Rukongai, District 61: Flashes of the Past (Open)

Ashe rubbed her eyes tiredly as she held an umbrella up with her other hand. It was raining and cold as she made her walk to market. Her...aunt had told her to go out for a walk. She had told her to do that a lot lately. Said that Ashe looked too cooped up and lonely. But right now the blonde would settle for a good night's sleep. She hadn't had one in a long time. She kept having nightmares that she didn't understand. Most of them involved Lee, the man that had told her her name. She sighed rubbing her head and making her way through the nearly barren street. The area wasn't in the best condition, but it was better than nothing she supposed. Ashe wondered what the voice she kept hearing in her dreams was trying to say... Would she ever find out? Did it have something to do with her past that she just couldn't seem to remember? All she knew was that she had to stay away from Soul Reapers at all costs. She couldn't remember why they were after her and Lee hadn't mentioned but he had stressed the importance of that. So Ashe was always careful whenever she went out. She never left her district and always kept to areas that she was familiar with so she could duck in and out of the alleys. Her aunt didn't seem too concerned about her regaining her memory, just content to have her around. They did a lot of cooking and sewing and occasionally gave any extras they had to any kids on the street they saw.

A man slowly made his way through the district as his eyes would shift from one person to the next as he past. He wore a light smile on his face for many reasons but above all, his own arrogance let it be there. It was none other than Lee as he held his arms crossed over one another. He was coming back to check in on his little pet that he had dropped off and returned only from time to time.

The worlds seemed to be at war and it was time to let the human world know just what kinds of enemies they were trying to deal with. He continued to walk down the alleyways in search of the one called Ashe.

Ashe's eyes were everywhere as she made her way towards the market. Every person that walked by or popped up she saw and with good reason. Soul Reapers were always distinguishable from their uniforms and so that was how she knew when to hide. But they didn't come here often. She then frowned at one of the only memories she had, from when she first arrived here. How her aunt had helped her with her clothes and put away her old ones, giving her the new ones she wore now instead. She was sure that they looked almost exactly like the soul reaper's uniform. Except that the few soul reapers she had seen didn't have the arm patch that she had. One night while her aunt was sleeping, Ashe had snuck into her room and found the old clothes. But she only took the tan badge, which she always hid close to her person. She still didn't quite know what it meant, but she was sure it was important to her... Staring at her feet as they made ripples in the puddles as she walked she wondered why Lee also wore the uniform... Why would he tell her to stay away from them if he was one... She rubbed her head again as she felt another headache coming on and looked up, freezing in terror. A Soul Reaper was standing not 6 feet from her and she hadn't even seen him until now. But as she looked she closed her eyes in relief. It was Lee.

Lee continued to make his way through the district as he continued to look around. It was not too long before he was face to face with the one he sought. He watched her reaction and simply waited as she slowly calmed down and he raised his arms out with a smile before speaking "Ashe, how have you been?"

Ashe couldn't help but smile as the red eyed man spoke to her. Though he didn't visit her often, she always enjoyed those brief times. He seemed exciting and calm, and like he knew exactly what he was doing and where he was going all the time. But above all he was kind. He seemed to care for her and she was sure that he wouldn't just help a random stranger. So they must have known each other before she lost her memories...right?

Walking closer to him she bowed slightly before replying, "I've been well," Conveniently neglecting to tell him that her headaches were getting worse, not better. Fidgeting at her own lie she continued, "Auntie's the one who isn't doing so well. She says the cold and wet is bad for her bones. But, how have you been doing? I heard there was a lot of commotion in the soul society recently." Her eyes shined at prospect of news. The life of a soul reaper seemed dangerous, but that was part of the appeal.

Lee watched as she moved closer and bowed to him and he returned the gesture in a small bow of his head as he listened to her speak of herself being fine but the one that was looking over her was the one that was doing poorly. He moved to her side as he placed a hand onto her shoulder and nodded once more before speaking "Then I will have to make sure her living arrangements are changed in the future and moved to someplace more livable."

He looked upward toward the sky as he replied to the second part of her question "Yes, there have been some problems there and I am trying to set things right."

Ashe glanced at her shoulder where his hand rested and tried to force down her blush as she looked up at him. When he spoke of moving her aunt into someplace better she blinked several times in astonishment before stuttering, "Y-Y, N- You don't have to do that Lee! I mean... It's just I know that you have to have money or influence or special ties to be able to move into another district and I don't want to impose..." She dwindled off worriedly.

When the red eyed soul reaper looked up and spoke of trying to fix things, the blonde couldn't help but also peer up into the sky, only getting rain drops in her eyes for her trouble. Squinting and blinking the water out, she then realized Lee was getting wet and stood on her tip toes to try and cover him with her umbrella as she replied, "Just don't over tax yourself... I don't want you to get hurt." She mumbled at the end before saying at a normal tone, "I just wish I could help you somehow."

Lee slowly let his eyes close as he simply enjoyed the rain that continued fall as he listened to her as she stumbled over her words. He would come up with a way to come about fulfilling the words he spoke as he saw it small enough to grant with just a few things taken away here and there. He slowly let his eyes come to open once more as the rain had come to a stop and he looked down at Ashe as he slowly placed a hand onto his chest as he replied

"See, that is why I do what I do Ashe. Because you do not go out of your way to ask for them. I will promise that she will get a better home, one that has everything she would need." He then took in a deep breath and crossed his arms over his chest as he continued "It is funny that you mention wanting to help. Because as much as it pains me, I have come to an impasse as I can not do everything so I need your help with something."

Ashe tried to keep the umbrella mainly over Lee himself and held her arm out so as to not be in his 'bubble' so to speak, but this was getting her a little wet, not that she minded. She listened as he spoke of her reasons being why he did what he did and she couldn't help but feel a little flabbergasted. She tried to say something to discourage or dissuade him from making such a brash decision but she was rather tongue tied and her brain suddenly felt overheated as it gave another painful twinge, making her wince so she simply nodded her head lowly and said humbly, "Thank you, we are not worthy."

When he began to mention actually needing her help, the blonde girl was pleasantly surprised and immediately rivited. "Really? I-I mean of course! That is to say... I would be honored to be of service to you. It would be my pleasure."

Lee smiled as he listened to the girl as she seemed to be at a lack of words for what he promised to do. He then listened as she, of course as he had planned, was more than willing to help him in whatever his endeavor was to be. He looked in the direction of the soul society as he raised his free hand up and pointed toward it as he spoke "We are going there and you are going to help me evaluate another soul reaper as I hope to see if he can help me. But I just can't trust him right away. I need your help too, I'm going to need you to join him and tell me if you think he would be someone worth trusting."

He turned his hand upside down as he then opened it up to let the raindrops fall into it "But first, I have to get you inside and find him and see if he is strong enough to help us. I know where he is, he goes by the name of Bane." He slowly let his hand lower down as it came to rest on the hilt of a sword at his hip.

Ashe couldn't help but be taken in by the red eyed man's smile, feeling warm at the thought of being able to help him. Then she followed his finger as he pointed and listened carefully. It seemed like this was quite important. She was terribly nervous though. She didn't recognize the name of the soul reaper, but then again she didn't exactly know any soul reapers other than Lee. But then she frowned in thought as something came to her. "But... How will I get in? And even if I do, why would the soul reapers accept me as one? I don't have a zanpakuto or uniform or any powers..." She began to feel more and more uncertain, but she didn't want to make it seem like she was doubting Lee or anything.

Lee slowly let his eyes close as Ashe spoke of the seemingly problematic options of the idea. He slowly let his other hand raise up and placed it onto the blonde one's head as he then rubbed it playingly "Oh, don't worry about that. I've already set things up so you will seem like one of the missing members of the squad. As for your uniform, you do indeed have a set when I first left you here and do not worry about the lack of a sword. We will cross that bridge when we come to it.

Now, tell me, shall we go get you dressed?"

Ashe looked up wide eyed at Lee as his hand came towards her head and she closed her eyes as he ruffled her hair gently, a blush spreading to her cheeks even after his hand had left. She tucked back a stray strand of hair in her bangs to hide the pinkness as she listened as he answered her concerns. Blinking she replied, "Oh, of course you did. Sorry for being a worry wart..."

She felt embarrassed for thinking he had not thought of simple things like that already. But when he spoke of her getting dressed...her cheeks became absolutely scorching, turning bright red at the thought of him dressing her. "Ehh?? Um, that is! W-we could go back to my place- I mean! M-My aunt's house. Yes, there." Her brain was feeling rather overheated now and the headache was starting to get a little worse because of it, though the distracting images playing in her head were helping a bit.

Lee smiled as the girl began to get hot and bothered as he gave a soft smile and then turned around as he held his hand outward toward the direction she had come from as if to ask her to lead the way as he spoke "Then by all means, let's take our leave and see if your aunt can get these clothes. It also gives me a chance to see where she lives."

Ashe nodded vigorously as if she could shake the red from her cheeks as she turned around, still holding up the umbrella between them as she walked back the way she came. "It isn't far from here. Auntie always tells me to stay close to home. She gets really worried about me sometimes. I know she has them in her bedroom because- erm...well I just do." She avoided before saying, "She doesn't know I saw them though... I didn't want to make her upset." The blonde explained as they walked before they came into view of a shack that was off by itself.

Lee let himself start walking in the direction of Ashe as she lead the way. He continued to smile as she spoke of her knowing of the clothes but not telling her aunt that she did. He figured at some point she would get curious as all things tend to be when you don't know too much.

He slowly let his eyes come onto where it was they were going. It would not be to hard to find this kinda place as it more secluded that usually and this was a good thing as he spoke "It is nice that you care for her so. That will make sure really happy in the future."

Ashe smiled when Lee spoke of her caring for her aunt and she nodded. "She's done so much to look after me, even though I don't remember her. She's a very kind person and I couldn't even think of not helping her." They came under the small 'porch' area of sorts and the blonde folded the umbrella up and shook the water off before leaning it against the wall. Then knocking on the door she then opened it calling out, "Auntie, I'm home with company!"

She held open the door for Lee to enter before closing it behind him and saying, "I apologize for the mess..." Though the place was actually fairly tidy but for a few scattered cups, pans and bowls that were slowly collecting water that was dripping through the thatch roof. The room that the two people would walk into would be the kitchen/dining room. Ashe walked through the door on the opposite side of the room that when looked into, would reveal that i was a single bedroom where there were two bed rolls, one of which was occupied by Auntie. She turned her wrinkled face towards the two people, but did not make a move to get up as she said, "Company? Oh my... Hello there, please excuse me for not getting up."

Lee continued to follow Ashe toward the house and once on the porch and it was then that he really saw just why she was complaining about its condition but that was not completely seen till he was inside. He looked around as Ashe called out to the woman and he took note of the water that continued to fall inside the building and knew this was why Ashe wanted the woman into a nicer place.

He would have hated to live in such a place. He followed Ashe until they came upon an older woman whom spoke to him. He placed his hands at his sides as he bowed toward the woman and spoke "Oh no miss, that is quite alright. It is a pleasure to meet you."

Ashe first got what other spare bowls they had and replaced the full ones around the old woman before leaving to go dump the rain water out onto the street. While she did this, the woman greeted Lee, "Oh... A soul reaper. I haven't seen one in quite some time." She seemed slightly uncomfortable from nervousness on seeing his uniform and sword. Seeing that Ashe was out of the room, she said in a low voice, "You're here to take her away aren't you? I didn't think it would be soo soon... I've enjoyed having her here." She smiled sadly as the blonde girl scurried about in the kitchen and dining room emptying the odd cups and pans so they wouldn't overflow.

Lee slowly let himself raise back upward as Ashe had left the two to themselves as she went off to do something or another. He then listened as she spoke about him and he placed a single hand onto his chest with a smile as he spoke of him being a soul reaper. He then replied as she spoke about him taking her away "Yes I am miss but I must re-assure you that she will be able to return at any point in time that she so desires. I am also going to be returning at some point in the future to show you to a more suitable home as per-request from Ashe herself."

Ashe finally finished emptying the odd water recepticles and returned to the room just as Lee spoke and she again felt a tug of guilt for leaving the woman. But at his last sentence Auntie spoke up, "A new home? Goodness... Oh, I hope she didn't trouble you! Though I'm not going to complain as you can see." She admitted with a bit of humor as she looked around at the water dripping. The blonde girl then spoke announced her presence by saying, "Don't worry Auntie, I'm sure it will be very nice and I'll be sure to visit you when ever I have free time to make sure you're alright okay? I... I won't leave you alone, I promise." She said, her voice trembling just a little at the end.

At that Auntie tutted, "What's this, carrying on like I'm dying or something? I'm still a spry young spring hen I am! I know soul reapers have their duties and I'm proud of you." Then she set her sights on Lee and said, "And while I know they have their duties I wouldn't expect it would be hard for one of them to keep an eye on another would it? To put an old dying woman's mind at ease?"

Lee slowly let a single hand raise itself up as if to halt the old woman from continuing after she spoke of the home and he replied "It will be nothing at all miss, it is the least that I would be able to do." He then looked to Ashe as she then went in to speak about herself and he simply waited and then listened to the old lady and he nodded his head as he then replied "You wont have to worry about a thing. I will make sure that she is in safe hands and look after her myself so there will be no need to worry. For this, you have my word."

He then looked to Ashe as he then turned back toward the old lady "We just need to have Ashe in a proper attire before we set out."

The old woman bowed her head to Lee, "Thank you... For that and for your word, I feel better knowing she will not be alone in there." At his mentioning of Ashe needing clothing, the woman's eyes lit up in understanding and she began to try and stand but found it hard to get started. Ashe quickly came to her side and helped her aunt to her feet. "Careful Auntie... You shouldn't be moving around too much in your state." The girl chastised, not that the woman listened.

"Nonsense, I feel fine. Just...help me to the closet." The blonde made her way carefully to said place, holding onto her aunt and then slid open the door. The old woman then let go of Ashe to reach up and pull down a Soul Reaper uniform, folded neatly. The woman frowned and then lifted up the pile from the middle to reveal a badge that sort of looked like a lieutenant's badge, exceptthe symbol was different. There was also a rather beautiful ring that had pearls and purple flowers. Ashe blinked and frowned at it, reaching out her hand and taking it before realizing what she was doing. But then she shook her head to clear it and took the clothes that her Aunt offered and excused herself as as she stepped behind a changing screen, disrobing before carefully putting on the uniform along with its customary socks and sandals. She finally put on the lieutenants badge on her arm and ring on her left middle finger, as it simply felt right to be there. The other badge with the odd symbol she tucked inside her shirt. Stepping out she asked hesitantly, "Is this alright?"

Lee nodded his head and waved to the old lady "It is nothing to worry yourself over. She'll be in heavenly hands." He then watched as she spoke about helping her to the closet and Ashe was quick to serve. He then watched as she returned the items to her and he took note of the ring that he had given her and then waited as she moved out of sight.

When she returned, he smiled kindly and saw that she was still wearing the ring and this was good. He nodded his head and spoke "It looks like it was made just for you. So, shall we take our leave?"

The Aunt bowed her head at Lee's wave for her to not worry. "I hope so."
They both waited while Ashe changed and when she appeared and Lee spoke she felt funny about the way he said it but smiled at the compliment nonetheless. At his asking if they should leave, the girl nodded soloemnly and walked up to the old woman. Wrapping her arms around her the blonde said, "I'm going to miss you. I'll be sure to write, and you be sure to write back. Don't hesitate to tell me if somethings wrong or anything if you need help, just say so. And don't worry about me."

The old woman simply smiled sadly and hugged the girl tight before saying, "You forget dear, it's my job to worry about you. Just make sure that I worry needlessly alright?" She let go and Ashe nodded, giving one last squeeze of the woman's hands before she turned to Lee. "I'm ready." She seemed more resolved now as she looked up at the red eyed man.