~~Someone's POV~~
My name is Airi Yokaze and I am female Shinigami or soul reaper and this is my story. Let me start at the beginning…like many others I died and was sent to the Rukongai. I don't remember the exact area I was in growing up, but as I grew I knew I wanted out of there. So I enrolled in Soul Reaper academy and was accepted. I was a year under Renji, Momo, and Izuru and for some odd reason as I began to grow stronger any of the Hell Butterflies that dwelled at the school would flutter around me making everyone wonder including myself. The reason the butterflies liked me is still a mystery to this day, but due to them hanging around me I never had a boyfriend or any friends in school. To be honest that was fine by me, it gave me time to work on my studies.
One day my class was told we were going to the world of the living to take on some dummy Hollows. We were also warned about what happened to another group who went to the world of the living. I was surprised when it was said that it was Renji and the others group that got attacked. Before we went through the portal leading to the testing area we were told to team up with two others, but since my class had an odd amount I was left out. I didn't mind, that meant I just had to keep on my toes and more then likely I would be on my own to deal with a Hollow anyway.
After arriving in the world of the living we all split up with our groups to take on the dummy Hollows. A few hours later was when everything changed. I had just taken down one of the 'Hollows' with Kido and my sword, I knew my swords name, Kazekisaki, and all, but she didn't want me to release her just yet, when I heard screams and an unearthly howl. When we were studying Hollows in the classroom we were played a tape of what a real Hollow might sound like and that is the sound I heard. I recognized the other screams as the screams of my classmates. So I rushed to where I heard them to see them trapped by a real Hollow. "Hey!" I shouted gaining the Hollow's attention, "Bakudo number 61, Rikujokoro!" What I spoke was a binding kido that cause five petals of light appear around the target before paralyzing it. Once I had the Hollow pinned I glanced over at my 3 classmates who were shaking with fear. "Hurry! Get back to the portal and warn them about this! I'll try to keep it from following!" I hollered at them. The nodded dumbly before rushing away.
'Watch your back!' I heard Kaze shout in my head. I call my Zanpaktou Kaze for short at times.
I whipped around to see the Hollow break free of my kido. "Shit!" I cursed under my breath. I leapt back as it swiped at me.
'Airi!' I heard Kaze shout again before the feel of claws tearing into my back came and I feel to the ground on my stomach.
"Damnit!" I swore as I saw red near me. I glanced at the second Hollow as it joined the first. 'Kaze, I don't see any other way out of this,' I sent to her.
'Your right. Release me and lets be done with these two before you bleed out,' she told me.
'You got it.' I got back to my feet and glared at the two Hollows as I pointed my sword at them. "Flutter… Kazekisaki!" I called out. My whole Zanpaktou disappeared like a breeze on the wind before turning into a pair of gunsen, war fans, which I held in one in each hand. The fans were a dark green color with spikes at certain points on each of them. 'Ready?' I questioned my Zanpaktou.
'Do it,' I heard her voice order.
"As you wish," I murmured out loud before I leapt up high into the air. "Kamisoriboufuu!" I hollered as I swung each fan towards the Hollows causing blades of wind to launch themselves at them. I kept swing my fans knowing that Hollows were not easy to kill even the weaker ones so I was sending multiple attacks at them. Soon I defeated them, but I could feel myself growing weaker.
'Airi, hurry! Get back to the portal!'
"I'm…going," and with my best flash step I rushed back to the portal where I know that the teachers were waiting to make sure every student was safe back in the Soul Society. Soon I could see the portal ahead of, but my sight was getting blurry. I heard one of the teachers say that they saw me approaching, but at the moment I blanked out. When I next awoke I found myself in a bed unsure how I got there. "I guess the teachers brought me here," I said to myself.
"Yes they did and you gave us all quiet a scare unsure if you would make it," came a kind female voice.
I glanced to the doorway to the room and to my surprise Retsu Unohana, captain of squad four, which was known for healing and other minor jobs around the Seireitei, was standing there. "C-captain Unohana!" I exclaimed surprised, "What are you doing here at school?"
"You're not at the school. You are in the squad four barracks because you were so wounded," she replied as she came to my bedside.
Slowly I sat up unsure how my body would feel. "Did those three other students I helped make it back safely?" I asked.
"They did. I was told by your teachers that not many of your fellow students like you because the Hell Butterflies like to hang around you so why did you help them?" Unohana questioned me.
"Honestly I have no clue. But they told us what had happened to Shuhei Hisagi when he lead a group of students to the world of the living like us to train so I guess deep down I didn't want any of my class to die when I heard those screams. Basically I acted like I was on a squad protecting my other classmates like squad members, which in a way they are in a sense," I stated.
"I see," she replied, "Airi, there is something else you should know. When you attacked from behind the wound…if it had gone any deeper it would've crippled you or killed you. Instead your wound was easy to mend, but it has left a scar running along her backbone on your back."
"C-can I see it?" I asked and she nodded. She called in Isane Kotetsu and with two mirrors, one before me and the other behind me, I was able to see the scar. I was shocked how bad it looked. I gulped; I could've died from it if the battle had taken longer.
"It's not that bad Airi," Isane said to me.
"Your not the one who has to live with it on her back," I retorted calmly, "I guess I really have to visit the hot springs alone or I'll scare the other girls with the scare." After resting in squad four for a couple of days I returned to school and everyone would watch me as I walked through the halls and even in class. I guess some of them were intimidated while others…I don't know what they were watching me for. The rest of the year went by quickly and I grew stronger and more aware of myself along with how to keep my back safe from any further harm, but I knew that there were more ways to get stronger. On graduation day for Renji and the others I was envious of them getting to leave school and join a squad. I wanted school to be done with soon so I could join a squad as well and try to make some new friends. I sighed as I walked away from the squad board that was at the entrance of school heading off to go behind the school to train myself again, but that was when everything changed.
"Miss?" I heard a male voice call.
I glanced around until I saw a small elderly looking man dressed sort of like a servant looking right at me. "Um…yes…can I help you?" I asked in reply unsure.
"Are you the one called Airi Yokaze?"
"Yes I am. What is this about?" I asked still a little suspicious.
"My master would to speak with in private about something," the man replied.
"Sorry, if your master would like to speak to me then tell them to come and talk to me themselves," I said moving to leave.
"Airi," came a voice I knew well. I turned to see Unohana approaching me and the man. Every once in awhile I would go to Squad four and get an update on how bad my scare was. If it started to affect my abilities to be a soul reaper then I would worry.
"Captain Unohana," I said in surprise.
"This man's lord is not a shady person as you think," she said. That coming from a captain I trusted with my scare I knew I could trust. "If you wish I will accompany you to see him."
"Thank you Unohana. I would like some company," I said bowing to her then I turned back to the man, "Lead us to this lord of yours so we can get this over with."
The man nodded leading us into a meeting room in the school where a tall male figure stood with his back to us. After the man who led us to the room shut the door he addressed the tall man. "My lord, she is here along with Captain Unohana," he said.
The man turned and my jaw dropped. It was Squad 6 Captain Byakuya Kuchiki. "So you are Airi Yokaze," he said gazing at me with his always-cool gaze.
"Y-yes I am," I stammered unsure what else to say to him. As he stepped closer to me I lower my gaze.
"I am requesting that you are put onto my squad as a third seat." When those words left his mouth my surprised gaze shot to him unsure if I heard him right.
"You…are requesting…that I be third seat in your squad?" I asked slowly.
"You have a problem with Lord Byakuya's request?" the servant questioned me.
"In a way," I replied, "This is not the year I graduate from the school. Wouldn't someone else, one of those who graduated be a good choice for a third seat rather then me? I would like to escape all the looks I get and everything as quick as possible, but I also believe I am not ready to take on the full responsibilities of a Soul Reaper yet."
"You are quite the Soul Reaper already," Unohana said drawing my attention, "You are far more advanced then anyone else in your class. Able to know your Zanpaktou's name, knowing the release command for it, and you can use kido without having to use the chant. Not many are able to do all three at the same time and not many can survive what you have been through."
"Really?" I questioned her to which she nodded. I was special? I turned my gaze back to Byakuya. "If I do accept your request what would be asked of me?"
"You will go on missions I assign for you or for the squad and until a Lieutenant for the squad can be found," Byakuya stated simply.
"I see." I then glanced down at Kazekisaki. 'What do you think? Should we do it?'
'Where ever you go I go, but in my opinion I say do it. It may help us get even strong and puts us in different situations then what they would have here at your school,' she replied.
'Fine.' I looked back to the three before me. "I will accept your offer to have me as your third seat. I still feel I don't deserve the spot, but I will work hard to prove myself and others wrong." Byakuya seemed to like my answer because he only nodded at my statement while Unohana and Byakuya's servant smiled. My life was now going to change.
For the better? I have no idea.
Too be continued…