Fan Fiction / Bleach Fan Fiction ❯ Behind Enemy Lines: A Bleach Story ❯ Little Ichigo in Big Trouble ( Chapter 3 )
[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]
Disclaimer: I don't own Hp or Bleach. Don't rub it in my face.
Chapter 3: Little Ichigo in Big Trouble!
“Well,” He began. “I really hope this isn't going to take too long.” Rukia rolled her eyes at Ichigo obviously annoyed of his whining.
“Suck it up for once will you?” She crossed her arms glanced out the window. The train jerked to a stop and the hissing of the engines echoed in the air. “You might actually enjoy this…”
They began to march out of the compartment, Byakuya at the lead. They watched other students pile out of their compartments, slightly tousled and drowsy. Several girls (and a few boys?) made for the very unhappy Captain, but he was way too fast for all of them and sped from the train in a blur. Ichigo cringed to himself at the sight of Byakuya fleeing the mob of girls (and boys?). He knew Byakuya probably was resisting the impulse to obliterate all his fans with his Zanpaku-to.
Chiaki grinned evilly and muttered something about a `chick magnet.' Ichigo paid her no heed as a current of black robes and adolescents swept them along. They wandered around, wondering if there was some specific place they had to go. Despite the fact that it was very crowded, people made room to stare at the Shinigami.
“THERE'S NOTHING TO SEE!” Ichigo screamed for what seemed the one-hundredth time. This was going beyond annoying. Ichigo growled at any Hogwarts student who even glanced over. Just at that moment, three girls pranced up to him. His first instinct was to run.
“Kurosaki.” Ichigo cringed at the horrible way they pronounced his name. It was like nails on a chalkboard. `PLEASE, just walk away. Walk away, PLEASE!' He yelled in his mind.
“My name is Hanna Abott.” One of the girls, who seemed to be the leader of the group smiled widely, and scarily.
“Isn't that nice?” He muttered sarcastically. Instead of a retort, the girls giggled bubbly as if it WAS something to laugh at. Then, he noticed something. Rukia had disappeared. `NO! SHE'S ABANDONED ME!' his mind mused. Ichigo looked around, his small companion nowhere to be found. He was alone…well, except for Chiaki who stood behind him. But, being alone with her was worse than being alone.
A frustrated sigh came from Chiaki. Ichigo's mind suddenly traveled back to the incident in the train. Chiaki pushed passed him and yelled, “ALL RIGHT YOU LITTLE GROUPIES! GET OUTTA HERE BEFORE I SUCK OUT YOUR BLOOD AND USE YOUR BODIES FOR SOME WEIRD ORIENTAL VOODOO!”
Ichigo watched the girls' faces go pale with panic. The blonde girl growled menacingly and took a step towards them. The Hogwarts students jumped back in fright. Chiaki stopped, suddenly swaying from side to side with a weird look on her face. “Ichigo!” she muttered, “You want me to kill them, no?”
Now the girls' eyes traveled to our orange-headed hero. “W-what?! What are you talking about?!”
“HEED MY WARNING MORTALS! AVOID KUROSAKI FOR A WHOLE MONTH AND I WON'T KILL YE!” Chiaki bellowed. She then drew a breath, “RAWR!”
The Hogwarts students `eeped' before scurrying away, disappearing into the crowd. Ichigo quickly distanced himself from Chiaki for the gathering stares were making him very uncomfortable. “Rukia!” he yelled “Where are you?!”
He wandered around, the number of students diminishing around him. Where did they all go?! He saw most of the students get into carriages that were pulled by unusual skeletal black horses with leathery wings. Ichigo stopped and stared at them. One horse lifted its heavy head towards him. Ichigo jumped. The aura around them was similar to that of a hollow's.
“ICHIGO!” Rukia yelled, pushing him over with a shove. “Where were you?!”
“I was wondering the same thing with you!” Ichigo growled back and stood, brushing himself off. “Where do we go now?”
“I say, we take these carriages. They should take us to that castle.” She answered, climbing into the cart. He sped after her, closing the little door. When he sat back, he saw himself face to face with some of the Hogwarts students. `Damn…they're everywhere.' He thought. One kid held an unusually large camera in his hands.
“SMILE!” The boy yelled. Ichigo made for the door but it was too late, the flash blinded him as he fell back into his chair.
“Holy cricket, Colin! I think you blinded `im!” another boy said.
“What the hell was that for?!” Ichigo rubbed his eyes and glared angrily at the boy before him. He blinked several times, and it seemed bright green splotches were floating around in the air.
“I just wanted to get a good picture. Sorry.” The meek boy said apologetically. Ichigo grumbled and looked around, blinking the spots away. Rukia smirked, laughing evilly.
“Shut up, would you!” He said, crossing his arms as he sat back in his seat as the carriage began to move. The carriage rocked and stumbled along ungracefully. It sent them off their seats a couple of times, Ichigo hitting his head on wall behind him.
“So what's with those horses?” He asked, rubbing the back of his head subconsciously.
The boy with the camera frowned. “What horses?”
“The horses that are pulling this damned cart.” Ichigo replied sourly. The Hogwarts students shifted uncomfortably. Ichigo raised an eyebrow. What is WRONG with these kids?
“Ahem,” the boy with the Irish accent coughed to end the awkward conversation. “Well, anyway, who are you guys?”
Ichigo rolled his eyes. “That seems to be the most popular question today.”
“Of course our new friends want to know our names.” Rukia said, faking enthusiasm. “ Silly Ichigo. My name is Rukia Kuchiki and we're transfer students from Japan. My funny friend over here is Ichigo Kurosaki. Pleased to meet you.”
The Hogwarts students were apparently fooled by her shining smile and all introduced themselves. They were Seamus Finnigan, Colin Creevy, and Neville Longbottom. A bunch of strange names they had. To Ichigo they seemed to be a group of backward goofs. He attempted to ignore the discreet stares he was receiving from them. Rukia seemed to enjoy his suffering.
They finally arrived at the school and all filed out of the cart while Ichigo and Rukia followed the other students up a long series of steps up to the front doors where they were greeted by a man in black who distinctly frowned upon them.
“I suppose you two are the transfer students I've been waiting for.” He said in a creepy monotone drawl.
“It would seem that way.” Ichigo shot back sourly.
The frown on the man's face deepened. “Longbottom, Finnigan, Creevy. Inside. Your companions will follow shortly. I predict there are more of you.”
Rukia nodded, elbowing Ichigo in the side before he could say anything back. “There are more of us. A couple I think.”
“Wonderful.”
“I'm glad you share our happiness.” Ichigo replied, earning another stomp on his foot from Rukia. He cringed in pain, shifting uncomfortably before regaining his cool composure.
Just then, an unusual happy Chiaki hopped out of a cart, bounding over. “Hi you guys!” she said smiling. A few Hogwarts students that she had ridden on the cart with came out, avoiding Chiaki as they climbed the steps.
The professor sneered at her perky attitude. Soon after, Byakuya valiantly climbed out of a carriage, and swept majestically until he reached the professor. Byakuya locked on him with his steely gaze before brushing past him and into the castle before giving the professor time to speak. Several students followed after him like loyal dogs, laughing giddily. Rukia chuckled under her breath, seeing that most of them were female students.
“So…” Ichigo began. “Why are we here exactly? It's sort of cold, so I'd like to go inside.”
“Obviously I am gathering all the transfer students so they can be properly sorted.” The professor remarked.
“Sorted?” Ichigo asked, raising an eyebrow. The image that came to his mind was someone shuffling cards.
“Yes.” The professor said. “You will be sorted into houses depending on which one you will perform best in.” Chiaki seemed to like to hear that and she laughed triumphantly.
“What do you mean houses? We'll be living in…houses?”
“No you imbecile. You will have dorms that you will stay in.”
Ichigo growled. “Do you normally greet students like this or is it just me?”
“I greet everyone in this sort of manner.”
“Even your boss?”
The professor ceased to answer any of Ichigo's questions and just stared blankly as more of the undercover Shinigami crowded around. Ichigo didn't see any really familiar faces in the group. The professor coughed to get everyone's attention. “ Good evening, students. You are now entering Hogwarts and you each will be sorted into one of four houses. You will earn or take away points from your house depending on your behavior and triumphs as well as your transgressions.”
`How interesting…' Ichigo thought sarcastically.
“Now come with me and I will take you to the Great Hall.” The professor said in the same bored and slow voice. “That is where you will be sorted.” At this he sent an extra glare at Ichigo who scowled back. The professor then turned and headed into the castle, the Shinigami following after him. Then they entered through some big heavy wooden doors into the “Great Hall.”
“Ooh, Ichigo look!” Chiaki said, pointing up. “The ceiling…it looks like the sky!” Indeed it did. The ceiling was the night sky, white stars twinkling out from behind the swirly dark clouds. There were four long tables, at which were seated most of the students. All of their eyes were locked on Ichigo's group that stopped before a table where the teachers sat, or so Ichigo supposed. Seeing as Byakuya was seated very uncomfortably at the end next a very immense man. As if the man's presence had soiled Byakuya's greatness. What a pretty boy he was.
An elderly man with a with an unusual long beard and hair that cascaded over his shoulders, sat at the center of the table, his seat was the highest so Ichigo guessed him to be something like a principal. The old man quieted the hall with a wave of his hand. Ichigo saw a woman dressed in green, holding large scroll and a hat next to a stool. The woman dropped the hat upon the stool and Ichigo watched the seam of the brim of the hat rip as it began to sing. Ichigo cringed and covered his ears, and saw Rukia do the same reluctantly.
Through his fingers, Ichigo heard some of the other Shinigami chuckle under their breaths. It must be painful to be mature and serious around people with singing hats and useless magic as their curriculum. Three whole and tormenting minutes later, the hat had stopped its ridiculous song. It was now safe to remove his hands from his ears.
“Welcome to the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The sorting shall now begin. Now, when I call your name, you will step up and sit on the stool. When I place this hat on you head, you will be sorted into your houses.”
Ichigo was sort of afraid of this, sitting before a whole lot of people with a filthy hat upon your head was enough to make him recoil in disgust. The woman unrolled the large piece of parchment and called out in a voice similar to that of a crow's, a student's name. Ichigo guessed they were to call the of the kids who were just entering the wizard school then the “transfer students.” His stomach growled menacing.
Finally, when all the younger kids had been sorted into their houses, the woman called a Shinigami's name. “AIZAWA, REIKO!” One of shorter, female soul reapers recognized her name and walked up to be sorted into her house which was to put the ugly hat on your head. So far, Ichigo collected that the four houses were Griffindor, Ravenclaw, Slytherin and something with an `H'. He tuned out for a while until he heard Rukia's name.
“KUCHIKI, RUKIA!” Ichigo watched his small companion stalk unhappily up to the stool with all eyes on her. She winced at the hat was set upon her head and about thirty seconds later the hat screamed, “GRRRRIFFFINDOOORRR!” This time Ichigo was sure his ears felt physical pain. Rukia trudged over to the Griffindor table as people greeted her with cheers and claps on the back. As good-natured as that was, Ichigo supposed that Rukia was very uncomfortable around them. Being the type that doesn't like attention.
Ichigo practically jumped at the sound of his name. “KUROSAKI, ICHIGO!” He scowled, obviously the woman didn't know that the first “I” in Ichigo was supposed to be pronounced as an “E”. He stomped angrily over to the stool, gaining more stares from the seated students and a bit of odd looks from the Shinigami. Ichigo felt the hat touch his head and inside he screamed, `NOOOOOOOOOOO!' He was surprised at a whisper in his ear.
“Hello, I know what you're thinking.”
`How can a Hat talk to me?!' Ichigo thought.
“A magic hat.”
Ichigo rolled his eyes, `Just get this over with.'
The hat says, “You've done many brave things in the past. You aren't stupid, I'll give you that. But I know that your soul isn't that of a normal human's.”
`Naw, you think?' Ichigo retorted.
“Slytherin would be a great place for you…” it drawled. Ichigo glanced at the house table the hat mentioned, seeing the albino, Draco sitting there, staring intently at him.
`That wouldn't be the greatest idea.'
“I suppose. I think you will also do good in Griffindor.”
`It doesn't make much of a difference to me.' Ichigo thought.
“All right then. GGRRRRIFFINNNDOOOORRRR!” the hat screamed.
The last thing Ichigo thought to the hat before the hat was removed was, `Don't say it so loud. You're going to make me go deaf.' Ichigo stood from the stool and stomped over, squeezing himself between Rukia and some other kid.
“What took you so long?” she asked.
“I didn't like the hat's attitude. Or the place it was going to put me.” He replied angrily. Several of their female peers seized the chance to gab some more at Ichigo's remark. He rolled his eyes and growled frustratedly. Ichigo really hated it here. Ichigo rested his head in his hands, listening to his stomach complain about being hungry. He wanted to eat. So badly.
Then he sat up when he heard Chiaki's name being called. “TAKAMURA, CHIAKI!” Chiaki literally skipped up to the stool, hopping on top of the stool. Ten seconds went by before the hat shouted…
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Renji sighed as he went through some more paperwork. At this time there was no speck of life in his office, but he still rejoiced at the thought that he was no longer fixed on with a critical gaze. If only Byakuya was away on more days like this. It was unusually silent, and his hand cramped from writing so much. Since the captain was gone, Renji had to prepare more reports than usual, for when Byakuya was around they'd spilt the work so that Renji only had three quarters of it to do. Come to think of it, that was unfair anyway. He might as well have had done all of it.
Grumpily, he threw his ink brush staring down at the other pile of paperwork that needed to be done. Everything was quiet and there hadn't been so many reports of hollows as there used to be, leaving this vice captain alone and bored out of his mind. He sighed and took a drink of tea, which was way too watery for his liking. That subordinate who made this did not know anything of flavoring. Typical. Outside, a bird tweeted happily. How Renji longed to be that bird. He felt like a small child kept inside with his schoolwork on a hot summer day where he could be hanging out with his friends or in his case, killing hollows.
`BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP!' His Denrei Shinki beeped frantically. He picked it up, looking intently at the screen seeing the coordinates of the location where Menos Grande would appear. Some place in Europe, he guessed. How the hell would he get there within five minutes?!
The portals that he usually used to get around were the only way he'd get there within ten minutes at the least. Renji stood, grabbing his Zanpaku-to and slashed the air before him. There appeared large gates and he opened one and stepped through.
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