Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach or its associated characters. Most characters in this story, however, are of my creation.
Everything around me is hazy and dark. I can't see very well, but I know that someone is in front of me. They are pulling me forward by my wrist. The ground shook under my feet as they pound against the pavement. Something was chasing us. I didn't know what it was and couldn't see it when I looked behind me. Suddenly the person in front of me began to fall and I tripped over them, rolling away. The person, I couldn't see their face, couldn't place a name, pulled me to my feet again.
I let out a small cry in surprise as two hands push me roughly aside, making me stumble back onto the ground. As I land on the pavement I can hear the sickening noise of crunching concrete and an agony filled scream that sent terror stabbing through my heart. Snapping my head up, I can see the person-just a boy- being held by an invisible force several feet in the air; The concrete of the building cracked and crushed around his body. I screamed something, but I can't remember what it was. The boy opened his mouth to scream again as his body was crushed more, but only violent coughs escaped from him as blood erupted through his mouth from his lungs.
A strangled cry rips its way out of my throat as I shot up in my makeshift bed. I gasp for breath and look around me wildly, the familiar walls of the wooden shack meet my eyes. Around me my two friends, Yuri and Ren, and the old man we share the "house" with, his name is Kytoshi, are still sleeping soundly. Taking a deep breath, I kick the thin blanket off me and quickly, but as quietly as I can, I leave the small hut and walk outside.
My face feels cold and wet, and, reaching up to touch my cheek curiously with my hand, I discover the evidence of tears. With a growl of frustration I scrub my face with my hands. I've been having that weird dream for days now. Each night it gains more and more detail and I can almost place what it is and who that boy is but every time I think I'm close to figuring it out it slips out of my fingers.
" Hey, you ok Haru?" Yuri's voice suddenly asks me. I snap my head around to look at the girl's skinny frame. She's fifteen, a year younger than me, but a little short and very skinny. She walks out hesitantly, brushing some of her messy brown hair behind her shoulder.
" Yeah, I'm fine. Just that dream again." I look away from her and down the dirt path that is the main road of our outer Rukon District village. We're actually the village on the very outer edge of the Rukon. The village is poor and its hard here. Virtually no one ever comes to the town unless they're new to the Soul Society and wander in. The only real way to get to anywhere better than here would be to become a Soul Reaper, but that has never happened. No Soul Reapers ever come here.
" Seems like this one was worse than the others."
" You could say that." I answered sheepishly, rubbing the back of my neck. That boy's agonized scream was ringing through my mind again.
" Did you figure out who the boy is?"
I sigh, dropping my hand back to my side. " No. Every time I'm close it slips away."
" I found a book yesterday in one of those ruined buildings in the woods. It said that sometimes souls can hold on to the memories of their human lives. Maybe that's what this dream is?"
" Maybe. But I don't get why it keeps bugging me."
" Maybe it's a warning. Your body's way of telling you that you need to remember something."
" Why would I want to remember someone dying?"
She was quiet a moment. " I don't know. Maybe so you can find them here. Anyway, it's still late. Are you coming back in?" She looked up at me with her pale brown eyes, they almost looked golden.
" Yeah, I'm coming." I follow her back into the small hut to attempt to get more sleep.
" Wake up you lazy teenagers!" Kytoshi shouted, pulling open the door and allowing an onslaught of sunlight to attack our still sleep hazed eyes.
" Ah, Kytoshi, what the Hell?" Ren exclaimed, pulling his thin, green blanket over his head.
" What's going on?" Yuri asked, rubbing her eyes tiredly.
" Something happen?" I ask, climbing to my feet and stretching.
"The Village Leader called for everybody to report to the town square immediately. Now hurry up or we'll be late!"
We didn't have clothes to change into, so we were all ready within a few minutes and walking down the dirt road towards the center of the small village. " I wonder what the problem is." Yuri mused aloud.
" Probably just another Hollow warning. There's been a lot lately." I said.
" Yeah and they're always false alarms. No hollows ever attack here." Ren complained. He jumped ahead of us and turned around, walking backwards. " But wouldn't it be cool if one did? We'd get to see a real Hollow and maybe even a Soul Reaper!" He yelled in excitement.
" You do realize that Hollows eat souls like us, right?" I asked in a deadpan voice.
" Yeah, but we could take one! Like to see a Hollow take me and you on, Haru! We'd send it running back to Hueco Mundo!" I just laughed at his enthusiasm. Yuri's laugh joined mine.
" You're delusional, boy." Kytoshi said in a joking tone. Ren just grinned, turning back around and falling into step with us. Soon we met up with the small crowd. In the center was a makeshift stage and on it was the town leader; a tall, lanky man with grey hair and a short beard.
" Attention everyone! You have all been called here this morning due to the sighting of Hollows near this area. We weren't given many details, but I have been told to make sure that you all stay in the village." His deep voice spoke to us.
" And if there is a hollow here, what difference will it make if we stay here or not?" A man in the crowd shouted.
" If there are hollows we need someone to kill them otherwise we aren't safe regardless of where we are!" Someone else shouted. Everyone was tired of being depraved of a day to get things done in the village because of false alarms. Around here there was a lot to be done every day to keep everything working right.
" Yeah, who's going to save us if it does attack?" A woman shouted.
" That would be me. I am Captain Hitsugaya of Squad Ten." A voice said coolly from above us. Everyone looked up quickly to see the Soul Reaper standing calmly on the roof of a nearby hut. He hopped down onto the small stage next to the Town Leader. He turned to address him, " I have checked in the woods around the village and not found anything." That sad, he turned again, this time to face us. Never has a Soul Reaper came to our village, much less a Captain. " For now, you have no need to be alarmed. I will remain until the threat has passed. If you must leave the village, do not go far, otherwise carry on as if nothing was amiss."
" Whoa…" I breathed as I stared at him. He looked like he was the same age as me. His black shihakushō and white Haori swept behind him as he walked gracefully off the stage, the number ten written on the back of it. His Zanpakutō was strapped to his back with a thin chain that had a gold ornament in the center that matched the hilt of his long blade and a teal colored scarf was wrapped around his neck. His hair was shockingly white and his bangs hung over the left side of his forehead, slightly in his bright turquoise eyes. Despite his young appearance, he looked every bit of how I imagined a Captain would.
" A… Captain…" Ren whispered in awe, watching him as he walked through the crowd, a chilly air sweeping by us as he passed and walked away down the road, looking around the village, expression unreadable. " I can't believe I'm actually seeing this!" He whispered in excitement.
" He sure is handsome." Yuri sighed, staring dreamily after him. Ren snapped to attention and looked at her, jealously flooding his features. He had had a crush on her for I don't even know how long. I laughed quietly, casting a glance at the two of them.
" Well, he said that as long as we didn't go too far we could carry on like normal."
" And you three need to go find some wood to patch up the hut in preparation for that storm coming." Kytoshi informed us.
The three of us sighed and trudged down the path towards the woods. He says there will be a storm, but no one really believes him. He's been saying it for days now, but all we've had is perfect sunny weather. Storms are rare in the Soul Society, but he swears that there is one on the way and that it will be the storm of all storms. We walked through the woods searching for some wooden planks, talking about the appearance of Captain Hitsugaya. A lot of them could be found if you knew where to look because of all the abandoned and destroyed houses in the forest. " I can't believe there's a Captain here!" Ren exclaimed.
" Yeah, it's hard to believe. I can't help but wonder why they would send such a high ranking officer just because of some Hollows, though." I said, picking up a fallen branch and using it as a walking stick.
" It is strange, but I'm sure they have their reasons. I wonder if any of us will get to talk to him." Yuri commented, clasping her hands together in front of her in anticipation, the same dreamy expression as before lighting her features. " That would be so cool." She paused a moment as a thought seemed to strike her and glanced at me. " You know, now that I think about it, you and Captain Hitsugaya look a lot alike. Minus the hair color."
We stopped walking as Ren and Yuri began staring at me. " She's right. If you had white hair instead of black and it was a bit longer, you'd be twins!" He commented.
I lifted an eyebrow at them. " You think so? Well wouldn't that be something." Laughed, immediately brushing off the comments as I began walking again.
" I wonder if he could teach us some kidō or something!" Ren exclaimed, shifting the subject.
" You can only use kidō if you have reiatsu and I don't think any of us do." I commented offhandedly, surveying the area for wood or danger. The last thing we need is to be the ones that stumble across a hollow.
" Maybe we should split up. Not go too far from each other, but just look in different directions." Yuri suggested.
" Sounds like a good idea." I said, continuing straight as Yuri went left towards a cluster of large trees and Ren walked off towards a clearing with several small hills to the right.
I used this time to think on my dream. Could it be a coincidence that I keep having that dream and now a Soul Reaper Captain appears? One that apparently looks almost identical to me? And what if my mind is trying to make me remember someone, could I have know this Captain Hitsugaya when I was alive? I think I would remember someone with snow white hair, but then again I don't know. It's not like I really remember anything from when I was alive.
We searched for only a few minutes Ren's triumphant shout broke the silence, " Hey, look what I found!" He began waving at to Yuri and me from on top of a hill, his blond hair glinting in the afternoon sun as he practically jumped up and down in happiness. We ran over to him, discovering a pile of almost full wooded boards. " Pretty good find, huh?"
" Yeah it is!" I shout. " This is perfect for patching up the hut."
" Good job, Ren." Yuri smiled at him, causing him to blush lightly, happy embarrassment shining in his green eyes. I laugh as I bend down to grab a few of the boards. Looking more closely, this seems like it used to be a house that got destroyed. And the boards are in good condition still, so it couldn't have been a storm, we haven't had one in ages.
" Hey what do you think happened to this house?" I ask, standing up and taking a step back for a closer look, Yuri and Ren joining me.
" It looks… crushed." Yuri said, cocking her head to the side to look at it from a different angle.
" You're right. Like something knocked it down. Most of the boards are still whole, but all the ones on the front side are snapped." Ren added.
The threat of the Hollows suddenly roared in my mind. " You guys don't think it's…" I gulped and looked to them.
Yuri's golden eyes shone with fear. " …Hollows?"
Ren went pale. " Maybe we should grab the boards and head back, just to be safe?" Yuri and me nodded, quickly grabbing some boards and rushing off the way we came.
" What's the hurry?" A voice laughed mockingly as a man in white appeared before us. He had a sword strapped to his waist and a hole where his heart should have been. On his bicep a hollow mask was strapped.
" Who are you?" Yuri asked.
" My name is Takeshi." His cold grey eyes looked us all up and down with a slight sneer. " You sure are cute." He commented, looking at Yuri with a smirk; I didn't like the look in his eyes. Apparently neither did Ren because he stepped protectingly in front of her. " Oh, who's this? Your boyfriend of something?" He took a step closer.
" What do you want?" I said loudly, directing his attention to me.
" Oh nothing, really." He began to circle us like a predator, eyes continually cutting back to Yuri in a hungry manner.
What was he? He had a Hollow Hole but he looked so human and he could speak. I haven't heard of any Hollows able to do that. " What are you?"
" What am I?" He shouted, seeming to be offended. " Surely you've heard of us! The Arrancar, Hollows that have obtained the powers of Soul Reapers." His face obtained a wicked smile.
" So you are a Hollow?" Ren asked wearily, not letting his eyes stray from the strange man.
" I said I was an Arrancar!" He shouted, lashing out and punching Ren right across the jaw, sending him flying from the force. " I have the power of hundreds, no, thousands of Hollows!" He shouted, laughing like a manic and leaping to attack Ren again. I jumped at him, hoping to tackle him to the ground, but he turned within an instant and knocked me aside. I hit the ground hard several yards away, the wind knocked out of me, Yuri's voice ringing in my head as she cried out my name. " You want a fight, boy?"
He approached me like I was some type of prey, drawing his sword. He raised it above his head as he stood before me. I couldn't move due to the fear coursing through me. As he brought the sword down in what surely would have been a killing blow, a wall of ice formed rapidly between us, his sword striking it and bouncing off.
" So you come out of hiding at last Arrancar. About time you stopped hiding behind those other hollows you've used as distractions. " Captain Hitsugaya's cool voice glided over to us from where he stood several meters away. He stood casually with his sword out, a trail of ice sprouting from its tip situated on the ground all the way to the wall in front of me.
" A Captain, aye?" Takeshi said in glee. He raced recklessly towards the white haired Captain, the wall of ice that had saved me melting as he moved away. Yuri and Ren ran over to me where I still kneeled on the ground. Their movements were so fast! I could barely keep track of them. When they finally separated Captain Hitsugaya stood in a battle stance with his blade held steadily while Takeshi stood panting and bleeding from numerous cuts along his legs and torso. " Damn it!" he shouted, seemingly infuriated that he was losing, " How am I losing against a Soul Reaper?!"
" Did you believe you could win?" Captain Hitsugaya asked, sarcasm mixing into the coldly spoken words. " Give up now and I will make your death quicker."
" I've still got a few tricks up my sleeve yet!" Takeshi shouted in defiance, taking a deep breath and emitting a long, high pitched whistle.
Multiple roars were heard surrounding us as Menos Grande appeared, stepping out of what looked like a black tear in the sky, towering above the ground. They all began charging some kind of red energy about their mouths, aiming it all directly at all of us. I heard Captain Hitsugaya curse and suddenly he was in front of us, blade held downwards and above his head. He stabbed his blade into the ground, forcing ice to erupt all around us, surrounding us in a barrier. " What's going on?" Yuri asked fearfully.
" They are going to fire a series of Ceros at us." He said calmly, standing over us, his face watching the growing size of the ceros. I could feel the energy crackling around us as the balls of red light continued to grow.
" Cero?" I asked, voice slightly panicked as I tore my gaze away and to his face.
" It is a very powerful attack that only upper ranked Hollows can use." He cast a glance at me, his expression slightly puzzled. Suddenly the air around us erupted into a barrage of explosive noise. Yuri screamed and grabbed onto Ren and me as the Captain stood protectively over us, hand still on his Zanpakutō. I risked a glance outward, only seeing the red light of the Cero being blocked and absorbed by the thick ice surrounding us in its cold, protective shell. When the sound ceased and the red light vanished the ice around us shattered in the same moment as Captain Hitsugaya jumped into the air and disappeared again, reappearing at almost the same moment at eye level with the Menos. " Reign over the frosted Heavens, Hyōrinmaru!"
Even from the ground so far below him I could feel the icy power he released. His blade was different now; from the back of it extended a chain with a crescent shaped blade on the end. It whipped around behind him, seeming to levitate in the air on its own accord, never getting too close to the Captain. With his left hand he grabbed the chain and threw the blade at the nearest Menos, the chain extending infinitely to wrap around the hollow's massive bulk. Ice spread outwards rapidly from the chain, freezing the Hollow's midsection with a rising wall of thick ice. Captain Hitsugaya turned sharply, snapping the chain back with him, causing the Menos to be shatter into two halves, evaporating into nothing as it died.
He jumped higher into the air as a Cero was fired at him and vanished again, reappearing in front of the second Menos in a sliding stop. Without fully stopping, he brought his Zanpakutō in a powerful, graceful upward sweep of his blade and cleaved the hollow's face in two, also causing it to disintegrate. Without a moment's pause he moved onto the next then the next, dispatching each Menos in a shower of ice and graceful sword strokes. After he finished off the eighth Menos, he suddenly was in front of us, his back turned, scanning the area for Takeshi who was nowhere to be seen.
He turned back to us after a moment. " Are any of you injured?" Despite his young appearance, his expression made him seem so much older. I can't imagine what he's had to go through to be such a powerful Captain at such a young age. A slight tear in his shihakushō catches my attention momentarily. As the soft breeze blows by I notice a small scratch on his arm, barely there and already healing, the black robe mending itself as well.
" A bit bruised, but I'm ok, Sir." Ren answered, bowing his head in a respectful way, flinching as it caused him some sort of pain.
Yuri followed suit, " No, Sir."
He nodded wordlessly, turning his eyes upon me as he seemed to wait for my response as well. I carefully tried to climb to my feet, testing my bones and limbs. Upon putting pressure on my left ankle my whole leg gave out, making me fall back to the ground with a small pained sound. " I think my ankle is broken." I ground out as it began to throb painfully.
Captain Hitsugaya hummed quietly under his breath, kneeling down in front of me to get a closer look at my injury. He reached out a hand and placed it carefully on my ankle, causing me to flinch in surprise at the sudden contact and the coldness of his fingers. He flicked his gaze to mine for a brief moment before looking once more to what he was doing. This time his hand hovered slightly above my ankle and I watched as he closed his eyes while a soft green glow surrounded his hand.
The pain faded quickly, leaving only a shadow of the previous pain echoing through the now mended bone. He removed his hand and stood, turning away from the three of us. " It will be sore, but it is healed. You three should remain nearer to the village today; I do not know when the Arrancar will resurface and he has been sending lower level hollows out into the forest." He warned, facing us once more.
" Yes, Sir." We all said in unison. And, with a quick, searching, wondering glance at me, the Captain of Squad Ten disappeared. I wonder if that look meant that he had the same feeling about me that I had about him?
That stick I had grabbed really came in handy on that walk back to the village. Captain Hitsugaya was right; it was sore and it still hurt to put pressure on, but at least it wasn't broken. We managed to grab several of the wooden boards to bring back with us, making Kytoshi happy, only to make him worried again when we told him what happened after he noticed my limp. He told us we weren't allowed to leave the village again until this whole hollow and Arrancar business was over with.
The day drug on without much excitement after that as we started patching up our rickety little shack. As night fell and we all headed off to bed, I began to anticipate my dream. I want so desperately to remember everything about that event. I want to know who that boy is and why he is important to me. I know now that it has to be a memory. What else could it possibly be? Every night it is almost exactly the same except with every night the events become clearer, brighter, more understandable even if there is no actual color other than red. I'm getting closer to completely understanding and knowing what the dream is about and what it is suppose to be telling me.
Again he was being crushed, his body breaking under the force that I can't see. I ran in blind desperation, a large, sharp piece of fallen concrete cutting into my hands, and lashed out. I managed to connect with whatever the invisible creature was and felt its blood gush around the chunk of rock and on my hands. I ran over to the boy, now laying crippled on his back, breathing roughly. I shouted at him that we had to run away, fear and desperation almost choking me.
Pained, horribly dull grey eyes opened tiredly to look at me. " R-run, Haru." His voice came out weakly, ending in a cough as more blood came out of his mouth from his lungs.
Tears began to run down my face. " Not without you! Get up, I-I can't just leave you." I gently grabbed the boy's arm, lifting him from the ground, causing him to cry out at the movement. I managed to pull him to his feet with him leaning all of his weight on me due to his being unable to use his legs.
" L-eave me here…and r-run." His weak voice said again. I shook my head stubbornly, half dragging, half carrying the broken boy along with me. I felt the limp body go tense, seeing what I could not. I was shoved roughly to the side, stumbling several feet away. A loud crash followed by another agony filled scream pierced the air. Fear again stabbed at my heart.
I shot awake, fear and dread pulsing through me forcefully. My hands shook and I knew I'd been crying in my sleep again.
The dream, no matter how much I anticipated it, still shook me up. It seems to be becoming a nightly routine now. I have the dream, I wake up violently, I go outside and walk around the village alone, trying to find the meaning of it all, to remember something. Tonight I follow this routine, completely oblivious of the danger I am potentially putting myself in due to the Arrancar slinking about somewhere. I can't help it; I have to be outside, alone, in the quiet, crisp air.
It's so nice out tonight. Not a cloud in the sky, the stars and moon shining down brightly. The October chill is beginning to set in, adding the perfect chill to the fresh air. Crickets chirp somewhere close by and the normal bustling streets are deserted and peaceful. I love to walk through the town at night, something I only discovered after my dream started sending me running outside to escape it.
Suddenly the feeling of eyes following me makes me pause. Acting on instinct, I look up onto the roof of the building a bit up the road and to my right. Reclining against the makeshift roof is the Captain of Squad Ten himself, bright eyes open and alert, watching me. The thought of how ice suits him strikes me. He has such a cool attitude and air around him, his eyes cold and calm and the color of freshly frozen water. His hair is the color of untainted snow. No other element could suit him better.
" Why are you wandering about so late?" He says, breaking the silence.
" I, uh, couldn't sleep." I said quickly, glancing slightly to the side of him, towards the almost full moon.
" You should not go off alone, out of everyone else in the village you should know this the best." He sat up but remained on the roof.
" I know, I'm sorry Captain Hitsugaya." I said, bowing my head. " I just can't seem to sleep the past few nights and the village is so nice at night. I can't stop myself from walking around." I said sheepishly, smiling in my embarrassment.
He scowled slightly at this, that same searching, wondering look returning to his features. " What is your name?"
I blinked in surprise at the sudden question. " It's Haru, Sir."
A look came into his eyes, one I can't understand or explain, and he diverted his attention, raising it up to the sky. " Well, Haru, if you must stroll about at night, stay within the inner town where it will be safer."
" Yes, Sir." I said, bowing again, wondering why he had given me that look. Had he recognized my name? Could it be that he was, actually, feeling that he knew me like I felt like I knew him from somewhere? If so, did that look mean that he had placed how and where he had known me?
He said nothing else, simply reclined back once more on the roof top, gazing at the stars in what appeared to be deep thought. Taking the hint, I quickly walked back the way I came, the same questions popping in my head. I rushed back to the hut and laid down in my makeshift bed, willing myself to fall asleep in dream. Never had I wanted to have this dream more than I did right now. Could it be that he was that boy? I had to find out.
When I woke next, I caught sight of the empty hut and the sun peeking through the curtain that was our door. I hadn't dreamed again, although that was normal. I knew no more about that event than I had last night. I had questions and theories and guesses but no answers. Answers were what I needed, what I so desperately wanted. I grudgingly got up and headed outside.
Yuri, Ren, and Kytoshi were nowhere to be found and I found myself wondering aimlessly through the town, thankful that my ankle didn't hurt today at all. This week was the week of the storm or at least that's what Kytoshi says. Personally I think he's losing it, the day is beautiful and warm, not a cloud in the sky, just like it has been. The sun shone down hotly, warming the October air to a nice temperature with only the slightest hint of a chill. It was perfect weather.
Not having any luck finding my friends, I head back to the hut. I could at least finish applying those boards to the hut. When I arrive, I find a small pile of food, four higher quality blankets, four actual pillows, and a medium sized water poach filled with clean water sitting on the floor just inside the door. I looked around for a note or hint as to who left it all there at the door, but find nothing. Well, this was strange. It's not every day someone drops off supplies at your door. Definitely appreciated though; none of us have pillows, or good blankets, or any real food, and definitely not clean drinking water.
I distribute the items equally, laying a pillow and blanket in each sleeping spot and dividing up the food between the four of us. I left the water in the poach where it would stay cleaner. On the wall by the door I noticed a note pinned up.
Haru,
Ren and I have gone with Kytoshi to the market to gather supplies for the storm he insists is coming. We should be back before noon. Stay safe.
~Yuri
I frowned slightly, glancing at the materials now all over the small room. They couldn't have afforded this stuff. I don't even think things of this quality are sold here, so these things couldn't have come from them. Where were they from? It's not like we know anyone with money or from other villages or anything. I wish I knew who had left it, I would like to thank them.
It's been several days now and Kytoshi's storm still hasn't showed up. My dream has also not offered any useful information. My nightly routine, however, has changed. Now every night I track down Captain Hitsugaya, he's always on some roof top in the village, and talk with him. Well, the last two nights we've had half conversations, the night's before it was mostly silence. It was a rather comfortable silence though, at least after the first night it was.
Tonight, I'm following the same routine. My dream has given me no information except that faint, pale colors have begun to seep into the grey dreamscape, but it has woke me up violently once more and sent me running for the chilly night air. As I calm down, I begin to walk to the eastern side of the town where I know I'll find the white haired Captain and I notice the slight, continuing drop in the temperature as I get closer. It doesn't take long for me to spot him, although, by the looks of it, he seems to actually be asleep up there on the roof top.
I pause to watch him, trying to figure out if he is asleep or merely has his eyes closed. It looks like he's asleep, and having a nightmare, by the way he's shifting restlessly and his face is scrunched in distress. I stand a moment, unsure of what to do now and not wanting to wake him up, when suddenly he jumps awake, his features filled with terror and agony, frost shooting out in all directions from his spot on the roof. He closes his wide, terror filled eyes and takes a deep breath, immediately composing himself, the frost dissipating. A surprisingly icy breeze whispers passed me, making me shiver slightly at the sudden decrease in temperature.
After a moment, he seems to notice me. " Out again?" He asks wearily, rubbing one eye with the back of his shihakushō. I felt the temperature beginning to warm up again.
I smile sheepishly at him. " Yep. This is my nightly routine."
" I've noticed." He sighed deeply, standing up and jumping down off the roof, landing beside me. This was new, he normally just stayed up there.
" If you don't mind my asking, Sir, why are you always on a roof?" I look at him curiously. Now that I'm standing next to him, I notice we're exactly the same height.
" I enjoy high up places." His answer surprised me; Normally when I ask a question like this he doesn't reply. Well, this adds to the very small list of things I know about the Squad Ten Captain.
I looked up, wondering what it would feel like to be able to stand on something so high and be able to look out over everything else. " I've never really been up high before. Besides climbing some trees that is."
He casted a sideways glance at me as he began walking down the dirt road at a relaxed pace. I followed of course; he seemed unnaturally sociable tonight. " Not everyone shares my sentimentality concerning heights, but I enjoy being as close to the sky as I can be."
" Why don't you choose one of the trees then? I'd think they would be about as comfortable as a roof and they go much higher." I commented, watching him out of the corner of my eyes, curious of if he would respond.
He lets out a small sigh, his breath making the ragged blue green scarf around his neck shiver in the rush of air. " It is my duty to protect this village from that Arrancar, thus I must remain close by it."
I thought back to how outmatched Takeshi had been. " I've been wondering, why would they send a Captain for an Arrancar? Are they that powerful?"
" To lower rank Soul Reapers and to normal souls, yes, and they were at first to us higher ranked officers as well. However we have become well accustomed to fighting them now. For the reason as to why I was chosen, many of our upper rank Soul Reapers are currently already on assignment elsewhere and I was one of the few available."
" Ah, I see. A Captain would normally never set foot in a village like ours, huh." I couldn't help the bitter tone my voice adopted. I had always thought about how the Soul Society didn't even seem to care about us at all. The living conditions here are horrible. We don't have houses, we have shacks and huts that are horribly built and leak all the time. Some even collapse and crush the people living inside of them. We barely have enough food for everyone and supplies are few.
He stopped walking, forcing me to as well, and turned to face me, his face unreadable. " I apologize for the Soul Society's absence in this village. I believe, or rather I should say that I hope, that that is going to change soon. Many things are changing recently." He ended in a whisper, like he was speaking more to himself than to me. I wonder what things have been happening outside this place. We never receive word of what goes on in the Seireitei or anywhere else for that matter. We're lucky to even know what a hollow or a soul reaper is. " It will be sunrise before too long, should you not be heading back now?" I noticed now the lighter color of the sky to the east.
" Yeah, I suppose I should." He merely nodded at me, face still looking out in the distance. " Goodnight, Sir." I said, bowing slightly, as I always did.
He turned to look at me, turquoise eyes unreadable. " Goodnight, Haru."
With that, we turned and went our separate ways.
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