Bleach Fan Fiction ❯ Flowers on the precipice ❯ Life as I know it ( Chapter 2 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

“Tadaima.”

“You'rrrrrrre late,” was the response followed by a painful blow to his already aching body. “What kind of hour do you think this is, strolling in so casually, you delinquent son? Worrying your sister's…what kind of brother are you?”

“You…Is that anyway to greet your only son who almost died tonight?” he shouted back.

“Silence,” the bearded man shouted back, “the rules of this house are iron clad. Dinner is every night at seven, the time when the harmony of the Kurosaki family is at its highest. You, useless son, have disrupted that harmony and to he who disrupts this household's iron harmony, only a punishment of blood can be rendered.”

“What kind of stupid rule is that? I'm a healthy male in my last semester of high school…in what world is that kind of curfew respectable? Anyway, don't you think I've bled enough tonight? Or are you trying to kill me or something? Can't you see I'm already injured here?”

At this, he lifted the tattered bloody shirt.

“Onii-chan! Are you alright?” Yuzu, his youngest sister, the second of the set of twins asked.

“What happened to you?” Karin, the older of the twins asked.

“I was attacked when I was trying to help a little boy,” Ichigo returned dropping the shirt in the garbage. It had been one of his favorites too. “Anyway, I'm tired. I'm just going to go to bed.”

“But, Ichigo, you should let Otou-san look at you,” Yuzu said then.

“Tch…why?” Ichigo asked, “I'm alright. I just need to get some rest.”

“Look what you did!” Yuzu turned on her father, “It's your fault that he won't let you look at his wounds.”

“Yeah. Nice going, Goat-chin,” Karin added.

“Wh-What did I do?” the bewildered man cried.

“Ichigo's had a hard time lately with us suddenly moving here when he was about to graduate and all and you are still like this.”

“What? He's been having difficulties? That kid, he never tells me stuff like this.”

“Keh,” Karin muttered turning away from him, “Even I wouldn't talk to a father over 40 who has the communication skills of a child.”

“Oh, Kaa-san…Kaa-san. What evil have I done to deserve this?” the man bemoaned dramatically to a huge poster on the wall of a happily smiling woman with light brown hair, “It must be puberty as all the children have suddenly started acting so cold to their father. What should I do, Kaa-san?”

“You can start by taking down that ridiculous poster,” Karin remarked.

The man started to cry and babble again so she blocked him out. Her eyes thoughtfully went to the stairs her brother had just disappeared up. Of all of them, he was probably having it the hardest having to come back to this town. Ichi-nii…

Two days passed without anything eventful happening and finally, it was Monday. They would be starting new schools today.

While Karin and Yuzu looked forward to it -Karin more so than Yuzu since she was hoping to find a few more girls who liked sports as much as she did- Ichigo dreaded it. They had left this place when he was only nine years old, after his mother died…he didn't remember anyone…except for Arisawa Tatsuki whom he had kept in touch with over the years and had even met up with since he'd returned. She was going to be in his class it seemed…but that was small comfort.

Without a doubt, his reputation must have preceded him. The teachers must have received some information about him during the transfer and no doubt, that had already made him stand out to them. It would only get worse once he arrived there…and so he was not looking forward to going.

Nevertheless, he was up and ready to go. He left out with his sisters, seeing them to their school since it was on his way, before heading off to his own.

Karakura High was exactly like he pictured it- High metal gates, grey dreary walls and kids who looked at him weird. He could already tell that he wasn't going to be very popular here either.

“What is with him and that bright orange hair?” he heard one girl whisper to another as he passed, “Does he think it makes him cool or something dying his hair like that?”

The scowl he always wore deepened.

“Hey, what's up with that new student? Why is he frowning like that?” another girl asked as he continued on, trying to locate the staff room.

Again, he tried to ignore them. After a few more comments, more or less, about the same things- his orange hair, his angry face, how he looked like a punk- he couldn't help feeling pissed. What was up with people judging him by his looks anyway?

“Ichigo!”

He turned at the familiar voice to see Tatsuki standing a few feet away. The girl smiled and started her way over to him.

“Who's that guy to Arisawa?” one boy asked as the girl approached him, “Does she know him or something?”

The girl continued towards him, oblivious of the looks she was getting or the comments.

“Yo,” she greeted on reaching him, “You're early.”

“I thought it'd be good to start with a good impression,” Ichigo returned dryly.

“With the buzz you've stirred up, I think you can at least count it that your first impression has so far been memorable.”

He shot a glare at her.

“Oi, don't get all mad,” she returned, “Or I'll be too happy to tell these people how I know you.”

He had the good grace to flush in embarrassment. Tatsuki almost laughed at this. He was still the same.

“Come,” she said then, “I'll help you get to the staff room.”

She led the way to the staffroom, trying to convince him all the way there to join the judo and karate clubs, both of which she was a member, one of which she was the captain. Once there though, she said her good byes and hurried off to class. He stared at her back for a moment before sighing and opening the door.

His meeting with the principal went pretty much the way he had anticipated- a stern warning about causing trouble and an emphasizing of the fact that had it not been for his good grades, he wouldn't have been accepted. He had to listen to a speech about good behavior for about five minutes and then he was introduced to the vice principal. His homeroom teacher was already at the class so he was sent off soon after to join them.

He sighed, exiting the staff room. Same old story…people always assumed the worst of him. Scratching the back of his head, he headed off for the room he had been directed to.

Class 3-A. It wasn't that hard to find but even after he had found it, he hesitated. This was it, he told himself, and this was where he would be spending the next couple of months before university. With a deep breath, opened the door.

It wasn't as bad as he had thought, he told himself four hours later as he lay on the roof, relaxing after eating lunch. He'd introduced himself without problems. His homeroom teacher wasn't stuck up…she was weird, but that was another story. The people in his class were suspicious and a little apprehensive of him but because Tatsuki was there, he felt it would be bearable. He sighed. Either way, he only had to bear it for a little while longer and then it would be over…at least until university started.

His mind drifted aimlessly over everything and nothing. Randomly, the face of the raven-haired girl…Rukia, popped into his head.

`I wonder how she's doing,' he thought then, `Has she gone back to that Soul Society place? Probably some loony place anyway. I can't believe they expected me to accept such a bold and obviously unbelievable story.'

The heavy doors opened and he opened his eyes as a large shadow fell over him. A group of six guys stood over him. Uninterested, he closed his eyes again. He already knew where this was going.

“Yo…Kurosaki, is it?”

“What's it to you?” he returned without even bothering to open his eyes.

“Hm…not even a day here and you're already acting so cocky, huh bastard? I think it's time to let you in on a few rules. First thing, the only one allowed to have this color hair is me, Ooshima-san. I don't want anyone copying me so you have to dye back your hair black or something, got me punk?”

Ichigo opened one eye and sat up. The big guy stared at him expectantly. Sighing, he scratched the back of his head before replying.

“I'm not going to say this too many times so you guys listen up. This is my natural color. I ain't copying you. Therefore instead of bugging me about my hair color, why don't you do something about your own?”

“Wh-wh-what?” Ooshima spluttered in anger, “How dare you? Who do you think you are…you little piece of shit?”

He moved to kick him, but without effort, Ichigo raised a hand and blocked it. He'd had too much practice with his father to get hit by such an attack.

“Tch…why don't you go and do something constructive, idiot? I don't have time to waste with you.”

The big guy growled and launched a fist at him. Before he could catch it, another hand was there. Surprised he looked up to see a rather tall and muscularly built guy with dark skin and curly black hair hanging over one side of his face. He recognized him as one of the guys from his class.

“Y-Y-Yasutora,” one of the six behind Ooshima stuttered.

Ooshima's face held a look of horror at that.

“Is he bothering you?”

Such a deep voice. He expected as much from such a big body.

“Not really,” he replied.

“Oh,” the newcomer stated before unconcernedly flicking the guy away. He landed with a heavy thud a few feet away, his cronies rushing over in alarm.

The newcomer was not paying the least bit of attention to any of this.

“Can I sit here?”

“Help yourself,” he replied.

The guy sat and started to quietly eat his lunch. Ichigo spared him another glance and settled back down a little away from him. He still had another five minutes before the bell would ring.

And so ended the first half of his day. The next half was pretty much quiet.

As he walked home later, he thought it had been an okay day. It hadn't been horrible but it hadn't been that great either. The teachers here were the same as the ones at his old school- they all had decided to some extent to either avoid him totally or treat him like a delinquent. It irked him a bit since they didn't know him but he told himself he should be used to it by now.

“Tadaima,” he announced tiredly as he stepped inside a while later.

The sound of silence greeted him. That was a shock. Normally the old man would be trying to get him right now, Yuzu would come to say hi or something but…now there was nothing. His eyes fell on an odd pair of shoes as he bent to untie his laces. A girl's definitely. They were very small and delicate looking slippers. Curious, he straightened after pulling off his shoes and listened keenly. Very dimly, he registered the sound of voices coming from the living room. He started towards it.

“And so, that why I *sniff* have no place to live…not even a thing to eat or money with which to try and take care of myself.”

He paused at the doorway. There was something familiar about that voice, though it was hard to tell with that idiot old man bawling so loudly and Yuzu's sniffling.

“I really don't mean to be a bother *sniff, sniff* but since you are the town doctor, I just *sniff* thought that maybe you knew someone who could help *sniff*. It's starting to get cold and *sniff* I don't have a blanket to sleep outside…”

At that Yuzu's bawling rivaled the old man's.

“O-O-Otou-saan, please let her stay here,” she cried grabbing her father tightly, “It's just too cruel.”

True to his personality, his father didn't waste anytime thinking about it.

“You took the words right out of my mouth, Yuzu. Of course Otou-san will let her stay. To do anything more would be a crime…she has suffered so much already. Rest assured dear Rukia-chan, this is a place you may forever call home.”

What was wrong with that idiot? Was he allowing some patient to stay here? Just where was he going to put them anyw…? Wait. Did he just say Rukia?

“Kaa-san! Kaa-san…”

While his father started reporting the addition of a third daughter to the huge poster, making so much noise with Yuzu crying as well, he made his entry. Without a word he went directly to stand before her, thanking his lucky stars Karin was absent from this cry fest right now when he realized it was indeed her. Seeing him, she gave a sweet smile. Annoyed, he grabbed her by the collar and pulled her up.

“What the hell are you doing here?” he hissed at her.

“Unhand me, idiot,” she returned prying his hand loose and glaring at him, “What does it look like I'm doing? I have to find somewhere to stay since I spent all my money on getting someone to stay alive.”

His annoyance abated somewhat and a feeling of guilt niggled at him.

“What better place to seek it but from the one that caused this problem in the first place?” she continued.

“Ichi-nii, do you know her?” Karin asked suddenly from his left.

Belatedly he realized she must have entered the room and seen their interaction.

“Ah…no,” Rukia answered for him, “We have never met. Your brother was just introducing himself to me.”

“Hm,” Karin returned not quite believing. She turned her eyes to her brother.

“Heh heh. Yes, we were just introducing ourselves,” he agreed with a sheepish smile, wincing underneath at the death grip the girl had engulfed his hand in to get him to answer. “I hear she's going to be living with us so I thought I should at least welcome her here.”

Seemingly satisfied, Karin strode away to pull the old man from hugging the poster and bawling so loudly.

“Was that acceptance of my stay here?” she enquired sweetly, her tone causing him to blink.

“Keh. Oyaji's an idiot but since I live here too, I guess I'll just have to accept whatever he says as well. Just don't go around trying to spew that nonsense about you being a shinigami to them…they'll likely believe that crap…except Karin. She's a realist. Anyway, I guess I also owe you for saving my life and I'm not trash that I can happily live without repaying my debts.”

“How can you believe in ghosts and not shinigamis?” she asked then.

“I can see ghosts,” he returned, “But I've never seen a shinigami so why should I believe what I can't see? By the way, how can they see you anyway?”

“Oh, I'm wearing a gigai.”

“A what?”

“A gigai. It's a faux body we shinigamis use while we are in the real world.”

Ichigo mentally sighed at her obvious delusional state. His father had added to the amount of crazy people living here without even knowing it.

“I'm sure it is,” he returned picking up his bag again and throwing it over his shoulder, “Like I said though, stop spewing that bull.”

Without another word, he headed up to his room, feeling more exhausted than he had when he had just come in. He could already tell, his somewhat normal abnormal life had just changed- for better or worse he couldn't tell yet.

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It was tilting more and more to the latter and not the former he decided the next day. Not only had his father tried to attack him in his sleep this morning, he couldn't find the manga he had been wanting to finish reading during the break today, and he couldn't seem to get his closet door open to get his uniform out. At this rate, he was going to be late and that would just make him go down even further in the eyes of those teachers.

`Damn it,' he thought frowning at the stubborn door. He had a good mind to just kick it in but he was sure his father wouldn't approve of that.

He glared at the door and grasped the handle. `One last time,' he decided, after that, he was going to break it down. His father would just have to understand.

He started to pull at it. Just as he was getting ready to increase the strength he was using, the door opened easily from the inside, causing him to lose his balance and fall flat on his boxer covered derriere. Following the thud, a dark head peered out, the hand on the door holding none other than the manga he had been looking for.

“Ah…it's you.”

A tick of annoyance beat at his temples.

“What are you doing in my closet and why do you have my manga?” he asked as she stared at him innocently.

“What are you so mad over?” she returned stepping out. “Your sisters were quite noisy last night so I wanted to find somewhere quiet to sleep. I found this little place and since it's quiet and comfortable, I fell asleep. As for your book, I got up early, was bored and it was right there.”

She said it so flippantly, as if it really wasn't anything that he felt just a tad more annoyed.

“First thing,” he began, “You can't just decide these things on your own, coming into a guy's room, sleeping in his closet without permission and just taking someone's stuff. Do you even know what people would say…Oyaji, Yuzu and even Karin if they saw you sleeping in here…or just coming from the room?”

“What would they say?” she returned straightening out her clothes, “You are a child compared to me…I'm at least ten times your age, kiddo.”

She might very well be but to see someone looking like his age, so much tinier than him, addressing him as such, he completely lost it.

“You…just get out…and don't come back,” he told her, grabbing his book and pushing her out of the room, “You are not allowed in here and if you want something, ask. I don't care how old you are either...you can't just barge in and take my stuff.”

So saying, he pushed her through the door and closed it.

“Idiot,” she called through the door, “we still have to go to school and I don't have any books yet so you'll still have to share.”

Belatedly he realized that she had been wearing the uniform of his school. When had his father arranged this?

With a sigh, he sat heavily on the bed. With her living here, going to the same school, he didn't doubt it- life as he knew it was over- gone- kaput.

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Next week: Chapter 3- A strange encounter. Enter Orihime into the plot. Look forward to it!