Tears of the Clueless

This Is The Soul Society?

The first thing I felt was warmth. I was no longer cold. I could feel the sunlight blanketing me, warding away the chill.

The second was a sense of lightening, as if I weren't held to a certain spot any more.

A glance down and I saw the chain was gone from my chest, and I was now wearing a traditional kimono that flattered my figure and definitely made me look prettier than I was.

I looked around, and wow. It was such a huge change from the death scented, dark and dank, crime scened alley I was now used to.

Traditional Japanese homes littered the area. Children in kimonos played and laughed and adults in kimonos talked. The sun shone, there were clouds in the sky, everything was incredibly friendly.

"Where are we going?" I asked Jushiro as he led me through.

"You'll see," he said with a smile. I nodded.

The people seemed to really respect him, and stared at me as if I was some sort of rare artifact. Was it because I was walking next to someone who seemed so important? Or was it because I was being led towards the center of wherever we were? After all, the center is where everything goes down, right?

We walked, and we walked, and we walked. I enjoyed the amazing scenery.

I gasped suddenly. "A black butterfly!"

Jushiro smiled. "Ah, perfect. A captains meeting has been called."

"Are you a captain, Jushiro?" I asked, blinking curiously as I held out a finger. The butterfly perched on it and I smiled.

"Yes, I am," he chuckled. "Would you mind joining me? I'd like to speak to the head captain about you."

I immediately grew nervous. "W-Why?"

"You'll see," he smiled.

"Thanks for the straight answer," I mumbled. He just laughed and the butterfly flew away. "Awe...."

"You'll see more, I'm sure."

And so we began walking.

Again.

***

Jushiro opened a big set of doors and I immediately thought I shouldn't be there.

"Sorry I'm late," he said cheerfully. "I've picked up someone interesting."

There were really intimidating people there, stern faces, but also the occasional kind smile. Nevertheless, I wanted to pivot and go the way I'd come.

Then again, that's how I tried escaping father and look where that'd gotten me.

"What's this girl doing here?" A freaky man with black and white face paint, and a blue headdress demanded.

I wanted to snap at him, but decided against it. Something told me he was more than capable of making me suffer.

"This is Alice Heitsu-"

"Ali..." I muttered softly, keeping my head down and I gripped Jushiro's sleeve like- I'll admit it- a small child.

"This is Ali," he corrected. "I found her in Karukura Town."

"Were you human? Or Spirit?" Said an old voice at the far end. Jushiro ushered me forward a bit and I knew the old man was talking to me.

"I was- am- dead... Sir.... Deceased one month today... Sir...." I had a feeling he was the head captain Jushiro told me about.

"How?"

It took me a minute. I blinked at him. "How did I die?"

He nodded.

"Er... Well.... Sir... Um... I was running, sir, running from my father...." That day replayed itself in my mind, and I found my voice adopting a numb quality. "He was trying to kill me, sir, so I tried to escape. I was trying to pull myself over the edge and onto the roof of a building when he pushed me, sir. My head hit the concrete. I remember everything, sir, the blinding pain, the puddle of blood, the sound of my skull splitting open, sir. I think I truly died after around five minutes after impact, sir..."

I blinked, coming to my senses. They all stared at me with peculiar expressions. Shock, sadness, pity. It occurred to me that my eyes had watered over. What a peculiar sight that must have been, to see me speak so emptily while my cheeks became glazed with tears.

Relaying the event had caused my head injury to sting, and I resisted the urge to bring my hand to it.

"You have an impressive spiritual pressure," the old man said.

I blinked at him. "Sir?"

"You will go through the academy to become a shinigami," he continued.

"I'm... Afraid I don't fully understand..." I looked at Jushiro for help to see him smiling gently at me, as if I were too delicate and would shatter.

"You'll be taught," he said. "They'll tell you everything you need to know in your classes."

I nodded. "Alright."

"Head Captain," said a short boy with white hair and teal eyes. "How had she survived a hollow attack for one month with her spiritual power level?"

"Do you mean those weird monsters with masks?" I asked quietly. All eyes snapped back to me and the silver haired boy nodded. "Oh, one of those bit me."

"Where?" Jushiro asked immediately, spinning around to look at me, his charcoal eyes filled with concern. I pushed the left side of the collar to the side and showed him the scar. He cringed.

"What happened?" The old man demanded.

I blinked. "It jumped away, yelled 'ouch!', called me toxic, and then it disintegrated. Why?"

They all stared in stunned silence.

"Head captain," the strange man with the headdress said. "Perhaps I should run some tests," he suggested, an excited gleam to his eye that I didn't like. I shrunk away, trying to look as small as possible as I returned to gripping Jushiro's sleeve, pushing my collar back into place.

"No," the old man said. "We shouldn't overwhelm her. That can wait. Now, Alice."

"Yes, sir?" I said immediately, deciding it best not to try correcting him.

"There will be someone to take you to your classes outside this room."

I sent a panicked look to Jushiro, who nodded.

"Yes, sir." I said softly. "Good bye, Ukitake-San..." I added sadly. "Thank you for helping me away from that place."

And I left the room, my head down.