"Is she alright?"
"I'm not sure, she looks kinda dead" *SMACK* "Oww!"
"We're all dead stupid!"
These voices, who do they belong to? I can't tell. Ugh, and this pain in my stomach, it's excruciating.
"Oi Keiko! She's waking up!" A man stated excitedly. *SMACK* "What the-!"
"Shush! And back up a bit, you're gonna scare her" The dominant voice retorted.
I open my eyes, the light is blinding. "Where am I?" I manage to ask.
The two people exchange looks. "Soul Society" they stated in unison.
"Ugh… my stomach" I complained, trying to sit up, and failing miserably.
"Hey don't move!" The woman, Keiko, stated as I felt myself falling backwards. I feel a strong pair of arms catch me.
"Mitsukuni, take her back to hut. Make sure she rests, and when and if she wakes up, give her as much as she can eat."
"Where are you-?"
"To Granny's." she interrupted. "Don't worry I'll be back later"
~~~~Where am I? Am I dreaming? I ask myself as I sit in a world very different from our own. It's so peaceful and calm, it's serene. What going on? I look towards the numerous willow trees growing on the bank of a large river. I look up and stare in awe at the cascading water falling from what appears to be an endless blue sky. This place, it feels, almost… familiar. It's warm… yet, it's also oddly cool. I'm comfortable here, I'm safe. What is this dream world? I ask myself. "Oh it's no dream" A masculine voice stated. "It's no dream. Or dream world for that matter" it added. "This is your world Kurosaki" it says. A light wind picks up, ruffling the trees that surround me. This strange voice, this man, where is he? "I'm over here" The voice says, as if it's reading my mind. I look straight forward, and there he is. As I look closer I am amazed. Here sitting in front of me is a magnificent Pegasus. And if that's not odd enough, it's a usual white, but with piercing blue-green eyes. "Who, who are you?" I ask, still ogling at the breath taking winged-horse sitting before me. "I am *#$&~!" It states proudly. "Wh-what?" I attempt to ask. Right before the ground cracks open, threatening to swallow me whole. "What the-!? What in the name of- What's going on here!?" I start falling. I'm falling, but into what? "Your questions will be answered soon. I will meet with you again later, and answer whatever questions you may have. Goodbye for now, Kurosaki." The horse says as I slowly fall out of my beautiful dream world. ~~~~
"Hey. Hey are you awake?" A man asks, gently shaking me out of 'my' world. I turn, barely opening my eyes.
"You.." I draw out as I once again, attempt to sit upright, key word attempt. I fall back onto the bed miserably. "What's wrong with me?" I ask him, mostly referring to the weird dream I just had and also referring to why I can barely move. I inwardly laugh, like he would know.
"Well.." he started, smirking like it was totally obvious. "You're probably just hungry". I run his words through my head. And now that I think about it, it is pretty obvious, in a way.
"Well that explains the stomachache I had earlier." Then I quickly added "You guys got any food?"
He smiled, ignoring my rudeness "Yeah come on" he said reaching out a hand.
We make our way through the hut and I can't help but wonder what am I doing here? "Hey! Umm.." I try to remember his name. He gives me a 'you're such a dork' look.
"It's Ota." He stated coolly.
"Ota huh? You got a first name 'Ota'?"
"Alright then" He huffed. "I'm Ota Mitsukuni. Nice to meet you" He said reaching out a hand for me to shake.
"I'm Karin" I stated, giving him a mock salute. "So… umm food?" I asked, practically begging. I had been so caught up in talking that I had forgotten how hungry I was.
He leaves for a moment and then brings me a bowl of some kind of noodles. As he hands them to me I actually look at him. He's a bulky man, probably about 6 feet tall. He looks about 25 or so. He has dark hair and piercing light blue eyes. Those eyes I think while gazing at him. They remind me of him. They remind me of..
"I'm back!" a voice yelled as the door to the hut slowly closed. "Mitsukuni is she up ye-." The woman started until she saw me. I inwardly smiled. I must've looked like a barbarian right then, sitting on the floor eating noodles like my life depended on it. She gave me a goofy smile. As she smiled I realized how pretty she was. She was short, with dusty brown hair that barley reached her shoulders and deep brown eyes. As she walked I noticed that her grace and the way she carried herself very much reminded me of Yuzu. Yuzu.
"Oh my god Yuzu! Where is she?! Is she alright? She's not hurt is she?!" I pleaded for someone to answer me. They just looked at me.
"Yuzu?" The woman asked. "Oh she must've been an acquaintance of yours from the world of the living"
"World of the… Wait what?" I asked, completely clueless. They exchanged another look. She knelled in front of me.
"Listen Karin, you..umm well your.."
Ota cut in "Basically, your dead." He stated as if it was the most usual thing in the world.
"D-dead? Then does that mean that Yuzu is, is Yuzu really?" I start feeling sick. "She can't.. be. I was supposed to…protect…Yu..zu.."
"Ugh she fainted again!" Ota said impatiently. *SMACK* "Hey!"
"Stop it. She's probably very stressed out right now. We'll take her to stay with Granny tomorrow. At least she'll be able to answer some of her questions."
~~~~~"Yuzu pick up the pace a little, you're falling behind!" That's what I had told her. She had smiled her usual smile as she jogged up to me. We walked as we talked, about nothing important. This is how it always was, we'd walk down to Ururu's after school. We usually stayed for a while, then we'd walk home. It was as simple as that. Except, this time was different. After a few minutes of walking I tripped. I was fine, but my soccer ball had rolled into the street."I'll get it!" She had said. "Yuzu you don't have to-" but she was already gone. She stood still as the headlights came crashing towards her at an alarming speed.~~~~~
"Yuzu!" I screamed, sweat pouring from my body. My breathing was heavy, and I was shaking violently.
"Calm yourself child" A gentle voice chided. The woman, she was old. Yet she seemed so young. The room I'm lying in, it's different.
I glance at the elderly woman. "M-Ma'am?" She turns my way. "Where am I?"
"Oh you're in Junrin'an child" She stated as she set a damp towel on my forehead. I give her a wary look. "Junrin'an is in West Rukongai's first district." She said.
I sigh. She smiles. "It's alright, I know your new here. I will explain it all later, but for now, just rest."
She gets up to leave. "What's your name?" I ask. I realize it was kind of rude. "Err… what should I call you?" then quickly I added "Ma'am"
She gave me another youthful smile "Granny, just call me Granny" She walked to the door "Now rest child." I soon drift into a restless sleep.
~~~~~This world, I'm here again, in 'my' world. I glance around it's just as it had been before. Except one thing, it's hot and wet, it's humid. As compared to before when it was cool and dry. "So you've noticed" A husky voice said. I whirl around and once again, my breath is taken away. "Pegasus" I say, no more audible then a whisper. "Don't call me that!" He roared. I'm taken aback, he seemed so… gentle before. "Tell me Kurosaki, do you see yourself as, gentle?" he asks sternly. "N-no, of course not!" I state. "Well then don't think of me as gentle, because I am an extension of you." I am totally confused. "Extension of… me?" I ask. He stands tall, his head held up high. As he lifts his magnificent wings he roars "Yes, you. Because I Kurosaki Karin, am your Zanpakuto!"