other kids staring (or in Karin's case, glaring) at me. Before Shunsui could reply, however a rich, melodic and familiar voice echoed down from the stage.

"I actually have to teach this riff-raff? Well then, we're going to have a lot of work to do." The voice cried as a beautiful women strode onto the stage. She had long purple and piercing golden eyes, her bronze skin giving her an exotic look. I gaped at her, unable to move; it was my dancing teacher, Yoruichi Shihoin.

"Yor-Yoruichi-sama?!" I spluttered in shock, and the women looked up to gaze at me with wide, golden eyes.

"Toshirou? What are you doing here?!" Yoruichi exclaimed, and Shunsui grinned.

"Hitsugaya-sama is Darcy." He explained, and Yoruichi's eyes became wide as saucers. Then she beamed.

"Excellent!" She cried, leaping down, grabbing my arm, and spinning me around. Startled, I instinctively followed her lead, and Yoruichi pulled away and pirouetted elegantly.

"A dancer who actually knows what they're doing! Yes! I shouldn't have bothered to bring Urahara!" She exclaimed, and I gaped.

"WHAT?" I thundered, and said man took off his hat from the shadows of the stage and tipped it.

"Hey Toshirou." He said with a smirk. Shunsui beamed, looking absolutely delighted.

"Great, we can start! Oh, wait, I forgot... you were gone yesterday, weren't you Toshirou?" Shunsui asked, not even realizing he was now calling me by my first name. "The people who voted decided that you'd be Darcy, and Karin is Elizabeth." Shunsui said.

"WHAT?!" I screamed, and Yoruichi looked ecstatic.

"Oh, I love that book! Will there be any kissing?!" She asked excitedly.

"NO!!!" Karin yelled, at the same time I shouted,

"WHAT?!!" Urahara smirked and nudged one of the students, a rather sickly looking boy with wire frame glasses.

"Five dollars Toshirou's going to say 'what' again at least five times." He smirked, while Shunsui smiled at Yoruichi.

"Isn't it touching that the adolescence of today loves plays so much? Look at Toshirou, he's bright red with happiness." He said, and Yoruichi smiled back.

"Yes, I can see what you're saying. If only Toshirou had green hair, then he could pass off as a strawberry." She inferred wisely, and Shunsui looked bemused.

"WHAT?!!!" I screamed again. And then it hit me as all the pieces fell into place.

"MATSUMOTO!!!" I screamed. Then-

"Sir, you owe me five dollars."

Author Note: Well, there you go. All the main characters for the play arc have been introduced. Ichigo goes into protective brother mode, and Toshirou receives the shock of a life time. Oh, and Yoruichi's introduced. Meh. If you don't find the chapter funny, tough. I worked my ass off to get this thing done. Thanks for the reviews. Bye.

-Firefox