'k, so I hafta admit. O__O" I wasn't expecting you guys to actually do 10 reviews. XD I know, horrid of me I'm sure. But I'll keep my end of the deal. ^___^ 6000 words of glorious ichiruki-ness…after answering a few questions from my reviewers. =D
But before I do that: THANK YOU! I loved all the reviews. 'specially the detailed ones. I read them over again and again. :D They (all of the reviews) made me feel special and happy that I'm not screwing the story up. The reviews that you guys sent me were awesome and helped in this update. Because it was 6000 words, I was planning on waiting a bit before updating. But since you guys went beyond my calling (of 10 reviews) and I wasn't expecting you guys to even make it, I decided the least I could do was update around as fast as I did before.
And now, back to answering the questions. :D I'll type them here, so all readers can have them answered. ^___^ Many thanks to the reviewers who asked them. Now I can clear up any misunderstandings. =DD (Side note: None of this author's note, including the question/answer thing, is included in the 6000 word count. So rest assured. I'm not cheating. ^-^)
I wonder what Rukia as a guy looks like? (---- That may have been rhetorical. If it was, I sorry. D: )
--That will either be revealed in this chapter or the next, when someone forces Rukia to look in the mirror. (Yesh, it's a minor spoiler xD)
You have your story listed as adventure/humor. Does that mean no sparks between Ichigo and Rukia?
--I'm planning on making sparks happen. :D However, I intend on making it gradual. I was worried if I labeled it as Humor/Romance people would be expecting heavy ichiruki off the get-go.
Does Rukia reveal her identity?
--Definitely. Though I'm not saying when or how. XD
Who is Ichigo's date to the dance?
--Totally a secret. Maybe I'll reveal it this chapter. :3
Does Tatsuki fall for Ryoko?
--Yep. =D I'll hopefully be able to pull this off as humorous, not morally disturbing, to IchiRuki fanatics. XD
What about the role of height in Rukia's popularity? (----Haha, I totally reworded that. But I was going to address that anyways, so I thought I might as well do it here. ;D)
--I'm going to address that this or next chapter as well. It also has to do with the whole mirror thing. :3
/end questions.
If you have any more questions, feel free to ask, and I'll answer them here. : )
And THANK YOU TO MY REVIEWERS AGAIN! I WOVE YOU!
(Wow, that author's note took up nearly a whole page. O__O)
Quick Recap:
Rukia finds out the reason why she's a guy. When meeting Tatsuki and the others for lunch she finds out two other things: one, that there's a dance. Two, that she's the most popular guy in school. As this would be a shock to any normal girl-dressed-as-a-guy, she faints.
And finally, on with the story!
~__~__~__~__~__~
"I can't believe you fainted," Ichigo grumbled. Of course, Ryoko couldn't hear him. He was carrying the midget piggy-back style. After he had fainted, he, Tatsuki, Ishida, Chad and Orihime had tried, in vain, to wake him up. When all else failed, the rest of the group had decided unanimously that Ichigo carry Ryoko back to the dorm. He, of course, protested and demanded why no one else could do the damn deed. Sadly Tatsuki pointed out that not only did he not have class that afternoon, but he and Ryoko were dorm-mates.
He knew that was true, but hell. She didn't have to rub it in.
Ichigo paused to hoist Ryoko up higher on his back. Last thing he wanted was him slipping off…though that would solve the problem of his room-mate beheading him on account of his snooping.
He took up climbing again. Just as he hit the dorm floor, Ryoko's head lolled off his shoulder and fell precariously close to his cheek. Ichigo stiffened, feeling the soft, rhythmic breathing of the sleeping tiny terror. When his hair brushed his own cheek, Ichigo almost lost control and dropped him. Sweat mounted on his forehead. He wasn't liking this.
"Kurosaki, what are you doing?" Ichigo gave a strangled cry and let go of Ryoko. The painful meeting with the floor immediately woke him up.
~__~__~__~__~__~
"Kurosaki, what are you doing?" Ichigo gave a strangled cry and then let go of Rukia. The painful meeting with the floor immediately woke her up.
"Where the hell am I," she hissed, rubbing her bottom. Seeing Ichigo look so unnerved, Rukia grew suspicious.
"Did you drop me," she asked, dangerously.
Ichigo tensed up. "Hell, if you hadn't fainted, there would have been no reason for me to carry you in the first place! Wasting my lunch and all…"
"You did drop me," she declared, rising in a huff.
"You were getting bloody heavy!" Ichigo was trying to defend himself from the menace growing in front of him. Totally not working. He was, however, saved by the same voice that had caused him to drop his roommate in the first place.
"It was my fault." Rukia turned around to see Ishida standing there with a smirk on his face.
"What the hell," Ichigo exploded. "You knew what I was doing! You were one of them that made me do it!"
Ishida chuckled and pushed his glasses up. "I know, but you looked so uncomfortable standing there that I couldn't resist." Ichigo scowled. "Not to mention, you looked like you were in the position of choosing whether or not to take advantage of our young friend here," Ishida made a casual nod towards Rukia.
Ichigo looked like he was going to puke. Rukia stared at him as if he grown another head.
"That is not true you bastard," he yelped frantically jumping in place. He turned towards Rukia gesturing helplessly. "I was just bloody carrying you to your room! I'm not…I am NOT gay!"
Rukia drew her jacket around her protectively. "To think if Ishida hadn't saved me…"
"Oi! How many times must I tell you it's not true!"
At the sight of Ichigo's flustered face, Rukia burst out laughing.
"Baka, of course it's not true," she chuckled. Ishida was having a hard time not laughing. "There's no need to get so worked up about it, unless…" Rukia eyed him dubiously. "You're not actually gay are you?"
"No freakin way," he said flatly.
~__~__~__~__~__~
After the escapade with Ishida in the dorm building, Rukia had made it back, uneventfully, to Room 220. She never thought that she'd be so glad to see the place and had happily collapsed on the bed. She had attended a couple of classes the next day also uneventfully and now, two days later, Ichigo, Tatsuki and the rest had decided it was high time for dance lessons.
"I told you, I am not going to the dance!" Rukia was being dragged out of her room, one arm by Tatsuki, the other by Ichigo.
"And we told you that you were going," Ichigo muttered. For such a small guy, Ryoko was putting up one hell of a fight.
"And I told you that no one asked me, so like hell I am going!" This wasn't necessarily true. There were dozens of girls that had come up to her after (or sometimes even during) one of her classes. But whenever someone approached her, she would make her escape. Thus she had gotten this far without getting a date successfully.
"Is that so much of a big deal?" Tatsuki grimaced as she continued pulling at Rukia.
"Yes," Rukia groaned. Although she could put up one hell of a fight, she couldn't do it for forever. Even her arms were starting to feel the strain. But it seems that lady-luck was with her.
"Argh, I give up," Ichigo yelled letting go. "This is going nowhere!"
Though true moments ago, it wasn't valid anymore. Now that Ichigo had let go, Rukia somehow vastly overpowered Tatsuki, and they both crumpled in a heap. Tatsuki groaned and rolled away from Rukia.
"What the hell," Rukia grumbled, sitting up. "Do you have a death wish for me?! This is what?" Rukia started counting on her fingers. "The fourth time I'm on the floor because of you?!"
Ichigo crossed his arms. "I'm sick of you being so stubborn! Why won't you go to the dance!?"
Rukia stood up, wobbling slightly. "I think all those times I've landed on the floor because of you," she shot him a nasty glare. "…have ruined my brain. I can't even stand."
"Stop avoiding the question, midget!" Rukia had no choice. Explaining why she wouldn't go to the dance would probably be immensely more devastating then actually going.
"I'll go, I'll go," she finally yelled. "I'll say yes to the next person who asks me, and I won't try to run away like before."
Ichigo and Tatsuki stared at her. "You were running away?"
Crap. Rukia stood up and made for the door, leaving Ichigo standing and Tatsuki still on the floor. "If I'm going, I need those dance lessons you promised, so I'll come."
"You're totally avoiding the question!" Both Ichigo and Tatsuki stared at her in disbelief.
"You said the guys were waiting for me in the dance room right?" Rukia walked out of the room, shutting the door behind her.
Ichigo turned to Tatsuki and offered her a hand up. Accepting, she righted herself with relative ease.
She dusted herself off before looking Ichigo in the eye and saying, "Ichigo, your friend is strange."
"You don't have to look at me," he muttered. "And he is not my friend."
"Whatever you say." Ichigo twitched.
~__~__~__~__~__~
Rukia was fidgeting. Ishida, Ichigo, Tatsuki and Chad were in front of her. Staring. It was highly unnerving.
When the tension finally became unbearable, she cracked. "Are you guys just going to stand there?!"
"We're debating where we should start," Ichigo said. "You look like you're in bad shape."
Rukia wanted to slap him. She just barely resisted. "How can you know that, idiot?! I haven't done anything!"
"Baka. You don't have to do anything. It's so obvious that you're as graceful as a fly," Ichigo retaliated.
Rukia bristled with anger. "For your information," she hissed. "Flies are very graceful, with all that flying they do…" Rukia tapered off when the four of them started looking at her like she was crazy. Maybe they had always looked at her like that.
"If you think you're so graceful, prove it," he jeered. He pointed to Ishida. "Dance with Ishida for a bit, let him lead. We'll see if you can at least follow." Tatsuki elbowed him. "What the hell was that for?!"
"If I didn't know better, I'd think you said that following was easier," she glared at him.
"It is easier than leading at least," Rukia replied. "And I'll show you, Ichigo. I can easily follow Ishida." She made her way onto the dance floor but was highly displeased when Ichigo stopped her.
"What now," she asked, exasperated.
"Not yet," he said. "Close you're eyes." Rukia wasn't liking the way this was sounding. It was creepy, to say the least.
"Why…you're not going to do anything to me…are you," she asked doubtfully.
"No," Ichigo snapped. "But I will if you don't do it." Rukia rolled her eyes.
"You're so high-profile Ichigo."
"What?"
"Never mind." Rukia wasn't sure if she had said it right anyways.
"Close your eyes!"
"No need to yell!"
Rukia warily complied. She didn't like the feeling of helplessness that came with not seeing. Now all she could here were the non-existent noises in the background. "When can I open them," she nervously asked.
"When you turn around." Rukia sighed. What was with the mind games?
"Why do I have to close my eyes to turn around," she protested. "I could have done that with my eyes open."
"Just do it," came the tart reply. So Rukia turned around. She felt like she was two again, and Byakuya was teaching her how to use a gun. "This is the trigger. Put your finger on it. That's right. Don't pull it. I said don't pull it. Rukia, put the gun down. Down. Don't pull the trigger!" That was about the time her brother decided to install his window to cover up the gaping hole in his office.
"Now can I open my eyes?" She heard the shuffling of feet behind her. "What are you guys doing," she asked suspiciously.
"Open your eyes." Rukia's eyes snapped open, and she gasped. When she walked in the room she hadn't noticed the row of mirrors behind her. She should have known, of course. Wherever there was a dance room, there were bound to be mirrors. But who's to say that their mind always does what it's supposed to.
"In order to dance, you have to know your own body." This surprisingly came from Chad. Thinking back, this was the first time she had heard his voice. It was startlingly soft and smooth, almost like milk chocolate.
Tatsuki nodded. "So now…can you see yourself?" Rukia didn't really understand a word she said. She was still staring into her reflection.
When all of this was done and over with, Rukia had to find the hair-dresser that had done her hair. She had thought she'd look atrocious with a guy haircut. But what he had done…
He had layered her hair numerous times and snipped it short. It almost looked like she had curls that had been snapped in half. But straight. Sort of like those haircuts you saw in magazines. The style wasn't bad. It wasn't girly, that's for sure…but it was cute. Even if she wasn't acting as a guy, she might have been able to make it work. Thinking back, she had wondered why her hair had felt so light. She thought he had given her some sort of buzz cut or something…she couldn't have been farther from the truth.
All in all, Rukia couldn't help but stare. In retrospect, she looked like a bad-ass pretty boy.
~__~__~__~__~__~
In retrospect, he looked like a bad-ass pretty boy.
Ryoko was staring at himself in the mirror. Tatsuki couldn't help but be shocked. Not only had he obviously never looked in a mirror before (which she deemed a feat in itself), but he hadn't even worked on his appearance. He had no idea how attractive he was.
His porcelain skin combined with his startling blue eyes…not to mention the hair. The hair was probably what clinched the heart of all of those poor-obsessed-college-girl freaks on facebook. Of course, if he had been taller many people would think that he would have been more handsome…but Tatsuki couldn't help but think that might not be the case. His height somehow seemed to work to his advantage…albeit strange, that factor added to his overall appeal.
Ryoko was still staring at himself in shock, and Tatsuki couldn't help but let a grin flicker onto her face. What she liked the best was probably his personality and the fact that he never actually took advantage of his looks or his popularity…
Wait a sec. What she liked?
Tatsuki clapped her hands loudly, both to gather her classmates and her senses. "We only have an hour today, so we might as well get started." Thankfully no one else noticed her awkwardness.
"Now do I dance," Ryoko grumbled. Tatsuki couldn't help but grin again. Sometimes he seemed incredibly like a puppy.
Ichigo grunted. "Ishida leads. Don't forget!"
~__~__~__~__~__~
Ishida was looking curiously over at Tatsuki. She seemed to be watching Kuchiki constantly. But perhaps he was thinking too much of it. After all, the whole reason they were here was to teach Kuchiki here how to dance. It was normal to watch their subject for data. But…
"Now do I dance," Ryoko grumbled. Ishida caught the smile that flickered across Tatsuki's face. Maybe he wasn't thinking too much into to it.
Ichigo grunted. "Ishida leads. Don't forget!"
Ishida pushed up his glasses. "He knows, Kurosaki. He may be small, but he's not stupid."
Ryoko stared at him. Probably wondering if he had just been defended or insulted.
Ichigo hit the music. A slow waltz started.
"A waltz?" Ryoko looked horrified. "They waltz at school dances?! What happened to the disco?"
"Pfft."
Ichigo was nearly rolling on the floor with laughter. Tatsuki had tears streaming down her face she was laughing. Even Chad was laughing. Ishida nearly followed suit and doubled over with laughter. But he restrained himself, if only just.
"Pay attention Kuchiki. It's the basic steps of a waltz of all things." Ryoko stumbled over his feet. Ishida sighed. "1, 2, 3," he snapped. "Follow the rhythm."
"What rhythm?"
Ishida decided to stop before his feet were completely mauled by Mr. Two Left Feet.
"Kurosaki, it's obvious that Kuchiki has no idea what he's doing." Ichigo banged his head against the wall, and Tatsuki grinned.
"What happened to it being easy, Ryoko-kun?"
Ryoko stuck out his tounge.
~__~__~__~__~__~
Chad was watching all of this with a silent grin. Of course he had been confused at lunch. After all, why would a guy faint after being declared popular? He had also been confused at Ryoko's adamant decline of going to the dance. After all, don't normal guys like dances? And why had Ryoko never looked in a mirror? But the most baffling thing about Ryoko wasn't his strange personality, but Ichigo. Or rather, Ichigo's reactions around Ryoko. Why was he so flustered and guarded when Ryoko was around? Why did he act like an idiot in love? In spite of everything he was, Ichigo was definitely not gay.
But Chad had figured it out during the dance with Ishida. Although no one else had noticed it, Ryoko was being remarkably self-conscious about his body…especially for a guy. When he saw that, everything clicked, and he knew.
Ryoko had grown up in a brothel.
It explained everything. Why he wouldn't want to be popular…he didn't want to go to the dance because of all of the swarms of people that would ask him to, and that holding bad memories…Ryoko had never looked in a mirror because…for a lack of a better word…prostitutes didn't exactly want to be reminded of their failed appearances. And it even explained Ichigo! He was so flustered and guarded around him, because Ryoko had the aura of a girl. He had, after all, grown up in swarms of women.
Very satisfied with his deduction, Chad proceeded to lean back and continue watching the lesson.
~__~__~__~__~__~
Rukia was getting tired of this. It was now forty-five minutes into the lesson and she was flat-out exhausted. First it was the damn mirror. Then the failed dance test. Now, for the last thirty minutes, it was doing these stupid three-steps. Over and over and over again dancing with a stupid imaginary partner…all the while watching herself in the mirror and looking like an idiot.
"Hasn't this gone on long enough?"
Ichigo looked at her a moment. "You tired already?"
"No way," she snapped. "This just seems rather stupid." Ichigo sighed.
"Fine, stop." Rukia happily dropped her arms to her sides. They felt like lead.
"Now what," she asked, rubbing her arms.
"Now you dance with Ishida again." Ishida looked horrified.
"Kurosaki, my feet aren't healed from the first time that menace danced with me." Rukia threw him a glare.
"It's not like you're the perfect dance partner, but that's not the point! You mean I was doing all of that just to dance with Ishida again?!"
Ichigo smirked. "What, did you want to graduate to dancing with me?" Rukia nearly blushed she was so horrified.
"Don't flatter yourself, you bastard," she replied caustically, kicking him in the shin. "You really are a self-conceited pig, aren't you?" Ichigo twitched. "What was that you-"
Tatsuki covered his mouth with her hand. "We had a hard enough time getting here, we are not going through all of that again because you can't keep your mouth shut," she hissed.
But Ichigo was having a hard time restraining himself, even if she was right. His body just seemed to want to naturally retaliate. When Rukia turned around to see what happened to his rebuttal, Tatsuki let Ichigo go, and he straightened up.
"Just hurry up," he said, in a huff. "We only have ten minutes until the four of us have other places to be."
Rukia rolled her eyes. "Me following a girl isn't going to look too good on the dance floor, Ichigo."
Ichigo looked at her incredulously. "You can't actually think that you are going to learn how to dance in one lesson!"
Rukia responded with a guarded expression. "So that means I'm not going to be following my partner?"
"No freakin way."
"Well," Rukia crossed her arms. "How many lessons are there then? Two? Three?"
"Five, Ryoko-kun." Rukia's head snapped to Tatsuki.
"Five?! There's only four you here! What's the fifth lesson for?"
Ichigo smirked. "You'll just have to wait and see, won't you Ryoko?"
Rukia seriously wanted to kick him a few times. He hadn't been so cocky earlier that week when she had been about to 'behead him'…friends seemed to give him a lot of confidence.
"Or you could just tell me," she said dangerously. When she started approaching him, Ichigo had enough sense to back away. When she continued to follow him, Ichigo's resolve to say nothing snapped.
"Fifth lesson is obviously the final one. You'll be dancing with her." He jerked his head over to Tatsuki. "Real life scenario. Thought that would be obvious." He was talking so fast he was surprised Ryoko even understood him. Freaking hell. He was such a wuss.
Rukia sighed. "So I'm stuck with you guys for five lessons?
"We're doing you a favor, baka. Be more grateful."
"Fine. Thank you. You happy?" Rukia glared.
"I give up, there's no winning with you," Ichigo grumbled.
"Give up then," Rukia said. "But when is this dance thing?"
"Next week, Kuchiki." Rukia gasped. Next week? "So you don't have a lot of time. I'd get my act together if I were you and find a date."
Rukia groaned. "What if I don't find a date?"
Ichigo looked at her, pityingly. "Then I guess you're going to be the only guy there without one, Ryoko."
~__~__~__~__~__~
Despite her popularity ranking number three (according to facebook) in the entire campus, Tatsuki still hadn't asked anyone to the dance. She could have her pick of virtually any guy in the school, but…she didn't really like dances and was only going because Orihime asked her too. She wouldn't not go after promising her best friend she would.
Besides, if she copped out (like she wanted to), she was pretty sure Ryoko would think she was a hypocrite. It was partly her fault that he had to go anyways.
Tatsuki sighed.
"What if I don't find a date," Ryoko groaned.
That totally sounded like he had just summed up her predicament. This last minute, hardly anyone would not have dates…Of course, the person she wanted to ask didn't have one but not only was he the most popular guy in college, he had just declared to both she and Ichigo that he would say yes to the next person who asked him. She couldn't very well ask him after that.
"Then I guess you're going to be the only guy at the dance without one, Ryoko."
Although these comments were aimed at his roommate, they seemed to be doing more damage to her than Ryoko. Ishida interrupted before Tatsuki could yell at Ichigo to, frankly, shut up.
"Arisawa, I don't remember you ever mentioning a date to the dance." Tatsuki froze. Exactly how had this landed back on her? She glared at Ishida. She would make sure to make him pay for that later.
"That's because I haven't asked anyone yet," she muttered under her breath. Ishida smiled. To think. Someone might actually think he was doing this out of the kindness of his heart, not because he was a conniving ass.
"So why don't you ask Kuchiki to the dance?" Tatsuki looked horrified. If she didn't do something soon, her face would be beet red.
"You can't force Tatsuki-chan to do something like that!" She was immensely relieved to find Ryoko coming to her rescue. "She probably has someone she wants to ask anyways," Rukia looked at her for support.
Crapcrapcrapcrapcrap.
Ishida, though, had already worked out that Tatsuki wanted to ask a special someone to the dance. And he had proceeded to make sure she was completely humiliated.
"Is that true Arisawa?" Tatsuki seriously wanted him dead right now.
"N-not really." Better to deny it. Who knows what Ishida would say if she actually agreed.
~__~__~__~__~__~ "N-not really." Rukia looked curiously over at Tatsuki. It was obvious that she wanted to ask someone else, so why was she denying it?
"Then it's settled. Arisawa will take you, Kuchiki. Now you can't complain about not having a date." Rukia gaped open-mouthed at Ishida. She didn't know that he could be so devious. At least now she knew why Tatsuki had denied it. Who knows what Ishida would have done if she had said yes.
But come to think of it, where was Ichigo in all of this mess? She glanced behind her to see the Strawberry leaning against the mirrors, a strange look on his face. It took Rukia a moment to classify it as jealousy.
Rukia clenched her fist. So he liked Tatsuki? Then why had he accepted the other girl's invitation to the dance if he liked someone else? And why was this bothering her?
Although her anger still growing, Rukia straightened up and plastered a smile across her face. Time to get revenge on the orange pufferfish. She turned to Tatsuki.
This better work.
"If you'd take me to the dance, I'd be exceedingly grateful. I'd rather it be you then one of those bimbos…" Rukia paused. That last word may not have been exactly charming. "But if you want to take someone else, that's entirely up to you and I wouldn't be insulted in the least." That all seemed rather wordy. Did she actually mess that up?
Rukia waited with bated breath. She didn't like doing this to Tatsuki, but watching Ichigo's frustration start to rise…was both highly enjoyable…although a tad irritating.
~__~__~__~__~__~
"But if you want to take someone else, that's entirely up to you."
Now everyone in the room was staring at her. Tatsuki couldn't believe what Ishida had just done.
"If you want to, not because Ishida forced you to," Tatsuki threw a glare in Ishida's direction. Ishida, for his part, pretended to not see it. "I'd be happy if you'd go to the dance with me…Of course, you could ask anyone in the school and they'd say yes…"
Ryoko blinked a couple of times. "So you don't want to?"
Tatsuki gawked at him. He actually wanted to go with her?
Ichigo, not being able to take any more of the scene, interrupted. "Take that as a yes, Ryoko. Tatsuki is so beside herself, she can't answer." Tatsuki whacked him on the back of the head.
"That's not true!"
Ishida chuckled. "Isn't it?"
"You keep out of this Ishida," she snapped. "Haven't you done enough?"
"Sorry to interrupt," came a low voice. "But don't Ishida and Tatsuki have class now?" Ryoko looked at Chad in shock. Tatsuki couldn't blame him. That was probably the most he'd heard Chad say since he met him.
Ishida, tables turned, was now staring in horror at his watch. They had gone fifteen minutes over.
"Kurosaki, this is your fault," he fumed.
"What the hell, how is this my fault?!"
Seeing both Ishida and Ichigo standing off and glaring at each other seemed like a much needed comic relief, and Tatsuki exploded with laughter. The tension that had built up was long gone, and she felt free.
"You know that you're wasting time just arguing about it."
Ishida opened his mouth to repudiate whatever she just said before realizing she was right.
"Damn it, Kurosaki. You're not worth me being late to class." With that he stopped talking and made for the door in record time.
"I'll see you tomorrow," he said bluntly before rushing out.
~__~__~__~__~__~
"I'll see you tomorrow," he said bluntly before rushing out.
Rukia turned to see Tatsuki preparing to leave as well. "I hafta go too, but I'm not so uptight about being late as four-eyes is." Rukia was about to lift a hand as a farewell when Tatsuki turned to look at her expectantly.
Rukia faltered and looked up at Ichigo.
"Oi, don't look up at me, midget…" but he said it half-heartedly and took pity on Rukia.
Ichigo bent down so that he was level with her. "She wants to know when and how you're going to pick her up for the dance," he whispered into her ear. Rukia's head shot up.
"The dance isn't here," she blurted. Ichigo looked like he wanted to throw his room-mate back to the depths of hell of which he came. Ryoko was totally not conspicuous. In fact he hadn't even realized he'd done anything wrong. Tatsuki burst out laughing.
"No," she chuckled. "It's not." She wiped a tear from her eye.
Rukia gaped at her. Ichigo, once again, came to her rescue. "You guys can double-up with me and my date. Me and Ryoko will pick you up at seven. Nod, baka," he said, forcing Rukia's head into a nodding motion.
Tatsuki grinned at the uncomfortable look on Rukia's face. "Got it. Well I'll see you guys later I guess," she said, waving to the them. "You too, Chad."
Rukia gasped and whirled around to face Chad as Tatsuki left. "I forgot you were here!"
"Baka! That's not polite," Ichigo muttered.
Chad didn't seem to care though and mumbled a good-bye before leaving.
Ichigo turned to Rukia. "You know, you really are strange. You have no people-sense whatsoever, yet you're so bloody popular."
Rukia grinned. "It runs in the family." After all, every time her brother left work, he was swarmed by fan-girls. So she supposed he wasn't un-popular.
~__~__~__~__~__~
Aizen stopped at the library doors. Alone. He had had a difficult time getting rid of his teacher's aid, but he had done it. Content with himself as a pure genius, he opened the library doors.
Now that he was in the confines of the empty library, he felt safe. He pushed back his hair, and then removed his glasses, looking at them in contempt.
The glasses were ugly and black. He had never needed them and only wore them because it fit with the persona he was trying to emit. Kind, polite, dorky, and of course the most important of all. Harmless.
"Ichimaru, you here?" His voice resounded on through the empty library. A supposed emergency staff meeting was supposed to take place in the library at this time. And it was. Between him and Gin.
It was, quite literally, amazing. Students came and went through here every day, and yet… Aizen chuckled to himself. No student knew what actually went down. Alive anyways. The ones that had discovered their secrets were long…well. No need to think of such gruesome thoughts on such a lovely afternoon.
He walked into the head librarians office.
"Every time, this room never ceases to amaze me," he muttered to no one in particular. "Ichimaru, I know you're in here."
Here was spacious. At least, more spacious than the tiny cubby he had for an office. The walls were papered in exotic prints and the floor was made of shining maple. The office was full of maps and paper which cluttered the floor and a side table as well as the librarian's desk. Atop the desk also rested two things of importance. One was a globe. The other a name tag engraved in silver with the words, Ichimaru Gin and in subscript, Head Librarian.
Annoyed by the lack of responses he was getting, Aizen dropped the formalities. "Gin, I know you're here. Come out already before I lose my temper."
He heard a low chuckle. Aizen let out an annoyed sigh. "You never get tired of trying to sneak up on me, do you?"
"Not at all, Aizen-sensei. It's highly…" Gin paused for an effect. "…entertaining, so you could say."
"Well I don't say," Aizen snapped. "And if you don't mind, how has everything been going over there? Why did you call this supposed meeting?"
Gin shook his head. "You're so secretive even in the most secure of places. Sometimes I can't even follow you."
"You know exactly what I'm talking about."
Gin dramatically heaved a sigh. "Very well, very well. No rest for the librarian, eh?"
Aizen shot him a look. "Gin."
"There have been some…eh…problems with the experiments."
"Problems," Aizen asked. "What problems? Be more specific," he hissed.
"Why Aizen-sensei. I thought you didn't want me to be specific."
"Just tell me already," he repeated calmly. "And I'd be grateful if you'd hurry it up. I have a club to oversee soon. People are going to become suspicious if I'm late to everything."
"Not at all. They'll just think you're an idiotic old doddy…" At the look Aizen was giving him, Gin coughed.
"The experiments are starting to rot…"
Aizen swore under his breath. "I thought we had more time. You told me we had more time."
"Well, yes. But that was before you started experimenting on them." Aizen refused to rise to the taunt. Instead, he regained his composure.
"No matter then. It's not all ruined. Of course, we'll have to work faster….but I know where I can get more fresh samples. After all, it's not like we can make due with rotting ones." Aizen smiled darkly. But the moment past and Aizen messed up his hair and put his glasses back on.
"I don't know why you keep wearing that." Aizen resisted the urge to roll his eyes. Gin knew exactly why he wore them. He just liked to play stupid.
"I'll leave the rest to you. Like I said, I've got a Kendo club, of all things, to attend."
Gin shook his head. "The things you do to uphold your image."
"The things I do," Aizen repeated before walking out the doors. But it wasn't long before Aizen heard Gin's voice again.
The meeting is over. I repeat, the meeting is over. The library has reopened. Please feel free to come back when you feel like it. Or don't. Less work for me.
Aizen shook his head. That was Gin, through and through. He was surprised that Gin hadn't been fired yet.
Well, he would be surprised. If he didn't know. Aizen pushed up his glasses.
~__~__~__~__~__~
"Ryoko, go get your protective equipment," Ichigo yelled. "You can play in that!"
"W-what the hell is this," she spluttered, lifting up the head piece. "This has nothing to do with swords!"
Ichigo gaped at her. "Don't tell me you decided to join without even knowing what Kendo was?!"
Rukia look at him indignantly. "Of course I know what it is, I've just never used this crap before," she grumbled, gesturing to the gear.
Ichigo was shocked. Either he was really, really good, or he sucked. He figured the latter.
"Well whatever then. Don't use it." The rest of the students looked at him in shock.
"Are you serious man?! That dude's gonna get killed."
"Yeah! Even you wear the gear! Even Sensei!"
"What are you going to do if he gets hurt!?"
Ichigo started growing irritated with all of the complaints. Finally, he snapped.
"Just shut up already," he yelled. The immediate silence that followed was broken only by Rukia, who was trying to get out of the damn chest protector. Ichigo twitched but said nothing, not wanting to break the much needed silence.
"Good afternoon."
Ichigo whipped around to see Aizen walk into the room, smile on his face. "I'm glad to see you all are ready…" he paused with a look in Rukia's direction. She had now fallen on the floor and was wrestling with the armor as if it were a snake. "…for the most part. Would someone mind helping him with that?"
The students all threw wary glances at each other. A poor soul had tried to help her with that earlier. He was now in the nurses office spotting twelve new and unique wounds. Now all were afraid of Rukia mistaking them for the armor and throttling them.
"For the love of Pete!" Ichigo stormed over to Rukia and successfully pulled Rukia and the armor apart in one sweep. There was scattered applause.
"Thank you," Rukia said stiffly. Ichigo plopped her down.
"Don't mention it. Seriously." Ichigo went back to the front of the room.
"Kuchiki. I didn't know you were in the club."
Rukia laughed warily. "Ichigo is very persuasive."
"More like sensei's name," he muttered. Rukia chucked her sword at him the moment the teacher turned his back on her. Thud.
"What do you know," Rukia chuckled. "Ichigo's head is hollow."
The class burst into laughter.
"Why you stupid midget…if that wasn't blunted…" Aizen broke up the fight rather quickly though, placing a hand on Ichigo's sword.
"Come now, the only way to settle a fight is through kendo, of course." Aizen gestured towards the center of the room. "Now why don't you guys give these two some space. Though I suspect it won't take a while."
The students moved over to the walls surrounding the room. "Sensei, Ichigo is one of the best kendo-swordsmen in the district." There was a murmur of agreement. "And Kuchiki is going against him with virtually no defense! And he's so small!" The murmur got louder. But the louder it got, the deeper Rukia's frown got until she finally exploded.
"I'm not totally defenseless!" She glared at her fellow club-mates. "I'm perfectly capable of defending myself just with the ha-biki (the sword). That bulky crap," she muttered, gesturing to the protective gear on the floor. "…would just hinder me."
"He's right you know," Aizen said, gesturing to her slight build. "Just let them fight. I'll break it up if it gets out of hand."
Now Rukia was practically fuming. She tightened her grip on the sword, eyes blazing. These people were underestimating her at their own peril.
Rukia and Ichigo turned to face each other. Aizen looked at both of his students, hand on the swords.
"Start!"
~__~__~__~__~__~
Ichigo was sprawled on the floor. He didn't know what hit him. Actually he did, but he didn't want to believe it.
Ichigo ran towards Ryoko, executing a swift attack to his wrist. Or what he thought was a swift attack to the wrist. But Ryoko had disappeared…just vanished. All he hit was solid air.
"Ichigo, is that all you got?" Ryoko had somehow managed to get behind him.
"Not by a long shot." Serious now, he made for Ryoko, this time thrusting his sword for a direct hit to his chest. Ryoko easily parried and made two quick strikes on his right and left side before striking his head with a resounding crack. Ichigo stumbled and landed on the floor.
Ichigo had fallen in defeat. Rather miserably. Ryoko had toyed with him and won in under two minutes flat.
Ichigo groaned and pulled himself up. Ryoko was surrounded by a swarm of guys.
~__~__~__~__~__~
Rukia turned her head to see Ichigo groan and hoist himself up. She grinned.
"I guess you shouldn't underestimate your opponents, Ichigo. You might land up sprawled on your back."
Ichigo glared at her. "How the hell did you do that?!"
"Do what," she asked innocently.
"You know exactly what."
Rukia laughed. "I guess I should have told you earlier."
"Told me what," he asked suspiciously.
"Well, I did warn you I was gifted at the katana…"
"Tell me what?!"
Rukia pushed the hair out of her face. "I'm a level eight-dan."Ichigo's face went pale. "What?" That wasn't possible. Even he was just a level six-dan and he had trained for years on end to achieve it. For Ryoko to be at the highest rank…to even out-rank him…
"My brother trained me since I was five," she said vaguely. But despite her play at modesty, Rukia was enjoying the attention. Back in the company, this sort of feat was no big deal, especially since Hitsugaya-taichou had achieved it when he was much, much younger. He was a prodigy, after all. She was just normal. Or so she had thought before arriving at this college. Lost in her thoughts, she failed to notice Aizen.
Unbeknownst to her, Aizen was gazing at Rukia curiously. Not only is he incredibly powerful, but he's light and agile as well. What a waste on a mere college-student.
"Kuchiki, Ryoko," he mused. "I've heard the name somewhere before." No matter, he thought. He'd remember the name eventually. Aizen smiled to himself. At least he had found a prime candidate for his experiments. He had a feeling Kuchiki, Ryoko would do. Quite nicely.
~__~__~__~__~__~
As promised. :D That actually ended up being almost 7000 words. O__O" When I was at 4900 I nearly gave up. XD It was a stretch making it, but I hoped you enjoyed it. :3 Because it's longer, it was way harder to re-read this, so I am extremely sorry for any grammar/spelling mistakes you found.
And once again, THANK YOU FOR THE REVIEWS! My reviewers are amazing. They have a special place in my heart. =) Please review! Knowing if I'm doing bad or good is vital to the story's health.
But back to the story. I hope I didn't make Aizen too corny with all the 'experiments' and 'raw material' and all. I think I'm starting to make a lot of characters OOC, like Byakuya…^^" Anyways~ in case your wondering where this story is going…the story will end roughly after the dance. As to why, I'll let you draw your own conclusions.
Once again, reviews are loved. Reviewers are adored. :D
Until next time,
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