I am so sorry that I didn't update in a while... but this chapter is looong! (yay) I'm also sad that I have to say this story is ending soon :( one or maybe two more chapters left. Thank you to everyone who reviewed and kept reviewing! I love you all!
The sun rose, shining. It was going to be a beautiful spring day. The cherry blossoms would almost be in full bloom. Too beautiful for the thing she was about to do. She had thought about it all night, barely getting any sleep at all. Rukia had slept soundly , never waking up until now. Hisana picked her up and cradled her in her arms, whispering for her to go back to sleep. She walked around, telling her that it was necessary, that if she didn't do it they both would die. You're abandoning her… What kind of person would do that? A person like her, who couldn't even protect one small child. But Rukia would have a much better chance of surviving this place than her. She was strong enough for that. And maybe, they would meet again, when Hisana wasn't so weak anymore.
She sets Rukia down on the ground, careful not to wake her, against a small wooden house in the better part of the district. Hisana closes her eyes, her heart breaking-but there isn't any other way. And so she whispers a final goodbye
And runs away like the coward she is.
..x
The walls surrounding the Sereitei are even more intimidating up close. The gatekeeper is so huge it's terrifying. But he smiles down at her, suggesting a friendly nature. "Here to join the academy?"
"Yes, my name is Hisana." She tries to smile at him, but inside she's still crying. He nods and opens the enormous gate, muscles bulging, straining under the weight. Once inside, she tries to take in everything. It's just as she imagined it- perfect, with no dust anywhere and the sound of children laughing, clean, sturdy pathways. A huge cliff and tall white towers dominate the horizon. She walks, slowly, gazing around. A couple of children point her in the direction of the Soul Reaper Academy. It's not long before she sees it, a large white building with multiple stories. She's almost tempted to turn back to Rukongai-she doesn't fit in this place, with her faded yukata and dirty face. But she must do this, for Rukia.
Hisana enters into the open courtyard hesitantly, the clang of wooden swords echoing in her ears. A tall female Soul Reaper with fiery red hair greets her, smiling widely and asking for her name. "The entrance exam is starting over there." She points toward a huddle of girls and boys mostly around her age. She finds the kindness of these people unnerving. One boy looks up at her.
He tries hard not to stare at her. She's obviously from Rukongai, and yet she looks so fragile, liable to break at any moment, and walks with the grace of a noble. He catches her eye, and smiles at her. She doesn't smile back. "Hey, I'm Kazuki Akio." He brushes a lock of chestnut brown hair out of his face and leans back against the wall casually. She looks at him sadly. "It's nice to meet you. My name is Hisana. "
One of the girls, bursting with confidence, tossing her perfect hair, comes up and says very haughtily, "are you of noble descent? No, of course not. You are street trash and need to know your place." She pulls Kazuki away, glaring at Hisana.
This apparently has no effect on Hisana, who resumes staring off into space.
Another older girl hesitantly waves her hand in front of her, saying, "Um… I'm Miyako. Don't listen to Ayame. She's way over her head. I'm from the 46th district. What about you?"
Hisana smiled at her, and Miyako saw the sadness in her eyes briefly before she looked away. Miyako had simple and scruffy clothing on and her black hair was tied up. "I'm from the…78th district."
"…oh. Well, I'm really nervous about the exam because I sort of, um, failed it last time…."
Hisana nodded with sympathy and said, "So…. What exactly do they test you on?"
Miyako looked around quickly; making sure no one was listening in. "They just make sure you have some spiritual energy first, and then they just ask you some weird questions. I really don't know how I failed last time." They waited while two boys joined them, one guffawed loudly before falling silent when the other boy cast him a withering look. The red haired soul reaper walked back over, calling, "It's time! Open the gates!"
The gates swung open, with no creaking whatsoever. Miyako gave her the thumbs up and pushed her forward. It was all very formal, students wearing red and blue uniforms walking down the hallways, a whispered comment here and there. "Oh great, more commoners from Rukon."
"Hey Ayame! You're going to pass for sure!
"Oh my god! Hiroki! Don't worry; you're only from District 3!"
The soul reaper led them into a long corridor, and stopped so abruptly Hisana almost ran into Kazuki. "Now, we are going to be calling you two at a time. Hanabi, Kumiko, you may enter." She held open a black door and two girls with their hair tied up in ribbons walked forwards, exchanging frightened looks. The door swung shut with an ominous feel in the air. Hisana was too anxious to talk to Miyako, who was fidgeting and glancing repeatedly at the door. There was another girl with Ayame who was whispering rather loudly, another noble by the looks of it. She had wide chocolate brown eyes that seemed too big for her face. "Oh, Ayame! Did you see Byakuya Kuchiki? He is so hot. He's going to be the head of the Kuchiki family someday!"
Ayame giggled, which was a sickening sound. "Kana-chan, please. He's never going to notice you! I keep telling you to get your head out of the clouds. You're supposed to marry Kazuki, my brother." Kana-chan stuck her tongue out at her and turned away. Ayame noticed Hisana looking at her and snapped, "What do you want? I mean, I know my looks are ravishing. Stop staring." She turned her head away.
"Ayame! Hisana! It's your turn." Ayame looked mortified and immediately held her long silk sleeve upwards, covering her face. They walked forwards, her confidently, Hisana hesitantly. The last thing she saw before the door closed behind them was Miyako's horrified expression beside Kana-chan's gleeful one.
Kaien was sitting in a chair beside a silvery haired boy. The moment she set eyes on the boy, shivers ran down her back. It wasn't that he looked menacing, no, it was quite the opposite. He looked like….A fox that had just swallowed three rabbits and wanted more. But he was just a boy, maybe even younger than Hisana. Kaien smiled big when he saw her, and said, "OK, we're just going to ask you both some questions separately. I'll take-"
"Pardon my interruption, "said the boy, smiling hideously. "But I think I will take the lovely young lady from Rukongai. Ya don't mind, do ya?" Kaien shook his head and shifted uncomfortably. "Akio-san, please come with me." Ayame shot Hisana a smug look before prancing away. "Now then… why don't ya start by telling me where you're from?" His voice was frightening, heavily dripping with honey but with an underlying hint of rottenness underneath. "…I'm from the 78th district." He smiled even wider, and paused to scribble it down on a clipboard. "Well Hisana, please tell me why you want to be a soul reaper." She stared at him, confused. His expression revealed nothing. Hisana swallowed, her heart beating quickly. "Why don't you tell me your name first?" His smile didn't waver. "Of course, dear girl. I am Gin Ichimaru. Now answer my question." She had decided, she came here to start over- she couldn't be dishonest anymore. "I don't want to. I need to. I can't go back to Rukongai, and this is the only way to live in Sereitei. Maybe I'm being selfish….. I just can't go back." It was clearly not the answer he was used to hearing. He still gave nothing away. "Very well. Please show me you have spiritual energy." This was the part Hisana had been dreading. "Look deep inside yourself. Find that energy and channel it out," he stated, still smiling. She closed her eyes. This was for Rukia. There was no way she would accept failure, she had already done nothing in her worthless life but hurt people. There it was. A bright light deep inside of herself. She held out her hand, and felt something burning in the very centre of her palm. She opened her eyes slowly- fearing the worst- there was a shining sphere of blue light.
Gin Ichimaru clapped his hands in delight, squealing like a toddler. "Yay! Hisana-chan made pretty lights!" He grinned. "That wasn't so hard, right? One more question and you're free! How do ya think ya could possibly pass this test when there are so many people of nobility? There are only five spots- and eight people. The nobles get first dibs, so only two spots left. What makes ya special? How can ya convince ME to pass ya? I don't care about your poor life in Rukongai." This was obviously not what he was supposed to ask, but Gin Ichimaru could get away with these things, having graduated from the academy in one year. She looked downwards, suddenly angry. "I'm not special! I've always been powerless, not able to do… a single thing! I want to change so many things, and I'm well aware of the dangers of becoming a soul reaper. You don't have to say to me, life's unfair. Because I know that better than anybody."
..x
Later that day, Hisana felt certain she had failed- she wasn't exactly what you'd call, cool, calm, and collected. Everyone from Rukongai had been given a place to stay in Sereitei, and lunch and dinner. The results of the exam would be announced tomorrow morning. They had warned everyone very clearly, that if they were not there to claim their spot, it would be given to someone else. Kazuki had tried to talk to her, but was pulled away once again by Ayame, her dislike for Hisana deepening. "She certainly won't make it in. And can you believe her nerve! She talked and smiled at Kazuki! Disgusting, right, Kana?" They both shot Hisana dirty looks and continued whispering, right in front of her. Miyako glanced at her friend sympathetically. She knew that Hisana was more worried about the results of the exam than a certain over-confident blonde girl. Suddenly, Ayame and Kana both stopped in their tracks and moved hurriedly the side. Miyako was pulled over by Kumiko. Everyone was against the walls. Hisana was too lost in her own thoughts to notice anything despite Miyako's frantic gestures. She continued walking towards the exit until someone walked closer beside her. He had an almost icy aura. Ayame smiled at him sweetly, pushing Kana aside roughly. Hisana froze, and turned around. She saw a glimpse long dark hair and impossibly perfect features before he swept past her.
The only thing she could think about now were those steely grey eyes.
Byakuya: OK, when do I actually MEET HER!
Me: Never! No, you will. Stay tuned for the next chapter!
Byakuya: (rolls eyes disgustedly)
Hisana: ...