Disclaimer- I don't own Bleach.

Chapter 1

A Brief Glimpse of the Past

"Is there something wrong with us, big brother? Is that why mama didn't want us anymore?" Sayomi asked while walking beside her older brother, her dirty hands clenched at her sides as she kept her light blue eyes on the ground in front of her.

"There's nothing wrong with ya. We're just different and some people don't like things that are different," he answered, patting Sayomi's dingy white hair and grinning at her.

"Why do you do that?"

"What?" He inquired in confusion.

"You're always smiling and your eyes are closed, silly. How can you see?" Sayomi asked as she smiled toothily.

"I smile 'cause I'm happy and I can see just fine, so don't ya worry your little head about it."

Sayomi made a face and stuck her tongue out. "I'm not little, I'm six now." She held up six fingers to emphasize her point and grinned happily.

Tilting an eyebrow at the young girl's proud display, the silver haired teen replied, "You're still just a brat that barely comes up to my elbow, I call that little."

Sniffing indignantly, Sayomi turned away to glare at the path ahead of them. She heard her brother chuckle at her in amusement, but ignored him and continued to trek silently beside him. It had been over two years since they had been left to fend for themselves in the dark of the forest and it had been almost two days since they had eaten anything. Their last meal had consisted of some nearly rotten fruit that they had found and nothing more. They had been walking for days trying to find another town so that they could steal some food and water from the people who didn't need it to live like they did.

"We have spirit energy, right?" Sayomi asked, forgetting about her attempt to be angry and stubborn.

"Yup, we're special and that's why we need to eat, unlike most of the people in the Rukongai."

"I heard that people with spirit energy become Soul Reapers, is that true?"

"Some of 'em," he replied.

"So are we gonna be Soul Reapers?"

Her brother shrugged. "Maybe, but you gotta get bigger first. You're too short, kid." He ruffled her hair and chuckled at the disgruntled growl he got from her as she swatted his hand away from her and crossed her arms over her chest childishly.

"Hey, Sayomi. Stop ignorin' me, there's a town up ahead." He nudged the brooding Sayomi with his elbow, but she only grumbled something unintelligible and wouldn't look at him. "Alright fine, I'm sorry for callin' you short... even if it's true. Don't glare at me, you're kinda scary when you're mad," he teased, hunching down in front of her while she continued to give him her idea of an angry look.

Over the years that they had been living in the streets and woods of the Rukongai, her brother had gotten taller and his hair had gotten longer, hanging around his face in wispy silver strands. He looked older, he was no longer the child who had been abandoned in the forest, he didn't look to be over thirteen, but the way he held himself was like an adult. Sayomi had gotten a few inches taller, but she was still very much a child with her still somewhat round face and her shoulder length white hair that framed her face, making her look like a toy doll.

"Come on, it looks like there's a river or somethin' too and you could use a bath," he said, holding his hand out to Sayomi who grudgingly took it and let herself be led off the dirt path they were on and on to the grass and into the forest to their right.

They walked parallel to the village until they came upon a shallow, but wide river. The water was bubbling and gurgling as it slid over the rocks on its course through the trees. There was a small alcove that had been created by a fallen tree and several large rocks, Sayomi let her brother lead her towards the hiding place. He crouched in front of her again, putting his hands on her arms and looking up at her with a grin.

"You stay here an' clean up, I'll go get us some food, alright?"

Sayomi frowned, looking down the river's bends in the direction of the town. "Why can't I go? You always leave me behind," she whined.

"Now what kind of brother would I be if I let my cute li'l sister steal stuff? And what if somethin' happened, I promised to take care of you, didn't I?"

She nodded, but she was openly pouting.

"And I'm gonna, so you stay here and take a bath like the good girl you are and I'll be back in a li'l while, k?"

"Ok," Sayomi sighed stubbornly. "Be careful."

"Of course, I'll be back soon. If anyone comes near ya, what do you do?" Gin asked.

"Kick 'em in the shins and run away and hide." Sayomi smirked when her older brother sighed and shook his head.

"How 'bout just runnin' away?"

"Fine, but that's no fun," she pouted.

"You're a handful, kid. How 'bout we save the fun for when you can actually reach people's shins, until then just run and hide."

"Why do you always pick on me? It's not very nice!"

"But you make such a cute face when you're mad," he replied, putting a hand on her head. "I'm gonna go now, if I'm not back before dark hide in one of the trees and stay outta sight until I come for ya."

"Alright," Sayomi agreed unenthusiastically as she watched her big brother walk away like she had so many times before.

"Hey, are you alright?" Sayomi poked at the red haired girl on the ground with a concerned frown.

The girl groaned and turned her head towards Sayomi, her blue eyes blinked open and stared up blearily. "Who..."

"My name's, Sayomi."

The girl, who was probably close to her brother's age, looked around in confusion. Her blue eyes didn't seem to want to focus when she blinked back up at Sayomi.

"Why are you sleeping in the street? It's not a very good place to sleep. There are some trees over there and they're probably more comfortable and there's not as much sun," Sayomi told her, pointing off to the right.

"Oh.. I.." The teen girl pushed herself into a sitting position with some effort and attempted to dust herself off a little.

"Sayomi? What did I tell you about talkin' to strangers?"

Sayomi looked over her shoulder at her older brother who was walking towards her with a frown on his pale face, he had his hands full of fruit. "But she was sleeping in the middle of the road."

Her brother walked up beside her and frowned down at the red haired girl who was looking up at him, it was obvious she was disoriented and tired. "Here," he said, offering the girl a large apple. "You probably need to eat."

The red head blinked at the fruit for a moment before reaching for it and muttering, "Thank you."

"So she's like us?" Sayomi asked, tilting her head back to look up at her taller brother.

"It would explain why she passed out in the street."

"If she's like us, then can she come with us?" Sayomi asked.

"We don't know her."

"So? She seems really nice."

Her brother frowned down at the red head. "Did you even ask her if she wanted to?"

"No," Sayomi pouted.

"I have my hands full taking care of you, I don't-"

"I can take care of myself," the red headed girl spoke up smugly.

"Really?"

"Yes."

Sayomi looked between the pair, sensing a sort of tension in the air, but it disappeared when her brother shrugged.

"Then I guess you can come along," her brother said. "If you want."

Sayomi grinned happily, following after her brother as he walked towards the trees they had been taking cover in for the past few hours before he had gone into the town for food.

The red haired girl stared after them for a moment, watching the young white haired girl who couldn't have been over eight years old skipping happily alongside her much taller brother. It took a moment of thought, but with nowhere else to go and no family of her own, she stood up and walked after the departing siblings.

Sayomi was running barefoot down a dirt path lined with low bushes, weeds and small twisted trees. Her soiled white hair fanned out behind her as she ran and salty tears leaked from her soft blue eyes as frightened whimpers shook her tiny body.

A cry escaped her lips as she tripped over a rock and went sprawling into the dirt. She tried to stand up again, but her little body was too tired. She fell back into the dirt, her palms bleeding and her knees aching from the impact. Whimpering in fear she used her dirty, bloody hands to wipe away her tears, streaking her pale face with dirt and smears of blood.

There was a horrible screech-like howl from behind her that shook the very earth beneath her. Another terrified whimper escaped her shaky lips, making her frail body tremble as she tried to scramble into the bushes on the roadside.

The ground beneath her was shuddering violently as loud roars kept penetrating the air. The tremors grew stronger every second as the thing making all of the noise grew nearer to her as she tried to crawl away to safety.

Trembling, Sayomi already knew what was behind her without daring to look back to confirm her fears. A monster. A monster that wanted to eat her because she was different from the majority of the people in this desolate place she lived in. She had never considered the Rukongai to be her home, she had never considered anywhere to be her home. A home was something that she could only ever remember dreaming about, but never having.

Managing to scramble into the bushes ignoring how they tugged at her hair and ruined clothes, Sayomi shivered and curled up hoping the monster would simply keep going on its way and leave her alone. A shadow fell over the roadside in front of her and with a body shacking sob, she looked up to see what looked like some type of bird with a white face and pointed nose. It had large taloned feet that made strange squelching noises in the dirt as it approached her hiding place.

The terrified Sayomi again tried to push herself to her tiny, dirty feet, but only made it halfway up before she was thrown through the air when something slammed violently into her chest. Her body collided with the rough bark of a tree and she sank to the ground in a heap, pain exploding in almost every part of her body.

Her last vision before she blacked out was of a man in white with graying hair, he was standing with his back to her, facing the monster that had chased her.

"I think she's waking up now," someone said, the voice sounded masculine, strong.

"The poor thing has been asleep for almost a week," another voice said, this one was feminine and soft.

Light blue eyes slowly fluttered open in confusion and uncertainty, they were met by warm brown eyes and a soft, welcoming smile.

Immediately, Sayomi became frightened and whimpered quietly, raising a small hand to rub at her eyes.

"It's alright, dear. You're safe," the woman who was leaning over her cooed reassuringly while brushing some stray hair gently from her forehead.

The woman had dark brown hair with a few streaks of gray and tanned skin, she was smiling kindly and her brown eyes were dancing with life.

"W-where am I?" Sayomi asked quietly, timidly while her eyes darted between the two people in the room hesitantly.

"You're at our home. My name is Mai Himura and that over there is my husband, Hiroshi Himura," the woman answered as she nodded towards a large man that was leaning against the wall by the doorway.

"What happened to...to the monster?" Sayomi asked shakily.

"Don't worry about the monster. It's gone," Mai replied with a soothing smile.

"What about my brother?" Sayomi asked, rubbing at her blue eyes again and sniffling. "And Ran?"

Mai looked surprised and glanced at her husband who just shook his head.

"I'm sorry, dear, but I don't know. Do you have family somewhere in the Rukongai?" Mai asked.

"No, ma'am." She shook her head and sat up slowly. "Just my brother, and Ran too, but I got lost a few days ago and couldn't find them. Then the monster tried to eat me," Sayomi's blue eyes began to fill with tears as she spoke.

"Shhh. It's alright now," Mai said softly to the upset child, rubbing her back like any mother would to calm their own child. "Where were you living, dear?"

The little Sayomi shook her head and rubbed her tears away with bony fists. "We didn't live anywhere. We don't have a home. Mama didn't want us."

"I see. What is your name, little one?" Mai asked as she pushed a strand of the girl's white hair from her pale cheek.

"S-Sayomi, ma'am," she sniffled.

"Well, Sayomi... Would you like to live here with Hiroshi and I?"

Sayomi's face brightened for a moment, before falling into a frown. "But what about my brother?" Sayomi asked."And Ran?"

"If we find them, they can stay too. How does that sound?" Mai suggested happily.

Sayomi nodded vigorously and smiled brightly. The idea of having a real home, a real family was one she had only ever dreamed of. She had been happy with her brother, but she had always wanted to be like the families she saw when they would pass through the many villages of the Rukongai. They were only children though, children with no one to look after them or to help them. They had had to fight to survive and while her brother had always done his best to keep her clothed, warm and fed she wanted something more than sleeping in the trees and eating what they could scavenge.

"Alright. It's settled then," Mai said with a smile as she stood up from the bed. "We should get you cleaned up and fed. Sora."

A moment after Mai had called, a young woman appeared in the doorway.

"Yes, Mai-sama?" The woman asked as she bowed.

"Would you please help Sayomi here in getting bathed and dressed?" Mai asked.

"Of course, Mai-sama."

"Sama?" Sayomi said slowly as she gazed, wide-eyed at Mai.

"Yes, Sayomi, sama. You will be Sayomi-sama soon. You will be a Himura, and that means you are a noble, and must learn to act like one. Do you think you can do that?"

Sayomi nodded her head vigorously and grinned toothily up at the woman.

"Good, now let Sora help you bathe and dress. Once you're done she'll fetch you some food, I'm sure you're hungry," Mai said, before laughing lightly when Sayomi's eyes brightened at the mention of food, "After that you should get some more rest."

"Yes, Mai-sama," Sayomi answered, with a small, awkward bow.

Mai patted the girl on the head and smiled before walking to where her husband stood near the door. He was a large man, nearly six feet tall, lean and muscular. He had graying brown hair and pale brown eyes.

The couple exited the room and slid the thin door shut behind them.

Once the two had left, Sora, who was a woman of about twenty years old, with short blond hair and blue eyes walked up to Sayomi and smiled.

"Come along, Sayomi-sama, we need to get you nice and clean," the woman said cheerily as she held out one of her hands for the girl to take.

Sayomi frowned up at the woman and didn't take the offered hand.

"What's wrong?" The woman asked, leaning down so that the two of them were eye to eye.

"I'm a sama now?" Sayomi asked, her little face seemed to be confused and was scrunched up a little.

"Yes, you're a sama now," Sora answered as she tapped Sayomi playfully on the nose. "You are Sayomi Himura-sama. You are the daughter of Hiroshi and Mai Himura-sama."

"But I'm not their real daughter, wouldn't they like to have a real daughter instead of me?" Sayomi asked.

Sora's face fell slightly and she bowed her head. "That's enough questions, Sayomi-sama, let's go and get you in the bath."

Sayomi looked disappointed at not having received an answer but she nodded her head and took Sora's hand.

~A/N~

The fun starts soon, kids. It's a little slow at the moment, but that will change in the coming chapters. As was mentioned in a few of the replies I sent out the next several chapters are completed so there won't be much of a wait for them, I'd say about a chapter per week at the moment. Unless of course someone bribes me to post sooner. :)

I tried to reply to everyone that reviewed the first chapter, but if I missed you please don't take it personally it wasn't intentional. Just in case though, thanks go out to... WinglessDreams, setsuka510, KizunaCho, XxXLIFEafterDEATHXxX, HDC 123, Ms. Lucky1322, and lost feather... Your reviews were all greatly appreciated.

Please review!