Serendipity: An aptitude for making desirable discoveries by accident

Chapter 1: The First Bout of Recklessness

Honestly, it had started off like any other day in his oh-so-simple life. With a mission.

Get in, kill the guy, get out.

It should have been easy, with no complications or unplanned surprises. It wasn't like he was some rookie. He had done this dozens of times before. Any distractions had been taken care of.

But who had expected a distraction like the little 5 foot tall she-man with an amazing left hook?

0OooO0

The sunrise bled through the once blank sheets of clouds that lingered in the sky. Its brilliant colors of red, orange and yellow signaled the start of yet another day and Ichigo Kurosaki hated it with the same white-hot intensity as the sun rising steadily up.

He groaned as the after effects of the 'celebration' last night caught up with him. How many bottles had he drunk? He lost count after 5.

BZZZZ BZZZZZZ BZZZZZ

He snarled as he picked up his droopy head to glare at the offending clock. His eyes were blood shot which only added to the fire with which he glared at the inanimate object.

BZZZZ BZZZZZZ BZZZZZ

"Dammit!" He brought a clenched fist down on the innocent top of the clock and satisfied himself in the crunching, buzzing, and weak rings that eventually died down.

But it was too late now as he had already made an exaggerated movement. He slowly picked himself up, and held his throbbing head in his hands. It felt like a million drummers beating mercilessly against his skull, accompanied with off key violins, clashing cymbals and some screeching rich girl who was thought she could sing because she can afford a record deal.

He walked to the kitchen for an aspirin and was met with an unnecessary surprise.

"Good evening Ichigo."

He would have jumped a foot in the air had he not been so perilously trained. However, the upper body did stretch several inches up.

"The hell? Don't pop up like that moron, and why the hell are you in my house? …and it isn't even evening yet!"

"A better reply would have been, Morning Renji-sama! How are you this fine day?"

Ichigo snorted. "As if I'd ever call you –sama."

"Just wait—"

"Wait till what? You're promoted to gum-scraper? I'm always stepping on those things."

"Shut the hell up!" He coughed to unsuccessfully calm himself down and watched his 'friend' fumble around the kitchen, burning the coffee, dropping the pills, and smacking his head on the cabinet.

"You need a woman." Renji pointed out.

"You need a life." Ichigo shot back.

"Screw you, and before you ask I was sent here by Yamamato-sama."

"What does the old man want now?"

"Use respect! And what do you think he wants dumb ass? Though I don't even know why he bothers asking you? I'm just as capable—"

"Your main weapon is a giant, teethed sword Renji. Our purpose is to be discreet. Your sword ain't discreet."

"So anyway…"

0OooO0

"Kuchiki-san, are you alright?"

"No."

"…"

"Yeah, fine, whatever."

"Great news Kuchiki-san!" The preppy blond nearly shouted in Rukia's ear and she discreetly touched it to see if had started bleeding. Not yet.

"So Kuchiki-san, whaddya wanna do?"

"Leave," she muttered quietly, but it seemed that the blonde's banshee like screeches had deprived her of her own hearing capabilities.

"Huh?"

"Kiro-san, it was nice of you to try and keep me company, but really, I should be leaving soon. I have to see my brother and—"

She stopped at the sight of the blush that had entered Kiro's face at the mention of her brother.

The 23-year old business woman in training backed away and quickly left as she left the blonde to her X-rated fantasies.

She honestly didn't understand why so many people fawned over her brother-in-law. He was cold, sadistic, rude, and cruel; the list went on and on. He hadn't even looked at her once since her sister passed.

Nee-san

Rukia sighed to get rid of the depressing thoughts that haunted her mind. A mere mention and once again she was slipped in a pool of murky darkness, so thick and deep that not even the brightest light could break through the damp surface.

Rukia sometimes wondered if Byakuya ever blamed her for Hisana's death. It wouldn't make sense, considering she had nothing to do with it but maybe he was angry because Rukia was alive and his wife wasn't. Add the fact that she looked like Hisana, so he would be constantly reminded of her. No wonder he wouldn't stay in the same room as her.

She could still use him as a getaway ticket though.

It was getting late and Rukia decided it would be smart to get home before those nocturnal thugs came out. She could handle them easily, but she was expected to act ladylike and breaking a guy's nose (and other, ahem, items) in self defense wasn't very ladylike.

She coughed lightly before slowly walking home.

0OooO0

"Wake up damn you!" Renji yelled at the slumbering Ichigo. Honestly, how this bumbling oaf managed to be one of the, if not the, top assassin in their company, he'd never know.

"I am up stupid," Ichigo growled out. "Let me rest my frigging eyes."

Renji snarled back before he continued driving to their destination. He briefly remembered the spar he had with Ichigo when they first met over a year ago. Ichigo certainly did earn that title, despite Renji not willing to admit it aloud, and that Zangetsu of his…

"We're here," he stopped his own thoughts.

Ichigo's eyes opened. "Two blocks, the Cardinal Hotel, floor…um…"

"Seven baka," Renji finished in exasperation, then quickly added "don't mess up."

Ichigo gave a cocky smirk. "When have I ever messed up?"

0OooO0

She had stopped for a stroll along the park on the way and was happy to see no one bothered her this time. Still, it was rather late, nearing 9:00 P.M.

Her brother was staying at the bird hotel, whatever its name was. He had a meeting with Mr. Hyena. That was Rukia's nickname for the bastard who howled in laughter every time he heard something slightly sadistic. But then again, Mr. Hyena was also a lieutenant of the several mafia gangs out there.

She wondered if Byakuya knew and dismissed the thought. Of course he knew, Byakuya was extremely intelligent and Mr. Hyena was not very subtle. Still, in a world of business, one had to associate themselves with those who were powerful.

And Mr. Hyena was indeed powerful.

0OooO0

Ichigo walked toward the elevator in the lobby and pressed the up button. Renji had made it very easy for Ichigo to enter, acquiring a fake, though very realistic, pass to room 114 on the seventh floor. Ichigo tapped his foot impatiently before freezing.

A loud, raucous cackling entered his ears and he turned to see a portly man with beady eyes say goodbye to another in a suit. He himself was wearing a smart, expensive-looking dinner suit.

Ichigo smirked as he saw Tachibana enter the underground parking complex. This would be even easier than he thought, as the parking center down below closed to others by 10:00.

Poor guy. His nice little suit will be all ruined.

0OooO0

Rather then taking the long way around to the front entrance, Rukia decided it would be easier to go by Block Section B, the parking area, and climb upstairs to the lobby.

She hadn't expected anything to be out of the ordinary.

Her shoes made silent clacking sound that echoed around the abandoned lot. Other than a few expensive looking cars, it was empty. She felt goose bumps ride up her arm at the eerie silence before freezing.

THUMP

A thud of a body falling, the clanging of chains, the high pitched ring of a sword being swung down, a cry and beg for mercy, a dry chuckle, whispered words, the dull sound of a sword making contact with concrete…and then silence.

Finally, sight. The sight of a man dressed completely in black, with tattered black robes, it's inside silk a blood red color and a pure black sword, shining with the tint of blood.

Her eyes widened in horror at the scene of a decapitated Mr. Hyena and she swallowed the bitter bile that rose up her throat.

Run!

She had to run. She had to get away before the murderer saw her. She had to get help, but first she needed to frigging run!

Too late, he's seen you…

And she couldn't help but look back, and her eyes widened further. The first thing she noticed was his unusual orange hair, and then his face…his face…

He let out a hissing curse before charging at her. She screamed and turned as she tried uselessly to run. He easily caught her arm with a few long steps but she was determined to get away. Clenching her hand, she jammed her fist into his jaw and reveled in the sound of a bone snapping.

But he didn't let go, rather he held her arm in a tighter grip, (sure to bruise of she lived through this) and hissed another curse. "You little bitch!" Grabbing the hilt of his dark sword, he battered it against the back of her head.

She let out a pained moan before collapsing on the ground, one arm still clenched in his hand.

He groaned and snapped his jaw back into place. He was surprised a little midget like her could hit so hard. He stared at the figure before him, slumped pathetically on the floor.

Now kill her.

He sighed before raising his arm and bringing it down.

CLACK

Ichigo blinked in surprise. He missed? He missed? The sword lay embedded in the area around her cheek. He never missed; he must have unconsciously moved his hand on purpose.

But why?

He stared at the girl again, trying to force himself to just slit her damn throat but he couldn't. He had killed people before, but he had rarely had to bring himself to kill witnesses. Usually because there were none to witness. He had to have a talk with Renji about this.

He had never killed a woman before either, not an innocent woman.

He groaned angrily as he tried to stab her again, but he froze, the sword shaking perilously an inch from her shut eye. He gave out a frustrated yell before sheathing it. He couldn't leave her here, she was a witness!

Maybe he could repeatedly hit her on the head until she got amnesia.

The sounds of someone approaching down the steps snapped him out of his distress. He impulsively grabbed the girl, threw her over his shoulder and ran out, a shadow in the night.

He was gonna hate himself in the morning.

0OooO0

"Tachibana-san," a feminine voice called out seductively. "Are you done here?"

Her high heeled shoes clicked on the stone ground as she made her way down. "We're all waiting for you to start…the…meeting…"

She smelled the blood before she saw it.

High pitched screams rang through the night like bells in a cathedral.

TBC…

Author's note: So this is the first Bleach fic I'm posting on this site so constructive criticism is most appreciated. Please review and I hoped you like the story.