~IchiRuki: The Destined Tale~

Tale 1 – The Destined Meeting

Thus, the blade of fate has been brought down. With this, the story of destiny begins.

"Mom, are you sure about this?" 16-year-old Kurosaki Ichigo asked his mother as he helped her fixed their luggage. They were going to move in at his soon-to-be stepfather's house. Hearing her son's question, she smiled reassuringly. She knew better to let Ichigo worry about her. They don't have any other family besides themselves so they treasure each other.

"Ichigo, I'm sure." She continued to fold some dresses and put them in a big bag.

"That means you really love him don't you?"

She giggled causing her son to turn to her. "Yes, I love him so much."

Ichigo chuckled. He could see his mother glow. She was happy, and he will be too. "That's good, mom." He commented. "I know he loves you too as much as you love him. He really is a nice guy."

"I'm glad you accept him that easily. I'm much worried that you won't like him." Masaki put her fingertip on her chin as if in deep thought.

"Of course Mom. As long as you are happy with him and he treats you nice, I don't have any other reason to not like him. Much less hate him." Ichigo said. "But if he hurts you in any way," he punched his palm with his other fist. "I'll make his death painful."

Masaki laughed at his son. "Thanks Ichigo."

Ichigo smiled. "It's nothing Mom."

As they finished setting up their things, the doorbell rang. Masaki stood up from the bed and straightened her yellow dress. "Oh, I think he's here." She went towards the door to open it as Ichigo carry their luggage from the room to the living room.

"Hi Masaki." He greeted with a kiss on her cheek. She smiled lovingly at him.

"Hello Isshin." She greeted back as she hugged him quickly. They pulled away. "Come in. We had just finished preparing. Ichigo is carrying them at the living room."

Isshin smiled as he let Masaki drag him all the way inside the apartment. As soon as he saw him, Ichigo bowed before him with a greeting, "Good morning Isshin-san." He rose to his feet to see the old man grinned at him.

"Don't be so formal, son. Just call me Dad."

Ichigo laughed nervously but complied. "Um okay… dad." Isshin patted his back as he laughed loudly. "That's much better!"

Masaki smiled at the two before excusing herself and went to the kitchen to get the keys of their apartment on the coffee table.

"I can't wait for you to meet my daughter. I'm sure you'll like each other." Isshin said as they wait for her to come and be ready to go.

"Uh…" Ichigo smiled. "I hope so."

He never met his daughter even once because she never showed up whenever they planned a dinner together and other meeting plans. He almost thought that she didn't like this relationship between her father and his mother but the old man and his mother wasn't talking about it. When he asked them one time, they just smiled at each other and shrugged. He just decided then to ignore that fact since he will know soon when they started living with them in their mansion.

Isshin grinned mischievously. "She's just stubborn but she's nice. Just try to get along with her!"

Ichigo nodded. "Hai, I'll try to get along with her."

Just then, Masaki emerged from the kitchen with keys in hand. "You ready guys?"

Isshin and Ichigo both nodded. "Come on."

The two gentlemen carried the luggage over to Isshin's black limousine. When they were done, they sat in the limousine with Isshin on the driver's seat, Masaki next to him on the passenger seat, and Ichigo on their back. As they rode to the Kuchiki Mansion, Ichigo just kept staring at the view outside the window whilst the whole ride was quiet.

Soon, they reached the mansion. The limousine stopped in front porch and men could be seen outside to greet them. Isshin opened the door for Masaki as Ichigo went outside himself. He gaped at the mansion before him. He found it really big and majestic. His soon-to-be stepfather was really rich. He was brought out of his stupor when he heard his 'dad' ordered the men to bring their luggage inside the house and to their room. Isshin and Masaki will not share room at the time being since the engagement will happen at the next two weeks.

"Ichigo, come on." Masaki called out to her son. Ichigo smiled and nodded as they all went inside the house with Isshin on the lead.

~Flashback – Earlier that day~

Rukia walked in his father's office angrily. She saw him startled by the way she barged in without a single knock but she didn't care.

He stood up from his chair and grinned at her. "Why hello my dear daughter! How are you this morning?"

Rukia gritted her teeth together as she threw him a glare. "Dad! What do you think you are doing!" she hissed.

Isshin threw her a confused look. "What could you be talking about Rukia?"

Rukia sighed angrily at her father's annoying innocent acts. "I am talking about your girlfriend and her son living here in our mansion for good!" she spat as she emphasized the words, girlfriend, son and our.

Isshin sighed at his daughter's obvious dislike of the idea. "Why are you so mad about it, Rukia? Seriously, you never even met her once! Why in the world you don't like her?"

"That's not it Dad! That's not that I don't like her. The point here is that I don't like the whole idea you marrying again!" she declared with clenched fists.

Isshin walked towards her and put a hand on her shoulder. "Why then Rukia? Why you don't want to me to marry again? Is this because you couldn't replace the memory of your late mother?"

Rukia tried to stop herself from screaming the truth out of her mouth towards her father.

If only that's the reason then everything will be just as easy as it is…

Instead of saying that out loud, she lowered her head and didn't answer. Isshin assumed it as a yes answer. He sighed.

"Rukia," he called out. When she didn't reply or do anything, he embraced her slowly and rubbed her back lovingly. "Masaki is a nice and caring woman. I'm sure you will like her just please give her a chance to prove herself worth of your love." He whispered. Rukia could tell that he was telling her the truth but she just couldn't bring herself to trust anyone now except her father, best friend and boyfriend. Not after all what she had been through. There was just no way.

"Dad, I don't know." She mumbled but enough for her father to reach his ears. "Rukia…"

"I'm sorry Dad." She pulled away and tempted to walk out of the room before her father stopped her. She didn't turn around. She just stayed there to hear what he had to say.

She heard him sigh. "Rukia, just appear later on. I want to introduce you to them formally. Please just do this for me."

Rukia bit her lip before turning her head towards him and gave a small nod. Isshin smiled at her before she totally walked out of the room.

~End of Flashback~

Ichigo and Masaki sat on the couch of the mansion. The outside was nothing in the inside. The inside was much bigger and extravagant than the outside, Ichigo noted. The living room consisted of black leather couches where they sat right now. There was a rectangular glass table in front of the long couch. Underneath the glass table were small bean couches for sitting on the floor displayed orderly on it. He noticed also that there was a wide set of stairs at the right side of the living room. Maybe the way to rooms. He thought as he sipped his cup of tea which one of the maids brought them earlier.

Isshin asked a white haired man whom he guessed was his assistant to call on his daughter. He nodded and bowed before walking up on the set of stairs.

Isshin sat down with them on the couch and reassuring them that her daughter will like them as a family. Ichigo didn't know what to think. But, he could tell that his mother was nervous. He put a hand on her shoulder causing Masaki to turn to him.

He gave his mother a slight smile. Masaki giggled slightly. "Ichigo, you don't need to reassure me. You are nervous as much as I am right?"

Ichigo chuckled. "Hm." He replied. Isshin grinned at the both of them. "Don't worry, my daughter will like you two. No need to be nervous."

The Kurosaki mother and son exchanged looks with a light smile. "We know that." Masaki said. Isshin returned it with the same gesture.

"Great." He sipped his tea. Something in his mind desperately believed that everything will be alright.

I sure hope Rukia won't ruin this for me… I hope…

Rukia sat at the veranda in her room. She stared at the view before her. She didn't know what she would do when she meet her father's soon-to-be bride and her son. She didn't want to ruin everything for her father but she didn't want him to marry again. She swore to herself a long time ago that she will never let him marry again. She didn't want to have a mother. Her father alone was enough for her. She was happy with him alone though he seldom spent time with her. She understood that completely because of his business. He owned the biggest company in Japan after all, the Kuchiki Company.

Rukia sighed heavily. Soon, she heard a knock on her door. She yelled a "Who is it?" and answered by a calm, "It's me mistress."

She knew the owner of the voice. It was her father's long time assistant, Mr. Ukitake Juushirou. She sighed again. She knew what he needed from her. She yelled at him that the door was open. The white haired assistant came inside and walked towards the veranda where Rukia was. He stopped a few miles away from her.

"Mistress, your father has arrived with his girlfriend and her son. Your father wished for your presence at the living room immediately.

Rukia let out a quiet sigh. That was what she was thinking all along. She stood up from her seat and straightened her blue dress as she walked out of her room. Ukitake followed behind her.

Rukia slowly walked down the stairs. She could see the living room downstairs. When she reached the last step, her father saw her and grinned at her. She saw him looked at his 'guests'.

Seems like telling them I'm right behind them… she thought.

As if on cue, the two 'guests' stood up and turned around to her direction. She saw the lady with long curly blonde hair. She knew instantly that she was the lady her father wanted to marry. She couldn't deny that she was really beautiful as her father said. But, physical appearance will not be enough for her to approve this whole wedding arrangement thing. She noticed a tall orange haired boy next to the lady. She kind of think it was funny to see a boy with orange hair but it made him quite cool looking. Not only that, she was also taken aback by his warm but intense amber eyes. That was the first time she saw that kind of eye color so she was pretty shocked. She shook her head mentally when she realized that she had been staring at him for so much longer. She was brought back in the reality by her father introducing her to them.

"Masaki, Ichigo, I want you to meet my daughter, Rukia."

Masaki smiled at her. "Nice to finally meet you, Rukia-chan."

"Don't you dare call me as if we are close!" Rukia spat suddenly. She didn't know but it just came out.

There's no way I'll let her get close to me.

Isshin widened his eyes as he saw Masaki took a step back. She regained her smile though he could tell that she was trying her best to stay calm. She was pretty shock of Rukia's outburst. He knew this would happen. Every people Rukia met, she would always act like a bitch and shot rude comments at them. He scolded her at those times but she didn't learn. But now, he will do whatever it takes for Rukia to treat Masaki and Ichigo right. He will not tolerate her actions further.

Masaki was shocked. She didn't know what she could have done wrong for Rukia to say things like that. And then it hit her. Maybe she didn't want this whole arrangement. She didn't want her father to marry. She then smiled inwardly. That would be nothing to her. She will do her best to prove to her that she loves her father dearly. She knew Rukia will come to accept her as a mother. She knew she was a nice girl and will understand the circumstances present. Masaki's resolution became strong then.

Ichigo threw a glare at the girl. He didn't like her one bit. She was a bitch. How dare she yell at his mother just like that? He couldn't believe that this girl was Isshin's daughter. Isshin was a great man. He was kind, nice and caring. Not like this girl. If he heard she was adopted, he would never be surprised.

"Rukia!" Isshin glared at her.

Rukia crossed her arms against her chest. "What? I'm just saying what crossed in my mind." She said as if what she did was not that big of a deal.

Isshin sighed angrily and was going to scold her but he was stopped by Masaki who gripped his arm. Isshin turned to her and saw her smile at him. "Don't. It's okay."

"But Masaki…"

"So, your name is Masaki?" Masaki nodded at Rukia. "Nice to meet you then." She said uninterested. She then looked at her father.

"You happy now, Dad?"

Isshin clenched his fists, trying his best not to hurt her daughter in front of the guests.

"Rukia, stop this stupid act of yours right now and be good!" Her father hissed. Rukia could tell that he was mad. She sighed and dropped her bitchy act but retained her cold mask.

"I'm sorry about earlier. Let me try again." She glared at his father mentally for making her do this.

"I'm Kuchiki Rukia, nice to meet you. Masaki-san." She gave a fake smile towards the lady who smiled back.

"It's my pleasure to meet you too." She said and then turned to Ichigo. "Anyway, this is my son Ichigo. He was about your age." She said as she nudged her son to say something.

Rukia continued to smile although Ichigo could tell that it was a fake one. She extended her hand towards him for a handshake. "Nice to meet you, Ichigo."

Ichigo stared at her extended hand suspiciously but returned the gesture nonetheless. They shook hands slowly. "Nice to meet you too, Rukia."

Their hands both gripped each other's ones. In a silent way, both of them declared war.

I'll make your life a living hell, strawberry-kun.

I'll never lose to you, midget bitch.

Both of them pulled their hands away but glared at each other.

Rukia pulled away from the glaring contest first. "Very well then, I will just be in my room if you need me." She started to turn around and walked back to where she came from earlier. When she was out of sight, Isshin turned to the mother and son.

"I'm really sorry about what happened. My daughter is having some teenage issues. She's always been like that. I'm sorry." he gave them both an apologetic look.

Masaki giggled. "Don't worry about it. We will be able to talk nicely soon enough. This is just too sudden for her so I understand. Let's just give her some time." she said.

Isshin sighed. "I hope so. Again, I'm sorry." he turned to Ichigo who shrugged. "It's fine with me as long as she don't speak that way towards my mom again."

Masaki smiled. "Oh, Ichigo… you're so sweet." She clung in his son's arm. Ichigo sighed. "Mom… don't talk like that. I'm not a kid anymore."

"But you're still my baby boy."

Ichigo blushed. Masaki giggled more seeing this. Isshin just smiled. He hoped Rukia will learn to trust people again. But he didn't know that it was going to be this hard.

Isshin spoke up. "Anyways, your rooms are all ready. My assistant will take you to your rooms. You need to rest for now."

The two nodded and they were taken to their respective rooms.

Bunch of thanks to:

IchiRuki01 : Thank you! I love the plot of the story so I want to do this now. ^o^ I will do my best!

deadpoolhulk : Thanks for the review~ I hope you like this first chapter. ^^

chOOnyOung17 : Ate! Maraming Salamat po! Nagulat ako sa review niyo! Waaahhh! Thank you so much and please review po! I'm so glad you like the story~ ^^

ashezo: Thanks for the support! Here's my update. Hope you like it! Review soon~ ^o^

Author: So well, how was that? I hope it's good? I did this the whole day! I want to post the first chapter that badly that I finished this today. Guess the next week post will be chapter two.

Read and Review!

~Mari Kia Resha Aishiteru~