The Forgotten Child

Well, I have decided to start upon my artwork of drawing little Rin on dA. Why? Well, I think because now since I have described her into the story I should at least make a drawing of her. Then maybe when I'm done, I'll do a family portrait. It's not done yet so check the link to my account to see when it's finished!

Part Three: Friend

As they had entered into the town, they had noticed how similar it had been to the Rukongai districts. Though it wasn't as dangerous or safe. Walking through the streets to look for the cheapest inn they could afford, Rin and Eiko soon began to tire before finding one that could possibly exist.

"This is hopeless, Rin," Eiko huffed out, "it seems as if we have been walking here forever! There isn't an inn that is less than sixty thousand koku! This town is really expensive!"

"It's the only place that seems much more comfortable and easing compared to a fungus lined cave," Rin pointed out, "unless you prefer to sleep in there tonight again."

"Never mind," her companion quickly finished.

Rin gave a small smile and laugh as they had continued to search. Soon the sun began to set over the hills and the town soon became dark and glittered with lights. More people began to come out of their homes during the evening than the day, and soon the streets began to become crowded. Rin and Eiko soon had to pull each other out of the large crowds if they had wanted to go through. Finally passing by a few shops, the two women soon had come to what appeared to be a very cheap looking inn. Quickly going in, Rin and Eiko searched the front for anyone that possibly was around. Waiting for what appeared to be a good hour, soon Rin rang the little front bell.

"Alright, alright," a very grouchy voice answered, "I'm coming! I'm coming!" From behind a raggedy, torn up curtain came a shriveled bearded man with glasses. He climbed up to the front chair, adjusted the rims and looked up at the two women. "What is it? What do you want?"

"We'd like to stay here for the night," Rin explained as Eiko peeped over her shoulder.

"Alright, alright," the old man muttered as he scribbled something illegible onto a stained piece of paper. "That'll be about thirty five thousand yen."

"Thirty five thousand?!" Eiko exclaimed, "This place doesn't even look decent enough to be worth a thirty five thousand yen's night!"

"It's either that or get lost!" the old man retorted, "So pay up or get out."

"Please excuse my companion," Rin spoke as she waved a hand down in front of Eiko, "but we don't have much money. Is there an alternative so that we may stay here for the night?"

"No alternatives! Get out!" the old man shouted as he soon picked up his cane. He was just about to hit over Eiko's head until Rin's sheathed sword, Go Kou, had stopped him. "Ack! A sword! A sword!!" the old man screeched as he took back his cane. "You both have swords!!"

"And what of it?" Rin asked as she withdrew hers. "Is something wrong with them?"

"No one is permitted to own a sword in this town!" the old man shouted as he jumped off the chair, "They're illegal!! Get out, get out! I'm going to call for the police!"

"Not even a zanpakutou?" Eiko asked, "'Cause mine is a sword, but she has a zanpakutou. That makes it okay, right?"

"No nothings! Get out, get out, get out!" Soon the old man opened up the covered window and began to shout, "Help! Help me! They're two women with swords! Help!"

"Let's just go," Rin sighed as they both made their way out of the shabby inn. Quickly looking around to see if anyone was coming to the old man's aid, the two soon ran quickly into a dark alley, hopped over a rotted wooden fence and soon made their way back outside of the town. Running quickly back into the forest, through the thick trees and up the steep hill, Rin and Eiko made it back to where they had started. Huffing and breathing in for air, both had slouched onto their bottoms and soon tiredly lay onto their backs.

"What a crazy old guy," Eiko panted, "he was just probably trying to steal our money."

"Probably," Rin huffed as she closed her eyes, "but it appears we're back here now. The only place that would be close now, other than that town would be District Eighty in the Rukongai."

"District Eighty?!" Eiko exclaimed as she jumped up, "No way! I'm never going back to the Rukongai ever again! I was lucky enough to leave District Sixty Nine thanks to you, but I don't ever want to be near those places. Besides, it's so far away; we'll never make it there by morning! It'll take days to get to District Eighty."

"I know, but Eiko…" Rin spoke as she got up as well, "we have no other choice. We've been staying in this forest for the last twenty years already. I think it's time for us to get back to some place we're familiar with. Even though I don't want to be near the Rukongai's as well, but it seems only to be a place where we can stay for a while more."

Eiko soon turned and looked up to the moon, then looking at their surroundings, the large trees. The soft grass. The fungus lined cave and the soft grass, she refused to leave. "But I like this place," she began, "it's like…a home I can never wish to leave."

"I know," Rin sighed out as she looked to the side. She soon closed her eyes to the word, 'home' and couldn't help but envision the Kuchiki home. Opening them again she then remembered another home that she had once stayed in. "But…at least, you wouldn't mind if we just...visited the place, right?"

Eiko soon understood what Rin was saying. Giving a small smile she whispered, "Sure. You want to talk to him, right?"

"Yes," Rin replied as she laid on her back. Looking up at the starry night sky, Rin then closed her eyes and fell asleep.

It had been two days since I ran away. I wondered if anyone within the household was worried…or if they just didn't care. I really didn't have a plan for myself as I ran; all I just wanted was to just get away from them all, even if it had to be someone as noble and great as Tou Sama. But most of all, I just wanted to be away fromher, the outsider that Tou Sama had brought in. If she were to be living under the same roof as me I just wouldn't handle it.

I had come to a very strange looking place. It was a really rundown, shabby town. The houses looked as if they were made from old, re used, rotted wood and there were dirty, dusty looking people. The children were the worst, they were filthy and their clothes were heavily stained or caked with mud. They ran around like animals with no destination and the adults just didn't seem to care. But they were the worst. They were murderers and thieves, bandits and con artists. Soon I then realized I was far away from the Seireitei, from the Soul Society. I was in the Rukongai. I didn't know the name of the town, but I immediately knew the district I was in. It had only been last year, shortly after Mama died I had learned of the four quarters that held a piece of the Rukongai. Quarter One held District One through District Twenty, the safest places. Quarter Two held District Twenty One through District Forty, the semi safe places. Quarter Three, District Forty One through Sixty, the dangerous places. And the last, Quarter Four, District Sixty One through Eighty, the worst of the worst Districts. And the one that I happened to run into, Quarter Four, District Eighty.

I first realized it when I had stumbled upon the corpse of a faceless man that was rotting. I screamed and no one came in rushing. A passerby just gave a look and then when on his way. I was scared. Really, really scared. During the day, someone's body would be lying on the streets and no one would even bother on getting rid of it, only if it was decaying and smelling some people would do something about it. Some people. The children in this district looked out for each other but only for a short time. They were the easiest to kill for the adults. Sometimes it would a child's body on the streets or the river. But night was the worst. During the evening, the murderers would be out killing whoever crossed paths and I hoped for dear life that it would never be me. The home the children slept in was too full, so I slept in the alley for a week. I hid in rotted boxes and slept with one eye open, in case I heard them coming close. If they did I wouldn't even breathe.

I rarely ate, and because of it I became very thin. One day while I had walked into the forest of District Eighty I was hoping to go the river, in hopes of catching fish for myself. If there wasn't, then I was going to clean myself or drink the water. The thoughts of doing this gave me a hopeless bit of happiness, but along the way I had stumbled over my own feet and fell. I didn't even bother getting up, I wanted to die. A band of men came, they all had knives in their hands and at that point I had welcomed Death. I shut my eyes tight, hoping it would be quick, but soon the men began to shout in pain and I thought I heard the sounds of blood splash onto the grass.

When I opened them I was surprised to see a man. He was clean looking and held a zanpakutou, like what the Shinigami had back in Soul Society. I thought he was probably someone sent to find me so I tried to pretend I was dead.

"Hey, it's okay, they're all gone now," his voice was gentle and it made me feel relaxed. "Get up, it's okay."

I looked up and there he was, smiling at me. Even though he had some blood stains on his face and was streaming down. He wore no Shinigami clothes, but commoner ones, soaked by the blood and stained by it. He took my hand and helped me to my feet. "Thank you," I said shyly.

"It's okay, but what were you doing here?" he crouched down so he could reach my height, "Where are your parents? Your friends?"

"I don't have any," I said to him.

He looked at me for a moment, scratched his head a bit and spoke, "Well then…I'll be your friend. How's about that?"

"Friend?" I had never had one. The only one I had was Mama, but I didn't know if that counted.

"Sure. Here, I'll be your friend. Wanna know my name?" He smiled at me and I blushed a bit.

"Okay."

"Kiichi. Akaichi Kiichi." He spoke with a wide smile. "There, that's my name. Tell me yours."

"Rin," I said shyly. I decided not to include my noble family's name. "My name is Rin, Kiichi san."

"So Rin," Kiichi began, "what were you doing out here? It's dangerous for children to come out alone in this district."

"I was going to the river," I said to him, "I was hungry."

"I can understand that," he spoke as he stood up. He took my hand and then smiled at me, "I have food, would you like to eat with me? It should be ready about now."

I nodded immediately and we both set off. I was amazed at his home. He had a cave in the side of a large hill, it was tiny and he hid it from all the other adults. He had planted bushes at the entrance so they wouldn't find it. He told me that his family were once Shinigami and he used to be in Eleventh Company. "My family members all died, one by one from a disease that runs in our bloodline. I was forced to leave Eleventh Company because of it."

"Did you tell them about it?" I asked as I ate a piece of fish.

"No, they all knew," Kiichi explained, "you see, my family died as Shinigami. So I decided to leave without telling them."

"Why?"

"I don't know," Kiichi sighed, "maybe it was because I just didn't want to die as a Shinigami. I admit there is honor in that, but I also wanted to do something else in my life before I die." He then gave a smile and asked about me.

"My Mama died," I said quietly.

"Oh, I see," he then went quiet for a bit and then asked me, "what about your father? Is he alive?"

I looked down for a bit and chewed on my fish silently. Then I spoke, "Tou Sama…doesn't need me around anymore."

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For the next ten years I had lived with Kiichi. And over the time, I developed feelings for him, though, I don't think he noticed. From morning to night, he would teach me many things. He taught me how to fight with his zanpakutou, Go Kou, or 'Five Light Beams'. He taught me how to live in the forest and what things were good to eat and what wasn't. He taught me how to cook, sew and even tend to myself in case of injuries. But what I loved the most was when I slept in his arms. Ever since I was six and told him that I was always scared of being alone in the dark he had allowed me to sleep by him. And soon, I had found my way closer to him.

Though there were some womanly things I had developed, I didn't dare tell him about it. Though, I think he was quite oblivious of it.

"I think I should give you a sword of your own," Kiichi said to me one day as we ate sweet potatoes that he had cooked. "It won't do anything special like my zanpakutou, but I know it'll protect you when I'm not there."

"Where can we get one?" I asked as I blew on my potato.

"There is a guy I know that lives in District Sixty One. He'll make a sword for you if you trade him what he likes."

"What does he like?" I asked.

"He likes things like this," he then presented a bag full of coins. They were copper, gold, silver, bronze. They were foreign but simply had special designs on it. Some had wisterias on it; others had iris' or plum blossoms. "He collects stuff with flower patterns."

"When will we get them?"

"Whenever you are ready." Kiichi then smiled and me and for the first time in my life, other than lying in his arms, he had given me a hug. It had been the first time I had received something so comforting in so many years since Mama died and as I felt his touch, my heart overflowed with love for him.

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Though Kiichi had always continued to look healthy and smile, those days had changed when I had fallen ill and he had gone out on a terribly rainy night to hunt a boar for me. He had hunted the tough animal and because of it, had gotten injured as well. He brought it home and cooked it for me and I looked at how deep the wounds were. There was mud on his clothes and I thought that because of the heavy rain he had slipped while fighting the creature, he had gotten hurt by it. When I had asked if there was anything I could do, even in my condition, to make something up he just smiled and said it was nothing to worry about.

Two days then passed and Kiichi had fallen extremely ill. He had grown pale and constantly had chills and a high fever. He would have cold sweats and to this I worried. I felt guilty and decided to try and heal him with everything that he had taught me. I hunted for him, foraged for him and cooked all that would be good for him. Kiichi stayed sick for what might have been three months. One day Kiichi had looked entirely white, his voice was weak and he called for me. "Rin…are you there?"

"I'm right here, Kiichi san. Please don't talk, you're still recovering." I tried to sound my best without breaking into tears.

"I wont make it," he then said and I felt my world drop. "It seems the disease came and now it is here to stay."

"Don't say that," I said to him and I tried to smile. I felt the tears form in my eyes and I quickly wiped them away. "You'll be fine. Just you wait, you'll be the first one from your family to live through it and you can laugh and smile again. Just like how you always do."

Kiichi gave a small smile but it quickly faded. "No, I can already can feel it. I'm going to pass this world soon, Rin."

I felt a hard lump in my throat as he said my name and soon I cried. I tried to stop it but I couldn't. "Kiichi san, please don't go!" tears fell from my eyes and onto his arms. "Please don't leave me alone, Kiichi san! Please!"

Kiichi then looked at me, raised his hand and held my cheek. I held his hand, his gentle touch; I could feel it becoming cold. A thumb wiped away the tears and he spoke, "Don't be sad, Rin. If I didn't meet you, there would've been no one else for me to talk to. I'm really happy that I met you, Rin." He then gave me a small smile, "Keep Go Kou. Take care of it for me, promise?"

"I promise," I whispered.

"Thank you." Kiichi then closed his eyes and gave a final sigh. I felt my heart drop and soon my hands began to shake.

"Kiichi…? Kiichi?" No answer came and soon I screamed.

The next day I buried Kiichi not too far from the cave. It was near our favorite hiding spot where there was a giant oak tree that had iris' growing all around it. As I placed the perfectly round, smooth stones on top of each other, I began to imagine the life we could've shared if he had lived. Would we be together? Would we grow old together? Would we have children? Such possibilities and questions circled my head and I cried again.

When I finished, I placed three wisterias on top of the dirt and near the tiny altar of rocks. One was for one was for friendship, the second was for his being there, and the last was for love. I prayed, hoping that he would be sent to a good place and that if we were to meet in another life I would be the child I was before and that we would grow together and become one. Finally getting up and giving a sigh, I began to walk away. Stopping for a moment I looked back and said, "Thank you for everything, Kiichi san…I'm sorry I never told you earlier, but I loved you."

End of the third chapter. What did you all think? Well, the next part is now going to focus on Byakuya a bit. Kinda like how I focused it on Rin in this one. Well I hoped you enjoyed part three, wait for part four!R&R!!