Theme 4: Letter/Tegami
"Never write a letter when you're angry." – Chinese Proverb
The afternoon sun was high in the sky, sending pleasant rays of light down upon Soul Society. Inside the Seireitei, it was currently one of those rare moments where all was quiet and peaceful; not that that would last very long, but nonetheless. No, wait; if you force yourself to concentrate, you may hear a series of rhythmic taps so light, they almost blended in with the silence. Dart over to back of the fifth division barracks and take a peek through the small circular window, the third one to your left – no, your left – and you may find the source of the tapping.
Black haired, brown eyed Momo Hinamori was sitting in her chair, slumped over the table. Her head was languidly nestled into an arm as she tapped a slim blue-barrelled pen up and down on the hard surface. The taps started in a slow beat, and then sped up considerably before dying back down to its original speed. Momo sighed and began to flip the pen between her fore and middle fingers. Halfway through a twirl, her thumb got caught and the pen flew out of her hand. It bounced feebly before skidding across the floorboards.
Signing yet again, she opted for burying her head in both of her arms rather than picking up the pen. Scrap pieces of paper were scattered all across her desk, some with words and some with scribbles. About half and hour ago, Momo came into her office, pulled out the second drawer down from the right, and discovered the long forgotten packet of pens she had brought way back during her first trip to the human world. So for the first half, she was giddy with excitement, randomly doodling and marvelling at how sleek the line of ink was, much unlike that of Soul Society's horsehair brushes.
But soon those scribbles turned into words; and with good reason. Amidst the untidy scrawls and crossed out words, there was that four letter word written over and over again. On one piece of paper it was written in cursive with slight variations each time it was written. The L's ranged from large and loopy to small and squished. On another sheet it was printed on with the O's replaced with hearts. Sometimes that four letter word was accompanied by pronouns on both sides...and then maybe a name.
Blindly, Momo reached out and grabbed the first piece of paper her hand found and brought it in front of her face. She peeked her eyes over her folded arms and looked at it; it was a half mutilated letter. Gagging at her soppy creation, she crumpled it up and banged her head a couple of times before standing up to clear her desk. She wanted to tell him today.
No sooner than she had tipped the armful of papers into the small trashcan, the door opened to reveal a shinigami with their identity masked by a sizeable stack of papers.
"Special delivery for Momo-chan!"
"Now?" Momo whined.
Matsumoto shuffled to the desk and gratefully dropped the large stack onto it. She let out a "phew" and wiped imaginary sweat off her brow. She looked at the mountainous stack with both a sense of pride having carried it all the way to fifth division, and also with great relief that it wasn't for her. Momo squeezed her eyes shut and cautiously picked up the top sheet. Holding the bare minimum of the upper left hand corner with her thumb and forefinger, she held it up to her face and gingerly opened one eye. The other one soon followed and she let out a huge groan. Stamped near the top of this sheet, and most likely all of the other ones too, was a red-inked insignia of the Gotei 13. This meant they had to be filled out immediately.
"I don't have time for this! I was going to write a letter to Tos-"
Momo clamped her hands over her mouth mid-rant as she remembered that she was not the only soul present in the room. Matsumoto gave her a sly smile.
"Who were you going to write a letter to, eh Momo? I bet I know! The three S's!"
"What?"
"Oh you know: snowy, stoic and short!"
Matsumoto laughed at her own little creation and waltzed over to Momo. She pushed her from behind and forced the smaller girl into her chair. She grabbed the pen and a fresh sheet of paper and energetically shoved them into Momo's hands.
"Now write and I shall deliver!"
Momo turned her head around and arched up an eyebrow, giving the cheerful strawberry blond a look of scepticism. Sure, you could rely on Matsumoto to deliver a letter; practically anyone could take a piece of paper from one place to another. The only thing was if you could actually trust her not to read whatever you were getting her to deliver.
"Now now Momo, I know what you're thinking," Matsumoto said knowingly. "And with good reason too."
She gave a huge dramatic sigh and placed a hand on her forehead before continuing. "I knew one day my curiosity would get to me, and now it's even come to this! My best friend won't even trust me to deliver a letter to her beloved! But fear not!"
Matsumoto removed her hand and lifted up her head, with a look of one who had just achieved great brilliance. "You could always just put the fifth division seal over it!
Momo had to admit, that was a good idea. The division seals had some sort of special kido applied to them, making it so that once that seal was so much as lifted on the edges, it would rip in half. This way the recipient of the letter could always make sure that they were the first to read the message. However, for Matsumoto to be suggesting such an idea; surely she must have some trick up her sleeve.
"Fine Rangiku-san."
Momo pulled the sheet close to her and wrote while bending over it. This way her overly curious friend could not see what she was writing. After finishing, she folded the paper neatly into thirds and placed the fifth division sticker seal over it. She handed it up over her shoulder to Matsumoto.
"Okays Momo-chan! I'm off to deliver this to beloved taichou! Bye!"
Momo blinked as her friend practically teleported out of the office. She pulled the stack more towards her and grabbed the topmost sheet. After an irritated sigh, a small mocking smile formed on her lips.
As if you're not going to read it.
As if I'm not going to read it.
Matsumoto was sitting in a narrow space between the two high walls of adjacent buildings. Her back was leaning on one with her legs placed up comfortably on the other. She rested the sealed letter on her thighs and reached into her shihakushou. A moment later she pulled out a small roll of the fifth division seals. Who said that living in the Rukongai didn't have any advantages?
She placed the small roll next to her on the ground and rubbed her hands in excitement. She lifted up the edge of the circular seal and as expected, a large rip appeared. She quickly removed both halves, crumpled them up into a small sticky ball and flicked it away.
"Now Momo-chan, how did you write your confession?!"
She unfolded it and hurriedly scanned its contents. As her eyes moved downwards, expectations of those cliché sappy stuff confession were made up faded away into the distance. Upon reaching the end, her eyebrows knitted together in confusion.
"What the hell?!"
Toshiro eyed the neatly folded letter that Matsumoto just dumped on top of his work. It bore the fifth division's seal: a circular white sticker with a black border and in the centre, the number five kanji and the lily-of-the-valley emblem. He tore it off and started to read. Like Matsumoto, his eyebrows started to knit together, but then a realisation dawned on him and he directed his eyes back to the top.
Hitsugaya-kun
There is something I want to know
I want know
What the middle is to the sky and earth?
Please, can I ask you to find
That perfect middle so that you can tell me the answer?
Will you come up with something that you can tell me?
"See?! Isn't it a strange con- I mean letter! Isn't it a strange letter taichou?!" Matsumoto piped up before she could stop herself.
"Matsumoto, where did you steal the seals from?"
Toshiro didn't even bother to look up at his fukutaichou standing there, nervously fidgeting with her large obi sash. He had the slightest feeling that Matsumoto had read Momo's letter before him as she did not scurry over to peek at its contents; and her exclamation made it as clear as day. He dipped his traditional ink pen into its inkwell and began to write his reply. Matsumoto vaguely wondered if she could get away while he was preoccupied, but his emerald eyes moved up, demanding her to answer.
"Ehehehe, taichou! Why would you think I stole them?! Haven't you heard of the term "friendly borrowing"? You need to get out more!"
"Yeah, right," was his caustic reply.
After writing and letting his sheet dry out, Toshiro folded his letter and handed it, unsealed, to Matsumoto. Matsumoto was fukutaichou of the tenth division; she could quite easily get her hands on a roll of seals without getting in the least bit of trouble. There was absolutely no point and this would save him precious time, not to mention seals. He dismissed her with a wave of his hand.
"Well at least taichou's letter is in a language people can understand!"
Hinamori
What is it? And is this whole thing because you couldn't get anyone else besides Matsumoto to deliver this to me?
Matsumoto, I know you're reading this. You're not very trustworthy, or reliable for that matter.
"Stupid taichou," she huffed as she folded the letter back. "I'm plenty reliable! In fact, people should pay me for my reliability! Yeah!"
"Hey Rangiku! Do you have those snapshots that you were meant to give to me last week?!" shouted Hisagi from the distant adjacent walkway.
"Nope!"
"Wow Shiro-chan," she quietly said to herself as she read his reply. "You actually figured it out?"
"Yep! Taichou had this really surprised look on his face when he read you r letter Momo-chan! So, what did you write?!"
"Oh nothing much yet; I just wanted to ask him something."
Matsumoto cried in indignation her mind.
Well I figured that much out Momo-chan!!
Hm, maybe the next letter will tell her what she wanted to know?
Hitsugaya-kun
I can't believe you figured it out
Ne, really Shiro-chan
I suppose that you really are as smart as they say
And clever too
(I suppose anyway; you did some pretty stupid things when you were a kid! How long did it take you?)
"At least the girl's using our language again. Hm? Figured what out? Did I miss something in the last letter?" she asked herself. "Must have. Dammit! I should have dropped by ninth before giving that letter to taichou! Hisagi could've made me a copy."
She sighed and placed a new seal over the letter, wondering why she was even doing that. Toshiro had already caught her out; damn him for being a child prodigy! But one could always hope that this time he may not be cynical for once.
"Eh! Stupid taichou! ACHOO!"
Matsumoto sniffed pathetically and wiped her nose. Waterfalls of tears ran down her face as she walked back to Momo's division yet again. A large cumulus cloud moved across the sky to cover the sun, dropping the temperature ever so slightly. This did not sit too well with Matsumoto. Why? Because someone took the time to veneer her shihakushou with a glittering layer of frost.
In her right hand, she was gripping the reply letter a little too hard. So far this was her one, two...sixth trip between those two blind lovebirds. It was more work than she did in a year; but she persevered, albeit somewhat tiredly now, because there had to be a straightforward confession sometime! ...right?
Hinamori
Don't insult me over letters baka Bed Wetter! And it took me a second. Now what's that something you wanted to ask me? And what would be the point of I didn't figure it out?!
Hitsugaya-kun
You don't have to yell at me! And I complimented you! Twice! You're so mean Shiro-chan!
Hinamori
Yeah…whatever; just get on with it
Well, if the past three letters were any indication, no, that confession wouldn't be coming anytime soon.
Hitsugaya-kun
(You're so childish)
Tell me please, what do you know and think?
Do you find
The sky and earth think nothing of each other?
Or could they become more than friends in the most unlikely of circumstances?
I know you can tell me this
Is it the rain that will fall always between the sky and earth?
There are so many possibilities in my mind at this moment
I would love the answer
"Argh! You swapped back to gobbledygook!! No no no! The sky's up there, the earth's down there, and that's that!! "
She stopped as a completely ludicrous though ran through her mind.
"Maybe...they don't like each other...and this is some sort of wacked out childhood game?! No! Those two may be the thickest things I've ever come across, but not even a blind person would be able to miss their obvious flirting!"
Somewhere in the darkest sections of Las Noches:
Tousen's backbone straightened out as a series of small shivers travelled up them. When they receded, he rubbed his hand on his head confusingly and looked behind him (not that he would be able to see if anything was behind him...)
"Huh? What's wrong?"
"Nothing Gin. ...Hey, do you think that even I would be able to see the really obvious flirting between two people?"
"...I'm gonna go now..."
Hinamori
Why?
"Why what?!" Matsumoto whined.
Moonlighting as a messenger seemed fun at first...because she though she would get some juicy gossip out of it, not some half-riddle, half-letter with stupid rhetorical or whatever questions thrown in!! That silver lining was quickly wearing thin and she was surprised that she could even drag her feet towards Momo's room. This was her...eight time right? The strawberry blonde was quite willing to bet a lifetime's supply of sake that she could walk this path blindfolded without bumping into anything.
"Those two are just tiring! Tiring, do you hear me?!"
She shook a fist in the air and swung it around in a series of punches and uppercuts just for the heck of it.
"If the next letter is like all the other ones, I swear!"
Okay, this was it; the moment of truth. Matsumoto held up the folded piece of paper in front of her slitted eyes; Momo's reply. She was standing at the end of a hallway that lead to the door of the taichou's office. Her hands started to shake from anticipation, excitement, irritation, and many other emotions she couldn't be bothered to name. Everyone says that the third time's the charm...well times that by three and you'll be in Matsumoto's shoes. She gnashed her teeth together; leave it to those two to whittle down her cheerful, bubbly personality.
She needed to calm down! She closed her eyes and sent a little prayer to kami-sama, wherever he may be. Inhale, exhale, blue skies, calm s– oh, screw that! She unfolded the letter with such ferocity that it was a wonder as to how it was still in one piece.
Toshiro
Well it is because of endless curiosity
In my room I sit down quietly
To think infinitely
And I wonder if it's all I can do
I want to know the true answer to my hanging question
There is nothing I can do now
Except wait, to see if raindrops really are the love beads that connects those distant entities, like I hope
I can always count on you. You'll tell me the answer
Toshiro
"You all hate me!" she wailed to no one in particular.
Matsumoto tore into the office; the door hit the wall so hard, a nice sizeable crack was left in it. The falling pieces of plaster seemed to catch the attention of Toshiro rather than his fukutaichou in hysterics. Said fukutaichou was running around like a headless chicken. She circled around the room, muttering about "little knob heads" among other things. A little self composure seemed to have wormed its way into her brain and she mechanically walked up to the table.
"Here," she said, holding the letter in front of his face. Toshiro reached for it, but she subconsciously waved it to the other side.
"Although I'll never-"
Another attempt to claim the letter, another subconscious wave of the letter.
"Ever get the communication-"
"Matsumoto," Toshiro gritted through his teeth after his third failed attempt.
"Between you two. I need some kind-"
"Matsumoto!"
"Of decoding device for your mumbo jumbo! Stupid mumb-"
"MATSUMOTO!"
He grabbed her wrist and yanked the letter out of her hand. Finally, it only took five attempts. Matsumoto pouted but acted like nothing just happened and resumed her complaining under her breath. Toshiro ran an agitated hand through his hair and opened the letter. As he read down, his eyes widened and a pink blush began to appear on his face. No, she couldn't be saying that – he re-read the letter once more.
Unbeknownst to Matsumoto, because she currently had her head buried into the table, a small joyous smile came onto Toshiro's face. He grabbed a fresh sheet of paper and wrote a scant five words before folding it up and tapping his fukutaichou's shoulder.
"What?" she sniffed, looking up at him over her arms.
"Can you deliver this to Hinamori for me?"
She seemed to consider it for a moment, before snatching it in a huff.
"Fine, but only because the bar is on the way! I need sake! You two are the thickest things in all of existence!"
She stormed off through the door in a huff but poked her head in a second later.
"And I hate you!"
She stuck out her tongue before disappearing with a quick shunpo. Almost immediately, she was in front of Momo's desk. She held the unread letter up high and loosened her grip on it. It was still floating down to Momo's desk when the tormented shinigami proclaimed her need for sake once more and hightailed it out of there; but not before giving Momo the same "And I hate you!" parting.
Too bad for Matsumoto.
She's the fukutaichou of tenth division, who walked up and down the same path ten times today, which took ten large cups of sake to drown out the memory. Ten, ten, ten. She should really consider a saying like "the tenth time's the charm".
Momo
I love you too.
Confusing, no? Well there's kind of two ways to read Momo's letters: the straightforward version is hidden, while the riddled-type version is out in the open. Did that make any sense? Anywho, my main intention was for you readers to figure out the straightforward version (hint: look back at Momo's first letter). I'll put up the answer next time I update.
To those who want to: have fun figuring it out before then!
Please leave a review!
Translation of:
Theme 4: Letter/Tegami
Yep, I'm just gonna plonk the answer down here! I'm warning you, it's long, so you don't have to read it if you don't want to. Or you could just read about the hidden message bit.
Okay, so the straightforward version was hidden in the middle of Momo's letters; that is, the middle word of each sentence worded out what she wanted to write if not for Matsumoto being the messenger, lol. I'll put it here so you don't have to scroll up:
Hitsugaya-kun
There is something I want to know
I want know
What the middle is to the sky and earth?
Please, can I ask you to find
That perfect middle so that you can tell me the answer?
Will you come up with something that you can tell me?
--
Hinamori
What is it? And is this whole thing because you couldn't get anyone else besides Matsumoto to deliver this to me?
Matsumoto, I know you're reading this. You're not very trustworthy, or reliable for that matter.
--
Hitsugaya-kun
I can't believe you figured it out
Ne, really Shiro-chan
I suppose that you really are as smart as they say
And clever too
(I suppose anyway; you did some pretty stupid things when you were a kid! How long did it take you?)
--
Hinamori
Don't insult me over letters baka Bed Wetter! And it took me a second. Now what's that something you wanted to ask me? And what would be the point of I didn't figure it out?!
Hitsugaya-kun
You don't have to yell at me! And I complimented you! Twice! You're so mean Shiro-chan!
Hinamori
Yeah…whatever; just get on with it
--
Hitsugaya-kun
(You're so childish)
Tell me please, what do you know and think?
Do you find
The sky and earth think nothing of each other?
Or could they become more than friends in the most unlikely of circumstances?
I know you can tell me this
Is it the rain that will fall always between the sky and earth?
There are so many possibilities in my mind at this moment
I would love the answer
--
Hinamori
Why?
--
Toshiro
Well it is because of endless curiosity
In my room I sit down quietly
To think infinitely
And I wonder if it's all I can do
I want to know the true answer to my hanging question
There is nothing I can do now
Except wait, to see if raindrops really are the love beads that connects those distant entities, like I hope
I can always count on you. You'll tell me the answer
Toshiro
--
Momo
I love you too.
--
And there you have it! Well done to nymphadora1196 for figuring it out! Well if you look at the hidden message and the outwards message, you can see that they kind of realte to each other. Now for the riddled-version; that is the outwards message. This is just what floated into my mind when writing it:
Now when I think of Toshiro and Momo, I find it wonderful that two opposites can blend together so well; this is where the sky and earth came in. They're at opposite ends, and yet one cannot exist without the other. Now I relate Momo to the sky because of her carefree and kind personality, and Toshiro to the earth for his practicality and realism. Momo asked Toshiro if it is only rain that will connect those two. Metaphorically, if the sky and earth were in interact, would only rain, indicating negativity, connect them? Or are those droplets really the love those two have for each other? Lol, well water is primarily a life giving substance. And the middle: when those two unite in the perfect middle, it signifies their unity and yet they still retain their original forms. Think about you holding hands with someone; you're linked together and yet you're still seperate in a sense; you are two being that make a whole, not a whole new being.
This whole riddle thing is pretty open ended and there are so many ways to interpret things like this. Thank you to momo hitsugaya for bringing about a new perspective to this! As soon as I read it I thought "Yeah, that fits in so well!" That's amazing, what you came up with and I totally agree with it. The sky does protect the earth from the harshness of space and whatnot and yet doesn't smother it, but helps it foster and grow, just like how Toshiro protects Momo. You've really opened my eyes o.o (lol, couldn't help but put that there XD) And red-strawberrii: I like that quote! If I knew that before, that would probably have floated in my mind too!
I have to say, I had a really fun time making those letters up! Hope you got my explanation!