I sat there with my head tilted to the side in confusion. "…I don't get it…" and with that simple but blatantly honest comment she seemed to just explode.
"HOW MANY TIMES DO I HAVE TO SHOW YOU UNTIL YOU GET IT?!" Captain Soi Fong yelled at me angrily.
"It's not my fault! You move too fast so I can barely see what you're doing!" I argued back as sparks flew from our glaring eyes at one another.
"Now, now you two-" Jushiro whom was a simple spectator until now was cut off.
"You stay out of this!" the two of us yelled in unison while he just smiled at us continuing our useless argument…
"Get it now?" Captain Soi Fong asked me sounding really annoyed from trying to teach me simple combat moves, though in my defense it's her fault for moving so fast.
"Y-yeah, I'm pretty sure I do." I say a little more confident in myself this time around.
"Good" she says turns walking away from me, "now," she stops about fifteen feet away from me, "Let's see you do it!" She yells charging at me.
"W-what?! Wait!" I scream in surprise as she charges at me.
I had no time to react to her attack and went flying when her punch landed and I hit the wall on the far side of the room, "oww," I groaned, "that really hurt." I slowly rose from my sprawled out form onto my feet rubbing my sore left arm.
"You're lucky I wasn't being serious or you would be dead by now." Soi Fong said glaring down at me with her arms folded over her chest.
I puffed out my cheeks and frond at the woman standing above me, "humph, you could have waited until I was ready" I grumbled.
"Your enemy won't let you get ready in a real battle so neither will I!"
"What enemy?! I'm just a kid!" I retort standing up straight glaring at her.
"Enough talking we're starting again!"
I let out a heavy sigh, "whatever." And we commenced with my training…
I lie down next to the white haired man already asleep in the futon before me he was recovering from one of his sickness spells and I wanted to stay by him until he awoke once again. I was tired myself from all the work from earlier that day with my training with Captain Soi Fong. I cuddle up next to my uncle slightly being careful not to disturb him from his slumber and wanting sleep to overtake me too, please don't leave me too, a tear rolled down my cheek as I drifted off into a dreamless sleep…
It's been a couple of months now since I've come to live with Jyuushiro in Soul Society and my training with Captain Soi Fong has been going smoothly as well. I even lost a little bit a weight because of it, I'm not exactly really skink but I'm not really fat either I guess just a little chubbier, not to mention taller, than most teens my age but it didn't really bother me I'm fine the way I am.
At the moment it's in the middle of spring and the cherry blossoms are in full bloom and I'm enjoying every minute of it! This is the part of coming to live with my Uncle that I looked forward to the most I've always wanted to come to Japan and see them and I finally have its better than I imagined.
Everyone is busy with work so I'm outside by myself sitting in a Sakura tree enjoying the sunshine and the much needed break from training. I look to the bright blue sky above me and smile a sad smile, "I wish you all could see this too." I stray tear runs down my cheek, but hey maybe you do.
I shift from my previous position to a new one where my back was against the trunk of the tree and my legs were no longer dangling from the tree branch but pulled to where I was slightly sitting on them and the rest were to the left of me. I pull the guitar I was holding out of its case and get ready to play it, this belonged to my older brother who got it from my dad and I've been teaching myself for a while now though I'm still not very good at it. I start out with a simple melody and hum along with it until I came to a spot that I still haven't learned how to play. I laugh slightly, "I really am no good compared to you big brother…" I put the guitar back in its case and set it on my lap. "I really wish I asked you to teach me how to play the guitar rather than skateboarding." I laugh some more closing my eyes as tears start streaming now my face. I wipe them away and look down at my hands when I gain my composure back, "…I really wish…" that I didn't run off that night then I would be with you all right now. I cry some more glad that there wasn't anyone around to see me.
I took in a shaky breath and leaned back against the trunk of the tree once again just letting the tears fall freely as I tilted my head towards the sky once again opening my mouth and letting the words flow out;
"I'll Always Remember You
Carry your Dreams Until They Come True
Each Breath That I Take
Each Moment Away
I'll Always Remember You
Everywhere I walk I see your Shadow
And When I Close My Eyes I See your Face
Every Song I Sing I Hear Your Melody
Because Not A Moment That Goes By
When You're Not On My Mind
You Will Always Be My Hero
Never Scared, and Braver Then Us All
Guiding Light For Me To Follow
Always Showing Me The Way
Right Beside Me Every Day
I'll Always Remember You
Carry your Dreams Until They Come True
Each Breath That I Take
Each Moment Away
I'll Always Remember You"
I open my eyes smiling a little remembering all the happy moments from my past with my family.
"Oh, Oh yeah I'll Remember (I'll Remember)
Hey, yea, yea, yea, yea (I'll Remember)
Oh, All The Sacrifice You Made
And All The Gifts You Gave
I'll Always Remember You
Carry your Dreams Until They Come True
Each Breath That I Take
Each Moment Away
I'll Always Remember You (You, You)
I'll Always Remember You
I'll Carry Your Dreams Until They Come True
Each Breath That I Take
Each Moment Away
I'll Always Remember
Always Remember
I'll Always Remember You"
I steady my breathing from the singing smiling to myself, forever and always I'll never forget any of you. I pick up the guitar and sling it over my shoulder standing up on the branch stretching my arms out wide taking in the warmth of the sun. My family, my big, annoying, stupid family all of you will forever be in my heart!
"Ashley!" I hear a voice call from below the tree. I smiled seeing who it was, "hey there kid wanna get an ice cream?" the third seat of my uncles squad, Kiyone Kotetsu, asked me.
"Okay!" I give her a big toothy green when I jump down next to her.
"By the way, Ash, I was wondering…" she started as we were walking to the ice cream shop that was quite a few blocks away. "…how tall are you?"
I lift up an eyebrow at her in confusion, "I don't know 5 foot 5 I think." She looked at me bewildered, "I'm about 170 cm." I laugh a little at her, forgot that only America does everything in feet and inches.
"Eh, no way! You're so tall yet still so young!" she looks up at me with sparkling eyes.
"Yeah and I wish I wasn't." I look down at her, "It runs in my family so I'm probably going to get even taller." I let out a heavy sigh; I really wish I wasn't so tall it's depressing.
"You shouldn't be depressed about your height you should embrace it!" she pumps her fist up in the air for exaggeration. "Besides I know someone who's even taller than you are so don't be so down about it!" she gives me a big warm smile while I give a small one in response. "Come on now," she grabs my arm and starts pulling me, "let's go get some ice cream~!" she sang. Somehow it feels as if she just wanted an excuse to get herself some ice cream…
Hmm, this is actually really good. I thought to myself as I tried the green tea ice cream for the very first time.
"That's a very cute kimono you have on, did the Captain buy it for you?"
"Oh, uh, yeah." I say a bit timidly.
"I knew it only our Captain could pick out something so cute for his little niece.
"Thanks but…" I look down at the light pink fabric that had a design of a Sakura tree and its leaves flying all over the fabric with a white obi with a silver embroidered design on it. I didn't wear the sandals with it though considering it was hard enough to just walk in the kimono so I went bare foot and had my hair tied half back with a pink hair clip and Sakura flower earrings in to match it, "I don't really like pink." I give her an awkward smile as he mouth hung open, I'd rather it be black or red.
She let out a gasp, "Why it looks so good on you?"
"I don't know probably because my Mom used to force me to wear it all that time." I laugh sadly at the memories of my Mom.
"Sorry I caused you think about them again, huh?" she said sounding a little depressed.
"It's alright really it doesn't bother me." I lied.
"Really?"
"Mhmm" I smiled at her, "Besides it's not like I want to completely forget them, ya know?"
"Oh your right!" she perked up but then her face dropped again, "I'm sorry I never thought about it that way before."
"It's okay it's not your fault considering most people don't think about it that way." I smiled to her, though in truth I don't remember much about them. I jump out of my seat and onto the dirt path below us, "C'mon it's getting late so we should head back!" I smile over to her and she smiled back.
"Only if you sing a song along the way!" she chimed stepping next to me. I looked at her suspiciously and she scratched the back of her neck and laughed nervously, "I kinda hear you earlier, sorry I didn't mean to eavesdrop you just have such a pretty voice!" I blushed slightly with a small smile, no one's ever told me that before, "Though I have no clue what you were saying!"
I giggled at her expression, "Well I didn't think anyone was listening so I didn't bother singing a Japanese song!" nor do I know all that many, "Ok, I do know one… but you have to promise you won't cry!" I say sternly looking at her while she looked confused but nodded anyways. I start walking and take in a breath,
"Ame ni nureta hoho wa
Namida no nino ga shita
Yasashii manazashi no
Tabibito
Shizuka ni bibiiteru
Natsukashii ongaku
Omoidasenai kioku
Samayou
Yume wa tobitatsu no chiisana tsubasa de
Omoi no kienai basho made futari de
Tooi umi wo sora wo koete
Kurai yoru no naka de
Watashi wo terashiteru
Yasashii manazashi no
Anata no
Aitai…"
As I finished I stopped walking and looked over to her seeing her hands clenched close to her face and tears ready to spill out at any moment. "You promised!" I yelled as she wailed and gave me a giant hug almost knocking me over in the process, I knew I should have sang something else, I let out a sigh and smiled, oh well at least I'm not the one crying, I though while patting the older woman on the back…
"IT'S COO-OOOLD!" I say with my teeth chattering, hands shaking gripping the wooden sword as the snowflakes fall around me. "Why can't we practice in a dojo or something?!" I whined to Jyuushiro who stood across from me in his fighting stance, the cold not affecting him in the least bit.
"Because you need to lean discipline and the best way to practice is in the snow!" He retorted "Besides you're the one that wanted me to teach you how to use a sword."
"I never would of asked you if I knew I'd have to do this." I mumbled to myself.
"What was that?"
"Nothing!" I gripped my sword tighter and leaped towards the man ahead of me.
It's been eighteen months since I first arrived in Sole Society and been staying with Uncle Jyuushiro in the 13th division captains headquarters with him. You've probably figure out by now that I'm in fact a living human yet I'm living in Sole Society without a problem, very peculiar don't you think? In fact I still don't know the answer to why that is it probably has something to do with the fact that everyone in my family has always been very spiritually aware.
I may not know much about myself or any of this for that matter but I plan on finding everything out about what happened to my family I don't care what I have to do I'll never forgive the person who took everything away from me.
"Hi-yah!" Mine and Jushiro's training swords clash with a loud smacking sound. "AH!" I fell onto my butt in the cold wet snow. Slowly dragging myself to my feel while glaring I charge again at the man before me. "YAH!"
"Ashley, why don't we take a break we've been at this all day?" He asked holding me back easily only using one hand.
I'll make sure I get stronger than anyone here in Sole Society that way I know for sure that I'll be able to win any battle.
"NO, NOT YET!"
I have to get stronger.
I fall back once again, cold sweat dripping down my face.
I will get stronger! I'll find out everything about my family.
I struggled to even get back on my knees. Not knowing the sad look that Jushiro was giving me at that time.
I'll find the one that killed my family.
Breathing heavily I shakily get back to my feet unaware of the crowd that has gathered the two of us.
And destroy him for what he destroyed of mine!
I let out another scream a charge one last time.
Even If It Kills Me In The Process!
Our wooden sword clash for the last time sending peaces in every direction, breathing heavily I collapse to the floor with the now broken wooden sword still tightly griped in my blood dripping, splintered hands tainting the pure white snow. Now gripping the freezing snow in my bloodied hands I unconsciously hang my head down letting my hair cover my eyes. Salty tears flow down my warm cheeks onto the snow.
"I'M GUNNA KILL 'IM!" I scream out to no one in particular.
Sobs filling the soundless sky, "kill, *sniff, sniff* gunna" I bring my hands to my face and start rubbing at my eyes, "I'll *sniff* kill 'im." Startled at the hand suddenly on my shoulder I look up at who it belonged to and not to my surprise "U-u-uncle j-ju-Jushiro" I cried.
He gave me simple yet soft smile "Keep pressing on."
Unable to hold it back any longer I let out a blood hurtling scream and lunged into his arms wrapping mine around his back. Unable to hold back the tears I once thought were all dried up. Unable to cry at my family's funeral, I never cried a single tear that day or since then. Covering up all my pains with laughs and smiles why was I crying now of all times? What has changed? What has changed to make me let my weak side show that I never would let my own family see? It didn't matter anymore at this moment all that mattered was that those feelings were there. Those feelings are what I will keep in mind till the very end. Until I accomplish my goal. I have this one lifetime to take back of those five that were lost.
~ Jyuushiro Ukitake~
Jushiro stares in surprise at the shattered sword in his hands before a smile forms on his pale lips. He slowly bends down and picks up the crying girl before him bridal style, smiling down at her still crying form in his chest walking back to the room they shared for a rest as she slowly start to fall asleep from crying so much. "Interesting kid indeed" the white haired man hears from the door was while covering up the girls shivering body.
"Kyouraku" Jushiro looked over at her sleeping form once again smiling down "yes indeed. She's got some power in her that she herself has yet to realize." He paused for a moment to let out a much needed sigh of exhaustion, not from the training session, "Now I know why her parents pressed so much for her to come here if anything were to happen to them."
"Got your hands full with this one buddy" Kyouraku says bluntly to his friend. "But still she'll be really amazing if she's already able to do all that unconsciously."
"Yes but I wonder if she will be able to get her revenge…" he smoothed a hand over the sleeping girls' hair, "I think she has a too kind of a heart to do so." Jyuushiro smiled down one last time before the two men left the young girl to rest.
