"Hey watch out!" a man yelled.

"NOOOOO!" screamed a woman

There was so much pain, I couldn't stand it…and then a wave of blackness washed over me.

I opened my eyes and found myself in the middle of a clearing, surrounded by ancient trees that were a vibrant shade of green. I looked to the left of me and my eyes met with a fox's that was lurking just on the edge of the clearing. As soon as I began to sit up the fox darted away, deeper into the forest. When I reached my feet I was suddenly hit with a wave of panic.

"W-where am I?" I thought "W-who am I?" My hands flew to my face, but they didn't feel like my hands, it didn't feel like my face. I knew nothing and I was so scared, I felt so alone. So I did the only thing I could think of, I cried. I cried so hard and for so long that after I was done I didn't even have the strength to stand and I fell to the ground. I was so tired, my eyes began to close automatically and just before I blacked out I saw a humanoid figure approach me from the woods.

For the second time I opened my eyes in this strange world, except this time I was lying in a bed instead of the grass. I also was not alone this time, sitting right in front of me was a women. She looked 50 with short spiky gray hair, and pale orange eyes. Her outfit consisted of a tiger print kimono that appeared to be very worn but still in good condition.

"I see you're finally awake" the tiger lady spoke "My name is Katy Lynn, what's yours?"

"I'm sorry but I don't know" I replied.

"Hmmm, well I'll just have to give you a name" Katy Lynn stated.

"Huh?" was my oh-so-intelligent response.

"Let's see, you came from far away so your last name is now Mairuzu" she decided "And your first name is Hitomi, because you have such beautiful eyes."

"Umm, I was wondering if I could borrow a mirror" I asked sheepishly "I actually don't know what I look like"

"Oh of course dear" she replied earnestly. Katy Lynn then stepped out of the room; I took this time to take in my surroundings. It was a simple bedroom with wood floors, and only one window on the wall the left of me. Next to me, on my right side, was a wooden dresser and on the other side of the bed was a chair. I assumed that was the chair that Katy Lynn was sitting on when she waited for me to awake. A few seconds later Katy Lynn re-entered the room with a full length mirror.

"Go on and take a look" she encouraged. I warily climbed out of bed and went over to the mirror. The person I saw in the mirror is not who I pictured at all. I saw a girl around the age of eight with brown skin and dark brown curly hair that went just past my shoulders. I had a little button nose, with full peachy colored lips. I had long black lashes on my big round eyes, which were a brilliant shade of dark green. I took a step back to get a good look at the rest of me. I was wearing a yellow kimono with green leaves on it that matched my eyes, and around my waist was a green sash.

"w-wow, is that really me" I said in utter disbelief. The girl looking at me was cute, but not in an obvious way but in a subtle way.

"I think that you are going to grow up to be a very beautiful woman." Katy said smiling at me "Hitomi I have a question for you."

"What is it?"

"Would you like to stay here with me, and be in my family?" I looked at her shocked, I mean I had just met her but she seemed so nice. I also had nowhere else to go, on that note I made my decision

"Miss Katy Lynn" I stated firmly "I would love to stay with you"

Time Lapse: (2 years) Katy taught Hitomi about Soul Society, which is where she was currently residing. Katy lives in the 1st district of Rukon making kimonos and other articles of clothing for wealthier families. Katy will often travel into the woods for supplies. Katy is going to teach Hitomi the ways of weaving, so that she can help with her work.

I reached my hand into the bush in search of some berries that Katy could use to dye her fabric. My basket was already pretty full but I was sure I could fit just a few more in there.

"Hitomi I think that's enough berries for now" yelled Katy from a few bushes away. We were in the middle of the woods in an area where Katy comes regularly. "You don't want to squish any of the berries on the bottom of your basket do you?"

"No ma'am" I responded.

"It's about time that we get back" she stated " We are going to go and visit an old friend of mine, that I haven't seen in a long time" On that note the two of us began to walk back to our house in the first district. We got back and I set my berries down in Katy's room which also doubled as her weaving room.

"Hitomi go on down to the stream and take a quick rinse so you can make a good first impression" Katy Lynn ordered. I walked down to the steam, stripped off my clothes and proceeded to enter the chilly waters. I let the water rinse out all the sticks and other objects that were tangled in my hair. After my rinse I dried off and put on my spare kimono that Katy had made for me. It was peach with teal flowers on it and a teal sash. "Ready to go?" asked Katy.

"Yep" was my reply. We traveled on the main road, to go to this person's house. We passed by many large and beautiful houses on the way there. "Katy's friend must be rich to live in such an important neighborhood" I thought.My feet were getting a little tired from walking, and just as I was about to ask how much further she said that we were here. The house in front of me was not a huge one, it was probably the same size as the house Katy and I lived in.

We approached the door step and Katy knocked on the side of the house, to make the resident aware of our arrival.

"Come in" said a frail female voice. The two of us entered the tiny house, and Katy walked to what appeared to be a little living area. Sitting in the living area holding a cup of tea was a tiny old woman with snow white hair that had been pulled back into a tight bun.

"Hello K" she said in that quiet little voice of hers.

"Hello G" Katy responded back.

"So what brings you to my house today K" G asked

"Just a social visit, I haven't seen you for the better part of two years and I thought I would stop in and say hello" Katy said smiling.

"I see, and who is this that you have brought with you" questioned the old lady.

"This is Hitomi, she's a young girl I found in the woods about two years ago" Katy explained "She is probably the same age as that grandson of yours, what's his name again…..Oh right, Hitsugaya."

"Actually he's here right now, he went outside to go eat some watermelon" G said, she then turned her head to me "why don't you go and join him Hitomi, just head out that door right there" I was a bit hesitant at first, not entirely sure if I should go or not, so I turned to Katy Lynn and she nodded. I headed out the door that G told me and I saw a boy with stark white hair sitting on the edge of the house. He was wearing a black Shihakushō and a white sleeveless haori over that. Sitting on his left was a sheathed sword, and on his right was a plate of watermelon.

He turned around when I stepped out onto the porch like structure that overlooked a valley. My heart caught in my throat when he looked at me. His eyes were vibrant turquoise, yet it wasn't his eyes that made me hold my tongue, it was the icy aura that was being directed at me.

"Who are you?" he said. Those three words chilled me to the bone and I couldn't find the right words to respond.