AN: Sorry to everyone for taking so long to upload this chapter
First of all I was really worried about how to continue the stroy, I know how it's going to continue but I needed some chapter to link to my idea, and I was really anxious not to lose on the quality of the story. Anyway then I managed to sit and write (while on the bus) and this is what came up- I gave my mind free reign and this is what emered. I hope it is satisfactory:)
It is a flashback from Hinamori's part.... Enjoy and please review :)
Momo Hinamori woke up very early, as on every other day. She opened her eyes to the first rays of sunlight, washed her face and prepared a meagre breakfast of dried bread and some fruit for herself and her grandmother. She then woke her up and left to work on the fields. Hinamori was a farmhand and she always worked very hard. Her grandmother was a sickly woman who weaved lace for her living, scant as it was. Thus Hinamori was the main bread winner of the two-member family.
Hinamori had never met with her father and she doubted whether her mother actually knew who he was. Her mother was very childish and irresponsible. She had worked as a barmaid in a crowded saloon from a young age, when a rich man told her about his plan to make her a Showgirl. Her mother had accepted eagerly and left Rukongai to go to the City. She actually made success, for she wasn't only pretty, but she was also talented in singing. However, she was also very wild and enjoyed the attention of many men. Nobody was surprised when she returned home pregnant. After giving birth to Momo, she ran away with a married man and returned following their break-up to run away with another man following a short period of time. This cycle would repeat itself more than once, and thus she never stopped for long.
Therefore, Momo was brought up by her grandmother and now it was the young girl's turn to look after her ageing guardian. By the age of 8, Momo was already working hard to pay for medicine and food. However, despite this she was a happy girl and always tried to cheer up the other orphans living on her street. There was one boy with whom she enjoyed spending most of her time with. She always brought him good things from the farm even though he acted as if she annoyed him.
On one particular day, the eight year old girl was sitting on the front porch of her shabby home with the younger boy. They were both deep in thought as they looked at the pink clouds. The sun was setting, leaving behind a trail of pink clouds and a darkening sky, when a horse-drawn wagon stopped in front of them, and raising a puff of dust in their tired faces. Momo's mother stepped down slowly from the wagon with a small suitcase in her left hand. Once she set her feet on the ground, she brushed her hair away from her face and lowered her hand to stroke her pregnant belly. Both children gasped as they lay their eyes on her bruised face. Her eyes were red and swollen from shedding too many tears and the left side of her face was also swollen. A young man got off the wagon after her and the wagon drove off quickly. The young man was very good looking, apart from the fact that he needed a shave and was drunk.
The children got up and the little boy, Toushiro, pulled his friend aside as the couple staggered into the house. Momo started trembling and she couldn't stop sobbing as she heard her mother's loud voice arguing with her grandmother's feeble one.
The days passed slowly as Momo worked very hard. Her grandmother's physical state was worsening progressively, while her mother never offered any help. She spent most of her time crying and chasing after her drunkard and abusive partner. One late evening, when Momo returned home from the fields with Toushiro, the house was unnaturally quiet. When she entered she found her mother sitting at the dining table with two gentlemen, smartly dressed in black suits.
"My sweetheart, these gentlemen have a good proposal for our financial situation. It will definitely be the best option to give grandma the best medical assistance possible," her mother pulled her gently towards the table before turning towards Toushiro, "You'd better go home now."
Toushiro looked hesitant, so her mother led him roughly out the door and locked behind him before turning to the businessmen. Momo was feeling disoriented as she heard the two men discuss with her mother. She couldn't focus on the conversation because of her fatigue and she couldn't even organise her thoughts through the incomprehension of the whole situation. The conversation flitted around her and she could only grasp a few words from the hushed discussion.
"She has always been very talented… she could protect herself even before birth… she's never had any injury…" Before long the men spoke quickly and insisted that she keep the exchange secret, then they passed her a bag full of money at which she squealed in delight and hopped around with in joy. She was so engrossed with the money that she didn't even look when the men picked up her small daughter and left the house quietly. Outside, in the moonlight they walked around to the back of the house where their horses were tethered. They then rode silently out of the village.
"Don't worry little one," the slimmest one comforted Momo and he held her tighter as they nudged their horses into a canter. "We'll take care of you. You'll be in better hands."
At some point during the ride Momo fell asleep. Her dreams were disjointed which left her feeling even more restless and exhausted. She saw her mum playing with a baby, but when the baby looked at her his face was covered with cuts and lesions. When Momo finally woke up, she found herself in a motel room with a young lady. She was very pretty and gentle towards her while she fed her a nice warm breakfast and gave her a warm bath. The journey towards her new home, Hueco Mundo, was very tiresome and nerve-wrecking long. Momo was terrified, even though the lady and her henchmen were quite friendly. When they finally arrived in Hueco Mundo, Momo still didn't know what was going to happen to her. She was led up to a huge grey building and along the sterile white corridors until they entered a vast office. There in the office was a tall weird man with blue hair, dressed in a long white lab coat, along with a very young and good-looking man who was leaning slightly against the front of his desk. The latter smiled brightly at the little girl and approached her with open arms. He hugged her tightly as he introduced himself; "I am Aizen Sousuke. Welcome to my family."
He smiled charmingly at her and then turned to look at the blue-haired man.
"That is Doctor Mayuri and he'll be taking care of you together with his assistant Nemu."
Aizen turned her gently around to introduce her to the newly arrived Nemu, who smiled slightly.
"The woman who picked you up is Neliel. Did you have any trouble on your journey sweetheart?" Aizen continued sweetly. Momo just shook her head as she looked at his smiling face. She felt like she couldn't take her eyes off his gentle face.
"Good. Nemu will now take you to the bathroom and then to your room. You can rest a bit before meeting with the other children."
With that Nemu took Momo's hand and led her out of the office. They walked to the dormitories which was a very pleasant area section of the building. It was full of large windows, through which sunlight poured inside. The windows overlooked large acres of fields and a wide river snaked through them, glistening in the sun. Momo spotted a small group riding around the fields. They seemed to be having a race.
"Those are the other children. In the morning, you will have lessons, then a period of leisure activity and then after lunch you'll have training. You'll be expected to be on your best behaviour. But I already heard that you are a very good girl so it won't be a problem." Nemu smiled as she pulled the girl along gently and into her room.
After a long warm bath and a clean change of clothes, Momo curled up happily on her bed in the warmth of the sunlight. She dozed off immediately. When she awoke, it wasn't light anymore and she heard some hushed whispers.
"Can't I take the chocolate pudding or the cheese at least?" a boy whimpered.
"No, you had your share Kira." A girl replied sternly.
"Oh you are so bossy!" the boy's voce rose in annoyance and Momo sat up on her bed to look at them. The boy was tall and lanky with straight blonde hair. The girl was very petite. Even smaller than Momo herself, with short black hair and deep violet eyes that sparkled in the moonlight. She had an air of authority to her as she sat on the bedside table cross-legged with her back straight and chin held high. She peered curiously at Momo and handed her a tray of food.
"You were so tired that you slept through lunch, training and dinner, so we-" she gave a pointed look at the boy named Kira "-reserved your portion. Eat up!"
Kira looked at the tray hungrily and the girl jabbed him in the chest.
"Don't mind him new girl. He's had two portions already at lunch and dinner."
Kira was making funny faces at the other girl, and then he turned his attention to Momo and introduced himself; "Hi. I'm Kira Izuri and this is Shirayuki." He chuckled at the name and Shirayuki kicked him. Momo kept staring at them as a smiled formed on her face. She was starting to feel at home now with such a friendly and fun atmosphere.