The sun faded and moon rose,

But our hearts stayed the same.

Which ever way the wind blows,

We will always call, in our hearts, your name.

Inspired by ß Written In (ø)

...xXx...

Death, she decides, does not hurt nearly as much as she had been taught. Staring down at her dead corpse - currently with at least four different broken bones, not including her crushed ribcage, and lit on fire - however, is much more emotionally traumatizing. Fortunately, she has no time for such thoughts because Kimiko complains loudly and she steps outside, hearing-

"Why do I still need to breathe? I'm dead!" the female shouts, climbing back onto the wing of the crashed plane. She wrings out her clothing and purple hair, obviously upset by the flash of her blue eyes. "So much for my plans on exploring the deepest parts of the ocean as a ghost."

"Could be worse," their red-headed companion points out, leaning against the body of the plane. "We could have died before the trip to Korea."

"Yuki, we're all dead before we could even legally drink," Kimiko reminds, raising an arched brow. 

"But we went to SM Town and YG Family. I did say I could die happily afterwards," the other red-headed female recalls, chuckling. She kicks at the water lazily, sitting at the edge of the wing beside where Kimiko had resurfaced. "Of course I didn't think I would really die but..."

She shrugs.

"Minami has a point," Yuki states, smiling. "Besides, we might as well make the best of what we have. Where's Yoko-"

"Here," Yoko coughs, swimming over and pulling herself up onto the wing with a grunt. "The blast threw my body over that way."

She makes a general wave towards the ocean. 

"The blast can be seen for miles though," she adds, sighing. "This . I thought as a spirit I could at least walk on water or something."

"You and me both," another female - black hair and red eyes - agrees, jumping over the dying flames from the other wing of the plane. 

"Well that's Kyo so all we're missing is-"

"The great Ayame," another female - her silver hair shining in the sunlight - introduces dramatically, jokingly, walking along the length of the plane from the tail end. She jumps onto the wing, the plane unnervingly still underneath them; guess spirits don't exert force. "Is that all seven of us?" 

A guttaral roar fills the air, all seven females turning immediately to the source.

"Ok, who hid a magical creature in their suitcase that escaped with the plane crash?" Ayame asks, the teasing lilt of her voice just shaky enough to alert the others to her panic.

"Obviously me," Minami chirps, cracking a smile as the creature - a grey body with a hole through the chest and a white face - roars again.

"I wasn't supposed to die! I had finally succeeded!" he - it? - shouts, waving its fists angrily at the sky.

"It talks," Yuki notes with a tilt of her head. "Should we be worried?"

The creature turns towards them, yellow eyes narrowed and focused.

"And that's a yes," Yoko mumbles, diving to avoid the creature's lunge. "We should be very worried."

-oOo-

"I know we decided to meet at the first person called and all, but how did you end up at the farthest district?" Kimiko asks, sighing. "Am I the first one?" 

"I was," Ayame answers, poking a head out from the tree's leaves. "I was only two districts over. 78 West. You?"

"35 West," Kimiko replies, eyeing the tree before sighing and climbing it. "Any reason why we're settling in a giant tree for now?"

"Apparently, Shizuko-" Ayame jabs a thumb at the shortest girl who is sitting at the highest branch, keeping an eye out, "-got some information from the inhabitants. Any district numbered 78 and above is the slums. And, well, this is the most poor of the four directions too so the slums of the slums I suppose you can call it."

"So a tree?" Kimiko repeats, raising a brow as she takes a seat beside the female. "I would figure somewhere with more protection would be best."

"Shizuko fought some people for this tree so we should appreciate it," Ayame informs, smirking. "See all the apples on this tree? It was a popular spot even though spirits generally don't need to eat. Those that feel hunger apparently have spiritual power by the way. Shizuko and I both do so we're gathering information on what we can do with it."

"Wait, Shizuko fought and won? She doesn't like conflict. Besides, she can't even run a mile and she acknowledges it," Kimiko reminds, reaching over and picking one such apple for a bite. 

"I caught the tailend of it," Ayame attests, shrugging. "I don't know how our physical and spiritual bodies are related - if at all - fitness-wise, but she definitely got a better end somehow. See?"

"Wha-"

Kimiko fails to finish her question because Shizuko, the female in question, hops down the tree branches with ease, breaking into a light jog at the bottom and taking a single jump to land on top of the roof of one of the sturdier buildings. 

"Wow," Kimiko breathes, blinking rapidly because yes, it did happen.

"You know what this means though?" Ayame offers, smirking. Kimiko eyes the silver-haired female, suspicious.

"What?" she asks finally, allowing the caution to tint her voice.

"We have to try now," Ayame answers, looking more pleased than the cat who caught the canary. 

"Oh boy," Kimiko mutters, sighing as Shizuko returns, Kyo and Yuki following her.

-oOo-

"Rain," she murmurs, holding one hand out to catch the falling drops.

"What?" her friend asks, looking up from her lunch with cheeks still full.

"It's raining," she clarifies, watching as the barely-misting drizzle turns into an obvious presence. She smiles, taking a deep breath of the air. 

"I wonder if we get snow," her friend debates, staring up at the sky. 

"I hope we do," she replies wistfully. There's a few moments of silence as they finish their meal.

"I'm going to stay out a bit longer," she alerts, the end of their break drawing near. 

"If you're sure," her companion allows, chuckling. "You and rain. Make sure you aren't late. I hear we have some kind of guest lecturer next."

"I'll see you then Kimiko," she states, letting the rain wash away the sounds of her words. She watches for some time, entranced by how everything turns to silence under its undistinguishing shower. She finally stands when she knows that lessons are to resume soon, heading inside. 

The halls are reasonably empty - students inside their classes or sneaking in extra practice - but there is an unfamiliar face in front of one class and she pauses just long enough to take in his features - a height even below hers with silver-white hair that stands out - because though he looks impassive, his reiatsu fluctuates just the slightest and she is reminded of the rain falling outside. She steps closer, meeting his eyes head-on when it meets hers; his eyes, she muses, are nice. 

" 'lo," she greets softly, turning to take a look inside the class - one of the higher level kido classes. She coolly shifts her eyes back to him, matching his look without shame.

For a moment, there is silence.

"Not heading in?" he questions, taking a step back as if to get out of her way. 

"I just stopped to admire your hair," she admits, smiling lightly and leaning against the wall so that her plaster touches her back and hip. "It reminds me of soft silence."

"Soft silence," he repeats, the question obvious in his voice.

"Dust floating in a ray of sunlight, raindrops racing down window panes, snow dusting the trees and rooftops," she lists, tilting her head slightly. "Soft silence. A sort of bated peace."

"A strange comparison," he comments, one side of his lips quirking upward in a way that makes his whole demeanor soften slightly, "though I'm partial against snow."

"Snow," she repeats, letting the syllable slide off her tongue. "If I were the snow, could I connect with someone's heart just as it can unite the eternally separated earth and sky?"

There's a moment of silence. 

"Is this a jab at my hair?" he teases lightly, crossing his arms and leaning on the wall beside her.

"Just a line from a book. The original quote utilizes-"

"Rain," he interrupts not unkindly. "I am aware. I never thought someone as young as you would read it."

"Appearances can be deceiving. I'm sure you understand," she replies, giving a secretive grin. "Shinigami-kun."

"So you know I'm not a student," he hums, smirking. "That's unusual. Most people tell me to 'grow up' before trying to act like an adult."

"But does growing up change just your body? Or also your soul?" she retorts, rolling her eyes. "You have a nice soul as it is so I don't think you need to 'grow' to physically please others' opinions. In our circumstances, so soon after war, I believe your soul sings kindly."

The bell rings then and she waits until it is over.

"Just from my observation," he states, standing up and uncrossing his arms, "I believe you are late."

"But I did distract you," she reminds, straightening up and brushing off her clothes.

"From?" he inquires, raising a brow.

"Whatever made your reiatsu stiffen," she answers, smiling again before leaving. "You'll be fine. Hopefully I will see you again Shinigami-kun." 

-oOo-

"Late," she teases quietly, her friend sliding into the seat beside her. "I thought you'd finally decided to play hooky Shizuko."

"Nah," her friend returns softly, smiling lightly. "There's our guest lecturer."

Darn, her companion escaped from the interrogation again. Ah well.

She turns her attention back to the front, leaning her head on one palm. Hakudo has always been easy for her so she drifts, surveying the stranger. 

He's her type, she notes off-handedly, but it's not like anything's going to come of it-

Her friend elbows her, leaning over to quickly whisper, "Hakudo-only battle demonstration. Sensei volunteered you." before straightening.

She sighs, stands, and makes her way to the front of the class. 

The male, once she stands before him, forgoes introductions and falls into his battle position. She doesn't waste a second, matching the stance.

The instructor drops his hand.

They both wait. Rain splashes on the tiles above and gathers. It falls through the air, landing against the pavement outside.

They move in unison, meeting in the middle. She dodges his first attack, spinning downwards and attempting to sweep his feet. He dodges lithely and she follows up with another kick. He catches it and for a second, he pushes while she pulls but she switches tactics and follows his movement, attempting to at least contact his jaw but he catches on and lets it pass harmlessly in front of his face. She rights herself just as he attempts a combination blow. She dodges some, blocking others, but has to backflip out of range at the last two blows. 

Another breath. 

They meet again. He gets the jump on her this time - expected since he's much more experienced - and she fails to block several of the blows he aims at her abdomen. She counters with a kick combination of her own, managing to contact his shoulder with the last attack but not fully; he had shifted backward at the same time, lessening its impact. They exchange a few more blows although nothing contacts again and the instructor sharply interrupts the fight, signaling its end.

Darn. 

She heads back to her seat when dismissed, throwing a 'no, I'm totally not sulking' look in response to Shizuko's 'you're sulking for not finishing the fight' look. Shizuko gives her a knowing look, pointedly looks past her shoulder towards the door, and turns back to the lesson - cool as a cucumber. Unfair. 

When she sits down, she dares a glance at where Shizuko was looking. Her opponent - the shinigami - stands outside the door, leaning against the wall and barely visible between the tiny crack of the door. He's clearly waiting for-

"You, Kimiko," her friend mumbles under her breath, innocently (and unfairly) looking calm and as if she was only paying attention to the lesson. 

"Nuh-uh," she denies simply. Her companion, luckily, isn't one to push and she turns back to the lesson. It isn't until class is out nearly an hour later and she's striding out, complaining under her breath about homework, that she remembers him again.

"Oi," is the sharp but simple remark that catches her attention. She turns - as does half the hallway - but the person in question - that shinigami - is staring straight at her. She turns to Shizuko out of panic but the friend is gone or at least out of sight and he is right in front of her.

Tall, her mind comments unhelpfully.

"We probably should have introduced ourselves before the match," he admits, rubbing the back of his neck almost-nervously. She listens, hyperaware of every eye in the hallway staring. 

"Anyways," he continues, holding out a polite hand, "I was hoping to catch your name."

"Only if you tell me yours," she replies, taking his hand amicably. "Uchida Kimiko. Nice to meet you."

"Hisagi Shuuhei," he returns, one side of his lip (cutely, her mind interjects) tilting up in a small smile. He releases her hand and he rubs his neck again. "You fight well for your experience level." 

She quirks an eyebrow, putting her hand on her hip. 

"Is that a compliment or are you telling me I'm unexperienced?" she asks bluntly, unsure of how to take it. For a second she's afraid she's offended him, spoken too roughly as some have told her she tends to, but he chuckles lightly.

"Bit of both," he admits, hand falling away. "But it is supposed to be a compliment."

"Then I'll take it as one," she teases lightly, giving him her smile-smirk and watching his eyes dart to one side in response before meeting hers again. "If you ever want some extra pointers on fighting, ask for me in the Ninth Division."

"I'll think about it," she responds, shifting her weight because the offer sounds...

"A few matches and you'll be better than me. You're better than most actual shinigami," he replies, an actual compliment this time. He lowers his hand. "Anyways, just if you want."

He leaves then and she waves until he's no longer looking and sighs.

"Hm," is the hum behind her and she jumps because-

"Shizuko! Not cool!"

-oOo-

"Excuse me."

She turns around slightly, pausing, and spots a man who everyone is actively avoiding looking straight at her. He has a wooden cane in one hand and a striped hat resting on his hair, his clothes and casually arrogant manner of walk clearly signaling he is not a part of the Academy faculty nor the student body.

"I'm sorry for the bother," the stranger continues, voice lilting in an amusing manner, "but I'm rather lost. Can you point me to the Administrative Room?"

"Sure," she agrees easily, pointing down one hall. "Take a left here, a right after two more corridors, and another left." 

"Thanks for your assistance," he states, smiling goofily. He holds out a business card and she takes it, raising one eyebrow. "If you're ever in the Human World. I'll give you a discount if you stop by." 

There's a moment, suspended in the air, but she can't grasp its meaning before he's going down the hall once more, whistling to himself.  

She stares after his figure until he's lost within the sea of students, the moment at the forefront of her mind. Had she met the male before?

She scrunches her brows together, thinking, and glances down at the card.

Urahara Shop
Karakura Town, Human World
For all your Shinigami needs

She blinks.

The human world?

-oOo-

"So why do I have to make a schedule for someone learning only two hours?" she asks, handing the two-minute product to the instructor. 

"Excuse me," a voice interrupts, the door opened seconds before the statement. "I came a bit early."

She surveys the stranger, eyes drawn immediately to the stranger's hair - orange, not blond, but straight, brilliant orange. His posture is calm, confident, but experienced - a real shinigami, she realizes - and it takes a moment before he finally notices her presence.

"Oh, sorry for interrupting," the male excuses, one hand still on the doorknob. "I can come back later?"

"Minami," the instructor calls coolly, "what would you suggest for an early extra 15 minutes?"

"Give it to Kobayashi-sensei at the end. She's talented at clarifying all topics and can wrap up the entire lesson with a big-picture sort of thing," she answers immediately, standing. "I'm Minami, Fujimoto Minami. Don't worry about interrupting. I was just drawing up your schedule."

She offers her hand in greeting.

"Kurosaki Ichigo," he returns, shaking her hand. He has a strong but gentle grip that lingers even after he releases. His reiatsu, she notices faintly, is like his grip.

"Good luck learning," she teases lightly - sincere but ick, learning - before leaving and shutting the door behind her.

Strange, she muses while returning to her dormitory. A full-fledged shinigami, (re?) learning topics he should have already known.

Oh well.

-oOo-

"Well you should take your own advice more to heart, hypocrite," she snaps, glaring at the boy. His white outfit is more blinding than the disgusting dress code and she hadn't thought it was possible. She mentions it, adding insult to injury (literal injury in fact because the two had collided mid-hallway and she would have been fine with a simple apology but his snarky reply had been unforgiveable). 

"I'm not here to pick a fight with you," he sniffs in return, blatantly ignoring her insult to his fashion choices.

"You could have just apologized," she remarks, narrowing her eyes. "And I wasn't kidding about your outfit by the way."

"There's nothing wrong with the color white," he retorts, looking up and down the hall. 

"There's a limit to blinding others in your pursuit of your 'fashion,' " she points out, crossing her arms and following his gaze. "Looking for someone?"

He turns to her again. His eyes, she notes randomly, are a nice shade of blue. 

"I am," he replies shortly, impatience coloring his tone. "I'd rather we end this fight so I can go find my companion."

"Hey I didn't pick this fight," she rejoinders, scowling at the insulted expression he gives her because if anything, at this point, she should be the one insulted.

She sighs.

"Whatever," she grumbles, turning around and leaving but not before throwing a quick and decisive, "You look like a snowman," over her shoulder.

It is, admittedly, one of her worst insults and she wants to cringe at herself.

His resulting expression is totally worth it.

-oOo-

"And the winner of the weekly class race is Watanabe Kyo," the instructor announces, his voice a mix between proud and exasperated. No one, he notices, is listening. "Students!"

"Aw lay off Sensei. We all know Kyo won again."

"Yeah. I wouldn't be surprised if she was the fastest shinigami in existence."

"Or, to be more realistic, at least holding some kind of student record."

The teacher's silence is answer enough.

"See?"

"She doesn't have a record," the instructor denies firmly, sighing. "She's the fastest student we've had in centuries, true, but she hasn't beaten any records."

"Yet," she interrupts, smiling with mirth. Her eyes twinkle and some students take steps away from her at her expression, more than well acquainted with its implications. 

"That might be harder than you think," the instructor informs, raising an eyebrow. "The fastest times recorded are by Kuchiki Byakuya, the current Captain of the Sixth Division, and Shihouin Yoruichi-sama, the previous Captain of the Second Division and Omnitsukido. Both are near a minute away from your time." 

The other students gape unabashedly at the information because Kyo is fast enough as is but people who are faster? By a whole minute? 

But her reaction?

"No problem," she accepts. smirking. She had always appreciated a good challenge.

-oOo-

"Minami! Minami!" she calls down the hall, chasing after the red hair she had spotted in the corner of her eye. The redhead doesn't even flinch or respond at all to her calling. So not Minami. 

"Yuki!" she tries instead, mumbling apologies to a couple of the other students she shoves aside. "Yuki!"

She throws a hand on the person's shoulder. 

It takes a second before she realizes it's the wrong person. 

For one, the person is male. For another, he's not even a student.

"Do I know you?" the male asks pointedly, voice surprisingly polite. He looks vaguely familiar but she can't place where she's seen him before.

"Oh oops," she mutters, meeting the male's eyes with a sheepish smile and removing her hand quickly. "I don't suppose you've seen another redhead or two?"

"Female I'm assuming," he guesses, amusement painting his tone. He smiles good-naturedly as she nods.

"Their hair is the same shade as yours," she admits, chuckling. "Sorry for mistakening you. Not many people have long red hair here."

"As long as you try not to mistaken me again," he brushes off, resting one hand on his chin in thought. "Actually, I'm pretty sure I spotted two redheaded girls by the entrance earlier."

"Seriously? As long as they haven't left without me," she mumbles, giving him her thanks and walking off.

It takes her some time to remember where she'd seen him before. He was a Vice Captain. Oh.

-oOo-

"How long do you think the speech will take?" Ayame mutters, drawing a rough doodle of the currently-speaking instructor but with a car body and a speech bubble reading 'My way or the highway!' comedically.

"Hopefully not too long," Kimiko returns, picking at her nails. "I still haven't packed everything up from the dorm."

"I finished packing up for you this morning," she interjects carefully, eyes focused solely on the stage. "You should double-check though."

A pause.

"What's gotten you in such a worried state Shizuko?" Yuki asks, raising a brow. 

"I'm not."

They all, in perfect unison, stare pointedly at her hands. She's wringing them together and playing with the edge of her long sleeves, picking at the fabric. 

She huffs lightly, turning slightly pink.

"I'm not worried," she retorts, glancing at the instructor nearby and ensuring her words aren't interrupting the ceremony. "I'm just...agitated."

"Why?" Minami inquires, tilting her head to the point that her red hair cascades over one shoulder in a burst of color. 

"You're all going to laugh," she predicts resignedly, hushing her voice. An instructor passes and they act like perfect students, utterly enraptured in the speaker's speech, as he passes. He gives them suspicious glances but continues on his supervising path.

They continue the silence, plying the shortest girl with questioning gazes. 

"Remember the shinigami I met that one day I was late to hakudo class?" she begins, grimacing. They immediately look to the stage, eyes roaming. 

"The pretty boy from the Fourth Division?" Yuki guesses, scratching the suggestion immediately. He's what others would consider attractive, but definitely not the one Shizuko had briefly and reluctantly described. (The redhead - Vice Captain - on the stage, she notes, is the one she had met previous.) "Or maybe that flamboyant guy with the feathers?"

"Nuh uh. 69 tattoo guy?" Kyo attempts, eyeing the Captain beside him with undisguised interest - another challenge most likely.

"That's Hisagi, the hakudo demonstration guy, and he's a Vice Captain," Kimiko denies, looking at the female whose lip twitches slightly and over the shinigami on stage - two Captains, three Vice Captains, and several seated Officers. "No way."

They all turn at her exclamation.

"Shizuko, you thought the cute shinigami was the Captain," Kimiko realizes gleefully, volume rising slightly. "The one with silver hair."

"Sh!" she shushes when another someone from the row in front of them turns to glare. Yuki and Kyo immediately return the venomous look while Yoko and Ayame give equally disastrous stares of disinterest. The stranger, upon meeting their gazes, turns around but not before huffing in order to convey his opinion. 

"So-"

"Sh," she repeats, pointedly turning her gaze to the front. The other girls semi-follow suit - Ayame puts shadows into her drawing, Kimiko stares at her feet, Minami braids her own hair, Yoko braids Yuki's, Kyo takes to annoying the person in front and smiling predatorily when he turns back - but she knows they won't let her put off the topic forever.

She never should have told them she found him attractive.