Ichigo Kurosaki was not sure what they looked like walking down Main street with Serafall Sitri dressed like she was going on a date. He was not even sure why he had not said anything...he glanced down at her current state of dress...well he would have to admit it to himself she was a gorgeous creature. She smiled at his look and nodded her head at the street "Wow this place is so calm, it's refreshing."
It was normally a lot calmer than this but given the fact that Serafall was outshining every woman on the street effortlessly it was bound to attract attention. For example, the three boys following them hiding in bushes or behind light poles that did not hide their bodies. Fate must have decided that it would be funny that the perverted trio was seeing this. Serafall did notice them like he had but did not seem to care in the absolute slightest.
Well, he best prepare for the latest set of rumors when he arrived at school on Monday...joy. Serafall heard his sigh and glanced at him "Are you ok?"
"Ya just preparing for Monday" he glanced meaningfully at the three followers "By the time they will have finished telling the story I will have" he shrugged "Well I actually do not know they are quite creative in their stories."
"Hmm, should I get rid of them?"
It said something about this situation that he knew beyond a shadow of a doubt she could deal with them...easily...without effort. "To me, they are pretty much harmless besides Sona would not appreciate having any of her student body decimated." Sona seemed to be the magic word with this women.
"I suppose you're right" she nodded and rolled her shoulders in a stretch "So where are we going?"
"You'll see" he replied, knowing where they were going was his only semblance of control over this situation and he was not giving that up easily. Serafall seemed fine with that walking next to him through not too close. "Do you mind if I ask you how So-tan is doing?" she asked as they passed the first of several street vendors.
He smiled, so that was her motive for this, well as an older sibling he could understand "Doing well, she takes her responsibility very seriously perhaps a bit too seriously but I at least managed to get her to take breaks."
"Oh, how did that happen?"
"Pulled up a dozen studies on how people need to relax and pointed out that she was an example to all the students at the school."
"That's sneaky using her sense of leadership like that."
He shrugged "She handles it better than anyone I have ever seen but even she can get a little tightly wound, I think that is why she sleeps all day Saturday, to destress."
"She started doing that when I had to leave home to start running my business" Serafall sighed "My greatest regret is that I had to take up the position."
"Family business?"
Her mouth tilted in a sad smile "Something like that"
Ichigo put that on the mental list of DO NOT ASK ABOUT, "So Levi-tan" Someone behind him snickered at the pet name. Which was funny as he felt he was a lot safer in using that name then he would be if he did not. "How do you feel about Ice Cream?"
Her pink eyes flashed "I love it"
"Good" he turned down a side street and stopped in front of a fairly crowded place even for this early morning hour. The building was small with a dozen or so tables against the wall and scattered on the white tiled floor. The only thing in sight was a register and a counter with a door that lead to a back room, he leads Serafall over to an empty seat, noting that currently, they were the focus of every eye in the place.
"Are they going to bring us something to order from?" she asked.
"Not quite" he replied watching as a small old man who he had twice noted moved like a martial artist came out of the back room along with several girls armed with serving trays. The girls were all taller than the old man and shared a sharp resemblance with each other, smooth black hair, similar facial builds etc. From what he understood they were his granddaughters who helped him run this establishment, with a quick efficient pace they went among the customers and delivered the Ice cream in what looked like handmade pottery bowls. Each one held something distinct and different, the old man looked over the building and nodded at him before pausing on Serafall. He started at her for a long time, face pensive with thought. Serafall raised an eyebrow at him but Ichigo just nodded. After about sixty seconds the man went back into his work area.
The girl across from him seemed content to wait for the surprise and watched the other customers eat their unique servings of the desert. "So Ichigo-Kun is So-tan eating well?"
"Well before I took over I think she was eating mostly raw fruit, vegetables, and tofu, that or the liquid stuff that is supposed to be a whole meal. But while I'm not anywhere close to my sister in terms of cooking I did pick up a few things."
Serafall sighed "That girl, I knew I should have hired her a cook." She shook her head "Thanks for taking care of her. Next question does So-tan have any boyfriends?"
"Not that I am aware of"
Serafall continued to question him about various states of Sona's mental, physical and social health, and other details that only an older sibling or parent could understand. By the time she had run out of questions there, ice cream had arrived. His was the usual, that being what the old man had decided would fit him best, that was how this Ice Cream Parlor worked. The Artizen decided what, his was a chocolate ice cream tempered in its rich sweetness by an application of nuts, a sprig of mint and some three artfully placed strawberries that had been dipped in some sort of tart syrup. To Serafall he brought a Vanilla Ice Cream base with five different kinds of syrup drizzled in lines with two long graham crackers leaned up against the side and two straws of Chocolate Pocky poked into the sides of the Ice Cream proper and garnished by a few cut pieces of cinnamon.
Serafall's grin looked about to split her face "Well, well, well that looks delicious"
"He knows what he is doing"
They took a few moments to savor the treat "I will have to take Sona here when I get the chance" she grinned at him "Unless you plan on taking her here yourself."
He shook his head "Tell you what, if that happens you will the first to know"
"I'll hold you to that Ichigo-Kun, though I hope my So-tan would let me know if that was the case before then."
"I feel I should reiterate that I have been here for two weeks, that is the extent of the time I have spent with Sona...I don't see any of that in the near future."
She leaned forward and his heart did an uncertain flip at her proximity " In the worlds of a certain magical girl never underestimate the power of love, it is the strongest force in the universe...well except for Mama's glasses lens flare So-tan learned it for her."
"Right" he just nodded in agreement it felt way easier than arguing.
"So I know you told me a little about you but do you mind if I ask where you are from?"
He thought about that for a moment looking at the being that every cell in his body told him was powerful and dangerous. But given that, if she really wanted to find out she could just ask Sona who knew his story, "Sure I answer a few questions"
"Excellent what's your favorite Anime?"
That had not been a question he had ever been asked "Nanatsu no Taizai" he replied before he could think about it.
"Oh I have not seen that one"
"I've behind on both the anime and manga but I enjoyed the first season a lot been planning on catching up but Sona keeps us busy and well yesterday and today have been practicing hard."
"Yes, but don't worry Sona will take care if it, she always does." she took out her phone "Watch Nanatsu No Taizai," she said typing something into her calendar "I'm always looking for new things when I have the free time."
"Right"
" What is your favorite anime movie?"
"Akira"
"Oh I like that one too, the way they use light as a conveyance of art and tone"...he had just thought it was a good story and a movie had dad had forbidden him from watching when he was twelve. The action had been rebellion more than anything else. "What's your favorite sweet?"
"Chocolate"
"Ohh dark or milk?"
"Uh...both"
"Hmmm ok, do you have any hobbies?"
"Copious amounts of exercise and I swing around a stick sometimes."
She looked him up and down "The first one is rather obvious, What's your favorite video game"
"Kingdom hearts series"
"Have not gotten to play that one, never enough time in the day or night."
He just nodded at that feeling rather flustered by the rapid-fire odd questions they seemed insignificant yet there was something she was seeing them, something she was learning about him. "Do you have a wish?"
"I'm sorry what?"
She shook her head "Sorry Ichigo-Kun that was a bad way of putting it, if you could have any wish what would it be?"
He almost said something sarcastic, something like all of the gold in the world. But that would not have been true, he picked at his ice cream and Serafall did not push him through she was watching him with intent interest. This question meant something to her, and he felt turmoil, he selfishly wanted, desired his power. The strength that has become part of him that he felt broken without like something fundamental was gone from himself. That desire roared up in him yet...yet it could not be his answer. It was something he wanted, wanted so badly he forced himself in ignore it. There was one wish that was far more important "I lost someone a long time ago, I would wish for them back."
Serafall's gaze turned sad and lowered from him "I apologize"
"Not your fault" he shook his head, the words had felt like scabs being torn off and yet he felt a bit lighter because of it. Because he could say that still, that he was not a complete slave to his wants through now he could never truly deny that the desire was still there.
"Well I still feel that I have transgressed a bit and that was not my intention, after this may I take you to do something fun" she grinned.
Well...that did not seem like a bad offer, Ichigo shrugged "Sure through may I ask what we will be doing?"
"I saw an arcade back down the street, I was thinking we could hang around there for a few hours."
"I think they have laser tag in there," he said knowing the place she had mentioned, he had not been in himself but he had seen it.
She rubbed her hands gleefully together "Levi-tan like laser tag"
Now there was something that did not bode well.
1
1
1
Honestly, he was surprised at how long they spent at that arcade, Serafall's energy was as endless as her solid unlimited black credit card. They must have played every game there and had a nice meal of fast greasy food that was not quite lunch or dinner and both managed to win a big prize from the place. Granted she had spent several hundred dollars on getting herself a giant teddy bear and spent fifty on him which netted him a foot tall transforming Gundam. He was not sure what he was going to do with it but it was there now, and a limo had been waiting for them solving the problem of getting back to Sona's house with said giant bear. They had just entered the house when a voice said from the couch "Where have you two been?"
"We just went on a date So-tan" there was a spitting sound.
Ichigo sighed "We hung out around town while you and the others were busy" he left off the reason "she just likes to see you flustered."
Her glasses were flashing with a light that must have taken a lot of practice to pull off, "Sorry So-tan" she stuck her tongue out at him. "He is a really neat person, you guy's lucked out with him."
Sona sighed "Nee-san" with a shake of her head " Please tell me what you two did"
"Ohh why do you want to know So-tan?" Her sister leered at her.
The girl ignored it the ease of long practice "I need to know if there are any damages I have to pay for."
"So-tan" Serafall said with disappointment "Levi-tan can pay for her own damages thank you very much"
Which implied that it had happened before, "We got some ice cream and hung out at an arcade" he reportedly spent most of the day there and came home. Nothing untoward happened at all."
"It's true So-tan he did not even stare at my butt all that much"
He made a choking sound freezing in place, his eyes had only wandered once when she had been into her final round of DDR. Sona glared at him those glasses flaring with the fires of hell "Oh really?"
"Yep he was the perfect gentleman, I even gave him a chance to look down my shirt and he did not."
Sona's fist clenched hard enough to turn white through her expression did not chance "Nee-Sama that is indecent and, and you should not do that."
"Surely you can't begrudge you sister a little fun with her hard job."
"No I cannot, but, but like that, not with" she stopped herself and a tremor went through her whole body when she opened her mouth she was calm again. "No you do deserve to relieve your stress Onee-Sama, but you could do it in a more constructive way. Inside the bounds of decency perhaps."
"Poo that's no fun, you won't play dress up with me anymore so I take my fun where I can."
Ichigo took a step to the side planning to simply leave the room "Where do you think you're going" Sona said her voice and arctic gale.
"Take a bath?"
"No," she said with a growl "I am in need of some help with school requisitions, just because we are under threat does not mean that school life is not to move forward." She pointed at a spot on the couch "Sit" she ordered.
He did so quietly taking some of the paper on the coffee table and getting about setting the proper information on it. Sona turned back to her older sister the girl was grinning at them "So-tan could we talk together for a few minutes, I'm about to leave and I don't want to without getting at least some time with you."
The anger and stiffness drained from Sona's face and she sighed pressing her glasses up her nose "Of course, Onee-Sama" Her gaze turned back to him and flared again with sudden anger "You keep working until I say stop." Ichigo nodded wondering what he had done to earn her ire like this, it had not happened before.
The two sisters went upstairs and Ichigo did as he was told it would be good to get a little work done anyway, it helped keep the mind busy.
1
1
1
"So-tan," her sister said the pet name with such pure affection that Sona could not get angry at the embarrassing name. "What point value do you see when you look at him?"
Sona paused as she leaned back on the bed they were lying in, her big sister liked to cuddle with her said it was the greatest gift she could give her. Given that she had done this with her as a baby, a child, and now a teen she really did not have an issue with it. She too felt a sense of relief and protection snuggled up next to her sister. "Eight" she answered.
"Oh you too"
That made her freeze "It was eight for you as well Onee-Sama?"
"Why do you never call me Onee-chan" her sister whined "And yes he was worth eight as well"
Now that made no sense whatsoever her sister was one of the most powerful beings in creation, as one's power went up the cost of turning someone into a devil when down in comparison to the user's strength. By any reasonable stretch of the imagination if Ichigo Kurosaki was worth eight points to Serafall Leviathan then he should be worth somewhere in the neighborhood of sixty points to her. "Why?" she asked.
"I do not know" her sister replied "If I wanted to reincarnate him I would need to use both my Rooks"
"You, your thinking of doing that?" she could not keep a quiver out of her voice she hated that tick.
"Of course if you just see a person worth that much wandering around you have to at least consider it" she smiled "But know I prefer to get to know the ones who I chose... Extensively." she looked down at her with such love her heart did had a small flip "Which means more than just one day.
Her body relaxed at the words "I wish I knew why he was worth that much, he does not have a sacred gear, he does not feel magically powerful. I have not seen anything to indicate such a price all I have seen is a slightly troubled but good young man."
"Oh is that all you have been seeing my little So-tan?"
She did not answer her sister's question "So Nee-Sama what did you come here for besides this?"
"Hmm, it's so hard to think when I have my So-tan" she pulled her close "Oh right, I received some information a warning really, that there might be some fallen activity in the area. Through I did not sense anything in my walk around town so that might be wrong. Still, you should let your friend know both of your peerages might want to go to places in twos for a little bit."
Sona bit her lip "That's why you went out with Kurosaki-san?"
"One of them, he seemed like an interesting boy and low and behold I was right. He was nice, gentle, differential and I am pretty sure he at least had some sense of my power." Serafall nodded "He might know or at least think he knows more than he lets on...or he just has some killer survival instincts." Her sister giggled squeezing her just a little bit tighter "And he has a really nice butt"
"Onee-Sama" she whined, "Do you have any idea what you are going to do to my reputation."
"Oh come on I'll bet you have looked"
She opened her mouth but could not shove the lie out of it, and it was not like it was her fault that he did shirtless calisthenics in the morning. "He hehe" her sister laughed " My So-tan all grown up with her first crush."
"I've known him for two weeks Onee-Sama."
"And yet your so defensive" Serafall nuzzed the back of her head "Crushes are not a big deal and they can happen fast, I can tell you I once had it bad for Serzich but he only wanted to be friends." she shrugged "You can be so serious So-tan, enjoy your childhood a little bit" it was left unsaid but Sona could here the last part of the statement "Because I worked hard to make sure you had one" not that here sister would ever say such a thing out loud. Quite possibly she would not even think of it but it was there all the same and Sona Sitri was as she always was infinitely grateful to her older sister. While she might not be using her time like a normal teen she was happy that she had the choice to do it.
"Thank you Onee-Sama for all you have done" she turned around and pressed her face into her sister, Serafall almost moaned in pleasure at the action and hugged her all the tighter. Sona closed her eyes almost missing the fact that she was falling asleep it was so hard right now to keep her eyes op….
1
1
1
Serafall stayed there for half an hour to watch over her baby sisters sleeping form, today had been a wonderful day, one of the better in recent memory. She gently moved her hand through her sister's dark hair remembering the those precious few years she had just been Serafall, not a Maou, not someone of whom things were expected off...of course the war changed that.
As she stood up and when to put back on her clothing, thoughts turned to the boy downstairs diligently working even now. He was an entertaining person, so young and yet she would bet her well made bottom that he had seen war too. The way he moved, the start of alertness, his instincts not supernatural, simple basic instinct that allowed him to function better. His eyes full of hurt both old and new, yet the fire of resolve and determination to move forward. She could see all of it, after all, she had seen the look in her own eyes often enough." Her head tilted back as she gently pulled her shirt over her bosom looking one last time at her baby sister, Sona was good at helping her get over and get through those particular actions and emotions.
With a long-suffering sigh, she left her place of respite and refuge, but she met it with a smile on her mouth and a song in her heart. Her tv show helped with the lingering scars as well, speaking of which she had to make sure Ichigo-Kun got the deluxe box set, unedited and unrated, he was wound about as tight as any man she had ever seen which was funny considering he had noted such quality in others. He could use the distraction and relief...if it would even occur to him to do so which it might not.
She could hear the pen moving as she went down to the main floor proper, she blinked at the sight of most of the mound of paper Sona had thrown at him finished, his expression was a form of detached focus. The expression of a person who is used to doing an action over and over again, she would guess with a weapon through as he was proving it had other uses.
He was not looking at her, though he knew she was here probably not looking because he had trouble keeping his eyes in decent places. Like she said he was wound up so tight he was fit to burst, not that she minded his gaze, after all, she had been telling the truth to Sona his gaze had only truly strayed once. Pausing at the bottom of the stairs to watching the number eight hover above his head, the number that had been the same for So-tan, Ria-tan and herself by any reasonable measure he should have cost four at most for her, and more honestly one considering relative power levels. Perhaps there was a meaning in the number eight, someone strong enough to grow with the peerage to be an enormous asset. However not nine, he was not Queen material so perhaps not a kings supporter in the truest sense of the word.
"So-tan fell asleep so when you finish those you should be good, through every bedroom that I can see has sleeping council members."
"I noticed" He replied with a small smile, Reya-san and Tsubasa-san took the guest house which is where I sleep...and I think Tsubasa went through my stuff."
There it was again, a calm amused detachment at the violation of his privacy which told her that he did not consider his material objects all that important and he probably had no naughty material with him...no wonder he was like a cork ready to burst.
Her clasped behind her back as she skipped over to him, his eyes drifted to her then almost instantly back down to his paper "It's good to be reliable Ichigo-Kun women love that in a man."
The poor boy coughed once and muttered "Is that so" she bent over just far enough that when she caught his eye again he got a great look down her shirt. His cheeks colored and he focused his eyes on her face, hellfire it felt good to do this again. The Maou could not do this at work but Serafall could on her day off, he closed his eyes and the color vanished from his cheeks as he regained control "Are you staying for the night as well Levi-tan" She suppressed a shudder of pure joy at hearing her pet name from someone else, no one, not Sirzech, not Sona, not even her own peerage would indulge her. Only that goodie twelve wings Gabriel but it was no fun when she did it… she was still not sure how the women did it wish such respect...that was the point of the name it was not respectful….angels were annoying.
"Nope" she made sure to sound regretful "You will not be able to take my chastity tonight"
His only reaction was to take in a breath and then to her surprise "Well darn the luck then I supposed we will both have that to keep that safe then." so he was a virgin...well that was not going to last long she thought.
"Ya, Miracle Levi-tan has to put work above pleasure"
"That sound like a very mature attitude, Sona will be pleased" Oh he knew just how to compliment a girl.
"It was a pleasure to meet Ichigo-Kun" she pulled him up noting his body tensing as if waiting for an attack. She hugged him nice and tight letting him get a good long sense of her figure and form "Help Sona for me while I'm away, she really does need some good food have you seen how skinny she is."
He sounded a bit distracted "I-I will do so"
"Good" she let him go and could not resist a wink at his wide eyes "Have good night Ichigo-Kun and I will see you later" As she walked away she heard him sink back down on the couch and in the mirror on the wall saw him put his hand over his flushed face. There was a spark of thrill that went through her and she hoped it would last until she got back to work, better to start on nice feelings like this. Once she was out of sight she took two more steps and hopped up there was a pull of power and a small flash frost at the ground in front of Sona's manor, Serafall, however, landed on hardwood floors and without even looking sat down in a comfy chair. Her queen walked into the room as if the universe had ordained it carrying with her a stack of paper that would have made a normal devil wince. However, Behe-chan carried it with the greatest of ease.
"Did you have fun Lady Serafall?"
"Oh yes," she replied with a smile "I got exactly what I needed and now" she looked at the paperwork like the enemy of the universe that it was. "I'm ready for work"
1
1
1
Ichigo was awoken from his spot on the couch by the tone of his cell phone, he blinked blearily at the clock which read 3 am. He glared at the offending object as he tapped the screen of his phone bring up and email from a familiar untraceable address. He blinked twice before opening it "HOW DARE YOU" were the first words that he saw "YOU DARE TOUCH THAT WHICH SHOULD NOT BE TOUCHED?" there was a picture of him and Levi-tan eating ice cream, and another of them battling it out in DDR. "FUCK YOU FOR CORRUPTING THE PURITY THAT IS MIRACLE LEVIA-TAN" his sleep addled brain would not chug through fast enough "FOR YOUR PUNISHMENT YOU DISGUSTING BODY WILL BE SHOWN TO ALL AT KUOH ACADEMY. KNOW THAT YOU BROUGHT THIS ON YOURSELF YOU DISGUSTING MAN"
That was it...he tried to rouse his mental faculties but nothing came up, he just didn't care enough or he was too tired yes that's probably it. He closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep, only enough the dream of him naked in class and the dream people reacted oddly when he still walked up to the front of the class and answered the math question which somehow turned out to be chicken….weird dreams are weird.
It was breakfast on Monday before Ichigo mentioned the threat he received over his email. He had mostly kept out of the way on Sunday as her...what had Serafall called it...peerage that was it. Her peerage had needed more time with her and he did not blame them one bit. He did his best to fade into the shadows so to speak. He served breakfast and lunch, he cleaned the places they had slept in and did everything in his power to make sure Sona had nothing to worry about save her people.
He caught a few glimpses of Tsubasa and felt something very much like pride as he watched her move between the various girls of the group offering words and a shoulder to them. Saji looked like he was trying to deal with his own emotions on his own but Sona had nipped that in the bud.
So Sunday was spent either working on chores or soaking in the bath when no one else was there…. though that had gone poorly near the end. It had been a long enough day and he had gotten in a lot of walking and sword exercises. The hot bath had been so relaxing that he had managed to fall asleep in it, he had been told by Rukia once upon a time that he was a quiet sleeper but still felt it was a little ridiculous to wake up to several girls yelping in shock. Thank the gods he had the sense to keep his damn eyes closed and pretend he was still asleep.
"W-w-what is he doing here?" Reya had asked. "Was he in here before us?" Momo's question followed. Both girls sounded embarrassed and ….well the water was quite clear so there was no hiding anything. Lucky he was leaned back, his neck in a curved stone holder made for just this use and had a washcloth over his eyes.
"Of course he was," Tsubasa said sounded more amused than anything. "Though how we did not notice him is beyond…" She paused and there was the sloshing of water.
"W-what are you doing?" Reya asked in a hushed voice.
The heat of a body leaned over him and he knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that her face was inches from his. "Checking if he is actually breathing," she sounded more than a little concerned and a warm rough hand was placed on his chest. "Oh good he is breathing," she said. "Could not hear it but his chest is rising and falling." She could have removed her hand but it glided over his skin for a few seconds longer than necessary. It was only through sheer effort that he did not have a biological reaction to the touch.
"You should not do that Tsubasa-san," Momo chided. "He is asleep."
"Mmm," was the girl's reply as she pulled away. "Right, right, Momo thank you." There was the sloshing of water as the body moved away from him."
"Should we get out?" Reya said "Sona might be mad if-"
"I might be mad if what?" Came said girl's voice and Ichigo mentally cringed.
Ichigo heard footsteps come closer then stop abruptly."What in the seven hells is going on?" she said and he could feel her gaze on him.
"Don't bother Kaichou he's out, in fact I think he was here before we were." Tsubasa said. "It's just inbetween the steam and the fact that he is the quietest sleeper, we did not notice."
"And you are all still in the bath, still naked?" The Kaichou said, her voice a semi growl but pitched low.
"Yes, yes we're getting out, getting some towels and waking him up. We need to clean to ya know." Tsubasa said in a conversational tone.
"Really?" Sona said, her voice holding more than a hint of suspicion though he could not tell why.
"Go to the other room." Sona said There was the pitter patter of feet and water "I will get him up." Tsubasa made a giggling sound and he could almost hear Sona's eyes narrow.
"Are you sure Kaichou, he is naked..." Tsubasa whispered
There was a pause and he could feel eyes on him again followed by a very embarrassed cough "Right." Sona said, sounding a lot more flustered than before. "I will go get Saji and he will get him up." That seemed to calm the other girl and the grumbling stopped. There was the sound of a door closing and he was alone again, leaving him to wonder what that had been about. Long story short he was "Woken up" by Saji and no one had mentioned finding him asleep in the bath so that had been that.
Ichigo slid the food in front of Sona, the house seemed quite now given that her peerage had gone home late last night. She took it, tasted it and smiled in pure delight before eating what he had made. He made a note to see if he could get Yuzu up here one day. It might spoil her but if she got to try some of his baby sister's cooking, well she would be in heaven compared to what he threw together. Sure he could make tasty food but Yuzu could transcend normal cooking, "So I got a message from our blackmailers." He said after she had finished.
Sona's expression instantly become all business. "What did it say?"
"Well for one thing I am pretty sure that they are a fan of your sister's TV show." She let out a slow blink at that. "Your sister and I were out on the town, we ended up being followed by the perverted trio almost all afternoon and they did take pictures. Said photos seemed to have ended up with the blackmailers and well…... they did not take it well. So I would not be surprised if my blackmail is um...spread by the time we get to school." She looked utterly devastated for him and he shrugged "Anyway in more important matters does this school have a club dedicated to your sisters show?"
Sona just started at him "Ichigo?" she asked, omitting the honorific. "Are you ok?"
"Oh that's right, you might not know but I don't care about nude photos of me. It will be annoying but it's honestly not a big deal."
Her expression flickered. "Tsubasa did tell me what you had said."
"Did you think I was lying?" Ichigo asked.
"I did not know what to think."
"Well now you know, so about that club..." he really wanted to turn this conversion to more productive matters.
"No there is not...or at least none officially," she frowned. "I think Saji might know more about that, we should ask him."
She leaned forward to stare at his face, scrutinizing him with such focus that he wondered if medical equipment would have been as detailed "You really mean it." She said "You really don't care."
He smiled a little. "I try not to lie Sona-san. These sorts of threats mean nothing in my mind, however I am hoping that given the...emotional nature of the email they might have slipped up somewhere."
Sona paused her fingers drumming on the table. "I received some information from the firm I hired to look into this matter." She placed a file on the table. They managed to narrow down the places all the feeds were going to." It was flipped open with a map of Khou Academy. "Here," she pointed to a room on the blueprints. "The Graduate Assistant Office, the Computer Club Room, the Teacher's lounge and the LIbrary. All places with a good amount of computers. They have informed me that the data is being bounced between all of these and that only one is the actual destination."
"Hmm... any chance that one of the teachers might have a previous offence similar to this?" She shook her head. "No every faculty member is thoroughly checked, processed and fingerprinted." She waved a hand. "There are some prints on these cameras that are not ours and I had them matched against all faculty, but came up with nothing. While that does not rule it out entirely it does make thing harder to prove."
"Do we have student fingerprints?"
"No and we are not allowed to do that, part of the privacy contract that the School has with all parents and students."
"So we can for the most part rule out the faculty for now." She nodded. "So the teacher's lounge is most likely not the place?" Ichigo asked.
"I would think not, it is one of the most trafficked places by the staff. We will check of course but I do not think there will be anything there." Sona explained.
"So that leaves the computer club, the library and the grad assistance office." Ichigo concluded.
She nodded. "I will check the break room and the grad office myself along with Tsubaki. I want you and Reya to check the library and the computer room, which conveniently has an entrance from the library as well as the hallway. I believe you have some time around lunch where you are free?"
He nodded, taking a bite of food. "Also I want to let you know that there are ways into the school that do not involve the main entrance." He frowned at her in confusion. "In case you want to avoid eyes..."
"Oh," Ichigo shook his head, "I have to go to class, I don't really see how it will change much." He smiled at Sona "I will be fine."
1
1
1
Sona made it a point to walk in the gates with him, he would have prefered her not but she was exactly the kind of person that would do this. There were students milling about, lots were on their phones. Some were giggling, others speaking quietly among themselves. One of the girls saw him and froze, others turned to see as silence fell over the front gates. Sona glared at them all but she was just one person. That silence held for several steps and then it was shattered by a loud appreciative whistle.
As if it was a sign voices erupted, groups of girls staring at him unabashedly with crimson cheeks. Others leering with open appreciation. Many laughed though the reasons varied from malicious to mostly uncomfortable, he got an earful of how his body was currently even now being rated on some nebulas scale of hotness.
The perverted trio looked miserable though Ichigo was not sure why, granted he had a feeling they would tell him in great detail when they got the chance. His expression never changed, his emotions barely rippled. A small laugh escaped him, causing Sona to look up at him startled. "This," he said, "Will not bring the rain, it won't even come close." She of course would not know what that meant but it was more for him then her. Words had power and sometimes they needed to be spoke aloud. "Hey Ichigo." He glanced over, brown hair and yellow eyes leered at him from her spot on the wall. She was Aika Kiryuu he thought, in the same class as the perverted trio and him for several subjects. They had not spoken much or at all really, never really having a reason to. He raised an eyebrow as she licked her lips. "Nice," she leered, the word carrying all sorts of meaning.
She might have said more but Sona Sitri unleashed such a glare on the girl that he was worried for a second the stone of the building might melt. The girl herself did melt in a manner of speaking. Taking one look at Sona, Aika decided she needed to be at class as fast as possible. Ichigo shook his head. "Thank you." She looked at him once more, up and down searching for...weakness he guessed, a crack in his mask. But he had spoken true, he looked over the dozens of students starting openly or coverly and felt nothing about it. They all had to have, pictures of him in full but he had seen his own guts spilling out on stone, his body held together by his spine alone. Now that had been a disturbingly intimate look into himself. Ichigo shook his head at these children that stared at him, sighing and chiding himself silently for that thought. These boys and girls were the same age as him and yet they were clearly very far apart.
Sona walked with him as he headed to class, with her at his side no one said anything and there was no open staring. Her eyes were on fire with anger and wrath, in this moment it suited her well. Her lithe body looked coiled like a cat about to pounce, her breath was controlled through heavier than normal. She looked lovely like this, dangerous and powerful. Ichigo wondered what he would sense if he could have felt her soul right then, he had no doubt it would be anything less stunning than the girl he saw before him. They were different people but they had this in common, something that few had, the desire, the need, the will to protect. He wondered how far it went? For him, he had long since come to terms with that goal… what had he told Ishida once upon a time? His memory dredged the words up, "I'm not superman, so I can't say anything big like I'll protect everyone on earth. I'm not a modest guy who will say it's enough if I can protect as many people as my two hands can handle either. I want to protect a whole mountain load of people."
Mountain load….not his most charismatic choice of words and he was not what he had been, he was human now. Only human and as such had a lot more limits on what he could do. And for now he would work his hardest to make sure no one else would have to experience this for while he might not care most would.
"I will head over to the library after lunch." Ichigo told her as they reached the door. "Can Reya meet me then?"
"Yes I will tell her." the girl hesitated looking between him and the classroom, she could not stay with him they both knew that.
He put a hand on her shoulder and felt a tremor go through her at his touch which he ignored. "I will be fine Kaichou, let's focus on getting the people who did this." She closed her eyes, taking in a long breath through her nose as her pale hand came up and gently laid itself over his hand.
"You are right of course." she said both holding that position for a moment "Good luck and thank you for your help to me and mine."
They pulled their hands away at the same time, Ichigo looking at his hand feeling her body heat still clinging to it. "Your welcome." He turned away first and walked into the classroom, Sona paused only for a moment longer before she walked away.
The classroom was mostly full by now though some were missing. All eyes stared at him, even the teacher, an older women who nonetheless gave him a look that was one of appreciation even if she was not the type to go after boys young enough to be her son. It was the 'I can look at the scenery but do not have to camp it in' philosophy which Ichigo was fine with.
He took his seat noticing how no one seemed to want to sit next to him. Perhaps a fear that if they were seen with him something similar might happen to them... well it did not matter. By the leering stare at his back he guessed that Aika was here. He could hear her voice as she whispered to one of her girlfriends, something to do with his size according to her best guess. Perhaps she belonged with the perverted trio or maybe she needed to make her own female group that did that.
Speaking of the trio by the sound of their labored breathing they had just managed to arrive and sadly for them and him the only seats available were the ones directly around him. Ichigo could hear them hesitate before they bleakly took their seats. The teacher coughed, then had to cough again as it did not draw the attention she wanted. "We will move on to chapter 8 today."
1
1
1
Ichigo put his books away as the class came to an end, there seemed to be an invisible zone around him no words were spoken to him, no one came close if they could help it. That lovely thought was broken when the door opened and there was an eruption of quiet whispers. He ignored them and finished zipping up his bag, but a small hand gently tapped him on the shoulder. That surprised him and he looked over to find Koneko at his side, "Hello," he said politely. She leaned forward drawing gasps from the watching students but he could see what she was doing. Like Sona she was searching his eyes to see his hurt, "Don't you have a class now?" he asked.
"Are you ok Sempi?"
He nodded. "Not the first time something like this has happened to me." The small girl glared at the people watching, it seemed to be enough that some of them filed out of the room heading to their next class.
"Are you ok?" she asked again more insistently.
"Yes Koneko-san." He put a hand on her head gently rubbing it back and forth like he did with Karin and Yuzu. "My friends are the only opinion that really matters." To his surprise her eyes suddenly screwed shut, her arms came up to her chest and balled into fists. She pushed her head up into his hand almost like a cat and made a sound that...could be misconstrued and if the absolute silent shock around was any indication, that was the case.
He pulled his hand away though not fast enough that it would have made it worse. Koneko made a sound of disappointment and then her normal expression returned. She stood there quietly as he got up and it became clear that she had decided to walk him to his next class. Was this how the people he protected in his time as a shinigami felt? A warm feeling of annoyment and joy mixed together, granted he knew damn well there were at least a dozen people at this school more powerful than him. Given that this girl was a close friend to one of them it would not surprise him if she had spiritual power as well. She took a light grip on to the side of his school coat and he made sure to keep his pace at one she would be comfortable with. Now the stares and whispers had redubled and behind them he heard the loud whispering of the Perverted Trio. "How did he do that, that's what three girls in two days and that's with the pictures situation, what does he have that we don't?"
Aika voice answered for them, "A cool attitude, a six pack, a tight butt, the tough bad boy look, and while a little cold and standoffish he probably has a squishy inside."
They yelped as the girl seemed to appear in their group, her face full of humor and malice. "Compared to you three who have…" She pretended to think about it, "Nothing, well it's easy to see. Pictures about you three would be funny, the pictures about him, well they give you something to do at night."
There was a vibration on his arm and Ichigo looked down at Koneko. Just on the edge of his hearing was a sound like growl, it was something he felt more than he heard. The girl's eyes were closed though that did not seem to impair her walking. He glanced around as the words has been loud and noted a decent amount of blushes adorning the faces of the student body. That was a bit confusing, sure if it had been Kiba he might have expected it but him? Unless the girl had been on to something with those words and had not just been ribbing the perverted trio which he felt was the more likely case, or at least he would have save for the looks he was getting.
"It's fine." Ichigo said quietly.
"It's not right?"
"But it's not the worst thing that could be happening. On the bright side no one seems to remember the pictures of the kendo club...granted they were all in their underwear but still."
She shook her head. "You're a strange person."
"I've been getting that a lot recently."
She nodded, "I did not look at the pictures that everyone is on about, but I did see the ones that the dumbassess behind us were spreading."
He blinked in confusion. "What was that?"
"Are you..." She hesitated, "Dating that girl?"
Ohh the pictures of him and Serafall! "No, we were giving Sona and her peerage some time to themselves."
Koneko's full attention redoubled on him. "Peerage... you know what that is?"
"Another word for family?"
"Oh," She nodded. "That is correct."
Ichigo caught the slight hitch in that though and was now thoroughly suspecting that the word had a much deeper meaning but again it did not involve him at all. "So my morning has been eventful, how has your morning gone?"
"Fine," she replied.
"Getting enough sweets?" Her eyes brightened slightly and her attention shifted away from the glare she was giving at any person who dared to gawk at him.
"That's good, Rias-senpai is taking care of you."
Koneko gave him a look that told him she was not fooled in the slightest by his attempts to change the subject. "I am fine," he said, "I truly am." Ichigo glanced behind him at the perverted Trio. "Though when those three get me alone I have a feeling I will be less than fine." He gave it a moment's thought. "Though I wonder what they want to talk to me about?"
Koneko glanced at him then at the three giving them a premium glare. Issei hesitated but the other two, Matsuda and Motohama, seemed to roundly ignore the small girl's glare.
"Easy," He said "They're just teenagers.."
Her gaze traced back to him. "We are all teenagers," She said then glanced back at the three for a moment.
"They are special teenagers." He amended.
"They are the worst." she said dismissively.
"That too but thank the gods that part does not have anything to do with me…" he glanced behind him "Just to make sure, it doesn't does it?" from the expression of horror and sound of disgust it told him he was right. "Good just making sure."
Koneko sighed and spoke her next words for only him to hear. "I will listen if you want to talk."
The words caused heat to bloom in Ichigo's chest, the words were so simple and kind it was the words his own friends would have said.
"If it starts really bothering me I will take you up on that."
The door to his next class approached and as they did Koneko's hand slipped moving down his arm and brushing lightly against the palm of his hand. They stayed there for a moment and he was shocked at how intimate the contact felt for the simple touch that it was. Koneko's expression did not change, only the smallest hint of red at her cheeks spoke of something more. "Thank you for walking with me." He said.
"Your welcome." The fingers on his palm left though the heat remained for a few long moments as he watched her hurry away. When she glanced behind her and saw him staring, her body language shifted almost imperceptibly, her hips taking to swaying just a hint more notably. Ichigo blinked and turned away, pushing open the classroom door. There had to be something in the water here, he did not remember his eyes wandering this much….then again he had been fighting a lot in the past year, his mind focused on far bigger and more important things. Add that in with the caliber of beauty that you could find among soul society and girls like Orihime, he had been...used to it.
The trio all tried to enter the door at the same time and he paused to watch them almost trip over each other in their haste. "Can I help you three?" He sighed taking his seat.
"You," Motohama pointed at him. "You are a bastard you know that?"
"And?"
"You got to go on a date this weekend." Was that what this was about? "And not just any date you got to date a hot girl too."
"Huge Oppai and all." Issei added with a voice of pure jealousy.
"You will tell us everything." Matsuda half snarled, "Or we will up our game of the rumors."
Ichigo just stared at them, almost feeling something akin respect…after all in thirty seconds they had made him more uncomfortable than his whole morning here. It was perhaps for that reason he found himself answering. "I was not on a date with her."
"You took her out to eat, you went and played games, you even walked through the park." Issei listed. "How is that not a date?"
"Because neither of us had any romantic purpose for that day, we were hanging out."
Motohama gasped pulling Matsuda to him "Could it be the fabled friends with benefits"
"No" Issei moaned "That's even worse, not even Kiba does that."
"You three are making some rather large assumptions" He said.
"And that's not all" Matsuda broke free "Beyond that sin how in the hell did you turn this picture situation to your advantage, I mean sure you have a six pack but if that happened to any of us we would be ruined, outcasts and laughing stocks."
"How is that any different from what you are now?" he asked.
You would have thought he shot all three of them with an arrow "That's cruel" Issei said.
"And he is distracting us" Motohama as he marched up to him "Tell us the secret of how you did this?"
"I did not" he said feeling the lightest flame of annoyance start to build "I don't care what people do with those pictures, I don't care if they decide to try and use it to hurt me and I certainly do not care enough to try and turn it into my advantage."
"Lies and slander" Matsuda snarled "You just became the second most popular guy in school besides Kiba and that list has the college students on it to."
"That is not going to last long" he said with a shake of his head "People will get bored of the pictures" he rolled his eyes "Now if you three would please drop this Class is about to start" The trio looked around to see the who class which had more or less silently walked in and taken there seats were staring at him with a lot of raw contempt. The shook his head as the three slinked back to there seats, Ichigo pulled out his book and picked up his pen. Those three were something else, they were lucky they had not gone to his school, things would have gone a lot worse for them.
1
1
1
The Kuoh Academy library was a large place, it was made with three different school groups, elementary-middle, high school and college. With such a setting and the money that came with the fact that up until recently it had only been girls from wealthy families or ones that lived in town and got a huge discount had been going here.
It was under the main building dug into the bedrock it had three stories of building that went down into the earth. The top most layer was for elementary, the middle for high school, and the bottom for college. Each level had tables, chairs, wifi hotspots, and excellent ventilation that kept the whole place cool and the temperature constant.
Ichigo wondered why the running of the place had been left to the high school student council but then again Sona's people were nothing if not efficient and excellent at management...also this place had its own staff it was too big for anything less.
There was a nice elevator down to the area but he took the stairs, a well lit but simple concrete things almost at odds with the rest of the school. He was going to the second level of the library, Reya had texted him half an hour ago that she had finished the elementary computers. He wondered what he was supposed to do to help her in this situation, computers were not his area of expertise. He had found less and less time to use such devices and now was sure he knew even less than the average person.
This level of the library was quite as such places tended to be, his own footsteps and breath were the only thing he heard as he passed through the shelves of books, as he reached the middle he caught a glimpse of a computer light and headed towards it. A flash of long brown hair told him he was going in the right direction, he could see Reya now she was leaning back in a computer chair some program running on the screen in front of her. There was a finished bowl of salad at her side. She did not seem to see him, her eyes were down in her lap and from the reflection in the screen he could see pink in her cheeks.
He came within several feet of the girl and caught a glimpse of what she was staring at, there on her phone was the picture of a boy, blonde hair slick with sweat sitting against a wall shirtless and drinking a bottle of water. It was easy to recognize the boy, after all he was going to spar with him at some point. So it seemed this little librarian liked Kiba Yuuto, well he wished her luck that boy had a lot of potential suitors. He coughed politely drawing a yelp from the girl and she turned her head surreptitiously putting the phone in her pocket. "Ichigo-San" she said looking rather panicked.
He decided to pretend he had seen nothing "I'm here to help, through I do not know what I can do computers are not something I am talented with."
Reya relaxed then perhaps taking his expression as one that had seen nothing "That is ok Ichigo-san" she turned to her backpack and pulled out a case and disk "Thanks to that firm Kaichou hired we were given these neat programs, I made a few chances of course so that they won't get the data scanned but this should find what we want." he took the disk "Its really simple put it in the disk holder, push ok and wait until it's done." The computer dinged behind here and she turned "Finally, someone was looking through a lot of pornaogphy on this one, it slowed it down" She shook her head "I'll have to tell Kaichou that someone found a weakness in the parental controls." There was a green checkmark and a small file on the screen "Ok this one is clean." she deleted the file. "Alright let's move onto the next two"
Ichigo nodded and went to take his seat, there was silence for a few minutes as they both got the program installed and it began to sift through the computer. Words flashed across it file names that had an X over them "I don't think we have gotten to speak much" Reya said.
"True, our duties have often been in opposing rolls or in here where talking is discouraged."
Reya nodded "Kaichou closed the library so it is ok today."
"Ok" He leaned back "What do you want to talk about?"
Her expression flickered and he caught a glimpse of the stress she was under, he noted that her phone was out of her pocket and her eyes flickered to it like it was a salve. "I honestly just want to talk about normal things, help get my mind off the events of this week...I feel so" she hesitated "Selfish"
Turning his chair so he could look at her Ichigo frowned "How so?"
"My stomach is churning, I find it hard to breath, I think of nothing but how at any moment what happened to you would happen me. That I could be someone that people look at" she shuttered "People use" her arms wrapped around herself "Tsubasa and Kiba have it the worst, I'm what you might say the best off, just one topless pictures and I feel such terror at it. All of my friends have it worse and yet I…" She looked down and he wondered if she meant to speak her next words "Hope with all my heart that it will not happen to me, that, that it happen to someone else anyone else but me." Her mouth curled in distaste "What kind of person does that make me Ichigo-san."
He took a breath "It just means your a person, you want what is best for you. You wish that your dreams and aspirations are not interfered with. You fear that the one you have a crush on might see you in a different light." he said the words with utter certainty knowing that was a major source even if she had not said it. " And so you have thoughts of self preservation, whether they are selfish or not is not my place to judge. But tell me what have you done about those thoughts? Have you hindered this investigation, have you given them information, have you pleaded with them?" she shook her head. "Of course you haven't, you love your friends I can see it among you as bright as the sun. So I will say, this actions speak louder than words and the most assuredly speak louder than Idle thoughts."
Reya released a pent up breath "That still not ok, Tsubasa you know she has been so supportive. She put aside that fact that she could be far more damaged and I did not" her fist clenched "She has proven to be a far better person than I."
"Everyone is different" Ichigo said with a shrug "She is dealing with it by helping others, you look at pictures to calm you down"
Reya went crimson "There not dirty" she half shouted.
"I know, I do not believe one of Sona's group would do that even if they happened to be ones of Kiba Yuuto" Her face went even redder, he shuddered at the surge of positive emotions going through him was this what it was like to tease someone? No wonder people did it to him.
"Anyway" he put a stop to it though "You, if you have not noticed are also helping, we are currently trying to track them down and if in the process you help protect yourself I do not see an Issue. Not everyone is a guardian Reya and everyone has their place somewhere." he made sure to look her in the eye "While I can guess you spoke of this to me because I was a semi outsider may I offer you some advice." She nodded after a moment "Speak to Sona about these feelings, I am sure she will not judge and will be able to help you far better than I can. Because when it comes down to it the way I look at things is different from the rest of you."
Reya made a coughing sound and turned her chair away "Thank you Ichigo-San"
"I hope it helped."
"It did and...perhaps Kaichou would be able to help me more."
Ichigo noted his computer had blinked red and ejected the disk, "You know your family when you can tell them your weakness and they accept you for them and from what I have seen you do have a family in them."
"I do" she said head down "I want nothing more in the world then to be with them to have them be proud of me." her expression softened and when she spoke her voice was a whisper he was not sure she intended him to hear "After all I was made out of pity, not for anything that I was."
He frowned at that "What?"
She blinked and shook her head "Nothing" she said quickly rejected her disk and shook her head "Look at me, I said I wanted to talk about normal things and I drop all this on you."
"Hey I'm happy to be a confident, if that is how I can help people know it is fine by me."
The words got a smile on her face "Thank you" she said again, with an effort of will she changed the subject "So Ichigo-San as long as you do not tell anyone about what I ask next could you help me by telling me Yutto-Kuns likes and dislikes?"
"How would I know more than you about him, I've been here for two weeks and had one sparring match with him...and the promise of a second If i can ever find the time."
"Well that's more than I have ever gotten" she grumbled.
"Have you ever tried talking to him?"
She flushed "The guy is supposed to come to the girl first."
"...Forgive my bluntness but Kiba Yuuto has so many would be suitors that you will have to stand out if you want to get noticed. I would suggest talking and see what happens."
Reya did not answer and he wondered if that had sounded too much like a rebuke, her expression at least turned pensive at his words and he decided to leave it off at that.
1
1
1
"All right" he said glancing at the clock, evening was coming strong, they had been switching off computer duty as they each had to go take their own classes. Above them the rest of the Council was doing similar sweeps of the possible locations. "This the last place"
"Indeed" Reya said eyes looking red and exhausted "The Computer Club's Room" she pulled out a set of keys and began to search "I don't think I asked how you got this position why did Sona put you in charge of the library."
"I love books" she said the after a moment "When I was little I spent all the time I could in the library. I think I read gone with the wind when I was seven, the tale of genji when I was ten, the women in the dunes, the book of nine rings, she shook her head "I find it hard to think of a time when my nose was not in a book." she frowned as the key she had selected did not work and went back to flicking through them "I want to be a librarian, I might still, I don't know yet but when I got to middle school I took of a volunteer position in this library right here. I know it inside and out, backwards and forwards, I could tell you where almost every book and subject is in this place."
She spoke about it as a queen might of her kingdom "It was natural when Kaichou choose me to be here" again something about the way she said that irked him through he did not know why, words like pearage, phrases like, chose me and made out of pity, the sense of power in the whole group. He did find himself wondering more and more what kind of power bound them together with each other. Some spiritual might of Sona perhaps?
"And I like it here, it brings me peace even know." She frowned even deeper when her next key did not work "Someone seems to have changed the locks" She said with a shake of her head. Reaching into her hair she pulled out a hair clip and knelt next to the door. Ichigo coughed and looked away, she was bending over and it gave quite the outline of a very well formed backside, curse the short skirts of this academy he even caught a glimpse of white cloth stretched over a well defined body, a view he had no business noticing.
So instead he made a note of her apparent skill at lockpicking, her expression of concentration was one of long practice, the look of an artizen perhaps. The door opened after a few second, mercifully Reya stood up and straightened out her skirt allowing him to not feel like scum for looking anywhere but up...that place was affecting him in many ways and he was not sure it was for the best in some case. At this rate he would be locked on Orihime's chest the next time he saw her and what she think of that? He did not know but he was sure nothing good, Tatsuki would just kick him the balls which he would deserve. Speaking of which he needed to call home soon and catch up, he had promised he would.
They stepped into the club room, it had a homey feel, posters of anime, movies, games, Idol's and comedy adorned every inch of space on the walls. On the far side bean bags were placed against the walls next to outlets for laptop users. Six tables in rows of three were filled with monitors, there were of a lesser quality than on the ones in the library main but each row had about twelve monitors stacked on each side of the tables. Many of the screens had weird or cool screensavers that danced and flashed. Ichigo found his eyes drawn to the wall where the biggest poster of all was hung, it was Serafall through she was in a magical girl outfit that somehow managed to be a bit more modest than the uniforms at this school. The pink skirt was a few centimeters longer and the top only revealed a part of her belly through her chest clearly strained the fabric. Now of more interest was the lipstick marks that were all over the head area just under the words MIRACLE LEVIA-TAN in bold pink. The next important thing he noted was the smell, there was a strong tang in the air and while he could not place it his hairs were standing on end, his instincts on full alert.
Reya wrinkled her nose at the smell but stepped in anyway and after a moment of hesitation that he could not place Ichigo followed "Someone needs to air this place out" she muttered leaving the door open.
She moved to the first of the computers and booted it up, Ichigo moved around the room looking at the messy desks, there were comics, old candy paper, dice, pencils, forgotten homework. In front of each computer was a name carved into the wood of the desk, names like Glitch, Hack, Bit, Pixel, it seemed these people took the club seriously perhaps the names were part of initiation. He paused at the computer with the name Mother carved into it, a piece of paper half ripped was next to the keyboard the words caught his eye. "place is great" was the end of a sentence the first part was missing "Volt just got the power working so we can transfer the data to the bunker and make this a lot safer, all so with this all should be in order Mother. Make sure to grab the Shadowrun books before you go" it was signed with the name Punk.
"That could be nothing." he muttered but he took a picture anyway.
"Kurosaki could you boot up another computer?"
"One moment" he said making another circle around the room until he found Punk's desk and made a careful search of the papers there. It was mostly some cyberpunk fanfiction excerpts which at casual glance seemed ok. He frowned as some blue paper caught his eye and he pulled out a rolled up paper behind the monitor. Unfurling the thing it revealed...well a bunch of doodles, it looked like six different variations of the same room and been drawn on it with various power cables and generators, stations and computers in different places. Glancing to see that Reya was not looking he slipped that into his backpack...just in case. Finding nothing else speaking of the Bunker he went to go sit down but froze as a new smell made itself known. It was spart with a metallic tang, his eyes flickered around the room, every single computer had powered on red lights blinking on the desktop boxes.
"What?" Reya said as her screen went black.
Ichigo moved then, not knowing what might come next but his instincts were screaming at him. Something was very wrong and he had a sudden desire to be out of this room, "We need to leave" he said as the smell got stronger.
"Why?" she asked then sniffed at the air frowning.
It was a change in the light that warned him, a single spark that shifted the light of the room, he grabbed Reya hauling her off her feet like she was child and was out of the club room a moment later. Perhaps a heartbeat after the room filled with sparks and smoke as the computers began to whur and buzz in a manner unatral. Given that the room was filled with trash and very flammable trash at that what happened next inevitable. From half a dozen points of ignition a fire sprang to life, his walk became a sprint as he got the librarian about thirty feet away and dropped her. He ignored her words as he hauled open and emergency fire extinguisher and raced back to the room. Ichigo Kurosaki did not want have first hand experience of a burning library. The image of all the books burning like kindling was not a pleasant one, the heat was intense as he reached the door and growing. He unleashed the fire extinguisher at the nascent blaze, a few heartbeats later the fire alarm went off, Reya's work probably.
If he remembered correctly the library was full of overhead sprinklers but this club room did not have them. The extinguisher did its work and the smell of chemicals mixed with the burning plastic. However as the flow began to lessen he was starting to think that it would not be enough, that was when the strangest thing happened. Water began to fall in the room, water falling exactly in the pattern that it might fall if it was a sprinkler head on the roof. What was more, a lot of water was falling, now that might have been cool save for the fact that he damn well knew there were no sprinklers in that room.
The fire abruptly lessened, faster perhaps than it should have, he let go of the nearly empty extinguisher and stepped back. His head moved and behind him he found Reya next to the fire alarm and...Sona. Sona who as far has he knew was across the school from the library, she walked forward her expression one of concentration her eyes fixed on the room. "Are you hurt?" she asked her voice one of no nonsense.
"No" he said as she moved to stand beside him.
"It is good that the fire system is working properly" she said nodding at the falling water.
Ichigo looked from her to the room where the fire was already almost dead, he looked back at the girl focused on said room with an expression he has seen in others. Others who were say bending reality with hair pieces, or conjuring bows out of pure spirit essence. "Indeed" he answered after all the use of power to make prevent a disaster was not anything he disagreed with so a polite fiction was fine with him and not his business.
He watched the fire die fully and Sona's expression of concentration vanished, and wouldn't you know the falling water did too. Ichigo held back some sort of knowing expression, her hand touched him grabbing his arms and turning him to face her. She looked him up and down and relaxed when she saw not damage. She let go and looked from him, to Reya, to the destroyed club room.
"What happened?" she asked
Ichigo glanced at the ruins of the room "I'm gonna go out on a limb and say we might be onto something." the words felt like the truest form of understatement.