It was another beautiful day in Seireitei as I took my time getting back to the barracks of my division. I was carrying a large bag of different flavoured sweets, from one of my favorite shops, in my arms; quite happy so there was a small bounce in my step. In the satchel that I carried at my side every time I ventured out, I had other items that I bought. But I kept the candies out so I could snack on a few until I returned to the barracks and could set them off to the side to keep them longer. I became addicted to the sweets after I had been shown around during the first week upon entering Soul Society, so truly, it was the fault of my caretakers; Ukitake Jushiro and Kyoraku Shunsui.
As I popped one of the flavoured candies into my mouth, the small smile on my lips fell as I remembered what day it was. It was the day I was leaving Soul Society and returning back to the Living World to live my life as a human as well as continuing on with my duties as a Shinigami. I paused in my walking as I thought how long it had been since I had arrived here thanks to two old friends of my parents who called in a favour with the Captain-Commander of the Gotei 13. So it's been about seven years that I've been here, seven years since my parents died... seven years wondering what truly had happened to them while I hid away in that shrine. But I'll never know what happened and I doubt I'll ever truly find out about it. It was quite disheartening to know this fact, but as I had been explained to by my caretakers, it was how things ran here.
My name is Yamauchi Sayomi, if you don't remember from the small memory I introduced with. I'm fifteen years old with long, natural plum coloured hair that came down to my waist, which was usually pulled back into a single braid or at the odd times in a ponytail or just hanging down at its full length. I dark blue eyes with grey and light blue flecks, with pupils that narrow into slits when I'm irritated or angry, which gave them a feline appearance. I have three earrings in my left ear and two in my right; usually I have at least four studs and one hoop earring in them. Around my neck is usually a black ribbon tied in a bow or a black collar with a silver bell at the end of it. I'm usually seen wearing a sleeveless black Shihakusho, which was the normal Shinigami clothing, with a long light blue sash that hung slanted on my hips and was decorated with tiny silver bells along the hem that had a black and silver design of a tiger along it. On my feet I wear black flats and a single silver chain anklet around my left ankle. My hands are covered with fingerless black gloves that reach my elbows and were reinforced with metal over my knuckles and wrists, around my left wrist though I wore a black Tibetan Buddhist Mala bracelet. When I'm lazing around the barracks without any need to go out, I'm usually wearing a simple dark red kimono with a black and white patterns and a black obi tied around my waist with a white and grey pattern.
My Zanpakuto, which in its sealed state takes the form of a Nodachi, rests across my back, sitting at my right shoulder and the tip of the sheath hitting just below my knees as I walk. The sheath is black with a white stripes long the sheath up to the guard and hilt. The guard is silver in an 'eye' shape while the hilt is woven in light blue and white material and at the end of the hilt there is a chain with a ring attached to it. Despite the fact that we don't have to carry our Zanpakuto's with us everywhere we went, I preferred to always have mine at my side. I felt better to know that my companion was there so that when I needed to, I could go off and meditate to talk with him.
Yes, my Zanpakuto's spirit is male; I find it more comforting to have the opposite gender than one of the same, too much drama otherwise if it were female. Most Shinigami whom I've talked with, have told me that it was rare to have the opposite gender as a Zanpakuto's spirit, the only other one whom I know has the opposite gender was Shunsui. It was a little odd at first when I found out my Zanpakuto was male, but after a while it started to make sense I felt more comfortable around males than I did other females, though there were very few females that I did get along with due to my reclusive nature.
"Sayo-chan, out for your daily walk are you?" A laidback voice asked with a smile in their voice. Snapping out of my memories, I turned to see that I was in front of the 8th Division barracks and that its captain was leaning in front of the entrance with his arms crossed over his chest. I couldn't help but smile when I saw him and nodded my head. The wind blew around us, blowing his cherry blossom female kimono and captain's haori, while the straw hat that he wore kept his hair in place.
"Hai, hai Shunsui -san, I needed to restock my candy supply." I told him then pouted a bit, "It seems someone's been sneaking into my room and stealing them lately." I looked at the captain with an accusing and pointed look, pursing my lips together, causing him to chuckled good naturedly.
"Maa, maa Sayo-chan," Shunsui pouted as he walked over to me and ruffled my hair, causing me to scowl this time as I batted his hand away, "Don't scowl like that, it ruin's your beautiful looks." He said with a teasing chuckle as I shifted a bit where I stood. I was self-conscious about my looks, for they had always gotten me into trouble with others when I was younger since no one had natural plum purple hair. I saw Shunsui's hand inching towards my candy bag and moved it out of his reach, but not before he was able to steal one of my candies.
"Oi Shunsui -san; can you stop stealing my candy already! You can't have any unless you're willing to pay for them!" I whined as I closed the bag, clutching it closer to me and turned away from him with a more profound pout on my face. I was very childish when it came to my candy and didn't like anyone taking them without permission.
Huffing my cheeks out a bit more, I knew I would have to keep away from the 11th Division that day since the fukutaicho there loved sweets and usually ended up taking all of mine from me without me noticing. It was truly unfair, for I would spend my earnings on food for me, only to have other people steal them away before I could properly enjoy them, but alas, that was the curse of buying so many sweets.
I felt someone tap my head a bit as I snapped out of my thoughts again. I seemed to be doing a lot of that that day; well actually, I was usually lost within my thoughts all the time, unless I was focused on work or a random mission. Whenever I went out of the barracks, I was known for almost walking into someone with my head lost in the clouds, I would be preoccupied with something else and not realize where I was going. With those times, I was known for getting into sparring matches with the Shinigami from the 11th Division, since all of them were battle-a-holics. Not that it was a bad thing mind you for it taught me to be aware of my surroundings, not only that, but it was also fun to see how my skills were improving against the melee Division. Shaking my head a bit, I focused on Shunsui-san again, only to find him smiling at me knowingly as he ruffled my head, causing me to scowl at him and bat his hand away.
"Shunsui -san..." I pouted at him, knowing he was doing this on purpose and making me late getting back to my Barracks so I could get some work done before I started packing.
"Hai Sayo-chan?" he asked teasingly, causing me to pout more, but before I could say anything, the Lieutenant of the 8th Division came stalking out unimpressed by Shunsui-san's actions.
"Kyoraku-taicho, would you stop harassing Sayomi-san!" Ise Nanao, a slim woman with long black hair that was pinned up at the back, blue violet eyes and oval shaped glasses. She was holding her ever present clipboard and under her arm as she scolded her Captain.
"Ah! Nanao-chan! Did you come to see Sayo-chan too?" he asked with his lazy grin, causing Nanao-fukutaicho and I to sigh in unison, the man would never change his ways.
"Kyoraku-taicho, this is serious!" she scolded as she flipped some pages on the clipboard, "I understand that you have a connection with Sayomi-chan and all, but you have to stop harassing her like this! Hitsugaya-taicho will not be pleased if you keep making her late; again. On top of that, you're behind in your paperwork!" she stated, causing Shunsui-san to let out a sigh while letting his shoulders sag in defeat.
"Hai, hai... Nanao-chan..." He said with a lazy tone and smile before reaching over to ruffle my hair again affectionately, "I'll see you tonight then Sayo-chan?" he asked and I nodded my head at him with a small, sad smile.
"Hai Shunsui-san, I'll see you tonight." I told him softly as I turned to Nanao-san, "I'll see you tonight as well Nanao-fukutaicho hopefully." I told her with a gentle smile and watched as her face softened and nodded her head.
With that, I said my farewells to them and continued on my way back to the barracks. I was returning to the Living World that night and leaving Soul Society behind as an honorary Shinigami for the Living World. Sighing to myself, I walked passed some more shops and barracks, stopping at a few places to pick up either different candy that I wouldn't be able to get in the Living World or something to remind me of my time in Seireitei. Becoming lost in the streets and lost in my thoughts of the place I had called home for the past seven years. I usually didn't stop walking or thinking until I accidently walked into someone, a common occurrence... actually it was so common that many people aren't fazed when I ended up walking into them without knowing.
I stumbled back a little after walking straight into someone, not realizing that my path had been blocked. Since I didn't want to end up falling on my bottom and spill my candy, I quickly gained back my footing. Pouting to myself, I shook my head a little and looked up to see who I had walked into, only to furrow my brows, narrowing my eyes into a glare as one was shot right back at me.
"Oi, watch where you're going Yamauchi-warugaki (brat)!" an irritating male voice scowled at me. When I looked up, I scowled in return and my eyes narrowed into slits at the sight of one of the few Shinigami's I didn't get along with. His name was Abarai Renji. He was tall, standing 6'2 to my 5'7 frame. He had long crimson red hair that was pulled up and back, making his head and hair remind me of a pineapple and brown eyes. He had tattoos over his body and head, though the ones on his head were usually covered by either a new pair of sunglasses or a white headband. Currently he was shifting his newest set of sunglasses while leering at down at me and I was tempted to smash this new pair just to get him out of sight.
The only reason we didn't get along was due to our personalities, which clashed and yet, they were similar. We were both head strong and had a desire to grow stronger than we were, but it wasn't just for ourselves, but for those we cared about. At the same time though, I was more level headed than he was, for he easily got angry, while it took me a while to snap; that was unless someone bad mouthed my parents or the fact that I was 'inadequate' to be a Shinigami due to the fact that I'm still alive. This was trait that Renji enjoyed reminding me and what caused most of our fights whenever we saw each other. It was both irritating and exhausting when I fought with him, for I didn't particularly liked to fight, unless it was against a Hollow or a sparring match.
"Abarai-kimoi (creepy) stalking me now are you?" I sneered while putting some distance between us. He glared at me and flexed his hand a bit so he didn't grab onto his Zanpakuto. He gritted his teeth in annoyance and scowled at me, no doubt already having a comment to bite back with. But just like him, I didn't back down from a challenge unless I knew it was pointless.
"Baka, I can't wait until you leave this place! Then I won't have to look at your ugly mug anymore!" he shouted angrily and for some reason, that actually hurt to hear him say those words. I frowned at him and it was as if he just realized what he said, he seemed taken back; as if he couldn't believe he had said those words either. Biting my lip, I lowered my head letting my bangs cover my eyes as my grip tightened around my bag of sweets as I looked up at him with a wounded glare.
"Well don't worry Abarai-noroma (twit, dunce); I'm leaving tonight so you'll never have to see me again!" I shouted at him angrily before using Shunpo, disappearing from his sight before he could say anything else. Forcing myself to not let the tears pass from my eyes, I made my way to the 10th Division barracks. I don't know why I felt like crying, but his words stung deep this time around. Usually this never happened, for I always took harmful words towards me brushed them off with a simple, mocking smile.