Chapter 3
"Dad, why do you teach me this?" I looked up at him with my big bambi eyes. He raised his hand and ruffled my hair. "Because you need to protect yourself when you're older." I gave him a big warm smile. We continued with that day's lesson.
I layed down on the grass green lawn. I squinted as I looked up at the sun pounding down on the earth. I closed my eyes. Suddenly a shadow came over me and my eyes opened hesitantly, it was my dad. He squatted next to me. "Sweetie, I have to go for work." "You coming back tonight?" "Yeah, I promise." The sunshine died down. A few drops of rain hit my nose, reacting my nerves.
I went inside. I turned to go through the doorway to my room, when I spotted my friend. "Hi!" "Hello Ichiru." "How are you doing today? You did very well in today's lesson. You look very natural with that wooden katana." "Ah... Oh, I am fine..." "Oh! What's wrong?" I waved my hand at him to signal him not to push it. He silenced himself and bought my head to rest on my shoulder. "Ok, then let's drop that and play in the rain? You know you can't resist." He pressed his index finger softly against my nose, that usually worked to get me to do something; but for some reason, it didn't work this time. He was already passing through the door. When he looked at me, I was nearly crying. Tears began forming at my lower eyelid. I slid down with my back against the wall in my bedroom.
I crawled under my desk. My knees were up to my chin. Tears that were forming now slid down my cheeks. Warm arms wrapped around me. I looked up in suprise. " I thought you guys can't touch things." "I'm making an exception. Just for you." I turned to face him and nuzzled my face into his chest. He stroked my violet tips of hair with his hands. He pulled away from me and shook my shoulders slightly, "Now tell me what is wrong?" "I have a bad feeling about his work today. It doesn't feel right. I can't sense his presence anywhere." I let loose all the tears that I had held back so far. He embraced me again. He comforted me, "Shh.. It's going to be alright. Everything will be alright." I sat there in his arms for the rest of the night. At around midnight, I fell asleep. The last thing I remember was looking into his beautiful turquoise eyes. I could see most of his eyes because his hair came down in soft white spikes. Just a few tiny parts, I couldn't see. But I felt completely safe.
When I woke up, my friend was gone. I thought his touch on my skin left. He must have gone to heaven. Bye, Bye Toshiro.
I crawled out of my hiding space. I heard my mom on the phone. The murmuring on the other side of the phone was soft, calm and gentle. Suddenly I heard my mom stutter into the phone, "W,w,w- what?!" Then she collapsed. I squealed. I rushed to the phone. I practically screamed, "Help ! Help! My mom has passed out." THe voice on the other side of the phone put me on hold to call an ambulance. The man's voice came back. "Child, do you know what I was talking to your mom about?" "No and I don't really care. Now my mom is going to go with my dad! SHe can't leave me here alone!" I heard the man pull away from the phone. "How did you know that, kid?!" "Please let them get here quick!" I left the phone there and took my mom's sleeve to my face. I sobbed into it. Only talking and praying for her not to leave me alone. The paramedics finally arrived and took my mom's pulse. There was almost nothing. The tried to resuscitate her, but she didn't take to it. They brought her to the hospital and kept her stable, by hooking her up to a an iv and stabling her bp and hbp.
I wandered around the hospital, then I saw it. The city morgue. My dad was on the table. I opened the door and sat on the metal bed across from dad's. I talked to him about mom. His face and body was all harshly burned, but I knew it was him. I heard the door open. A woman with long titian hair came in in scrubs. SHe dropped the chart she was holding. "CHild, what are you doing here?" I looked at her and smiled with tears running down my face, "Visiting my father." "Your father is Ace Higetsu." "Yeah, I'm Ace's Ace, but my name is Ichiru." SHe stared at me with shock. "Well, I was." "Doesn't it disturb you that he's here in such bad condition?" "No and I know he is dead, would you mind telling me what was it? Besides a fire." "The fire was started by him and he knocked himself out. The wound is thought to be self inflicted. Sorry I mean, he caused the wo-." I held up my hand and looked away from her. "I may be nearly four, but I do know what the words self inflicted means." Still looking away, I continued, "You could have just said, he committed suicide." I gave her my most irrationaly annoyed tone. She didn't seem to mind. Instead, she walked up to me and introduced herself, "Hello, I am Kay. Dr. Kay Bright." "Hello, Dr. Bright. Um... would you mind if Istayed here while you... worked on my father?" "Well, that is a strange request. I will grant it but are you sure you can handle it?" I nodded. I had to see my father being shown the respect he deserves.
Present day,
I wake up. I have really no recollection of what happened yesterday, except for Mizuiro and I. I sat up only to see a very still Toshiro looking at me. His face didn't show it but his eyes showed great concern. I realised this and looked down blushing. I am guessing he saw the red in my face, because he mantained his cool and walked calmly over and asked, "Do you have a fever?" He hand came in contact with my cool forehead. I guess you don't. I stood up. I was sooo much taller than him. "How long have you been here? Watching me?" I looked over his shoulder only to see a guy leaning up against the wall. I leaned forward, toward Toshiro and asked who's that guy? I pointed to the corner. Toshiro turned around, but when he looked there was no one there. That blondie was cute but kinda gave me the creeps.
I leaned down and gave Toshiro a kiss on the cheek and whispered, "Thank you for taking care of me." He went really red.
Apparently on my way to the meeting last night, I passed out. Toshiro found me and brought me to Urahara's.
Later in the day,
Toshiro's P.O.V.
She kissed me, it was only on the cheek but still she didn't have to. SHe could have just said thanks. "Toshiro?" I turned around, it was Ichiru. "Yeah?" "Could I visit Soul Society?" "Yeah sure we were heading back on tuesday next week." She slapped her head, "Coincidence! That's my birthday!" I looked at the ground blushing.
The days past by fast and Ichiru's face grew brighter as each day passed. On the final day before we leave, Ichiru was so hyper. SHe kept going around screaming," I can't believe I get to go toTHE Soul Society. And on MY BIRTHDAY!" Everytime she ran past me screaming that, I smirked silently to myself. Matsumoto just encouraged her by squealing and jumping up and down with her. What fools they are.
Tuesday,
Ichiru's P.O.V.
We are going today! I can't believe it. I hope Toshiro will introduce me to the guy my dad talked about. I have go and meet them in the underground training place at Urahara's.
I ran all the way there. Ichigo was coming too. He was just exiting his room door, when I grabbed his sleeve and tugged him downstairs, telling him to hurry on. I looked at his sisters staring at the unusual sight of a girl besides Rukia, bulllying their older brother. "Sorry, we're in a rush." I said that and dragged him out the door. He was shouting all the way to Urahara's. Things like, "Let go!" or "I can walk myself!" I just completely ignored him.
We finally made it and I popped Kai into my mouth. I told her I would be back in time to see my bike's new colours and design. She nodded and told me to be careful.
While we were running away from the cleaner, Tsu-tsu started talking to me. "This Toshiro seems familiar to you doesn't he?" I thought about it for a moment, "I guess he does. He reminds me of this guy I used to know." "Well? Was this guy you never mentioned before special?" "Yes, but I knew him when I was four. And since I was that age, nothing you're thinking of happened. He did kiss me on the nose numerous times. He disappeared the day before I got you. He affected me in a lot of ways. Ever since I met him, I was obsessed with water, ice and snow. When I first met him, he was so cold. I guess that's where your coldness comes from." "I see... So why haven't you mentioned him before?" "I guess it was too hard. At that time, first I lose my dad then him and then nearly my mom, that was a traumatic time. I couldn't deal with it. I can't believe when I think back to that time. I was such a smart ass. Knowing things I shouldn't. I dealt with everything so easily, I guess that is a kid's ideality." "But there was an upside to your dad's passing." "Really?" "Well, yeah! I came along. I just realised you called me Tsu-tsu! How many times must I tell you? It's Doragon no!" "But that means Dragon's?" "SO?! I like IT!" "Ok, no need to yell... It's really loud since it's in my head. Besides, I meant a lot to him, but still even he would have a vague memory of me. The only thing that would remind him of me now would be a scarf that I gave him. That is if he even still has it." "Oh..." "Hey cheer up, we will probably meet the man my dad was talking about." "Yeah Toshiro will probably introduce you two." "Yeah.."
My thoughts shifted back to Toshiro. He really reminded me of the other Toshiro. Everything was the same. Except the hair. I thought back to when I had kissed his cheek. Did I really need to do that? Well, I had nothing else to show my gratitude.
There is a bright light up ahead. We are so close. I go through the doorway first. I stop.
It's beautiful. The bright colours, all the white...
Suddenly Toshiro nudges me, "You need to see something."