#Ichihime Christmas in July

[jylener22]

Sooo....

I commissioned a piece back in December from the amazing, wonderful, talented and absolutely incredible @fire-in-the-starry-sky because I was toying with the idea of creating a new story. Needless to say, I never got around to posting that story for Christmas and so then I thought to myself, ‘Self, why don’t you take some time over the next couple of months and get it ready to post around Tanabata/Christmas in July and then that will give you a HUGE opportunity to work out some of the kinks in the story? Great plan, Self, so let’s go with that.’ Again, it should be very obvious to most that my plan went precisely in the opposite direction...

Anyway, I’m posting the picture she drew below and hoping to get the first part of the story posted before the end of today. There’s likely going to be a few installations and I’m not even entirely positive on the title yet, so yeah. It’s business as per usual with me.

I couldn’t be happier with the picture and was completely selfish for not posting it sooner...but @fire-in-the-starry-sky is too great of an artist not to share the amazing work that she does. I also just wanted to bask in the glory of it for as long as possible because she drew it to perfection and beyond my wildest imaginings. I just hope whatever I write lives up to this beautiful piece of artwork.

Stay tuned!

[jylener22]

Tale of the Knight’s Christmas Angel: Part 1

Okay, okay. So, this first part doesn’t get to Ichigo and Orihime yet and I’m not completely satisfied at this point with what I’ve done, but I HAVE to get to sleep tonight and get up in the morning early, so...here’s the best I’ve got. I’ll mull it over tomorrow and see if I can keep moving in this direction or need to start over from scratch...

“How much longer?” “Can you see anything through the keyhole?” “Ouch! You stepped on my foot!” “I’m bored…”

A chorus of hushed whispers from children standing in the hallway outside the ballroom were becoming more and more petulant as time wore on. ‘Holiday cheer’ was gradually declining the longer they had to wait for the most anticipated portion of the evening’s festivities to begin.

Standing slightly off to the side, Ichika looked over at her companion, Nemuri, and said, “One might think they’d never celebrated Christmas before, the way they’re acting.”

Pushing a loose strand of hair back beneath her maid’s cap, Nemuri replied deferentially, “Yes, Miss.”

Giving the young servant, who also happened to be her closest friend as they had grown up alongside each other, a sidelong look, Ichika said, “Oh please, Riri, no one’s paying any attention right now, so you don’t have to be so formal.”

Before the other girl had time to reply, a voice called out from behind the doors, “Welcome to Christmas!”

The ballroom doors opened and the sight of the Christmas tree lit up with seemingly hundreds of candles whose soft, flickering light filled the entire room and the opulent, yet tasteful, decorations in an almost heavenly glow Ichika could barely repress her squeal of delight, but being thirteen years old and practically a young lady in the eyes of the adult guests. Her younger relatives, however, had no such desire or need to hide their enthusiasm and all but sprinted over to the tree, their attention entirely focused on the splendidly wrapped packages piled around and under the tree. Said packages were efficiently distributed and the colorful paper enclosing them was just as swiftly torn asunder to reveal the entracing objects inside.

Glancing around the room, Ichika easily caught sight of her uncle and father who each towered a good head or so above the other adults. While her mother was mostly certainly shorter than most everyone, including a few of the younger guests, it wasn’t difficult to guess that the hostess would be in the same vicinity as the aforementioned gentlemen.

As she approached, her Uncle Byakuya turned in her direction first and said in a low rumble, “Good evening, niece. Have you located your gifts yet?”

Smiling in a way that clearly displayed her genteel upbringing while still being completely natural and sincere, Ichika gave her uncle her most graceful curtsey as she replied, “In a while, Uncle Byakuya. Is there anyway I can be of help with the guests?”

While her uncle gave Ichika an approving look and the barest hint of a smile, her father ran a hand through his hair and laughed as he said, “Who are you and what have you done with my daughter? Last I knew she was still my little girl, but you…” he reached down to brush the back of his fingers along her cheekbone in a familiar gesture of affection, “...you’re quite the young lady.”

Noting just a hint of sadness in her father’s eyes at his last statement, Ichika scrunched up her nose and whispered conspiratorially, “Well, this young lady will never be too old to challenge her old Papa to a good, old-fashioned snow fight.”

Before her father could reply in kind or her uncle interject in his coolest manner, Ichika’s mother cut in, saying, “Oh for heaven’s sake, Renji, don’t. And Ichika, you go and enjoy yourself. This night is for you to enjoy with the others.”

Grasping Ichika’s shoulder and pulling her gently aside, her mother said softly, “One can always enjoy the wonders of Christmas no matter how old they are, but I know I speak for your father and uncle when I say that we all want you to cherish this time while you are still young.”

A commotion from the front of the room stopped Ichika from being able to reply. When she turned to look, it took a moment before she realized that one final guest had just arrived, one whom she had not seen in quite some time and yet had no difficulty in remembering quite vividly. 

Along with the rest of the children, Ichika clambered forward with a cry of, “Mr. Urahara!” and wondered what wonderful thing he might have brought with him on this, the most magical night of the year.