Chapter 3

Regular POV

Tatsuki sat on the unfinnished wall, gazing upon Ichigo. His movements were fluent, and sturdy. It was clear that he'd been practicing the same movements over and over. "That's all you can do?" She hollered.

"Hey, this is not easy! And give me a break, I just started this two weeks ago!"

"Yeah? Well I can do better than you." She jumped off the wall, and strode over to Ichigo. "Give me your Air Treks, I'll show you how its done." He looked at her with an amused look.

After struggling the Air Treks on she stood up, only to fall down.

"Psh," Tatsuki snapped her neck to the origin of the sound, she glared at the giggling orange.

"My foot slipped, so shut up." she growled. Once again she stood on her feet, this time holding her balance. "See?"

He waved his hand in front of his face motioning that what he could've done that in his sleep.

Tatsuki's Pov

'He's making fun of me, huh? Well I'll show him!' I thought. I rolled my foot forward trying to mimick his earlier movements. But the skates went out of control, and I felt my legs spring forward. I only went a few feet before my legs got tangled with one another making me fall to the ground, hard.

He was beside me in an instant. "Tatsuki! Are you okay?" His voice was filled with guilt, and concern.

"Of course I'm FINE! I'm a very tough person! Remember I'm the second strongest girl in all Japan! ... all with a broken arm!"

He cocked his head to the side all the while with a disbelieving expression. "Well if you say so. Here let me help you up." I grabbed his out streched arm and he lifted me up. "Want to go for a walk instead?"

"Sure! But I'm keeping the skates on!"

"What?! Hell no! Take them off! They're mine!"

"Too bad." I stuck my tongue out at him. I shot for my belongings, I now had a good sence of feeling when using the Air Treks. "You want them back? Come get them!"

"Damn it Tatsuki! Give them back!"

It wasn't until I was across the lot that the strawberry had finally caught up to me. "Slow Poke."

"You'd better have not ruined my skates. They're valuable to me." He managed to breathe out, his breath ragged from all the running. I was hit with a state of disbelief, it wasn't until a while ago that he started to open up to me. We were talking again, joking around, making each other sweat. It was during this time that I took in all his features, he seemed healthy again, life into his eyes, a smile on his face. My own smile couldn't help but emerge itself.

"Don't worry; your skates are in very good hands." I waved him off. He only huffed out a breath of frustration and annoyance. My eyes wandered to his neck, "Hey Ichigo you got some mud on the back of your neck."

"Huh? Where?" I walked to him and tried to point it out to him. Although it wasn't until my hand brushed off his orange hair that covered the marking that I noticed what it was.

"Ichigo, is that a t-tattoo?" My voice unrecognizable to my own ears. 'Since when did he get a tattoo?' It was a tattoo of a black cross laid out casually on the back of his neck. Where it was usually hidden by his collar or grown out hair.

"I don't know." He shrugged.

"How do you not know?! It's your body! And a tattoo would've most certainly hurt. So how do you not know?" I yelled at him. 'Was he an idiot!'

"It just appeared after I lost my powers. And stop yelling at me!" He shouted back.

"It just appeared?" I whispered.

"Yeah" He confirmed. In the distance a bell could be heard. It was the tall clock tower, it signaled that it just turned seven at night. "Tatsuki! We're going to be late!"

"What? Late for what?" I asked. I don't recall planning anything with Ichigo today.

"Come on! I want to show you something awesome!" he begged, practically bouncing on his feet.

"Okay, okay! Calm down. Where are we going?" I asked as I crouched down to remove the skates and put on more 'stable' footwear.

"It's a secret." He grinned, "Now come on. They probably already started." He whined.

"Hold on. Tying my shoes is a delicate process that requires my full attention and time." I joked. After my shoes were comfortably on and had my stuff in my hands. He practically wretched my arm off and ran off with me dragging behind. His skates were dangling from the other hand.

Night seemed to be catching on quick, as we ran I saw the sun setting just above the horizon painting the sky a beautiful blend of reds, oranges, and yellows. My surroundings were changing, from a residential area to a darker area of town and more isolated. It was giving me an eerie feeling, but I said nothing for I trust Ichigo.

We turned a corner and walked into a maze full of people. It was such a big crowd surrounding the center in a circle fashion. "Here," Ichigo began, "is where I found my muse for Air Treks."

As we neared the center I could see why. My breath was stolen as I gasped at the amazing sight. Only a hand full of riders was actually in the center. They were performing tricks of high skill and magnitude, and they maneuvered in such a way that they were in sync with each other, dancing from left to right, to the heavens and the earth below. It was then and there that I too begun my muse for Air Treks. I wanted to be like them, to feel the sky below my feet and dance on the wind.

I looked at Ichigo with a new found respect, for now I knew why he pursued this dream, and I knew the truth behind the meaning. He wanted to be unique again, he wanted to be strong. Perhaps, I too will walk along the path with him. I could feel myself gaining the determination and courage to do this.

An hour later, we walked out of the gathering heading back to normality. "Did you have fun?" He asked.

"Absolutely" He nodded with a knowing face. "Ichigo, would you let me join you?"

"What do you mean?"

"I too want to be a rider."

"I wouldn't expect less." He smiled at me.

The next day just so happened to be a Saturday, and I strode into the Air Treks store. There were so many, and of different designs and styles. A worker there saw me and walked over.

"How can I help you today?"

"I want to buy Air Trek skates."

"Of course, come this way." I followed the lady to a section of plain skates. "These are the skates." I nodded at her and looked at them, they were so plain. When my eyes caught the price tags, my eyes nearly popped out my skull.

"Ano, don't you have any 'cheaper' skates?" I asked. One could only hope right? She shook her head. 'Oh well, perhaps there's another store that would sell used skates.'

After the fifth store I was losing hope fast, I even went to a nearby city to find some cheap skates. I must've been too depressed to notice my surroundings as I bumped into someone.

"Ah! I'm sorry!" I yelped. The lady gently got to her feet and looked at me. She has blond hair that was tied at the back of her head in a bun. She looked to be in her twenties, red framed glasses lied on her nose. She wore a blue blouse, with a white overcoat on top, a short black mini skirt, and black high heeled leathered boots. She looked to be a doctor.

"No worries. What's troubling you so deeply?" She asked. He voice smooth and filled with kindness.

"It's nothing." I mumbled.

"It's something, if it distracted you so deeply to bump into me." I sighed, if she truly wanted to hear my problems, why should I hold back.

"I've been to almost all the Air Trek store there is and I can't afford to buy myself a pair of skates." She looked at me with a pensive thought.

"Tell me, child. Why on earth would you want to go out and risk your life for something so stupid?" She taunted.

"It is not stupid! It is a desire, I want to ride the wind and show the world that I am strong!" Emotions filled me, past wounds cutting deep. When Ichigo had gone off into the society and left me behind thinking that I was weak. "I want all to see me, and they will stand below me. That I can handle anything anyone can throw at me!" The lady looked at me with a smile.

"You're right."

"Huh?" I'm very confused. Wasn't she just against me?

"You see that church over there?" She pointed at the church that layover in the distance, and boy was it huge.

"Yeah?" I nodded, not catching her drift.

"I'm the head mistress of that school and or church. Why don't you come over tomorrow and I'll give you a tour and some advice." She smiled a knowing smile, it seemed as though she had some intentions that gave me a hesitant feeling.

Apologies for the very long wait, I'd like to thank my readers for waiting. Special Thanks to Chibi y Hina, alchemists19, inlineskating17, solodark, Aceblade2000, Terror of Death Skieth, Maverick14th, nxkris, Me just me, and everyone else who favorited, alerted, or review this story.

Extra Extra Special Thanks to: Kazikamikaze, Infinite Zangestu, and Okami Princess.