AN: Hope all my international readers are safe and healthy out there! Feeling v lucky to be in New Zealand rn. Look after yourselves, yeah? x

"They're even more feeble than we'd heard. A fledgling, cobbled together, mishmash of frivolous fools."

Okay, so Ichigo really wasn't liking these chicks. First was the weird way they'd been touching up on Haruhi; it put him in mind of Honshō and the way she was always grabbing at Inoue. If Tatsuki was here, Ichigo knew she'd have something to say about it as well. As it was, one glance told Ichigo that Ishida was on the same page as him.

Second, it didn't matter if what they were saying was somewhat true: these nitwit rich kids were Ichigo's friends. And he wasn't about to let some random outsiders just say whatever the hell they wanted.

"Who the hell are you?" Ichigo demanded, glaring. "And what the hell do you think you're doing with Haruhi?"

The taller one at the front sniffed, looking like she dearly wanted to look down her nose at him. Instead, it was Ōtori who stole her thunder, introducing them as students from another rich kids school, named, of all things, Lobelia.

And then there was that whole introductory, musical thing, which Ichigo didn't appreciate in the least. Did rich people have different opinions on taste, or what? Also, one of the girls was named Chizuru, which was the second strike against that name. Honshō and this chick were doing a terrible job of representing all of the Chizurus out there.

All throughout Hōshakuji's expounded explanation of the Zuka-bu girls, Ichigo itched to wipe the conceited expression off of the leader's face. He really wished Tatsuki was here; she wouldn't have hesitated.

By the time Beni-whoever started getting at the Host Club for 'demeaning women' or whatever, Ichigo had had more than enough. What the hell did she know? These guys, even if they were as self-serving as she said, would never treat anybody so badly. And the girls at Ouran were just as bad! Clueless about how normal people lived, sure, but they definitely knew what they were getting into when they visited this club. These Lobelia chicks were underestimating them.

It pissed him off.

"Oi!" Ichigo interjected again, right in the middle of that Beni-person's rant. "I don't know what kind of weirdo group you're running over at your school, but don't come in here talking about things you know nothing about."

"Kurosaki-senpai!" The twins clutched at each other, wiping crocodile tears from each other's faces. "You do care!"

Ichigo scowled. What the hell? If these guys were gonna be dicks, Ichigo would leave them to defend their damn selves.

(He wouldn't; he was too pissed to drop it now).

"Ichigo's right."

Ah, Chad. Ichigo loved that guy, he really did.

Glancing back, Ichigo almost grinned at the admonishing frown his best friend was aiming at the interlopers. Chad was a stand up kind of person; he wouldn't accept these baseless accusations either.

"Uwahhh…" Haninozuka's baby face looked deeply moved. "Kuro-chan and Tora-chan are such good friends!"

Behind him, Morinozuka nodded solemnly.

Ichigo's scowl deepened. There was no way on earth he was letting them see how much that satisfied him: they would never let it go. Still, it was good that they got it. Ichigo stood up for his friends, no ifs, ands, or buts about it.

Even if they were irritating, condescending, moronic bastards with more money than common sense.

Beni-girl sniffed. "How typical of a male, reacting with immediate aggression. Surrounded by beasts and buffoons; how terrible it must have been for this sweet, delicate maiden." She reached out, expression doing a one-eighty from disdain to reverence, and took hold of Haruhi's hand again. Haruhi, for her part, still looked entirely befuddled.

"Ano…"

Three heads snapped up in unison.

Oh, hell no.

Without even thinking about it, Ichigo backed up, glaring. Chad and Ishida had had the same reaction, he was glad to note. In less than ten seconds, the three of them had Inoue boxed in behind them, expressions practically daring the Lobelia girls to try touching her.

"Eh?" Inoue's small hands patted his back. "Kurosaki-kun? Ishida-kun, Sado-kun?"

"Sorry, Inoue," Ichigo tossed over his shoulder. "We know it's not that serious. But Tatsuki would really kill us if we let these weirdoes put their hands on you."

"What Ichigo said."

"Indeed."

"Barbarians!" Benio's (aha! That was it!) indignant squawk drowned out Inoue's giggled agreement. "What do you think you're doing to that maiden?!"

Her henchwomen nodded emphatically, glaring.

Ichigo thought it was a bit rich of her to be asking that, considering the way she'd been handling Haruhi this whole time, but whatever.

He felt Inoue shuffling around behind him. When a bright orange head popped out from between his and Ishida's elbows, Ichigo couldn't even be surprised. He just smothered an indulgent grin, shifting a little so she wouldn't be as squashed.

"Ano, excuse me, Amakusa-san?" She called out, immediately catching the Lobelia girls' attention.

In a flash, Benio was standing before Ichigo, reaching for Inoue's face. "Oh, beautiful maiden, how sweetly you say my name! How could I have missed you in this crowd of savages; I shall never forgive myself!"

"Oi." Ichigo's hand shot out, catching her wrist in a firm grasp. His scowl deepened. "No touching."

She yanked her wrist away with a look of disgust. "Perhaps you should take your own advice, you heavy handed brute." Nonetheless, she took a few steps back. "What was it you wished to say to me, dearest princess?"

The expression she was aiming at Inoue was gross and insipid, but Ichigo figured it was better than the alternative. He glanced over at Haruhi, just to see if she was being bothered by the other two – Chizurus were not to be trusted – but she seemed fine. Baffled, but fine.

The others, when Ichigo flicked his eyes their way, had somehow got a hold of some popcorn, and were watching them with expressions of great interest. The twins and Haninozuka waved, beaming.

He rolled his eyes.

"Ano… I was just going to say that you're not being very fair to Kurosaki-kun, or Tamaki-kun and the others, Amakusa-san."

Benio looked like she'd been slapped.

"What?" It was Other-Chizuru who spoke, aghast. "Sweet maiden, I don't know what these men have been telling you, but-"

"They don't need to tell me anything," Inoue said, sounding like she was smiling. "They're my friends! And our customers have a lot of fun here with us, so I don't think it's bad that Kyouya-kun does all that business stuff on the side." Her tone turned mischievous.

Ichigo didn't have a clue what 'business stuff' she was referring to, but the satisfied gleam in Ōtori's glasses made him think he didn't want to (but should probably find out about anyway).

"Eh? Business stuff?" Haruhi shook off her bafflement, looking at Ōtori with sharp eyes. "Kyouya-senpai, what's she talking about? I didn't think Amakusa-san's accusations held any weight, but…"

After that, things took a turn for the chaotic.

It all ended well enough, but Ichigo couldn't believe those morons thought Haruhi would actually transfer schools. Or that Benio had had the audacity to try to poach Inoue as well. He hmphed, crossing his arms. As if she would ever abandon them for such flimsy reasoning (or at all).

On the other hand, Haruhi's aggravation was perfectly understandable.

"Oi, Ōtori. Are you lot the reason I've been going through so many pencils the last few months?"

AN: Obvs, this chapter takes place during ep.09. Thanks for all the faves and follows, guys! Drop a comment w ur thoughts and stuff.

- Kelly