Reminiscence[Solo, Pg]

It wasn’t up until several hours later before the shinigami approached a group of small huts, conveniently situated on a small hill near the lake shore. After knocking on a wooden door, at first sight just the same as all the else, the young man was greeted by a slightly crooked middle- aged woman with greying hair. Her gaze quickly ran across the black uniform, her face instantly froze in an expression of surprise and fear. A moment later, however a loud laughter erupted from her mouth as she realised that the shinigami standing before her was actually her ex- neighbour. Inviting Ryuu to sit down, Risu- san, the self- dubbed representative of the small community living by the shore of Tear lake in Rukon district 256, quickly yelled at everyone to come greet the unexpected, but welcome guest.

To his surprise, Ryuu had become something like a local hero- the first and last time he returned here, shortly after graduating from the Academy, the locals nearly ran away in terror- being such an isolated community, people were extremely wary of outsiders and shinigami, were regarded as living gods, spreading death and destruction wherever they appeared. Soon though they recognised in the unknown soul reaper their ex- neighbour, who had set off into the sunset several years before. And just like the last time, Ryuu was showered with both gifts and questions, generously denying the first and trying to answer the second to the best of his abilities. Even though he didn't want to admit it, the third seat had actually grown fond of this godforsaken place and all its residents.

After spending some time in the company of the villagers, Ryuu excused himself and asked for a boat, claiming to the joy of everybody that he was going to spend the night at his old house and leave in the morning. It was now too late to go back anyway and since he was quite welcome here, the young shinigami didn't have to fear about neither food nor shelter for the time being.

Pushing the boat off the muddy shore, Ryuu sank his paddles in the water and started rowing towards the centre of the lake. As he picked up the pace, the young man noted with delight that the boat he had been given was actually very well done- it had a curved, slender silhouette and was big enough to sleep in if the need arose. During the time he had spent living here, Ryuu often spent the nights in the middle of the lake, gazing at the sky and wondering how the worlds beyond this one looked. Perhaps it was then where he first got the thought of leaving his cozy life and heading for the unknown, a path which eventually led him to where he stood now. During his time as a shinigami he had visited the human world on numerous occasions and had heard stories of the infamous Hueco Mundo, the realm of Arrancar and Hollows, but this image of the star- speckled star always remained with him as a reminder of how much more there was to discover, how much hidden power still lurked out there, just waiting to be grasped.

Words:537 10 Gp

Pushing the boat off the muddy shore, Ryuu sank his paddles in the water and started rowing towards the centre of the lake. As he picked up the pace, the young man noted with delight that the boat he had been given was actually very well done- it had a curved, slender silhouette and was big enough to sleep in if the need arose. During the time he had spent living here, Ryuu often spent the nights in the middle of the lake, gazing at the sky and wondering how the worlds beyond this one looked. Perhaps it was then where he first got the thought of leaving his cozy life and heading for the unknown, a path which eventually led him to where he stood now. During his time as a shinigami he had visited the human world on numerous occasions and had heard stories of the infamous Hueco Mundo, the realm of Arrancar and Hollows, but this image of the star- speckled star always remained with him as a reminder of how much more there was to discover, how much hidden power still lurked somewhere, just waiting to be grasped.

After reaching the lake' s centre, Ryuu let go of the oars and picked up a crude fishing rod, complete with cord and earthworms. Leaning backwards in the large boat, the shinigami lazily sent the bait flying overboard and concentrated on doing... nothing. Everything Ryuu wanted now was to take a break from the busy life he, just a few days ago, thought he was completely used to. Only now did the young man realize that all the constant running about, drinking and working up until late at night were slowly, but steadily corroding him. "From now, I'm going to take a break here at least once a year."[/i] Ryuu thought while lazily watching for any sudden movements of the cork. Even now he could sense strength he never would have thought was lost returning to him. Maybe there was some truth in the old saying that it was the roots that gave a person their strength. Whether this was the case or not, however didn't bother Ryuu the slightest- the only thing that mattered now was to enjoy the piece while it lasted.

A few hours later, just as the sun was throwing its last dying rays across the water surface, Ryuu decided he wouldn't catch a fish even if he stayed here for the whole night and headed back to the shore. The oars were silently gliding through the mirror water, barely disturbing the water surface, which, under the light crimson red dawn, looked almost as if it was on fire. This marvellous illusion, however, like any other beautiful thing the world, was a short lived thing- the darkness would soon take over, erasing even the slightest trail of its existence. Ryuu would not stay to see this however- his attention was completely focused on the bright light from the bonfire on the top of the nearby hill, a faint smell taken up by the chilly night hinted of the delicious food already being cooked for him.

Words:521 10 Gp

Opening his eyes, Ryuu was greeted to a rather unfamiliar sight- instead in his cozy, although completely messy room, he found himself in what appeared to have been a fine little house, but was now in more than a sorry state after apparently being exposed to the mercy of the elements for quite a long time. The dusty walls were completely empty, save for a couple of shelves, the wooden boards, which the floor was made up, were swollen, apparently by the water coming from the rather large hole in the straw roof, and on top of that, the whole place smelled like wet socks. Blinking a couple of times in surprise, Ryuu couldn't shake the feeling that he somehow knew the place. And then he remembered everything.

This was the house he spent several years of his life in. He had come here after last night's dinner, completely stuffed and unable to think of anything else but getting a good night's sleep. Now, under the first rays of the morning sun, the young shinigami realised how much his former home had went down during the years. With a loud sigh Ryuu got up from the hard pallet and stood under the ray of sunlight, seeping through the damaged roof. Looking at the clear blue sky the young man decided that this needed to change now. If he was indeed going to visit here every year, the least he could do was make sure he had a nice place to stay.

After making up his mind, the shinigami exited through the rickety door and headed towards the lake shore to wash himself. On the way there he was greeted by a small boy, one of the two in the village, who told him to help himself to anything he wanted. Throwing a small coin towards the, Ryuu sent it away, remembering that by that time everybody was probably already out on the fields, working the land the best they could. The young man's gaze slid across the lake surface and for a moment he wondered if he should have another go at fishing. The idea was quickly dismissed though- if he wanted to ever make it back to the Fourth division lab until midnight, he couldn't afford to wait another second.

So, after gorging on what was left from yesterday's feast as fast as he could, Ryuu quickly headed to the fields, where the villagers were grinding away at planting this year's rice. Immediately noticing Risu- san, who was yelling at what was most probably her son's wife, the shinigami approached her with large confident steps, at least temporarily putting an end to the rising argument. The old woman concentrated all her attention on the guest, asking if he needed anything else. Shaking his head, Ryuu announced he was leaving. Bidding him farewell, the old woman added that the young man was always welcome here and asked if he would return soon. The shinigami just smiled and gave Risu what seemed to be a small bag of coins, adding in a serious but slightly absent-minded manner: "Fix my house. I may be back sooner than you think." Then, to the amazement of his fellow- villagers, Ryuu vanished from thin air with a large flash step. He had a couple of more places to go and time was running low.

Words:559 10 Gp

It was already late afternoon and Ryuu slowly made his way through the muddy streets of Rukongai district 160- a place famous for its public houses, illegal trade and gangs of thugs. Any ordinary shinigami who dared to set a foot more often than not ended up in some dark alley robbed beaten and with their throat slit. According to the locals, soul reapers were nothing more than a burden to society, abominations with horrible power, which they used to oppress and force into submission anyone who didn't bow to their rule. In spite of all this, though, Ryuu was enjoying perfect solitude while walking along the strangely silent rough wooden shacks. This unique for the area momentary tolerance for shinigami was probably due to the fact that the third seat had cold- bloodedly torn the first person who dared attack him into small bloody chunks, causing momentary panic, followed by this strange calmness. Ryuu actually liked it better this way- the aura of fear that now surrounded him meant that he was probably not going to have to kill anybody else to get to his destination.

Sure enough, several minutes later, the shinigami stopped in front of what looked like a deserted old barn, situated in the outermost regions of the small town which still laid silent behind him. Pushing the large wooden door open, the young man noted with delight that the place hadn't changed that much since the last time he was here- the time when he first discovered his powers as a shinigami. The very thought of these dark times caused shivers to run across Ryuu's back- for a moment he was once again a trembling, exhausted slave, curling up in fear at the sound of his tormentors' boots. With a loud sigh the soul reaper chased away the dreaded memories of captivity. He was free now, and those who dared to try and force him to do anything against his own free will were going to drown in their own blood.

Going a couple of steps further into the dark building, Ryuu slowly bent down and looked at the floor, rising a moment later with a cold smirk on his face. Yes... there were still traces of blood there, the blood of the first people he ever killed in this life. How that actually happened was rather blurry, but the one thing Ryuu would never forget was the mix of fear, rage and blood-lust that he submitted to back then. That and the screams of his victims begging for mercy. Fools- they knew nothing of compassion and yet they expected some back. No, killing them was the right decision- even now Ryuu could feel the sweet tingle of revenge surging through his veins, the promises of might long ago made sounded again in the young man' head, just as if they were being uttered right now. Still with a smile on his face the young man re- embraced the power he had already mastered. He was complete.

Words:501 10 Gp

Exiting the sordid barn a while later, Ryuu headed down the dusty road, leaving this place to probably never return again. What had happened back there... it felt like reliving your first kiss all over again, but this time knowing exactly what it would feel like and relishing every single moment of it. This trip had started merely as a random whim but it had grown into something far more bigger than that- there was a lesson to be learnt here, one that would help him bring a little order into his chaotic mind. And Ryuu knew exactly who the teacher was. There was only one being who could direct his actions in such a subtle way, that even he would not find out. It was cunning and merciless, calm and understanding, his best friend and his biggest enemy- simply put it was noone other than himself.

Turning his attention to the depts of his consciousness, Ryuu suddenly discovered that he was no longer alone- next to him walked somebody he was all to familliar with- a pale but beautiful young woman, dressed in a wavy silk kimono, the same colour as her ruby eyes. She moved around with reserved grace, almost dancing under the fading light of the day. Her sculptured face was as perfect as it could ever be, but this time there was something quite unusual about it- instead of the usual sorrow and sadness, it was actually showing an expression of mild content. Fixing her absorbing gaze in the lone soul reaper, the spirit spoke with a gentle voice, which tore through the veil of silence that had surrounded the pair, answering the quistion Ryuu was going to ask sooner or later: "You were starting to wonder, to doubt. And you know where this path leads- to failiure and demize. I just thought I would remind you what it meant to be... you."

Walking silently forward, Ryuu analyzed the words from every possible angle. Now that he thought about it, there was something that had been nagging him for a while, an unpleasant feeling of uncertainty that slowly creeped through his mind like a weed. Only now did the shinigami realize that this was nothing else but doubt- just as she had told him. What if he had taken a different path, what if things had unfolded in a different manner? These were the questions every sane being had to face some day. And now Ryuu knew the correct answer- there was no "what if"- this chapter of his life was over and even if he somehow got a chance to go back, Ryuu would not change a thing- it was this grim past that made him who he was now, and being someone else, the shinigami couldn't even imagine.

Smiling widely and shaking his head, the young man turned around and uttered: "Thank you... I don't know where I would be without you." He was speaking to the wind, however. The pale young woman was gone, taking away with her the last remnants of the shinigami's uncertainty. He was Ketsueki Ryuu, he was strong and one day, he was going to be free from everything and everyone, free to go wherever he liked and see things nobody else had ever seen. But first... there was one more place to go.

Words:555 10 Gp

The Shinō Academy... this place would always hold a special place in Ryuu's heart- it was upon his arrival here, that his life started to have a meaning other than just plain survival. It was now almost dark and only the last flickers of the sun managed to throw some light on the huge, white building. Going through the wide gate, just as he had done so many times before, the shinigami entered the main courtyard, which now laid dark and desolate. As the third seat walked along the ivory tiles he recollected all the fun he had had here. Back then, it was the first time that things actually started to have a meaning to them- all the studying, practicing and wild parties, everything seemed important and significant. The Academy was also the place where he met some outstanding people, the most prominent of which, Ryuu was now going to pay a visit to.

Walking with large, firm steps across the courtyard, the third seat noted a flicker of light on the otherwise dark and lifeless building front- a clear sign that the person he was looking for was still here and very much awake. Ryuu pushed the large wooden door, nodding to one of the soul reapers on guard duty and strolled along the silent corridors, which he knew all too well. Each step on the wooden floor brought out random memories from his time here- visions of how he almost blew up half his class with Kido, how he met his first love, how he used to lie on the window frame with a book in hand and many others intertwined to bring out the splendid feeling of actually belonging somewhere.

Immersed in memories of the past, Ryuu almost missed the narrow beam of light that was seeping from under a door, at first sight just the same as all around it. If one took a closer look at its glossy surface, however, they would notice a small name plate, bearing the words: Jouryoku Haku- History of the Soul Society. Impatiently opening the door, Ryuu was greeted to a rather strange, but still very familiar sight. Towering next to the red oak walls, piles of books and papers looked as if they were going to come tumbling down every second, burying under their weight the relatively small room, along with the lone person, sitting on a desk in its center.

This crooked figure was no other than Haku sensei himself- the teacher, which Ryuu regarded with the most respect, which was due in a very large amount that back then he often allowed the would- be soul reaper to do things that were normally never allowed, even going to the extent of actually taking him out for a drink from time to time. As far as appearances were concerned, the old teacher was nothing spectacular- his small, crooked figure was adorned by a face, which looked like a raisin left in the sun for a couple of days- all shrivelled up and dried. But among the wrinkles like shiny beetles sparkled two black eyes- a sign that despite his age, Haku still had his youthful spirit and tendency to bend the rules intact- qualities, which Ryuu highly respected in him.

Words:543 10 Gp

Quite a long time had passed since Ryuu hadn't seen his old mentor, so much was he preoccupied with his daily affairs that not once did he come around to visiting him. Up until now that is. Haku sensei was so overjoyed to see one of his student having risen so much that he quickly forgave the shinigami for not sending even a word after his graduation. Showered with information, Ryuu was happy to find out that his teacher was still tutoring very successfully and was even preparing to publish a book called "Short tales from the Seireitei" in which he, the fictional character, saved the world in a most miraculous way every single chapter. The third seat just smiled even wider and congratulated his mentor about finally getting up to it. Haku sensei's stories had eventually become increasingly popular in the fairer parts of the Rukongai, up to the point that the old man was greeted to free drinks in almost every Sake den he went in, provided he agreed to entertain his listeners. Ryuu didn't doubt for a second that his teacher's book was going to be the net big hit- Haku just had this way with words, the skill to instantly captivate his listeners, no matter how ridiculous his story was, and to keep them that way until the last word.

Taking small sips from the cup of green tea he had been treated to, Ryuu looked outside the small window to see nothing but darkness. His teacher was still talking, now about how the new recruits were terribly sub- par, but time was really running low. Going missing for one night, his superiors would probably dismiss as a minor offence, but two in a row would be too much, even for a well- known trouble maker such as himself. So, with one big gulp, the shinigami finished off his tea and bid his tutor goodbye, interrupting his speech about the degradation of the young generation. Opening the window, the shinigami leaped out, shouting out a promise to his teacher to soon return and disappeared into the darkness of the night.

Jumping above the maze- like alleys of the Seiteitei, Ryuu thought about what he had been through during the last two days- a journey through the most important moments of his life, all because of a random whim, which turned out to be a desire to escape from the everyday stress that surrounded him, coupled with a hidden doubt in his past actions and a desire to return to his roots. Yes, he indeed felt stronger now and was definitely sure that he had regained full confidence in his actions, were they past or present, but there was still something more to learn from the experience, this the third seat was completely sure of. And there was only one place the shiigami could do this- the image of the blood stained temple flickered to life in his mind, inviting Ryuu to roam its halls once again. To get to this however, the shinigami had to get to his room- a not so easy feat, considering his peers were by now considering launching a search party for him.

Words:531 10 Gp

The door to the fourth division barracks opened with a crash as the third seat of the squad barged in with an expression of upmost irritation. Knocking a couple of his squad mates off their feet, Ryuu headed straight to his room, announcing in a loud and commanding manner that he would soon have a word with his superiors. The third seat had figured out that since sneaking in was mostly out of the question, since at this time of day the barracks were teeming with people, and thus the next best thing would be to just not give anybody a chance to question him before he was done with his business. And so far it seemed to be working. Cutting through the crowd like a hot knife through butter, Ryuu managed to reach the safety of his quarters without encountering any of his superior officers- a not so impressive feat, considering that there were just a couple of people in this division who had the authority to order him around.

Locking the door shut and reinforcing it with a Kido barrier, the third seat sat on the edge of his tumbled bed and placed his Zanpakutou on his knees. He would soon have to face the consequences of his spontaneous vacation but there was a more important matter to attend to- one that could prove to be a very important step towards his ultimate goal- gaining the power he needed to obtain the ultimate freedom- not having to bow to anything or anyone, doing whatever he believed had to be done, without regard for any orders and laws besides his own conscience. Running a single finger along the edge of his sword, Ryuu immediately felt a dull pain, but with it came the surge of power he was all too familiar with. Concentrating on this exhilarating sensation, the Shinigami closed his eyes and delved into his own little universe, the place reserved only for him and the spirit he had agreed to share his existence with- a being that held an understanding of his soul that at times surpassed even Ryuu's.

The third seat's gaze blurred as the image of his cluttered room disappeared, in order to make room for a quite more exotic view. Instead of on the edge of his bed in his room, the shinigami was now sitting next to the trunk of a rather large tropical tree in what appeared to be a lush rainforest. Standing up and wiping a few wet leaves off his uniform, Ryuu made his way through the thick undergrowth towards what on first sight looked like an ancient temple, overgrown with moss and vines. Walking under the thick jungle canopy, with the leaves rustling under his feet, the third seat was throwing suspicious gazes at the the moist greenery around him, wondering why his inner world looked like this right now. The place was normally in synch with Ryuu's current state of mind, but what a rainforest depicted was beyond the shinigami's understanding.

Words:501 10Gp

As the third seat went in through the half- rotten gate, he found himself in a narrow stone corridor, its ceiling, however had long ago collapsed and its stone walls, probably once lavishly decorated, were now shrouded in a lush layer of leaves. Walking cautiously forward, the shinigami soon found himself in what appeared to have been a large hall- rows of overgrown columns rose from the ground like sad, grey giants, covered with moss from head to toe, still supporting the now non- existent roof. Amidst the ruins, however stood a completely intact large stone altar, covered with smears of what couldn't be anything else but fresh blood. Ryuu approached silently, his gaze ran along the once grand interior of the chamber, searching for the familiar figure of the spirit he had come here to find. This was the place she would usually be, silently sitting on the edge of the altar or walking between the large stone pillars, as if searching for something long lost. Apparently, though, she was not here now. Upon reaching the centre of the room, the shinigami lifted his head up, fixing his gaze on the highest tower of the temple, which, by some miracle, still stood almost intact. Whenever not down here, the spirit of Ryuu's Zanpakutou liked to spend her time at the its highest floor, gazing into the nothingness.

With one powerful leap, Ryuu shot himself upwards, landing on the small balcony, sticking out of the tower's third floor. Upon entering the unstable structure, the shinigami found himself staring at the same winding staircase that he remembered from his last visits- even though his inner world constantly changed, some things always remained almost the same, the tower and the hall below being two of them. Step by step, making his way upwards, Ryuu finally reached the highest point of the temple and there, under the brilliant light of the sun, stood the one person he had come here to find. Her hair was black as onyx, her skin as white as snow and her eyes as red as blood. Slowly turning around with an almost unnatural smoothness, the spirit opened her lips, uttering an invitation: "Come take a look."[/i]

Making it all the way up the last few steps, the shinigami joined his alter- ego on the very top of the ruined temple, to be greeted to a sight that was only possible in here- in the land of dreams and raw emotions. Instead of in the middle of one huge jungle, as Ryuu initially thought, the shrine he was in actually sat on a small island, floating in the azure sky. A small stream rose from its centre, only to end up falling into the cloudy nothingness below, forming a seemingly everlasting rainbow, thus bringing a little diversity into this blue- green world. All around them other small islands, just like the one they were standing on, floated idly through the cool air, throwing huge shadows onto the clouds below under the bright light of the huge yellow sun.

Words:509 10 Gp