As the sun set shadows began to move across the abandoned warehouse. We both sit tensely as we wait for Renji to return with the captains' reply. "How are you feeling?"
"Huh, oh, I'm doing ok." I stutter, unsure how to respond. "Good," standing he walks over to me and pulls me up, "because we are going to go get your giaga," I interrupt
"body," I hiss focusing on balancing, but he just smiles, "Get your body then we are going to my house."
"Your house?" I stopped, partly from realizing where we are going and partly from the pain. My head gets fuzzy as I begin to sway back and forth, "Are you sure you're ok?" His hand grips my elbow and he looks at me urgently, "Ya, I'm good." Looking up at his face I see concern and worry written all over it. We walk outside, invisible to the few people walking the streets at this hour. "So, where is it?" Scratching his head he glances at me. Pointing towards the east I lead the way.
"Here we are." Stopping in front of a small house hidden in the woods I open the door and step into the familiar setting. "Master always puts our bodies here, out of the open and concealed." My feet feel heavy as I searched through the house. Pulling on a door it opens, protesting all the way, and pull out my body. Sighing I turn back to Ichigo, "Here it is." Master only put my body here, what did he know?
"Ok then let's go."He turns and heads outside, "Hey wait up!" I yell at his back while I get back in my body. Running outside I catch up to him but my wounds start to hurt, slowing me down. Looking down at my outfit I can't help but remember putting it on only this morning, the plain black skirt, simple white shirt, and black shoes. My light brown hair, still in its pony tail, swishes back and forth with every step I take. Following Ichigo I begin to lag behind. Darn, my wounds are still killing me even in my body. My thoughts enraged at my weakness distract me, almost losing him when he turns onto a street I hurry to catch up.
"So where's your body or giaga?" I ask gapping at the city.
"My body is at my house." Ichigo smiles at me, "So when were you last in the city?"
Looking down I debate on how to answer that question, "The last time? It was before we moved in with Master, and after Mother and Father died." I choked out the last words and saw his shoulders go rigid. Wait, now I remember where I saw him before. All those pictures Mother left us had a bunch of her sister and her family. That letter that also sat in there, what was it about again? Searching around my memories, franticly digging for some clues to his life, I finally remember what it said. That's right, the letter that made mom cry, the one that told us of her sister's death.Looking at Ichigo, my cousin, I manage to speak, "I'm sorry."
"Don't worry about me, I'm ok, but what about you? How are you feeling?" Those words, something that my brother always said got me thinking. "He asked you didn't he?" He slows his pace to walk besides me "Asked me what?" "To take care of me. To be like...like an older brother or something like that." As soon as I said it he turned his attention back to the road. Chuckling I shake my head, "I guess I shouldn't be too surprised, that does sound like him."
"He really loves you and wants only the best for you, that's what family does." I stare at him unable to say anything, "Here we are." The house has two levels but before I can really look at the outside he drags me in.