A/N: Woo finally 3rd chapter... I think I'm getting lazy, it's easter break after all... This is so unlike me here.

Review Response!

To: The Flying Lion, Thanks for the tip! It really helps! I gotta say, writers block is a weird thing to do. Sometimes I get really lazy so... yeah...

To: Cookiesaregood15, I always have grammatical issues so... I blame myself.

C'mon guys! More reviews so I can respond here.

Chapter 3: Childhood Friend?

Ashido's POV

I walked down the pathway of Karakura river, taking a nice walk after stressing out on the report Byakuya made me do. I sat down onto the grassy hill, throwing rocks into the river. I was bored as hell and there was nothing to do so might as well waste my time doing this.

I couldn't help but to think about the girl yesterday, Rukia. I can't believe that we had to invade OUR hometown and kill everyone. I never thought Rukia would still be there after all these years!

I couldn't forgive myself. Yesterday, the woman lying on the floor dying was her mother. I SHOT her. I did that to Rukia's mother. I can't tell her, she would never forgive me after all these years of friendship would be gone, ruined! I loved her like she was my sister and I killed someone that she loved. It's unforgivable!

I suddenly heard a woman scream. I jerked my head back to look at the big wooden house just outside the forest. My instincts made me want to save her so badly. I got up and ran towards the house as quickly as my feet could carry me. I heard a slam of the door. Knowing that someone's in trouble.

I ran up the long pathway and arrived at the house. I put my ear at the door and heard muffled voices.

"Stop please!" the woman pleaded.

I backed away from the door, knowing that the woman in there was screaming for help.

I grabbed the grenade in my pouch that was tied around my waist and pulled the safety pin with my mouth. I threw it at the front door and backed up a bit.

The grenade exploded as I grabbed another one in my pocket in case it didn't blow down the house. I stood at the entrance, looking down at the old man and a woman- no... girl underneath him. I threw my grenade up and down, trying to make me look bad ass and strong to the man. Such a great grand enterance.

"Who are you?" the man demanded.

I gave him my cocky smirk. "You don't need to know."

I looked at the girl beneath him struggling to get out of his grip. I squinted to focus my eyes on her and I can't believe it! it was Rukia! He's hurting Rukia!

Out of anger, I charged at the old man, hitting his face with my elbow and knocking him onto the other side of the bed. Rukia stared at me dumb founded, not knowing what to do. I punched the old man repeatedly, trying to knock him out. I don't know why the hell she's staring at me like that, she should run right now!

"What are you doing? RUN!" I yelled at her.

I watched Rukia stare at me and then bolting out of the house, leaving me here to fight the old man.

She owes me a whole lot.

Rukia's POV

It was almost 40 minutes and yet still waiting for my red headed hero to come out. I don't think the man down there is Ashido because I know he won't join the army. I mean, he's too kind hearted to kill someone... right?

I don't remember... all I remember was one of my childhood friends or two saying they wanted to join the army someday because they would look 'manlier'.

I sighed in sadness at the thought of Ashido. I shook my head to push the haunting memory in the back of my brain, knowing clearly that I would never see him ever again.

I looked down quickly as I heard some bricks moving loudly.

I gasped quietly.

Can it be? The soldier won?

As I stared intensely at the house, waiting for the moment when the soldier to come out alive and well.

I saw a glimpse of the man at the house. My smile faded, the man who came out wasn't the soldier that I hoped for.

The old pedophile man came out limping, having a black eye and bruises on his legs, arm and face. I couldn't help but to stare with widen eyes.

I put my hands on my mouth, wanting to cry my heart out.

"No..."

I can't believe it... he's gone...

The old man panted in tiredness and was sweating a whole lot. His white wife beater was now soaked and his messy braided hair was now tangled and nasty. He's supporting himself on a brick wall that was crumbling away with his right hand.

All hope I put into the red headed soldier was crushed, he was my last ray of hope and now... I don't know what to do.

I closed my eyes tightly and prayed for the unknown brave soldier.

Thank you for risking your life for me unnamed soldier... you may now rest in peace. I honour you my farewell and grief. Thank you.

I opened my eyes, looking down at the old man again. I shook my head in disbelief as the feeling of sadness swept into me because there was no one to rescue me from this terrible man.

I turned my attention to the brick house, watching it fall apart as the old man looking around dumbfounded not knowing what to do next.

I sighed knowing that I will die here and now. I should give up and hope he will let me go.

My eyes widen as I suddenly saw him, the red headed soldier having a black hand gun in his right hand, sneaking quietly behind the old man.

'Oh my god... he's alive!' I thought in excitement.

I literally wanted to cry in happiness seeing him not as injured or dead as I thought he would be.

The red headed soldier crept out behind him slowly and pointed the gun directly on the back of the old man's head.

* Click *

The old man froze in his place and panicked, he slowly looked over his shoulder to see the red headed man with widen terrified eyes.

"P-please..." the man pleaded. "spare me!"

I frowned at his pathetic response.

Don't spare him! Kill him! He deserved to die!

I looked at the red headed man's face. I couldn't see the full detail of it but I could see that he wasn't showing any facial expression. In his eyes, I think he won't spare anyone.

He closed his eyes and spoke in a low voice.

"I don't spare one's who harm people"

He opened his eyes and gave the old man a hateful look.

"Because, it's unforgivable."

He pulled the trigger and immediately blood splattered onto his left cheek. The man fell forward as his body hits the ground, leaving a puddle of blood to form as he laid there silent.

The red headed soldier looked at the dead body in disgust.

"Begging for your life is just cowardice."

He lowered his hand gun and sighed, calming down from the adrenaline, thinking that he thought he wouldn't actually execute this plan and go this well. He put the gun back into his back pocket.

He looked around the area, wondering where was I, he was hoping to take care of me and help me recover from this horrible incident. At times like these, people would go into total shock and might as well suicide themselves from suffering through fear.

"Wow..." I said out loud in amazement.

The red headed man's body tensed up as he was quickly and cautiously looking around the area. He slowly took out his hand gun out and put it in front of him.

"Who's there?" he called.

He turned around and looked behind him, then turned again and looked up where I was and saw me in the tree gazing at him.

His tense state returned into a relaxing state as he sighed in relief. He was glad to see me well.

I smiled at him and started to climb down the tree slowly so I could talk to him.

He smiled back as he walked under the tree and stood there, crossed his arms and looked up at me; watching me climb down.

I took a step on a branch and it suddenly snapped in half causing me to lose my balance and fall.

"Ahhhhhhhh!" I yelled, closing my eyes tightly.

He reacted quickly by reaching his arms out and caught me in his arms.

I couldn't feel the ground so I cracked an eye open, seeing that I'm being supported by 2 arms and then I opened both of my eyes and blinked twice.

I looked up at the red headed soldiers face and immediately recognize him and I cannot believe who it was.

"A-ashido?" I studdered in surprise.

"Yup that's me" He smiled down at me.

I looked at him dumbfounded not knowing what to say.

"Y-you came back..." I said having tears wound up in my eyes.

"Yeah, I told you I would." He said softly. "It's been a while, Rukia."

A/N: Okay I had to change Rukia's age to 14 because I realized that Ashido is too young to be a soldier. REMEMBER SHE'S 14 OK? She used to be 12...

Thanks to AliceHoung for pointing that out.

Dang. She likes to point things out a lot... :|

I should update these stories during the night cause I always have good ideas.. I don't know how but it just makes me improve more. Doing it during the day just makes me have a shit load of mistakes, like I said above.

Don't forget to review so I can reply to you on the story. PLEASE point things out when things aren't right... urgh hate it when that happens...

Next chapter: Strawberries. You know who strawberry is so... yeah. :)

Thanks for reading this annoying A/N here.