Post by emily on Oct 8, 2012 21:55:06 GMT -6
Identification
Character Name: Itami Sakura
Classification: Shinigami
Alias/Titles: Saki
Gender: Female
True Age: 218
Birthday: April 16
Division: Second Division
Rank: Lieutenant
Appearance Information
Apparent Age: late teens or early 20's, 18-22
Height: 5' 6"
Weight: 121 lbs
Eye Color: Sea-green
Hair Color: Black
Physical Description
With a height of 5' 6", Saki is lean, and although not petite, due to her slim body, lacks a bit in physical strength {though is physically stronger than how she looks} but makes up for muscle with exceptional speed, able to challenge {and possibly surpass, with more practice} that of an experienced captain's. Her height is taller than that of the average female in Japan, due to continuous exercise, and has next to no fat. As far as curves go, she has a hourglass figure, thinning at her middle, then widening at her hips.
Serious and young, her face is pretty, but not sexy, matching her overall appearance. She has a round face that narrows near her chin, and a small nose. Her large eyes are a startling mystic sea-green, pure and sparkling, deep and wise, and her thin lips are a lighter shade of ruby red. They rarely curve into a smile these days, set in a straight line, but when she smiles, she just looks that much more beautiful. Lengthy midnight black hair is tied into silky high wavy ponytails on the sides of her head, and her long bangs dip into her eyes. Her skin is deadly pale, and her sharp features stand out, contrasting their white background, but rather than clashing, the colors instead seem to fit perfectly. Saki's voice is shy and soft most of the time, but firm and confident to her superiors.
Each step she takes is calculated, lithe, and soft. She walks rather quickly, a habit from flash-stepping so often, and also out of superstition. Swift, graceful, and quiet, she is an effective member of the Second Division. Her shihakusho is cut off mid-thigh, like Nemu's uniform. Saki hates long loose pants, claiming that they would interfere with her speed, one of her greatest abilities. Her sleeves are ripped off just above her elbow, her badge around her left bicep, and when she flash-steps, the fabric around her arm gets tossed around and whipped in the wind. For some reason, she likes her white obi with the bow tied on her back instead of her front. In order to improve her stealth, she wears black traditional Chinese shoes like Captain Soifon. Her blade is kept in a leather sheath at her belt, which she wears hidden under her obi.
Saki likes dark colors. In her gigai body, a black hoodie over a Breaking Benjamin t-shirt, dark shorts, and converse shoes are her usual outfit. She keeps her face clear of make-up, and her body is unmarred except for a scar on her waist that she doesn't show anybody; 五 {the number five in Chinese}.
Personal Information
Personality Overview:
Saki doesn't like talking unless it's necessary, which most of the times, it isn't. Part of the reason is because she really doesn't know how people can find so many things to talk about. The other part is that a conversation will lead into more personal topics, and she refuses to talk about herself in fear that her secrets will get out. Usually, she keeps to herself, walking in the shadows, where she can go unnoticed by the other shinigami walking by, though there will be the few that call out a polite greeting to their lieutenant. She nods in return. If someone tries to start a conversation, she'd reply quietly. She admires her superiors, wishes to become a captain herself one day, and hates it when she's underestimated because of her size.
She's very loyal and defensive of her loved ones {if she had any}, and would seriously do anything for them, for they would be the only thing she had. Saki can be passionate, especially while talking about battle or music. Though it may come to you as a surprise, she enjoys reading and writing when she takes a break from training, and listens to music from the Human World. Currently, she has not let anyone through the cold barrier she puts up, and it takes a lot to win her trust. On days she has to herself and doesn't feel like spending the whole day training, she usually wanders around in the Human World, often visiting a garden full of the sakura trees she was named after. When she finds a spot she likes, she sits down and reads or listens to music, or just stares off in the distance.
Due to an event in her past, Saki fears betrayal, after getting her heart broken, and is hesitant to let anyone back in. Most of all, she fears rejection. If she worked up the courage to tell her secrets to someone, and they were disgusted by her... she didn't know what she'd do. At least if she were betrayed, she could get over it {however slowly and painfully} for she would know that she deserved better. But if someone felt repulsed by her because of what she'd done, if they thought she was a monster, then she would have nobody to blame but herself; at least her zanpakuto spirit wouldn't judge her.
Due to her uneasiness around others, she is very alert, always making sure to be aware of her surroundings, for she knows betrayal can come from anywhere, and if you weren't watchful, you'd end up with a knife in your back. Still, sometimes she can't help but want someone to be there for her and gets attached easily, since she'd had a lack of companionship for a long time. Although intelligent and calculating, there are some moments where her emotions overpower her mind, and she follows her heart instead of her head, which often leads to getting herself hurt.
Her trust in herself never wavers, and she follows her instincts above all, even if it means going against the rules. The rules have never protected her against harm; she could only depend on herself. She believes the saying that the only way to get things done right is to do it yourself, which is why she prefers swordsmanship over kido, only practicing ones she thought were most useful as a distraction when clashing swords with another. Pride is very important to her, along with her dignity and reputation. Saki finds it hard to admit her errors and weaknesses to others, in case of losing respect, which is really the only thing that motivates her to try everyday. If she loses her reputation and position as an officer, she really would have nothing left, but her zanpakuto, unless that will be destroyed as well.
She appears quiet and shy, distant, tending to avoid others. Saki doesn't throw around the word "friend" loosely, and considers the other lieutenants and the members in her squad "allies," but nothing more. Most of the time, Saki acts expressionless, like she doesn't care, just to hide her true feelings because she doesn't want anyone to figure her out. She is a very careful person and takes extra caution with her words; she knows her major weaknesses are her pride and her emotions, and is aware that if someone used either of them against her, they could destroy her easily.
During battle, she transforms into a warrior, merciless and precise. Fighting is one of the few things she enjoys, and likes showing off her skill. She doesn't boast out loud, but isn't very modest either, accepting compliments with an "I know." Some think it's arrogant of her, but she doesn't see what's wrong with stating the truth. If she feels an enemy deserves death, then she will kill them, even though everytime she kills {aside from Hollows}, she is tortured with a reminder of her past.
Character Time-line: (I hope my descriptions of blood and stuff aren't too inappropriate...)
i.
Noise droned in her ear, sometimes erupting into light laughter that caused the young girl to jerk in her subconsciousness, but never enough to wake her from her heavy slumber, though she could feel the tendrils of sleep drifting further away at every giggle. No, please, a few more minutes. I don't wanna get up. Her head felt weird, and her limbs were so sore, she didn't think she could move an inch even when she woke. Something warm touched her shoulder, and she thought, Mommy, I don't wanna get up yet. Mommy... Something wasn't right. Where are you...?
The little girl jerked awake, and despite her aching joints, sat up and opened her jaws in a luxurious yawn, then rubbed her eyes. Instantly, the weird feeling returned to her head, and she felt compelled to lie down again. Instead, she forced herself to think of the milky warmth, and reached out for her mother... Where was her mother? "Hi," a boy's voice rang out. She rubbed her eyes again, and found herself staring at a boy that looked some years older than herself. Wait, how old...? The young girl paused in confusion again, then the words naturally came to her lips. "I'm Saki. I'm 7 years old. What's your name?" She remembered now. She had practiced with her father how to talk to the other children in preparation for her first day of second grade...right? Everything was a blur inside her head. She blinked, then for the first time, blankly glanced around.
The sun was beginning its daily trip down, casting rosy rays of fire onto the land... this land that she didn't recognize. Where am I? Some distance away, old, dirty houses {if she could even call them houses. The house she lived in didn't look like... didn't... what... what did it look like?} were lined up in rows. A few feet behind her sat a small wooden cabin, even more worn and ragged than the other houses. A tree barely clearing the height of the cabin stood next to it. Saki looked down. She wore the tattered remains of what seemed to have been a pretty dress, but on top of the familiar patterns were some dark splotches. She was outside, sitting on the bare, dusty, dirt ground. Mommy had reminded her never sit... The girl scrunched up her face in frustration. She'd forgotten again! What hadn't she been supposed to do again? And where was Mommy anyway? Where was Daddy?
"I'm Yoshida. Yoshida Kiyoshi," the boy said, crouching down so he could talk to her at her level. She simply stared at him with wide eyes, silent. And who was this boy? She'd never met him before {finally one thing she was sure of in this unknown place} and she wasn't supposed to talk to strangers, because they might be bad people.
As if reading her thoughts, the boy laughed kindly, his eyes twinkling, "Don't worry, I won't hurt you." The boy had bright green eyes full of gentle life, and tousled golden hair that the sun made bronze; he certainly didn't look like he would. He looked like a nice boy. Saki decided to trust him.
"Onii-chan..." she started in a soft voice, and reached out to grab a small handful of his shirt. "Where am I? Where is my Mommy and Daddy?" The boy hesitated, and she saw him look down at the dark splotches on her clothes before responding, "You're in the North Rukongai, District 67." Huh? The little girl felt more confused than she had even before he'd answered her question. She'd never heard of a North Rukongai before, much less where District 67 was. Why couldn't she remember anything? The boy continued, "Your parents..." Mommy and Daddy? Oh yes, that was right! If she could find Mommy and Daddy, then things would go back to normal, and she could go back home {even if she didn't remember where exactly home was}. As she watched, eagerly awaiting his answer, something shifted in his bright eyes, darkened, saddened, and when he spoke again, his voice had changed too, becoming kind of sad. Some of her excitement dimmed at his sudden transformation. Is Onii-chan okay? The unspoken words crossed her mind as the boy continued after the solemn pause. "They aren't coming back."
She was stunned silent. "Well, why not?" was her automatic response. The tears were activated, and now they slowly begun their journey. Didn't Mommy and Daddy love her? Why would they abandon her, leave her all alone here with strangers? But... how did she know the boy told the truth? Sadness was replaced by anger as she contemplated this. "H-how do..." Her quiet, shaky accusation faltered as the boy began talking again. "Saki, you're dead."
What?
How could he do this to her? Why couldn't he stop joking around and just tell her where Mommy and Daddy were? His serious expression frightened her, and she silently willed him to break into a smile and say that she'd fallen for his trick. But that wouldn't explain how she'd ended up in this different place, and where Mommy and Daddy were... "O-onii-chan...s-s-stop..." she pleaded as he stared at her with that face, desperate for him to say something, do something, anything. She was really starting to slowly believe him, but she couldn't, right? Mommy and Daddy just couldn't be gone, she couldn't be dead... The tears were almost there, just a few more moments and they would arrive at their destination. "I'm sorry, Saki..." he trailed off as he stared at her helplessly with those breathtaking eyes. There was something so genuine about them... She burst into tears, high-pitched wails escaping from her cracked, dry lips. She believed him, and it hurt. It hurt to know the truth.
She'd forgotten she still clung to his shirt. The boy gently pried her hand off, her fingers tangled in his t-shirt, then held her close. "It's gonna be okay. I'll protect you, Saki, I promise."ii.
~a few decades
"Hey, Kiyoshi! Look how high I can climb!" Sakura yelled as she dangled with only one arm clinging to the gnarly branch, possibly 30 feet off the ground, the record among their small group of teens. The said person ducked his head out of their cabin door, spotted her, then smirked. "Saki, I bet I can climb higher," he declared, and the group gathered at the base of the tree turned to look at him in astonishment. Sakura pouted as her friends fixed their attention on Kiyoshi instead.
"Attention hog! And I told you to call me Sakura; it sounds more professional."
"Please," he scoffed jokingly, "why would I want to impress a bunch of 15-year-olds?"
"This coming from the guy who looks only 18! When I looked 7, you looked, what, 14?' Sakura shot back, but nonetheless prepared to climb down the tree so Kiyoshi could have a turn. "Fine, let's see if you're as good as you claim."
Over the years, Kiyoshi had indeed taken care of her. It turned out he'd settled down in the cabin, and they'd lived together for 20 years. While his growth rate had slowed down, she'd gotten quite a growth spurt and now stood only a few inches shorter. Sakura had never asked, but for some reason, she'd never seen him go out to work, but they still had plenty to eat everyday, unlike most of the other spirits in their district, where you could see their hunger reflected in their sunken eyes deprived of hope. It was a good life, having enough to eat, a sheltered place to sleep, and time with Kiyoshi, who also taught her survival skills, although she still doesn't know how to find the area of a triangle or the circumference of a circle, and she was glad. It seemed much more useful learning how to start a fire or defend yourself barehandedly than to learn academics. She'd discovered she had spiritual energy, like Kiyoshi, although not as much as him, of course. Also, over the years, they'd obviously gotten closer, and for the past year, Sakura had been feeling...different when she stood near him. Her heart would act funny, and it was getting rather annoying. She didn't know if it was just part of growing up, or if Kiyoshi was somehow playing a prank on her. Whatever the reason, she even acted sort of weird around him, like more desperate to prove herself or something. She didn't ask him about, sure that he would laugh or make fun of her.
As she thought about this, her arm began to ache from clinging on so long, and she paused as she realized something. All the previous times she'd hung from one arm to show off, she always jumped down since her lack of strength disabled her to haul herself up. But the ground was thirty feet below her feet... She could hardly believe that the tree she now clung to had once been the thin oak she'd seen next to the old cabin. Well, the cabin still looked like it would fall apart any second, but the tree had grown strong and sturdy over the years. And now she couldn't jump down in case of breaking something. They might have enough to eat, but she was sure Kiyoshi couldn't afford a doctor. Due to the majority of their district living in poverty, medical help was high on demand, but with few doctors, the price was insanely high.
"Um, Kiyoshi..." Sakura trailed off. If she needed to ask for his help to get out of a simple tree, what would her friends think of her? They'd definitely think she was weak and wimpy. She could get out of this tree by herself! She could... Below, she could tell the others were restless for her to jump down, and soon would suspect something... At the thought, she had all the motivation she needed, and it's these moments where she listens to instinct instead of logic, for she impulsively let go, and began falling 30 feet down. It seemed like forever although it couldn't have taken more than 2 seconds, but the ground rushed up slowly and wind whipped her hair across her face. She remembered the basics for falling; bend your knees and roll when you hit the ground, but she was too nervous, she didn't know if she would do it right. In her moment of panic, she'd forgotten all about those practice jumps with Kiyoshi a few years ago. How had she done it then? There was no time to think, and she could only hope she didn't injure herself too much... or die... Was it possible to die again, since she was already dead? She didn't want to die again... would she disappear forever or reform somewhere else in the Rukongai? Whichever result, she couldn't even imagine separation from Kiyoshi and her other friends, her new family. Why was she so stupid sometimes?
The end didn't come as expected. Instead, she found herself in strong arms. Although the breath had been knocked out of her all the same, the impact hadn't been as hard as she'd expected, because she'd landed on Kiyoshi. Everyone else crowded around the two, eyes widened. As soon as she got over the wave of relief and shock that she was still alive, she immediately blushed when she realized the situation. Kiyoshi had his arms around her, back against the ground, nose nearly touching hers. His eyes remained closed. Sakura whispered, "Kiyoshi...?" What if she'd hurt him when she dropped from the tree or knocked him unconscious? The rise and fall of his chest reassured her his life, but what if... A thousand what-if's ran through her mind, then he blinked open those shining eyes the color of spring leaves. She found it hard to breathe, heart thudding loudly in her chest, and for a moment, she'd forgotten their awkward position. As they locked eyes, emotions ran wild in the silence as they stared at each other. A bead of sweat slid down her neck, and suddenly, she felt self-conscious, realizing that she hadn't washed herself in days {normal for the average person in the district, but she still didn't like it}. Then he coughed, and she realized she still lay on top of him, and he didn't say anything for it would be rude to tell her to get off. Her face reddening very noticeably against her pale skin, she hastily got off of him, then got to her feet, and offered him a hand to help him up. "S-sorry." She was aware of her friends gawking at them, and looked down at her feet in embarrassment. Gods, they would never forget this, and torment her always. Why had she been stupid enough to try and show off?
"Saki." She looked up at his voice, her heart racing, not bothering to correct the nickname. "You should try losing some weight next time." Obviously, he was only teasing her for fun, since most who lived in the district couldn't afford enough meals to gain pounds, and he often trained her numerous hours a day just to make sure it wouldn't happen. For what, she wasn't sure, but she assumed it was so she could become a soul reaper, and escape this barren place. Her friends giggled, even though they knew she was in better shape than them, just to break the silence. Kiyoshi smirked at her one last time, then spun on his heel and headed back towards their cabin, her eyes following him back. "Hey, Sakura, it's getting late. We're gonna go back to the market and pick-pocket for some food. You wanna come?" She tore her eyes away from his retreating figure and glanced at Asami, one of her best girl friends. Their group knew Sakura didn't need to steal to survive, and that their friend just liked stealing for a thrill. When she offered them money, they always refused, claiming they'd be taking advantage of a friend. The six of them were so close, they went on a first-name basis. She looked at each of them: the loud and funny Asa with her blonde curls; Yasushi, loyal to his name, was quiet and calm; passionate and shy Chiyo with silver waves; the brother and sister pair, Kazuki and Kazumi. "Yeah, sure." She would be no use at home, and she really didn't want to be alone after Kiyoshi without some time to think about what had just happened.iii.
~midnight
Her eyes flying open, Sakura jerked awake with a startled yelp, her heart pounding. Breathing hard, she just lay there for a few moments, catching her breath again while her eyes adapted to the gloom. The soft brush of the blanket against her skin reassured her that it had just been a nightmare. Still, she couldn't stop replaying the moment in her head: a hard and purposeful nudge from behind, stumbling into a dark wide hole. It was horrible, feeling yourself falling straight down in the darkness, and not knowing when to brace yourself for the impact with the ground. Or maybe perhaps it was a bottomless hole, she would fall in fear and suspense forever, and go insane. Her screams had followed her down, and once she started, she had found that to cease her screaming had proven impossible, a horrible, high-pitched sound tearing from her cracked, parted lips. Her heart nearly burst from fear as she continued falling, even though the nightmare was a familiar one she'd encountered several times, and each time Kiyoshi would be there comforting her when she woke up screaming. Only this time, she didn't scream. But tonight, for the first time, she actually managed to pay attention to the details. Someone had purposely pushed her in the hole. Also, she had noticed others emotion in her voice: anger and hurt, leading to her conclusion that it had been someone close to her, a friend that had pushed her. Sakura couldn't even imagine any of them doing that to anyone, never mind betraying her. The nightmare continued to nag at her mind, the instinct so strong that eventually she began to doubt her trust. Maybe she was misinterpreting this all along but... just... what if...
For the next hour, she just lay there, staring up at the ceiling, deeply engulfed in her mixed thoughts. Only when she finally decided she wanted to catch a few more hours of sleep and snapped out of her intense focus did she realize that it was oddly quiet in the cabin. Her eyes fully accustomed to the darkness now, Sakura glanced to her right, and immediately sat up to rub her eyes, then stared harder, not quite believing what she saw. Or, rather, what she didn't see. The spot where Kiyoshi usually slept was empty, blankets rumpled. Still not trusting her eyes, Sakura leaned over and carefully placed her fingers at the spot. She didn't know what she was expecting, but he obviously wasn't there. That meant he had been missing for at least the past hour, unless she'd been oblivious to him leaving as well. If he had been kidnapped... he couldn't be taken by force, right? The noise of the struggle would have obviously attracted her attention, and besides, Sakura had full confidence in his combat skills. So if he left voluntarily, where had he gone? After searching the small one-room cabin just to make sure, she settled back down with a sigh. There was no point worrying about it now; she would ask him in the morning. That is, provided he returned in the morning. But she knew he wouldn't leave her, unless being held captive. Well, now that she thought about it... No. He is not being held captive and you shouldn't think such things. Go to sleep, she commanded herself. After a moment, she drifted off into oblivion once again.
When Sakura opened her eyes in the morning, she immediately narrowed them, for the blinding sunlight had seeped through the cracks in the wooden walls. After her eyes recovered, the first thing she did was check where Kiyoshi slept. Sure enough, there he was, his arm draped over his face, snoring lightly, golden hair sticking up at odd angles, face soft and peaceful. A little smile crept up onto her face at the sight of him sleeping, looking so unusually vulnerable. It was kinda cute, actually... Her lips immediately curled into a scowl, and she glanced away, face reddening involuntarily. What the hell had she been doing? She felt like a creepy stalker, watching people as they slept. As she stretched and changed into clothes more suitable for training, she noticed an odd smell lingering in the air that hadn't been there before. It wasn't unpleasant, just a bit heavy, and seemed stale.
As she gently pushed open the door, ready to go out and start her morning warm-ups, Kiyoshi's weary voice called out from behind her, "Saki?" Sakura turned back, and saw that he'd sat up. Her body cast a shadow in the doorway, and she winced at her mistake. When she'd opened the door, the room must have flooded with sunlight, therefore waking Kiyoshi. "Sorry, Kiyoshi. I was careless." He offered her one of his easy smiles, and she turned around while he got changed, waiting for him. Usually, he always slept in, and by the time he arrived outside to warm up with her, she would be halfway done, and always greeted him with a, "You're late...as usual." {It irked her that even though she had the head start, he still managed to finish before her. In the past few years, though, she'd gotten faster, and it was always a tight competition to the finish. Sometimes he won, sometimes she almost won.} It had been this way for the past decades they'd lived together, and Kiyoshi had never once gotten up earlier than her, since she was already a morning person. Now that she thought about it, although Kiyoshi went to bed usually right after dinner, he always woke up late in the morning, still exhausted. He must have been leaving in the middle of the night for as long as they had lived together then, possibly longer.
When he finished, they headed outside to their normal training place, behind the cabin, in the shade of the cabin and the tree. They would start with the same thing every morning: 500 crunches, 1500 jumping jacks, then 200 push-ups. In the middle of the jumping jacks, Sakura finally brought up the topic that had been on her mind all morning with a forward, straight-to-the-point question, watching his reaction. "Where do you go at night?" Kiyoshi visibly flinched, then relaxed as his familiar light smile formed on his features. "Just some extra night-time training. I have to practice over-time to continue to beat you in these warm-ups, you know." If it was only that, then why had he seemed almost...uncomfortable when she had asked? It could be the shock of her finding out after so long, but at least he hadn't tried to deny it. Still, her instincts didn't sit right with his answer, and they urged her to probe further, that they sensed he wasn't telling the truth. That hurt; didn't Kiyoshi trust her enough not to lie? Wasn't she his best friend? Swallowing down the words she wanted to say, she tore her stare away from him. He pretended not to notice, though his muscles were still tensed. Her words slipped out involuntarily, voice calm and clear. "I don't believe you."
She surprised even herself, and slapped her hands over her mouth in shock. Had she really just said what she thought she said? Kiyoshi was staring over at her, astonishment evident in his eyes. "I..." she trailed off at the loss of words, desperately staring back at him, willing him to understand that it had accidentally come out, that she hadn't meant for it to happen... Without a word, he looked away and resumed his jumping jacks. How could he just act like nothing had happened? She stood there, watching him for a minute, trying to decode his thoughts, but his face was completely emotionless, and she felt a pinprick of real fear. She'd never seen this expression {or lack of expression} on his face before, but it reminded her just how dangerous he could be, that he might lash out without warning. Silently, she too started her jumping jacks again. For the rest of the day, Kiyoshi avoided her. By the time dusk fell, she'd already decided she would follow him.iv.
~minutes before midnight
Sakura lay still, but relaxed her muscles. It would seem unnatural, had she been as flat as a plank, and that would have given her away, not to mention a hell of an ache when she finally moved again. She allowed her eyes to flicker open for a split second to sneak a peek at the body lying near hers. Huh. Either Kiyoshi was really good at acting {he'd had years of practice, after all} or he'd actually fallen asleep, and would wake up when it was time. Time for what? The thought sent a quiver of anticipation and excitement, fear mixed in also, through her body, and she suppressed the urge to roll around in her spot, and kept her eyes shut. Then came the sound she had been waiting for: Kiyoshi tossing his blankets. She smiled to herself as he changed, then the door swung open soundlessly, and a cold breeze rolled. Then he was gone. Quickly, Sakura sat up and threw her blankets to the side and opened the door cautiously, bracing herself for a creak. Nothing. Not daring to let out a sight of relief, she glanced around, and spotted him ten yards away. But instead of heading towards the main village like she'd expected, his destination seemed to lay somewhere in the forest to the cabin's left. He'd taken her in there a couple times to show her how to start a fire, edible wild plants, etc. But what would he want to go there for in the middle of the night? She picked up her pace a little, determined not to lose sight of him. Living in one of the poorer districts in Rukongai, walking around barefoot was not an uncommon sight. No shoes meant quieter footsteps, and that dead twigs would pose no threat to someone needing to stay silent. It also meant that if Sakura let him out of her sight, she might lose him for the rest of the night. As he took the first steps into the forest, she began doubting her decision for the first time that night. It wasn't nice to spy on people; maybe Kiyoshi would tell her his secret himself when he thought she was ready. Maybe she just proved her young age by acting so childishly as to stalk him. Maybe. She ignored her inner conflict and followed him in.
Immediately, she brushed against a slender branch, rustling a clump of leaves. Wincing, she ducked behind a thick tree trunk, and the barely-there footsteps paused all together. Sakura didn't even breathe, afraid her slightest breath might disturb something else. He seemed to stand there for a lifetime. Please go, please go, please go... Black spots dotted her vision due to the lack of oxygen. The light footsteps resumed, and she allowed herself to quietly suck in a large breath, and waited for a few seconds while she recovered, then slid out from her hiding spot and continued on. Fortunately, she still saw him ahead, although just a smudge, and hurriedly rushed forward, carefully avoiding the hard-to-see obstacles. She'd never been this far into the forest before. Now, if she lost sight of him, she wouldn't be able to return to the cabin until Kiyoshi came back {that is, assuming he returned the same way he arrived}, and when he saw she was missing, she'd be truly screwed then. Sakura still hadn't thought out as to how she would find her way back to the cabin, but figured she would confront Kiyoshi when he arrived wherever he was trying to get to. Finally, after perhaps an hour of walking, he stepped out into a clearing, and stopped. Quite tired, she stayed in the forest, hiding behind a tree and some bushes, peeking out at him from the leaves, adjusting her position to get a better view.
"You're late." An unfamiliar voice rang out through the clearing as a thick blanket of air {...?} smothered her, forcing her onto her knees with an inaudible gasp. Who...? The man's voice held authority, gentle but with a harsh coldness to it like steel that sent shivers up her back. One thing was for sure, though she didn't exactly know how she knew; this man was stronger than Kiyoshi.
"I apologize." Kiyoshi's voice. "But I brought my apprentice today. I hope she is worthy to train under you, Tosen-sensei." Shock froze her in place {that, and the heavy force} at his words. Apprentice? Does he mean... me? How did he know I followed him? Wait... shit! Spiritual pressure. She'd completely given up on trying to detect it, since she failed miserably, and only relied on her basic senses. A gale of wind, seeming to materialized out of nowhere, sending her dark hair across her face. Suddenly, Kiyoshi stood over her cowering figure. With a startled shriek, Sakura fell backwards onto her butt, finally broken free of the person called Tosen's spell, or whatever the hell it was. Then she glanced up at Kiyoshi, terror in her eyes. How had he gotten there so fast? He had at least been 20 yards away... Surprisingly, a smile lay on his face, and he reached a hand down towards her. Unsure what else she could do, Sakura meekly took his hand and accepted his help to pull her onto her feet. He felt warm and familiar. Her grip on his hand tightened as she scolded herself, Don't forget that he's the one who took care of you all these years. You trust him, even if he's keeping things from you. He's telling you now, isn't he? Didn't he say you were worthy of something? That's praise; accept it.
Then, suddenly, her stomach lurched forward, and before she knew it, Tosen had appeared in front of them, and she still held Kiyoshi's hand. Wait, no... they had somehow appeared in front of Tosen. The first thing she noticed was his dark skin and goggles... was he blind? Kiyoshi jerked her arm forwards a little, then bowed to the man. Completely confused as to what was going on, Sakura took the hint and followed his example, bending politely. That was when she noticed the sword at his waist, similar to the one Tosen wore. During their training practices, Kiyoshi had instructed her with long sticks, for he complained that a real sword cost too much on the market these days. So how had he gotten one...? Well, duh, obviously from this Tosen guy. He'd kept all this from me... She didn't know whether to feel hurt or simply astonished.
"Sakura, is it?" Blinking, she looked up at the man, feeling somewhat grateful Kiyoshi hadn't insisted on the nickname. When Kiyoshi had found her, she hadn't been able to recall her surname, so she just went by Saki, or Sakura. She quickly responded, "Um, yes, uh, Tosen." Her friend tensed next to her, and she hastily corrected her mistake, recalling how he'd addressed this man. "Er, Tosen-sensei." Who the heck was this guy?
After a moment of silence which Sakura hoped meant approval, Tosen said, "Let's test your skill now, shall we?" Wait, what? Test her skill? Fighting skill? In the blink of an eye, Tosen had drawn his sword, and she felt Kiyoshi disappear from her side. Whoa, whoa, whoa, wait... Before she could even take a step back, the man had appeared in front of her. The hell-?? How were they moving this fast? She pushed the thought from her head and quickly launched herself sideways, an efficient way to avoid most attacks, Kiyoshi had taught her. Relief flooded through her as she heard the sound of metal striking hard ground, signalling that she had been right, though fear quickly took over when she realized Tosen nearly killed her. She could die, and even though she'd managed to dodge his first attack, suspected he was going easy on her. After all, this was merely a practice test, was it not?! He appeared again in front of her, as she was scrambling to her feet. One millisecond he hadn't been there, the next, there he stood. With a yelp, she fell sideways unceremoniously, though out of the way of his next attack. She could care less about her usual grace during practice. Now, with this stranger, she only dodged with one thing in mind: survival. The breath was knocked out of her lungs as she hit the hard ground, and in the second it took for her to breathe, Tosen's blade was already hacking down at her. Gods, help me! Suppressing the ice cold fear that threatened to freeze her with panic, Saki rolled, feeling her clothes tear, a small price to pay for her life. Something cool touched her skin, and her shoulder stung. A gasp of pain found its way from her lips. Was he really trying to kill her? Her injury distracted her, and a kick slammed into her ribs, sending her flying. It felt like a firetruck had rammed into her guts, and she felt fluid fly from her throat. The back of her head hit something hard, and she awkwardly slid down from the tree into a pile on the ground. A violent cough suddenly took hold of her, and she just couldn't stop. With every spasm and hack, warm fluid dripped out of her mouth onto the ground. Now her throat, stomach, and shoulder hurt like hell. Finally, her coughing subsided, and she drew in raspy breaths desperately, as if she would never get enough.
Kiyoshi stood over her, genuine worry in his eyes. "You okay?" Obviously not! When she tried to talk, her throat violently protested, so she just gave up after her first few attempts. Footsteps announced the arrival of Tosen, and she glared up at him, all the hatred she could muster in her eyes. He'd nearly killed her, and had inflicted this horrible wound! If only she could beat him up... But at the moment, Sakura felt so weak, she couldn't beat up a squirrel. "You did better than I expected," he said, and she stared back at him with incredulous eyes. Nearly getting killed was considered good? What the hell was wrong with these people? Then the dark-colored man simply disappeared.v.
~a decade
"Remember, keep your back straight. Don't lean forward too much, or you'll lose your balance." Sakura rolled her eyes, slightly irritated. "I know, I know; I actually pay attention to Tosen-sensei's suggestions, unlike half of the class." Kiyoshi smirked with amusement, and she smiled.
Along with attending the academy {to learn the basic skills, Tosen-sensei had said}, she'd been secretly training under the guidance of Tosen-sensei for nearly a decade now, and quickly surpassed most of her classmates, in Tosen-sensei's class and in her class at the academy, with her willingness and ability to learn and adapt. In her class, she was considered one of the more advanced intermediates, though it would take another decade before she could be appointed a senior student, like Kiyoshi. Still, Tosen-sensei had once told her she had great potential, and she kept his words in mind, determined to prove herself. She even had a zanpakuto of her own now, and after long periods of meditation, was very close to learning its name.
In the beginning, she'd refused, but Kiyoshi had continuously tried to convince her to learn from Tosen-sensei. In the end, her trust in him had won over, and she'd reluctantly agree; she didn't regret her decision. While under his mentorship, she'd learned that Aizen-taicho and his subordinates, Tosen-sensei and Ichimaru-sensei, had thought to try and earn the companionship of the hollows, instead of slaughtering them like most shinigami did. She believed that they had the right idea, avoiding unnecessary bloodshed, and grew to rather dislike the 13 Squads. To help Aizen-taicho, she and her class had to train in secret, Tosen-sensei had warned, because the Gotei 13 didn't like the idea of a rebelling group.
When they arrived at the clearing, however, instead of the normal sight of the class fooling around with each other, the boys {she was the only girl} were speaking in hushed whispers. A classmate nudged her. "So, today, Aizen-taicho's gonna visit." Her eyes widened. Aizen-taicho will see us...? She straightened her back and puffed out her chest proudly. It was an honor to be visited by the wise man that had thought of the genius idea, and to be honest, this would be the first time she ever saw him in person. Of course, at that dumb academy, the teachers had showed the students all the captains and seated officers, but this time, it would be different, actually standing in his presence. And to be told worthy by Aizen-taicho... she would definitely make sure he noticed her!
Then the spiritual pressure of a new arrival forced her down onto her knees, while some of her classmates completely collapsed and passed out. She knelt there, stunned, as she slowly adapted to the humongous spiritual pressure. There had to be a spirtual pressure guard around this place, or all the Seireitei would be rushing over here. It felt like a ton of bricks were stacked up on her spine, and she wanted nothing more but to lay down so she wouldn't have to support herself anymore. But surely, this was a test, and Aizen-taicho would be watching their reactions... Sakura fought the smothering weight, and slowly stood unsteadily, staggered at first, but regained her footing. She had to make a good impression, no matter the pain. With every passing moment, the heavy spiritual pressure pressed down on her, forcing her down a bit every second. Sweat trickled down her neck, and she silently urged for Aizen to hurry. Suddenly, the pressure eased, then disappeared completely, and she couldn't help but let out a sigh of relief as she straightened her back, wincing at the pain. Around her, her classmates got up slowly, as if testing their limbs, faces red with embarrassment and effort. A new man strolled into the clearing, and Sakura's breath caught in her throat. He was every bit as magnificent as Tosen-sensei had described. Hurriedly, she bent low in a respectful bow as she was aware of everyone around her doing the same.
"Now, now. There's no need for that." Aizen-taicho's commanding voice reflected his amusement, and everyone straightened. Something drew your eyes to him, and whether you wanted to or not, you couldn't take your eyes from his face. She held her breath as he walked past her, not daring to make a sound in case of disrespect. To her astonishment, he stopped in front of her, and remarked, "Very good endurance," before continuing on to where Tosen-sensei stood. He'd turned her legs to mush with those three words, and she nearly collapsed, beaming with happiness. He'd noticed, and had praised her. He'd noticed her, and approved of her! When she finally snapped back to her senses, she realized Aizen-taicho and Tosen-sensei were in deep conversation, along with a silver-haired boy, Ichimaru-sensei, about the same age as herself. When they drew apart, Aizen-taicho announced, "Tosen has told me that some of you are ready for your first mission." If he hadn't been standing there, Sakura was sure the class would have broken out into excited chatter, but in awe of his power, they kept silent. "Usually we send shinigami that have already graduated from the academy, but then we thought it would be easier if the Gotei 13 didn't know the faces of the scouts we sent. After all, each one of you was hand-picked and trained by the best." He paused to survey us once more, then continued, "This first mission will consist of: Yoshida Kiyoshi..." Sakura flashed Kiyoshi a grin for good luck. He was so lucky, able to be one of the first to serve Aizen-taicho! If only she would get picked... She turned back to look at Aizen, staring intensely at the man, as if somehow he would turn around and call her name. Any trace of calm and respect she'd struggled to maintain vanished as excitement and a desire of being chosen for the mission filled her. Please, please, please...!! To her surprise, he did turn to look at her, and she, stunned by the sudden change, flinched slightly. "...Sakura, and Yamamoto Teru," Aizen-taicho finished, naming another classmate of hers, similar to her in skill. Wait...what had he said before Teru?? Could it be...? "The young ones could gain some experience from this mission," he decided. "You leave now." Now? She'd been chosen! Sakura almost leaped for joy, her heart light, until she realized her classmates all stared at her with envy, and nearly smirked. Too bad. As she and Teru followed the six older apprentices, Aizen pulled her aside for a talk. By the time she faced Aizen-taicho, she was about to burst with excitement.
"I've noticed you are missing a surname. As you have proved yourself a worthy warrior, I shall be the one to give you a name; is that alright?" He kept feeding her compliments, and she ate it all up blindly, nodding vigorously, oblivious to the inevitable darkness. All that mattered to her was that Aizen-taicho had called her worthy of serving him. Maybe she would be placed in his squad... "Then, you shall now be known as Itami Sakura." Didn't Itami mean pain...? a small voice from the depths of her mind wondered. But, she quickly forgot and raced away to catch up to the others, determined not to fall behind already. She couldn't wait to tell Kiyoshi!vi.
~a year later
"Wow, congratulations, Itami-san!" She beamed at Kibune-san with a brilliant smile, and he grinned back, oblivious to her fake sweetness. "Thanks! I'm sure you'll be next." It was what she told everybody who'd congratulated her in the hallways on achieving shikai so many times, not even bothering to remember if they actually were close. "So, you know how..." She ignored his words and glanced at her watch. Only a few more minutes before this stupid academy lets out, and she could go visit him... A flashback of last night's events played in her eyes, and her heart twisted painfully. Now one more minute... "...wondering if you would like to go?" She blinked to attention at his last words. Clearly, he'd just recited a long speech, and now waited for her answer. Since she didn't really know Kibune-san all that well and suspected he was only interested in her shikai, she did the safe thing, and started to apologize, then reject him. "Ah, sorry, Kibune-san, but I have to practice..." The lie slipped out between her thin lips naturally, and instantly a story began forming in her mind. "I..." The bell rang, signalling the end of the school day. "Gotta go! Sorry!" Leaving him standing there, she whirled around and bolted for the door, several stunned students launching themselves out of her way as she tore down the hall. As she sped past, she heard snatches of conversation. "Last night..." "...was found dead... "Yeah, all of them..." Sakura ignored them.~
"Let me in! I'm Itami Sakura!" she demanded to the guards, and they stepped away as she dove into the room. Sakura skidded to a stop as she saw him lying there, and raced forwards to clasp his hand, dropping to her knees. Wearing a ridiculous white hospital gown (which she would have laughed at any other time), Kiyoshi lay in the white hospital bed, seeming to be asleep, but when she took his hand in hers, his eyes blinked open, and seemed to focus on her face. A weak smile flickered on his lips. "Hey," he greeted. He struggled to sit up, and again, she was reminded of his frail and vulnerable condition. She said nothing, afraid that if she opened her mouth, ragged wails would erupt from her chest, and she'd sob all over him. Instead, she only pressed his hand to her cheek, his skin deadly pale and looking similar to hers when she... well, hers always looked that pale. If only she'd been faster, if she had been stronger, she could have saved him in time... "How's your wound?" Sakura asked, not yet releasing his hand.
He smiled his usual grin, and jokingly remarked, "Which one?" He knew exactly which one she was talking about. She, like him, was also pretty beat up, little scrapes and cuts hidden under her uniform, though she hadn't suffered from any major injuries. "It's better." "Does it hurt?" "No," he lied. She rolled her eyes and gently rested her fingertips on his chest, feeling the bandages through the thin gown. Kiyoshi winced. "Okay, maybe a little," he added, smiling sheepishly. Sakura sighed, not understanding why men found it so hard to admit pain. It didn't make them seem weak, if that's what they thought. Then again, now that she thought about it, she would insist the same if she were in his position. But it was her fault he was in this position anyways... Guilt pooled up in her chest as the night before's events rushed back to her, and she closed her eyes, unable to force the thoughts away.
"This mask is so hard to breathe through," complained Yamamoto Teru for the billionth time that night, clawing at the elastic black fabric only leaving holes for his eyes. "Shut up. You can take it off if you want to be recognized," Sakura shot at him, whispering angrily, finally fed up after listening to his whining the whole night. She hated the missions assigned with Teru in her group; the boy always found something to complain about. "Well, it's pretty dark out, and I doubt anyone from the squads know of a nobody like me from the academy," he pointed out, "so maybe I will." She started to bark out a sharp retort, but a glare from Akiyama, the other senior in the group, silenced her and wiped the smug look from Teru's face. On typical missions, on which they were sent to the Seireitei to gather information (in other words, spy) or assassinate certain shinigami (they knew not to ever question Aizen-taicho's motives, and believed he was doing the right thing), the usual group consisted of two seniors and two of the younger apprentices. For whatever reason, the teachers seemed to like pairing Sakura and Teru up, annoying her to no end. "Both of you shut up," he snapped, "or I'll make sure Aizen-taicho hears about this!" Everyone knew what he did to spirits he even suspected of betraying him, and the man claimed that taking out enemies early in the plan would eliminate any further trouble. Kiyoshi glanced back from where he walked ahead of them leading the way, and commented, "Akiyama, you're not much older than Sakura, you know, being a recently-appointed senior. I don't believe you have yet a right to threaten them like that."
"Yes, Yoshida," Akiyama murmured, slightly red at being told off by someone with more experience. Sakura sighed, glaring at Teru, who stuck his tongue out at her, before staring ahead again. For a while, they walked in silence through the forest. A breeze swept through the trees, and she hugged herself, the fine hairs on her arms sticking up as she forced down a shiver. It always felt weird, walking through the woods at midnight, and she always worried the shinigami would find them. What if the group were the ones being watched instead? She shivered again, but no one paid her any attention. Akiyama brought up the rear, glancing around absentmindedly, while Teru slouched next to her, staring at his feet. Kiyoshi continued leading the way, edging past trees and dodging branches. Finally, they came upon a sizable clearing, the only thing that seemed familiar. Her groups always passed through this patch of land free of the dark trees whenever they headed for the squads' barracks. Their sandals kicked up clouds of sand as they walked, and out in the open of the middle of the clearing brought the unnerving instinct that they were being watched... Sakura forced herself to look straight ahead and concentrate on where she was going. Twice, she'd stumbled on uneven ground already, and Kiyoshi always caught her arm before she fell. The cool breeze blew through the trees again, seeming to be whispering... whispering... Wind through the branches and leaves weren't supposed to sound like this. She paused, an alert suddenly going off in her head. The howling of the wind sounded strangely man-made... "Guys..." They'd noticed she'd stopped, and also had halted, remembering the 'no group member left behind' rule, 'unless absolutely necessary.' "What?" Akiyama demanded, who had nearly walked into her as she'd stopped. Real fear twitched in her heart as she continued to linger in the uneasy atmosphere of her instincts. "Something seems off..." The air didn't feel right, natural, more like forced, or restrained somehow. Teru snorted, "You're weird. If you ask me, there's something off about you." Sakura protested, not even bothering to respond to his insult, desperate now, aware that something was truly wrong. "I'm serious, something doesn't feel right..." Kiyoshi turned around and jogged back to join the rest of the group, and that was when they made their move.
A strong gale of air blew strands of her hair not stuffed in the mask into her face, and before she knew it, the group was surrounded. Her hand landed on her sword handle, and with a tug, her zanpakuto slid out smoothly, balanced perfectly in her hand. "Ambush!" she gasped out, but there was no need. The others were already drawing their weapons, but their attackers had the advantage of surprise, and in the time of their delayed reactions, the seven shinigami were charging towards them from all sides, blocking off any chance to flash-step away. Raising her sword to block an attempt at her head, she cursed as the first blow caused to her stumble back slightly, the power behind the strike more than she'd expected. She'd made a serious mistake, she realized, by underestimating the shinigami of the squads. But as she quickly recovered and darted at the first shinigami as fast as a viper, preparing to lash out at his shoulder, the back of her dark shirt was ripped, and she winced as cold metal opened a small cut near her spine. Crap! There were seven of the shinigami, weren't there? She'd nearly forgotten: they were outnumbered, roughly two to one, and these shinigami weren't the novices they'd been expecting. In her brief moment of hesitation, her attack lost power, and the first shinigami knocked her zanpakuto aside easily, stabbing forwards at her. Sakura leaned to the side, the blade narrowly missing her, heart pounding loudly, and barely dove out of the way in time to avoid the sword swinging at her side from the second shinigami. She was getting tired, and had some pretty close calls; they were only toying with her.
These shinigami were trying to kill her group. It was nearly impossible to go on the offensive while fighting off two blades. She heard a wail from Teru, and a thud as he hit the floor. A cold claw caged her heart with the realization that once you went down, they'd kill you without hesitation. "Teru!" she yelled, hoping to distract his attackers, if only just for a brief second. Even if she didn't get along with him very well, he was still her teammate, and her loyalty stands strong, even with her life on the line. It would be a courageous death if she died for a teammate... Oh, but she wasn't planning on going down tonight. Sakura let her walls fall, and her spiritual pressure broke free, flaring wildly. Surprised, the two shinigami stepped back, and she wasted no time, diving for Teru. Her senses accelerated, she was in front of him as quick as lightning, in time to deflect the blade that had been swinging down at his head. Fighting all-out and pushing her reflexes to her maximum was dangerous, for she couldn't manage it for too long, or she'd faint, so she only saved her spiritual pressure for life-threatening battles, like this one. And god, it felt good to fight like this, without any restraint. In the second she'd occupied one of Teru's attackers, Teru was up on his feet, knocking aside an attempt at her back while she pressed the other shinigami back with quick, small slashes, feeling her energy draining from her each second. The two shinigami she'd stunned earlier had recovered, and she began shouting a warning to Teru when she realized they weren't heading for the pair, but for one of the others. She glanced over her current opponent's shoulder, momentarily stopping her cascade of swipes. Akiyama fought two of them by himself, driving them back with hard, strong blows, but his opponents' speed made it hard for him to land a strike. And Kiyoshi... The three shinigami surrounded him many yards away, viciously hacking at him. He handled himself well, but she could tell he was getting weaker by the second, his movements slower, barely catching each strike by the tip of his zanpakuto. The shinigami sensed this too, and their attacks grew quicker, stronger, renewed by the excitement of the thought of finishing their enemy.
Her heart dropped in her chest; if he were killed... A glint of metal flashed at the corner of her eye, and Sakura instinctively held up her zanpakuto, attention back on her current battle, blocking her opponent's attack. However, while she'd been watching the others, he'd been preparing for a strong blow, and his blade forced her back a step to regain her balance. In that moment, the shinigami spotted an opening in her guard, and quickly jabbed forwards. Sakura threw herself sideways desperately, but the metal still nicked her, and crimson spurted out from a new gash on her ribs. Pain exploded on her left, and her free hand pressed against the wound, coppery warmth seeping through her fingers. "Teru!" she gasped out, and he appeared over her, stunning the shinigami with a hard prod to the head while whirling around to face his own opponent again. Sakura ducked under his arms, entrusting the two shinigami to him while she raced for Kiyoshi, her speed significantly decreased. Hopefully Tosen-sensei had sensed their spiritual pressure and reinforcements were coming soon.
