I walked sullenly along the dirt road that was in between towering wooden fences that blocked off the yards of all the neighbors. The sun was shining in the cool morning sky. It was so quiet around here, in the 1st District of West Rukongai: Junrin'an. Who am I? And why, you might ask, am I here in the first place? Well, let me explain.
My name is Nazeka Mamori, and I was once a human. That's right, you heard me: once a human. I'm dead now. I died from being attacked by this huge creature that was later explained to me as a Hollow. I'm fifteen… or at least I was. I have medium length black hair with a great deal of side bangs to my left, hazel eyes, and I'm pretty short for my age.
After dying, I was sent through a cycle called the Dangai Precipice World, and then I ended up here in what is called the Soul Society. It's separated into two different sections called the Rukongai and the Seireitei. I arrived in the outskirts of the Seireitei, though I didn't know where I was or that I wasn't allowed in there. You see, only Shinigami are allowed inside the Seireitei. Ordinary souls aren't allowed there, and are treated like dirt.
Well, when I arrived there, I was immediately found by the Shinigami there and taken before the head council called the Gotei 13 to be trialed as either a spy or just a rule breaker (for you see, it's extremely hard to get inside the Seireitei). A captain there took pity on me after I pleaded for my innocence and explained that I just ended up there. During the 'trial', they realized I had what they called 'an extremely high reiatsu'. I was then forced to enter the academy for Shinigami here, and after that, I was given a day of free time and a day to get ready for the school.
So, here I am, wandering around the Rukongai for my free day. Might as well get used to my new home, right? I continued to walk down the dirt path, bored as hell. The only noises were from up ahead. A loud girl was shouting about leaving to go to school. No doubt she would be one of my future classmates. The respondent was an impudent sounding boy, while the small voice of his grandmother was heard scolding him.
I was just passing the gate to their home when the girl who I had heard ran into me, knocking me over. I hit the ground with a thud, while the girl apologized quickly, "Oh! I'm so sorry! Ah, Shirou-chan! Will you apologize to her for me?" She ran off after that, wearing a white and red shihakushou—the Shinigami uniform. She had her hair in low pigtails and had a bit of a baby-ish face.
"OI! Momo! Get back here and tell her that yourself!" The boy yelled, coming to the gate and watching as she ran off. He had spiky white hair—not something I was used to… especially for a kid,—turquoise eyes, a cold essence around him, and he wore a pale blue kimono. He groaned, sighed, and then stared at the dirt road for a time. Then he offered his hand unwillingly to me. I grasped it and he helped me to my feet.
"Thanks." I said, dusting myself off. Oh, let me quickly describe what I myself am wearing. It looks quite like the black shihakushou that the shinigami wear, except sleeveless and more like a tank top for a shirt. My pants are nearly the same, except without the belt and the white tape. I loaned a pair of the sandals though, from the captain who had taken pity on me: Juushirou Ukitake.
"Tch, just go home shinigami." He said, his voice filled with hate.
"Huh? Shinigami? No, I'm not a shinigami. I'm just a regular soul." I said, waving my hands in front of me to explain that I wasn't bad. He just glared at me saying, "Then why are you wearing their uniform?"
"I'm not. See? It's different… although I did borrow the shoes from Captain Ukitake… so I guess I do have a part of the uniform."
"You borrowed something from a captain? Tch, so you are a shinigami."
"I told you, I'm not. I'm actually staying at his barracks with the rest of his division. He and Lieutenant Shiba are very kind. So," I asked him, "what's your name?"
He shrugged and muttered, "Toushirou Hitsugaya."
"Alright, Toushirou. My name is Nazeka Mamori. So, you obviously live around here. What can you tell me… about… this place…?" I stuttered as I watched him turn around and head back into the yard. It was quite barren, but there were a few plants and a bamboo fountain there as well. I folded my arms and yelled, "Hey! You're really rude, you know that!"
He ignored me and just kept on walking toward his house. His grandmother was nowhere to be seen. Toushirou hopped up onto the raised wrap-around porch after discarding his shoes and went around the side of the house. Damn, I thought, what's his problem? I chased after him after taking off my own sandals, leaving me in my tabi. I slid a few times on the slick wood, but I managed to catch up with him, grabbing him by his shoulder and making him stop.
"Hey, what's your problem? I only asked for some information on the area and you just looked the other way! Are you always such a little brat?"
"Just shut up and go away!"
"Make me, you little midget!"
His blood seemed to boil at that statement, and I knew instantly, as a fellow midget, that I had hit a nerve. He gritted his teeth, "Who're you calling a midget!? You're not much taller than me!"
"Who cares? I'm still taller, kid!"
"I'm not a kid! Hell, I'm probably twice your age!"
"'Scuse me? You? Ha, like I'd ever believe that."
"Then how old are you?"
"Fifteen."
"Told you. You're fifteen because you were once a soul in the World of the Living, weren't you? You still don't get it."
"I've only been here one day. I'm not supposed to get it yet."
"Here in the Soul Society, we age differently. I'm still twice your age, yet I look like I'm eight. You're only fifteen because you died when you were fifteen. You won't change at all, while I will get taller and start to mature. Just think of it as immortality."
"Toushirou! I hope you're not being mean to your friend there," his grandmother came out and smiled the way all grandparents do when they see their grandchildren. She was old and wrinkled, her gray hair pulled back into a tight bun. She was a little pudgy, but that just made her look even more welcoming in her lilac kimono. She was just a little taller than Toushirou, which made me feel like I was much taller, even though I was only a little taller than the both of them. He grimaced, "She's not my friend."
"You should try to make more friends. If you keep acting that way, you will never get anywhere with relationships."
"Why would I even want to get close to anybody? Everyone treats me like I'm something to be afraid of! There isn't anyone else except you and Momo who treat me like I have feelings." Oh, he's just like me when I was in the World of the Living. The World of the Living is what they call the human world.
"What about her?" His grandmother offered, gesturing to me. The fact that I was still holding his shoulder and that I had just barged into their home only then dawned on me. He groaned, "Why would I want to be friends with her?"
"Hey…" I muttered, Stupid kid. If he wants friends, then he's got to treat people better.
"I think you should give her a chance, little Shiro." I could hear him groan almost inaudibly when she said his name like that. He glared at me while his grandma continued, "Oh, where are my manners? I'm Toushirou's grandmother. You can call me grandma or granny if you like. What's your name, dear?"
"I'm Nazeka Mamori, ma'am." I said, quickly bowing in respect. She chuckled and assured me I didn't have to be so formal.
"You're welcome here any time, Nazeka. I hope you and Toushirou get along a little better. Now, I'll leave you two alone while I go and do the laundry."
"Oh, thank you!" I said, glad that I had just gotten to know someone other than Ukitake and his squad and the little midget beside me. She left, walking around the other side through the garden. Toushirou didn't look at me but continued to stare at the wooden porch. I sighed and tapped his shoulder, smiling as best I could, "Alright, let's start over, okay?"
"…Fine. But I'm not doing it because I want to. I'm doing it for Granny." He muttered.
"You two seem really close."
"We are. Granny and Momo are the only ones that seem to understand me."
"So, why are people so afraid of you?"
Toushirou sat down on the edge of the porch. I joined him, enjoying the sunshine that poured onto the warm wood. "You mean you can't tell? Tch, gimme a break, it's quite obvious. I've never done anything to anyone, but they just look at me and try to avoid me. Maybe it's because of my white hair or my blue-green eyes… or maybe it's my cold personality. I was born with it, you know. I have trouble not acting that way. Everybody says, 'I'm just like ice'."
"I don't think it's something that someone should be afraid of. Your physical appearance, I mean. Of course, you could always work a little harder at your personality and the way you treat other people, but what you are now won't go away, so you'll always have trouble."
"Don't start giving me advice on something you don't understand."
"I understand perfectly. In the World of the Living, I was an orphan. My parents died from polio when I was really little. My aunt had died in a car crash, and my other aunt was sick from polio as well. The epidemic is still raging though, even in the 1940's. Some of the girls in my class died from polio. A good friend of my parents was assigned to take care of me, and so I lived with her until I was old enough to live on my own. She owned an apartment complex, so I just stayed there, paying the rent with a job and everything. But, since I was so different from everyone else… I mean, I was living on my own, I was an orphan, trouble always followed me, and I could see spirits—"
"—you could see spirits? So, you had a high reiatsu as a human too, huh?"
"I guess. But anyway, people stayed away from me. I had no friends. Not one. Wherever I went, something always bad happened, but that wasn't ever my fault. Those things that are called Hollows kept following me and causing problems, but I was blamed for everything.
"So you see you're not the only one who's had it rough too. That's why I can give you advice about this. I've been through everything you're dealing with now."
He stayed silent, not sure how to handle the situation. Could he possibly try and be nice to her? But that just seemed so against his nature… but he could try—would try.
"I see. Thanks."
"For what?"
"For understanding…"
"Oh, you're welcome."
We were silent for a while, but it wasn't awkward like before. He seemed much more relaxed around me, and now he was just enjoying the nice weather like me. It wasn't too hot, or too cold. I wondered if he didn't enjoy the heat as well, if he was truly like ice.
"So, I have a question," I said as I leaned onto my back, my voice piercing the silence, "do you prefer the cold or the hot?"
"Cold. Winter's the best. I hate summer or any heat for that matter. I don't see how anyone can stand it."
"Oh, so you really are like ice."
"Huh? What are you…? Oh, I gotcha. Now what about you? Which do you prefer?"
"Neither. Or you could say both. Fall and spring are the best because they're not too hot or too cold, just like it is right now."
"Hm, I suppose that would make sense."
"Can you tell me more about the Soul Society? I really don't know much."
"Why are you in such a rush to learn everything? You have all eternity to do it."
I sat up and frowned, "Not really…" I explained everything to him: what happened to me after I died, how I died, my trial, and why I'm staying at Captain Ukitake's place.
"I hate Shinigami!"
"But why do you hate them so much?"
"Why don't you hate them?"
"Please don't answer my question with a question."
"Like I care. The Shinigami treat everyone like dirt here in the Rukongai. It doesn't matter if we die to them. They live a life of luxury while everyone else in all 320 districts die of violence, sickness, and Hollows. We have very good reason to hate them."
"Yet they keep it from being overrun with Hollows and they help keep up minor problems, like food supply."
"At least you know that much. They're teaching you that Shinigami are okay already."
"Well, I have to start thinking like one now."
"Why? Just because you live with them for now doesn't mean you have to think and act like them too."
"That's not it. I'll be living there from now on. As of the day after tomorrow, I will be officially registered in the Academy for Shinigami. I don't want to go at all, but the head captain is making me. He says that I have an extremely high reiatsu, and that since there are three open captain positions, he thinks that I should be able to fill one of those roles. So, day after tomorrow, you're friend that ran me over will be my classmate."
"Will I not be able to see you that often?"
His question startled me. Was he… was he being nice to me? Did he actually like me? Maybe it was because I could relate to his problems as being alone in the world. I tried to stay serious as I thought how I should phrase the answer.
"So, are you saying you like having me around?"
He blushed and frowned, quickly responding, "N-no. That's not it. I just think that Granny could use some help around here. I mean, she's really old and I can help and all, but sometimes I'm not able to do certain things. Besides, I think it'll do her good having another girl around here since Momo's gone now. And…"
He continued, but I wasn't listening. I smiled, knowing that it was just an excuse. He slowed his speech and looked at me, "You're not paying attention at all, are you?"
"Nope."
"Argh, alright, so I'm being nice to you. Big deal. It's only because you understand. But it won't last if you start treating me like the others," he warned, standing up, his voice filled with sadness. I really didn't know what to say. After all, how often would I be seeing him? I couldn't promise him anything—I didn't have to right to. I had absolutely no rights at all. You could say I had been labeled a dog of the Gotei 13 from the moment I arrived. But still, what was I supposed to tell him? I couldn't just say that I'd see him every day, nor could I say that I wouldn't see him at all.
I sighed and said softly, "Well, I will never treat you the way the others do, Toushirou. But I really can't promise you anything. I don't know when I'll have free time or when I'll be able to do anything other than studies and training at school."
"But you're missing one major point, stupid."
A nerve twitched in my forehead, "Stupid? Who're you calling st—?"
"—You have holidays. Weekends, holidays—they exist. You're free every Saturday and Sunday, and all holidays of the Soul Society. You can come visit me then!"
Holidays? Weekends? How could I have forgotten about them! The weekends were what kept me alive all those years! And without holidays, I would've died sooner!
"You're right… I completely forgot about those!"
"See?"
"Yes! My second life is saved!" I punched my fist into the air. Weekends… how relieving.
--
"Oi! Can't you at least say bye?" Toushirou hollered, making me laugh.
"Yes. Bye, Toushirou! Hopefully I'll see you again soon!"
I walked out of the yard and past the gate, heading home to the Seireitei. Getting in was easy, now that I had a pass from Ukitake. The hard part was getting around the place. It was a maze of buildings, and I was surprised that anyone could've found their way around the place. I even had to ask for directions a few times from a guy wearing white things on his head that looked extremely superior, another time from a guy with long black hair and a pink haired kid on his back, and once more from a guy with red spiky hair… but he wasn't much help.
Eventually I reached Squad 13's barracks (the sun is already set, so I'm completely in the dark). Captain Ukitake was standing at the gate, obviously waiting for me.
"Sorry sir, I was, um… well, I got lost."
I was expecting him to scold me for being out late, or something like that, but he didn't. He merely laughed and opened the gate to let us both in, "No apologies. It's nothing serious. I even get lost sometimes. The Seireitei is one of the most confusing places here in the Soul Society."
"So, sir, are you feeling better? I really hope you didn't get out of bed just to wait for me…" (You see, he was in bed from some sort of disease that he has. If anything, I'd guess Tuberculosis.)
"Oh no, I'm feeling much better. Otherwise, I would have sent Shiba to come and wait for you."
"Oh, I'm glad, sir."
"Please, stop calling me sir. You're not part of my squad but then you are. More like family I suppose. So just call me Ukitake, or if you want to, Juushirou.
"Thank you s—er, I mean Ukitake!"
He smiled and showed me to my room, wished me a good night's sleep, and left to his own room. Not soon after was I laying in bed, exhausted, but quite happy, with how the day had turned out.