The morning sun had long since risen over the buildings of the Soul Society, inching its way closer and closer to the center of the sky to signify the official arrival of noon. The sky was practically clear of most, if not all, of the clouds that occasionally littered the ocean of blue, and it allowed the sun's bright rays to cast down over everything it could touch. A cooling breeze brushed passed everything in its path: against the plants, flowers, and leaves of the trees that resided around the Seireitei. It even entered through any windows that were left open overnight, cooling their homes to a more comfortable temperature. While the weather itself could be considered decent, the air was just enough to be considered a warm atmosphere. The soothing yet distant sounds of chirping birds could be heard as well, twittering their mysterious melodic tunes to the world around them, alongside the nearby sounds of rushing water passing by and breaking the silence that would have settled otherwise.

A new, peaceful day had begun once more in the world, though for many people, their day had started long before noon could arrive. The life of a Soul Reaper was surely not an easy task and days like these were not as often as many would like them to be. Many would seize the opportunity to enjoy the sanctuary of the new day, relaxing or spending the day with friends or even enjoying some fresh air while they finished their paperwork for the day. For them, getting out of bed was the best part of the day, especially on a day like today. For one Soul Reaper, however, the idea of getting out of bed had become a much more challenging task, even if the day could have been considered perfect.

Bright amber eyes slowly opened and stared at the wooden ceiling as Miyuki Shimizu awoke from her slumber, a soft, groggy groan rumbling in her throat. A blank and unwavering look was evident on her face, and the fatigue she once felt seemed to fade the moment her eyes opened. Despite that, her body still felt heavy, and she did not want to move from the comfortable position on her bed. The feeling of the breeze entered into her room through the open window near her bedside, but even that was not enough to try to get her out of bed. Most days it would work for her as she excitedly leaped out of bed to start the brand new day. Today, however, happened to be different, which surprisingly did not come as much of a surprise as one would think. Instead of getting out of bed and preparing for the day, she lied there, as motionless as a marble statue, and stared at seemingly nothing. The only noises she could hear were the sounds from the outside and her breathing. It was relaxing, to say the least, but to admit that she was content where she was at would have been considered a lie.

Miyuki frowned. She had a feeling today was going to be a rather long day.

After what seemed to be an eternity of staring into space, she let out a heavy sigh and slowly sat up, rubbing the remainder of sleep out of her eyes. Even though she was already wide awake by now, it was a rather unconscious motion to perform almost every morning. A habit, as she liked to assume, that she happened to pick up along the way. After that, she pulled the covers off her body, swinging her legs out and placing her feet on the cold hardwood floor. It sent a shiver up her spine upon contact, but she ignored it nonetheless as she slowly stood up and began sauntering over to her closet and dresser, grabbing the necessities required to get dressed for the day, before making her way into the bathroom. As much as she would have liked to enjoy a nice soothing bath in the hopes of relaxing for a bit longer, maybe even quell the feelings she had, falling did not want to waste any more time than she already had and decided a quick shower would bethe best option for today.

"I've wasted enough time as is," Miyuki mumbled to herself. "I don't want to keep anyone waiting any longer than they have to..."

Sliding the door shut behind her, she began removing her clothing, tossing it into the nearby hamper that was starting to get full while making a mental note that she had to tend to the laundry either that day or tomorrow. While it did not seem that full, she would rather get ahead of herself before she forgot. She, then, leaped into the shower and turned on the water, drenching herself in the freezing water to wake herself up. Fortunately, despite the cold water sending another shiver down her spine, it did the trick within just a few moments. She was now fully awake and ready to start her day just as she intended. However, she still felt a dark aura floating over her and clouding her mind. No matter how much she tried to shake it away, it still came latching onto her, like a leech would its victim.

Letting out a small annoyed huff, she quickly finished washing her hair and body as well as brushing her teeth – she thought it was more convenient to do – before shutting off the water. She did not have time to be worrying about what was bothering her and making her feel down; she had things to do that day, and she did not want anyone to start worrying about her...again. That was the last thing she wanted to happen, particularly as it has happened many times before. With that in mind, she grabbed the towel nearby and began drying her hair, rustling the light brown locks without much thought, before quickly pulling away and tying it around her body. As she did this, she happened to pass by the body length mirror standing near the sink and caught a glimpse of herself, stopping in her tracks and staring at the reflection.

The image she saw was no different than any other day since she received it. She stared into the same brightly colored, innocent looking amber eyes, only today they were not as vibrant as they were previously. Her light golden brown hair was still messy, and the side swept bangs added to the somewhat disheveled look. Her olive skin, dotted with barely noticeable freckles on her cheeks, was still visibly wet, but slowly drying as she stood there looking at herself. Despite being wrapped in a towel, she could still gaze upon her small feminine figure, reminding herself that not every woman had a large cup size and to just brush it off. To top it all off, however, the icing on the cake as it were, she found herself looking past all of that and simply stared at the one defining feature that made her stand out from the rest. The one feature that made her appear to be the single flower that was oddly colored and stood out from the others in a bouquet, and it was that one feature that made her realize why she felt the way she did.

Sitting atop her head, clear as day, were a pair of dark brown fox ears.

Yes, that was the reason Miyuki felt terrible that morning, and she was reminded even further as her fox tail began brushing against the back of her legs, revealing the white tip of the otherwise dark brown tail from the bottom of the fabric. As she continued to stare, she began stepping away from the mirror as though moving backward would somehow change what she saw. The dark feeling she had looming over her was just reminding her that this was who she was, and it started to eat away at her once again. It was a cruel and unforgiving reminder that the image she was looking at was not some dream, but a reality. It was a reality she still had troublecoming to terms with. Even after all these years of living with it, Miyuki still found it hard to face the facts. She was half-fox, and she was going to be stuck that way for the rest of her life whether she liked it or not.

Miyuki, as she kept her focus on the mirror, ended up backing into the bathroom door and just stood there, a frown forming ever so slightly as she watched the mirror's reflection make the same face back at her. She even watched the ears fall back as well, a universal sign that she was either scared, upset, or sad about something. To be fair, she had a hard time determining which feeling it was.

"Why...?" She whimpered under her breath, sliding down into a sitting position, hugging her knees as she began to feel tears welling up in her eyes. "Why did this have to happen to me? What did I do to deserve this?"

For as long as she could remember, Miyuki had always been like this, a soul that stood out from the rest all because of the fox ears and tail to match. She had difficulty remembering how she got it in the first place. For all she knew, she had them since the day she was born. Instead of people looking at her with smiles on their faces, she was met with a mixture of cold and cruel stares to looks of horror. Regardless of what expressions they had, all of them began thinking one thing: Miyuki's appearance – no, her birth in general – was an omen of ill fortune upon the people, and they wanted nothing to do with her. It was not long before the names started to come.

Freak...

Monster...

Abomination...

It was hard to figure out just how many names were thrown her way all those years, all with the means of demeaning her and treating her like she was lesser than everyone else. Even now, after getting away from the harsh words and dirty looks, they still stung, like adding salt to a wound that desperately tried to close and heal. No matter how hard she tried to push those memories away, no matter how much she wanted to replace them with happier memories, Miyuki looked in the mirror and heard every last cruel word that was thrown at her. It brought her back to those dark days when she felt alone, afraid, and just wondering why it all had to happen to her.

"I just want to be normal..." She mumbled under her breath, tears now falling down her cheeks. "I want to be normal..."

Suddenly, the distant sound of a door opening and closing caught her attention. Her ears instantly perked up just as soon as it reached them, and her breathing hitched. Her head shot up as she continued to listen for any other sounds that may have come after, her heart pounding against her chest. Did someone enter her home without her knowledge? Who could it have been, and why? Instead of contemplating the thought to figure that out, Miyuki jumped to her feet and grabbed another towel nearby, throwing over her head to hide the ears from view in case it wasa stranger. She wrapped her tail around her waist as she slowly opened the door just a crack, peeking through to see if anyone was there. Much to her surprise, nothing seemed out of place; it was left precisely the way it was when she entered the bathroom. Despite the silence starting to set in, but Miyuki still felt sick to her stomach. What if someone was hiding and she did not notice it?

Her paranoia of the unknown lead her to begin sniffing the air, hoping to catch the scent of what she presumed was another person and catching them. After some time, instead of smelling someone, she caught the scent of what she recognized as...tea?

"Who's making tea in my home?" She wondered out loud as she opened the door completely and stepped out, cautiously making her way to the bedroom door and into the next room - the dining room to be precise. Cracking the door just a bit, she looked around the room and sniffed the air. Once again, she was met with a stronger scent of tea. However, it was not the only scent she was able to catch. After a moment, she realized that there was a residual scent of another person. She tensed at first, but then she noticed that the smell came from someone she knew, a friend. "Was...was that..." She slowly started, slowly opening the door fully and looking around. It appeared that whoever was there, was long gone by the time Miyuki got there. Then, she looked at the table and caught sight of a small cup filled with what she presumed was the tea she smelled. Upon closer inspection, a small piece of paper was settled underneath it, and she noticed that it was folded neatly. Clearly, there was a message on it, though Miyuki found it hard to understand why someone would do such a thing.

Inhaling deeply, she slowly stepped toward it and carefully moved the cup to pick up the note. Unfolding it, she read the message:

Miyuki,

I made some tea for when you wake up. Hopefully, it's not cold by the time you drink this, and you like it. Wasn't sure what type you liked, so it's a surprise!

Meet us at the dojo today when you can. We have something special for you.

See you soon!

Yukie

She blinked, reading over the note once more, before looking back at the tea. After a moment, she slowly felt a small smile form on her lips. Much to her surprise, a dear friend had come into her home and made her tea while she was sleeping. Granted, she had entered without permission, but Miyuki allowed it slide. After all, it was not the first time she had done that, and it certainly would not be the last.

"She's too sweet..." She said as she put down the note and picked up the cup, inhaling the smell and relaxing for just a moment. She cautiously raised it to her lips, taking a quick sip of the drink. Much to her surprise, it turned out to be green tea with a hint of honey and ginger. Whileit was a bit too spicy for her, as the ginger seemed to be more potent than the honey, it just so happened to be one of Miyuki's favorite types of tea. Miyuki smiled. "Somehow, someway, you just know me, Yukie..." She muttered as she sipped on the tea once more. Yukie was either the smartest person she ever had the privilege of knowing or she was just really lucky.

As the desire to sit down and relax for a few more moments began to overcome her, Miyuki looked at the time, nearly burning herself as she quickly set the cup down in surprise. She still had to get ready, and the others were more than likely still at the dojo. Relaxing would have to wait, and she would have to thank Yukie later. Without wasting any more time than she already had, she sprinted back into the bathroom and quickly changed into her uniform, nearly slipping on the towel that she tossed to the side, before brushing out and fixing her hair. After making sure everything was settled comfortably and appeared decent, she looked over at the large white bandana and obi, eyeing them with a blank stare. It was a reminder of what she had to do to keep her secret from going public, a reminder that hiding was the only way for her to stay safe from reliving the past. It probably made her look ridiculous to everyone else, but what other option did she have?

Upon that thought, she swallowed the lump that suddenly formed in her throat. She did have another option, but it was probably best to not to go to down that path. At least, not now.

Shaking her head, she grabbed both and wasted no time in putting them on with haste. She dropped her ears back as she put the bandana on and tied it, while she wrapped her tail around her waist to properly fit the large obi securely and comfortably around her waist. After that, she looked at herself in the body mirror once again, looking at herself to make sure everything was in place and nothing stood out. When she was certain that she was set, she ran out of the bathroom and to her bedside, picking up her Zanpakutō and tying it in the place where it normally resided. Satisfied, she went back to the dining room, took the cup of tea, and drank the rest of it in one sweeping motion. It was still a bit hot, but it was nothing she could not handle. After all, she was a Soul Reaper; a hot cup of tea was not going to be the end for her.

After taking the cup to the kitchen and cleaning it, Miyuki was prepared to leave...finally. While a smile on her face, she made her way to the exit of her home, passing by the small living room along the way. As she reached it, she swung it open completely and was about to walk out, until she came face to face with another person. The sight caused her to scream and fall backward, landing on her bottom rather ungracefully. Just as that happened, the sound of laughter erupted from the opened door, causing Miyuki to look up to see who it could have been. To her surprise, or rather dismay, she immediately recognized who the person was.

"Akemi!" She exclaimed, her face turning bright red with embarrassment. "What the hell is the matter with you?! You nearly gave me a heart attack!"

The woman, Akemi Saitou, was still laughing hysterically over the events that had taken place, using the door frame to keep her from falling over. Strands of her long indigo hair had brushed passed her shoulders, and her straight cut bangs shielded her eyes from view. Her necklace, a heart-shaped snake pendant, was swinging to and fro, but soon returned to her chest as Akemi stood up once more. A wide grin was plastered on her face, and her eyes, crimson in color,looked at Miyuki with an apologetic gaze. Despite the look, the smile she had completely contradicted the original intention.

"I-I'm sorry, Miyuki!" She stuttered, trying to hold back her laughter. "I honestly didn't mean to do that. I was about to knock when you suddenly threw it open." She began giggling. "But oh man, did I come at a good time!"

Miyuki pouted, making sure her bandana was securely in place, before saying, "I'm glad my misery brought you pleasure."

After ceasing her giggling fit, Akemi offered Miyuki a hand, her smile still evident on her face.

"Hey, now, I said I was sorry," she explained. "I didn't intend to scare ya, and I didn't mean to laugh."

Miyuki continued to frown, but she took hold of Akemi's hand nonetheless. She was careful as she stood up, making sure the obi around her waist was secure, but she was quick to speak up once more.

"What are you doing here, anyway?" She inquired, raising a brow. "You don't usually stop by unless it's for something important."

Upon mentioning that, a look of realization appeared on Akemi's face.

"Yes, as a matter of fact, I did come here for a reason!" She responded, her smile returning to her face once more. "I have fantastic news involving you!"

Miyuki blinked.

"Involving me?" She questioned, earning a single nod from Akemi. "Well, what is it?"

Within moments, Akemi took hold of Miyuki's shoulders, looking her deep in the eyes as if the news she was about to tell was the most life changing news Miyuki ever heard.

"For starters, you remember who Renji Abarai is, correct?" Akemi suddenly asked, her expression unchanging.

Miyuki stared at her with a dumbfounded expression. Why would she ask a question like that?

"Of course, I remember Renji," she answered. "You invited him to go drinking with us several times." Miyuki pouted as the memories came back to her. "Not to mention the last time you asked him to join us, you both passed out during one of your ridiculous drunken challenges."

Akemi giggled at the thought, looking away as she recalled the memories of that night.

"That was a good night, but that's not what I'm talking about." She ceased her giggling instantly and looked back at Miyuki. "He recently got promoted! He's gonna be the Lieutenant of Squad Six now!"

Miyuki perked up at that, eyes widening as a bright smile formed on her lips.

"That's wonderful! I have to congratulate him when I see him next time!" She exclaimed before lowering her head slightly. "He worked so hard to get to where he's at, and it makes me happy to see it getting him places."

"Ah, but the good news doesn't end there," Akemi went on, earning a look from Miyuki once more. "With Renji being promoted, that means his seat is now vacant."

"So...what, we're just gonna have an empty seat now?" Miyuki asked, blinking with confusion. "I don't see what the big deal is about that. We have plenty of them hanging about in our squad." Akemi grinned mischievously, though she did not say a word in response. Instead, she continued to look at Miyuki while toying with her coiled snake ring a bit. Apparently, she knew something that Miyuki did not, and it was not long until she realized what she meant by her comment. "Wait..." She slowly started, her eyes slowly widening. "If there's an empty seat...and you're telling me you have something important to say to me concerning that..." Akemi nodded furiously but did not speak. "Then, that means-"

"Ugh, I'm not gonna wait for you to figure it out!" Akemi suddenly exclaimed, frightening Miyuki, as she embraced her tightly. "Miyuki, you're gonna be offered that seat! You're gonna be the new Sixth Seat of Squad Eleven!"

The news left Miyuki utterly speechless, eyes widened in shock, as Akemi laughed excitedly over revealing the news. It was reeling in her head for what seemed like an eternity, and she found it difficult to full process.

Miyuki Shimizu, an unseated and rather clumsy officer of one of the toughest squads in the Soul Society, was going to be seated as their Sixth Seat. That fact alone was enough to make her feel a thousand different emotions all at once. She felt happy because she was being recognized as a reliable and diligent fighter just like her friends, especially Akemi, who was the only other seated officer that she knew of who was a woman. She was worried because she believed being a seated officer would bring a lot of pressure to the table, forcing her to prove herself time and time again. She was scared because she was unsure if she would be able to live up to the expectations that Renji had more than likely surpassed, especially since he was now promoted to the rank of Lieutenant. She was all of those things and more, but she was unsure as to which emotion overpowered the other.

"Miyuki, are you okay? You're looking a little pale." The voice of Akemi suddenly broke her thoughts. She looked at her and blinked, noticing the mix of happiness and worry in her crimson eyes as she held onto Miyuki's shoulders once more. "Aren't you happy about this? You're gonna be a seated officer! Officially! I'm so excited for you!" Miyuki, still speechless, said nothing as she stared at Akemi. The silence turned Akemi's expression completely to worry. "You look a little terrified. Is everything alright?"

"I-I..." Miyuki stuttered to try and get a sentence out. "I-I'm...speechless. I...I have no idea what to say or...what to...feel..."

Upon hearing that, Akemi grinned widely.

"Hey, don't worry! It's not scary or anything!" She assured Miyuki. "It may sound like a lot, but being promoted into a seat is pretty big. You're gonna be recognized and respected as a fighter, which let's be honest," She patted Miyuki's shoulder, "you're are truly one hell of a fighter, if I do say so myself."

Hearing Akemi say those words made Miyuki perk up a bit, a glimmer of awe appearing in her eyes.

"Do you...do you really mean that?" She inquired, earning a swift nod from her comrade. Suddenly, she reeled back and looked away. "But...but I'm so clumsy and awkward! I can't even have a conversation with someone without sounding stupid!"

"And Yumichika can't have a conversation with someone without flaunting his looks like the peacock he is," Akemi pointed out, earning a light glare from Miyuki. "That doesn't mean he's terrible at what he does. That's just who he is. And besides, you'll be able to grow out of it someday, and if not..." She shrugged, "Eh, that's why they call life a bitch, you know?"

Miyuki looked away once more, a small pout forming on her lips.

"Yeah, but-"

"But nothing!" Akemi interrupted her, making Miyuki jump in surprise, as a sweet smile formed on her face. "You'll be just fine. I promise. You'll have us around to take care of you if things get dicey."

Despite still feeling a thousand different emotions, Miyuki could not help but smirk at that comment.

"If I had you taking care of me, then why bother promoting me?" She asked jokingly. "If I can't defend myself, then what would the purpose of being in this squad be?"

Hearing those words made Akemi smile triumphantly, draping an arm around Miyuki's shoulders and pulling her closer.

"Starting to sound like a real Squad Eleven officer, aren't you?" She laughed heartily, earning a cheeky smile from Miyuki. "Now, we've wasted enough time here! We got shit to do!"

"I got a note from Yukie saying we were meeting at the dojo of all places?" Miyuki inquired, raising a brow as they exited her home. "Seems like an odd place to go for a celebration."

"Yeah, it was Ikkaku's suggestion, which was a dumb idea, so I changed it to a new location!" Akemi stated, sliding the door shut behind her. "It'll be at our typical hangout!"

"Why there? That's where you normally get drunk with the others."

"Exactly! It'll be a fun time for everyone, even for you!"

"But it's a little passed noon, and I don't drink! You can't get drunk at this point!"

Akemi's expression suddenly changed to a blank and ominous stare, looking at Miyuki and making her shrink away ever so slightly.

"You're right," she said, her voice monotone and unwavering. "I'm not gonna get drunk." Then, she began grinning like a madman. "At least, not now, so you are correct!" She linked arms with Miyuki. "Besides, the celebration isn't until later tonight. I'm taking you to Zaraki so you can be all set for your promotion to Sixth Seat. He wants to get it over and done with as quickly as possible, so it shouldn't be too long." Miyuki did not say a word, but she did nod in response. "All right, let's go!"

With that said and done, the two began sprinting off to where their captain resided. Even now as they ran, Miyuki still felt anxious about this new step in her life, wondering if the captain was right about this decision. However, thinking back to her conversation with Akemi gave her a sliver of confidence. It was not supposed to be all that bad, right? She would be able to handle the responsibilities that came with it, right?

...Right?