On the thirty-first of May I sit upon a grassy embankment, overlooking the old district canal. The ducks flutter and splutter, the clouds spin in the wind, the pastel green plants surrounding me glide to my affectionate touch. It is five minutes past one and I sit alone. The scent in the wind is strong with blooming life, and the air is thick with summer heat. Today is my best friend's birthday, I am twenty-two and he is sixteen. Before I tell you about my inching future, I will let you explore my fading past.
Back when the bees were frightening, and the sun was a mystery, I had a friend. A friend like no other; and although we lived in the distant corners and canopies of the trees and buildings, we were inseparable. Every summer we would find one another and we would go into the forest for the entire day. We would dangerously leap over forgotten puddles, brave the vast bushes that homed veracious starlings; and despite my nervous disposition, I felt safe beside my best friend as he protected me. Through thick and thin, while brandishing nothing more than a mere stick in one hand, and his lucky koi fish key ring in the other.
My best friend lived in an old wooden country home, perched and sat upon a muddy hill. This mound was surrounded by elusive emerald grass, and large whisked trees down below which were held down by a semi-transparent azure sky. This uncharted land was recluse, and it was hidden from the pollution of the real world. It was far from the seeing eyes of the Karakura people. To me, and to him, it was a child's paradise. When I was older we would meet after school, especially during the holidays. He did not attend school like I did, which was probably how he became an artistic dreamer.
On dark country evenings we would walk through long patches of Cat's Whiskers, and almost always stumble over the same upturned log. When the moon was bright we would lay in amongst the dozing caterpillars, our eyes upon the descending night sky. Our laughs loud, our eyes bright. All the while our hands would be raised to the sky, as we exaggerated what we thought was just beyond our reach.
Sometimes it felt as though we lay there attempting to figure out who we were, who we could be. I still remember that night when we were fifteen, the darkness quelling our once bright features. His head was lopped to one side, his arms that once lay above his head sliding across the grass to prop himself up. I had not been expecting it, but he did not appear to have been planning it. His slow movements, his intoxicating breath hovering over my lips, that gentle kiss he applied.
When we weren't able to meet up he would send me a poem and daisies wrapped in herb mixed paper, the kind that made scented crumbs fall out onto your lap. Every now and again he would also encase his letters with a photo, or three, and a note. One that almost always contained a request for my lips to be pressed against the tops of dandelions. I remember all of those nights were we talked online until I couldn't keep my eyes open.
The way he made me smile, even when I could not see him. It felt as if it would never end, our evenings in the grass. Our nights in the living room looking out at the rain, resting side by side. The way he would come to dinner covered in paint, which his mother would of course complain about. I did not expect to lose such a friend. It had happened so suddenly, and when it came it never left. To this day I am haunted by what is missing in my life; and at night, as I sit at the computer in the dark, I stare at his username's light, just waiting for it to turn green. I can still picture the dandelions on the fence in his yard from my memories, I can hear the sounds made by the insects in the background from when he napped. Those sceneries are still pleasant after all of these years, and yet here I sit alone, willing to trade everything I have in for the hope of hearing him say my name one last time.
For years after I lost my best friend I grieved. In the morning I would put on my makeup and my smile, and at night it would all flow down my cheeks like a black river. Revealing every memory I thought I had left behind so long ago. I miss him, I miss having somebody who cares about me, just like the way he always did. The only thing that gets me through the day until then is the recurring thought that I do not need anything in my life but the things that make me happy.
When I want to break down and cry, I remember my best friend. I remember how I always wanted to look strong in his vivid azure eyes. I guess we can't all wait for shooting stars to fall, but I always threw a coin to decide my fate anyway. That is my past, something that I try to live with and move away from. It is hard to when the simple things in life remind me of him.
Today is his birthday, my best friend was sixteen; and I am twenty-two. Here I sit upon the grassy embankment with an old tattered book, and on the inside there are wild-pressed plants and photos that have stood the test of time. I had been sitting on the bank for a long time, contemplating quietly to myself when a voice calls from the path behind and beyond my back.
"Gwen! The bell's went!" the male voice yelps, causing my head to turn ever so slowly. I guess I could not dwell upon it for a few more minutes, despite my need to be alone for just a little longer. Drifting slowly to my feet I wander across the path.
As the young woman stands up she glances back at the canal one last time. She was now in university and was holding down a dead-end job that did not entertain her anymore. Gwen had always stood out from a lot of people despite her quiet, head-down disposition; for one she had envious emerald hair that was naturally cork screwed, with two ear like tufts coming out at either side of her head where her actual ears would be.
Her hair itself grew down to brush off of the end of her shoulder blades, while the left side of her cheek, and right temple, propped up a two single thick coils of hair, which held themselves in place naturally. As for clothes, Gwen was pretty normal, but her university was not. Here they made everyone wear a standard uniform that looked remarkably similar to that of the Karakura high school pupils'.
Personally she did not know anyone from that school, but she had heard several curious stories about a group of weirdoes that were running amuck in that place. Murmuring softly to herself she entered the large hall which was completely full, apart from the teacher herself. Bobbing up the passageway to her seat the young woman slipped past everyone's chairs, and only once she has sat down, and had gotten out her books, did she turn her head to stare longingly out of the window.
The light was hitting off of her permanently shut eyes with a playful shimmer, something that rarely happened in such a dingy classroom. Apparently a class of high school kids were being shown around today, and her classroom was on the list of places they would be going. At the door there was a pile of moving heads and contorting bodies, a couple of these clumped together lumps sticking out over other shoulders to get a better look inside of the room.
Silently she drummed her fingers off of the desk, starting with her index fingernail, followed by the middle fingernail, and lastly her delicate pinkie. Curiously she then glanced back down at the clump of nervous students from across the road, their uniform did not look all that much different from her own. However, they did have a badge on the pocket of their white shirts, just to make it a little easier to tell them apart.
Hearing her name being echoed out through the classroom the green haired girl pulled her attention carelessly towards the teacher, that faint and irritating smile creeping up the old bat's face.
"Gwen will take all students with an orange card." she squeaked, writing it on the electrical board behind her. Leaning back against the hard seat she glanced down amongst the anxious children, trying to identify which of them visibly had a sunny auburn card, and it seemed as though there was quite a few of them. One looked about twelve, whilst another looked around about thirty. This one in particular was clearly well endowed, with her chest on full display. This had everyone gawking, and it certainly did not make for a very good first impression.
The next to be spotted was a tall muscular boy with bright orange hair, and an even taller male with a naturally dark Spanish tan. The smallest of the lot had short black hair and a bored but sharp expression, she, and the tall raven with glasses beside her, seemed to be the only ones to personally seek her out amongst the mysterious faces above. Being summoned down Gwen muttered to herself with her hands pressed against the desk as she stood up.
Skimming the aisle of chairs, and then the steps, she came down to greet them. They were the last group to be shifted, which was probably better for Gwen since she was not a loud person.
"Hello, I'm Gwen. I will be touring you around the university. If you have any questioned leave them till the end. If you have any special requests, distribute them now." she happily stated, allowing a smile to etch up her face sweetly.
At first they remained quiet, just glancing at each other stiffly.
"I want to see the animal section!" a tall girl squeaks happily, throwing one of her hands in the air.
"The science block." another spoke, with about as much enthusiasm as a plank of wood with a nail driven through it.
"Alright, c'mon then." the young student stated, letting her long flat lips curl up ever so slightly.
In partial silence the group walked down the corridors, while Gwen pointed her hand up every so often.
"This is the animal care area, it isn't a professional unit and is just your basic introduction into veterinary science. You go out on field work, get experience, etcetera." the woman chirped, throwing her arm out calmly to point at some of the classrooms at work. Glancing back at them she hums, there was something different about this group. One in particular had been burning holes into her back, his eyes drawn aimlessly over her figure as he examined her. The raven with the glasses was very observant, something that took her interest.
Rarely anyone actually cared or spoke during the trip, since this was a forced excursion and not a chosen trip.
"What are your names anyway?" Gwen enquired, trying to break the silence as they went through the empty and pointless corridors to the other building.
"I'm Inoue Orihime." the bubbly ginger answered, glancing about to see no one else was going to reply.
"Nice to meet you then, Orihime." the green haired girl replied, looking at her from the corner of her eye when she turned her head to look over her shoulder.
"Can I ask you a question, it's a bit off topic?" someone enquired, gaining her attention despite her keeping her back to them.
"Shoot." she happily spoke.
"Do you believe in Spirits?" they asked, causing her to tilt her head up to look at the ceiling.
"Ehhh?" Gwen questioned, blinking. "Spirits?" she then spoke, turning to walk backwards to look at them.
"I was looking at your bracelet… It's for warding off spirits isn't it?" the largest of the group enquired, causing her to peer down at her wooden beads.
"Ah, these old things? They're just a family heirloom. I've never been a spiritual person. " she soon replied gently, stopping inches from a door behind her as if she had been looking at it the entire time.
Putting her hands onto the large door a playful smile trickled up her features, her fingers spreading out as she pressed the double doors open. "Welcome to the science block." she chirruped, pressing firmly on the door. "Ehhh?" the young woman mimicked like before, turning to pull on the metal handles instead. "Tsk, the door is locked. I'll go and get a member of staff. How about you go back to the animal rooms while I get a key and set up, I'm sure they'll happily let you stroke the rabbits." the green haired woman spoke, walking off swiftly. "Sorry for the inconvenience!" she hollered back, disappearing behind another door.
Gliding back down the corridor she could see the group had dispersed, but hopefully they had not gotten lost. At the doors she slipped the key inside the lock and turned it quickly, but the door still would not budge. This annoying fact causing her sleek eyebrows to furrow.
"What in the world?" she grumbled, sticking her face up against the glass to try see what was inside. Trying to shove whatever it was out of the way by using the door Gwen strained her expression, the wooden panel starting to slide stubbornly. Wobbling on her feet the door suddenly flung open, causing her to stumble forward but not fall. Silently she thanked her fast reflexes, her head peeping into the dark ominous room. "Weird, there should be a class on today." she stated, flicking on the lights.
In the very back of the room a black, fast moving figure bolted about. Following it with her eyes her lips parted with both confusion and shock, did one of the animals escape from the other block?
"Hello?" Gwen enquired, her voice echoing through the large spacious room. "I saw you running around little animal. C'mon out and I'll bring you back to the other block!" the green haired woman stated, putting the keys down on the table. Ducking down to look between the table legs and stools her head creaked to one side, the black figure was curled up at the very back of the room from what she could tell. "Here little bunny." she called out, straightening up to weave around another table towards it. "I've got a nice carrot for you?" she questioned to herself, patting her pockets for some kind of lure.
Heading deeper into the room the blob suddenly moved like lightening from its spot, her head now whipping around with confusion. Behind her the door had slammed shut, blocking the weak light from getting in. Immersed in darkness Gwen panicked, her immediate reaction being to grab the nearest object and smash whatever got too close over the head. Stepping through the pitch black room she tried to avoid walking into the tables, the less noise she made the better.
Moving quickly past the switches whatever it was kept turning the light on and back off, as if it were trying to track and pinpoint her exact location. "This isn't funny, turn the lights back on." Gwen timidly stated, brandishing the bunsen-burner a little tighter in her hands. Hearing something she glanced around, her eyes being drawn to a light in the distance. It was shaped like a door, but there were slots all around it like some kind of open zip. Inching further towards it she could hear voices, which were getting louder and louder the closer she became.
Stopping just outside it the green haired woman softly furrowed her eyebrows, her face coming closer towards the light. It was like a bright veil of glass, with a vortex on the inside going into the distance like a tunnel. Feeling a firm boot to her backside Gwen yelped, her body tumbling right through the door. She did not stop though, in fact she picked up speed and went hurtling through the unfamiliar passageway.
On the way her face hit off the ground a couple of times, along with her rump. Seeing another bright light gaining in proximity at a fast rate the young woman threw up her arms swiftly. The heavy echo of something smashing ringing through her ears as she tumbled to the floor; but she does not stop moving, not until she had stopped skidding across a hard surface anyway.
She could hear disgruntled muttering by now, followed by incoherent babbling seconds later.
"I got her, dontcha'know?!" a voice boomed, leading off to allow a heavy and sudden weight to send a crack through the echoing room. Something, or someone, had just bounced onto her back to hold her down.
"Dondochakka?" a clear, irritated, and smooth voice enquired. From where Gwen lay it seemed to come from above her, and with that it seemed all the voices were up above her.
"Yes?" whatever was on her back replied energetically.
"That is not her." the once calm voice rumbled, causing the weight to flinch and jump off of her back. A heavy and much needed breath cascading into her lungs seconds later.
"But it is! It is the Orihime girl, I made sure, dontcha'know?!" it rambled quickly, grabbing her by the head to pull her up.
There was a moment of silence after he had said that, but the other voice soon spoke.
"That, which is in your hands, is the wrong human girl!" the man above stated with hidden venomous intent, causing it to flinch once again and drop Gwen to the floor with a thud.
"I'm sorry, I'll put it back doncha'know?!" he reasoned, grabbing onto the green haired woman hoping to make amends for his stupidity.
"It's too late now, the human has crossed over and the portal has shut." the gentle voice now cooed, clearly trying to repress the boiling anger from underneath his skin.
"W-What'll I do with it?" the thing asked, picking her back up slowly.
"I don't care, just get it out of my court room." he grunted passively, while Gwen was thrown over her kidnapper's large and thick shoulder.
"I'll feed her to the arrancar. Dontcha'know?" he chirps, suddenly flinching when the green haired captive knees him in the chest. Flopping back onto her ass the young woman grunts, like hell she was going to be subjected to cannibalism willingly. "There's a kick on her, dontch-" it stated, freezing at the dark expression on her face. Finally she had started to open her eyes, if barely, to look at her attacker.
The sight that met her almost made her screech with shock, it was not even slightly human. Putting her hands on the cold white ground she leans forward, staring at it with a confused expression.
"Someone, put these two idiots outside." the man from above spoke, making her look up at him. He was completely human, in fact he was extremely handsome. Gwen could not examine him for long however, her ears picking up the distinct sound of footsteps getting closer. Soon enough something new had grabbed the back of her shirt roughly, lifting her up off the ground, her head trying to creak around to look at them.
"I'll deal with them, Lord Aizen-Sama." this pink haired man spoke, waltzing out of the room in a flamboyant fashion with the annoying fat creature in tow behind him.