Meeting: Old friends are made

Kenya was running through the streets of Rukon in her small dress. She was only at most 1 year in Rukon by this time. She was stealing food and trying to survive. She didn't know much of the shinigami but she did know that they lived in big houses and carried swords. Not only was her knowledge little but her thirst for battle was not there. She was in all senses of the word 'pure'. However she was plagued by nightmares of creatures that would come and eat you. Little did she know she dreamed about hollows. As she was running she tripped over a small rock and landed face first in to the ground. She lay there for a moment as she made sure nothing she had stole was broken or ruined.

Hezro had a long day. His father had sent him to deliver a message to a man in rukongi, a place he had never been before. The sight of the place made him feel sorry for the people. He had lived in Seireitei his whole life as a member of a noble family. He had been told that if he didn't preform well in school and his fathers training that he would have to live here one day.Now he knew why he was being pushed so hard. He looked at the slums that seemed to compact the place, leaving only narrow pathways visible to him. This didn't scare him however, the lack of shinigami is what did it for him. He had never seen an ordinary soul before except for the other nobleman his father introduced him to. He was kind of scared by this fact but Hezro knew what he had to do, that what he was trained for, even at such a young age. He was about 2 years old on this day, a mere child being sent out from his home to deliver a letter that he knew was obviously a test from his father. He had started pulling moves like this for some time now, ever since he could walk. He quickly found his way to the man, who lived in one of the poorer districts by the gradual decline in refinement the further he walked, and gave him the letter. Afterwords the man quickly shewed him away. Hezro turned back and headed the way he came,slowly walking and trying not to stare at anyone, despite his curiosity. He was almost to the gate when a girl about his age fell right in front of him, he was kind of stunned to see her just laying there, caring more about what she was carrying then her own condition. Hezro bend down and started to help her up, putting the practice of helping others that his father had been trying to teach him for weeks now. he decided to find out what happened and asked a simple, childish question.

"what ya doing?" he said to her in a soft voice that would shape into a more direct yet soothing tone in the future.

As the boy spoke Kenya assumed the worse and spoke up before the boy could touch anything.

"That is mine, I stole it fair and square."

Her voice was almost rude, but it had to be, if she was nice out here people would steal from her. As she looked up at him her eyes grew wide. She noticed that he was different from others in Rukon, He was very clean with comed hair and nice clothes on. She started to feel dirty, mean, and gross. She gawked at the boy for a moment before she spoke up but this tie in a nice and soothing tone.

"I..I..I'm sorry, I thought you were going to steal some of my food."

She was for lack of better words breathless. This boy standing right next to her almost glowed. It was if he came on behalf of God or the Gods. Kenya's not rittled hair was rough and poorly taken care of. Her robe was tattered and torn in several places. Compared to this boy she knew she was nothing ore than something that took up space.She spoke up a third and last time but this one was in a scared tone with a hint of cruelty that could be mistaken for sarcasm.

"Are...Are..Are you looking for a bribe?"

Just after she spoke she turned her hed to the right and stare at the ground. She w unsure of how this boy would act but if it was cruelly than she was ready for it.

Hezro looked at the girl with a confused look on his face a moment. he had no idea what she was saying. First she said she stole the food, then she said it was her food, then she said something about a 'bribe'. Hezro had no idea what a bribe was and went silent for a moment.So in his childish nature he simple acted like he didn't hear it and moved on.

"I'm Hezro Vora Hittori, whats your name? Oh wait." he says, hitting himself on the head after asking for her name; remembering what his dad had told him to say when addressing a girl. "Whats your name ma lady?" trying to copy his fathers noble voice as best as he could.

He was glad his father wasn't here or he would have been hit for forgetting. Hezro wondered why she said so much to confuse him and wanted to know why, but he waited until he got her name, like a 'respectable gentleman' like his father had told him to be.

She was shocked at the boy ignoring the question but more so for him asking HER name. This was rare in Rukon as no one really cared about your name. She spoke up in a more happy tone than before but still displayed her fear.

"I..I..I'm Kenya."

She was still looking away and started to blush a little from the embarrassment. She picked up what fell and started to walk away but did it slowly hoping the boy would follow or ask her to stop. she was scared beyond all belief but she still wanted to keep talking to the boy. If he lost site of her it would be considered an omen in her mind.

Hezro was ever more confused than before. not only did she not ask for his name like every other person he had ever meet before in his life, but she also walked away. He needed to find out why or it would bug him the rest of the day. So in his quest for knowledge he walked up beside her and looked at her now red face, something else he had never seen someone do.

"where ya going?" He asked again, wanting to ask even more question on top of that but bite his tongue to keep him from doing so.As his dad said, its impolite to ask more than one question to the same person.

This was the first time he really took to looking at her attire. dirty cloths with tears all along them, knotted and unclear hair. He wondered why she was wearing such a things, something that would have resulted Hezro in being grounded for a week just for considering to wear it. He didn't make it past that thought however, quickly focusing on her again and not what she wore.

"I..I..I'm going home"

Her voice was soft and still scared with a hint of curiosity that developed. She was afraid not only at the boy who was well groomed and taken care of but also at the people that must have been looking at the two walking together. She was mostly afraid that someone would try and hurt her or something. Her fears became a reality as a man's voice pierced her thoughts and ears.

"HAY, STOP!"

With severe fear she stopped dead i her tracks as the man walked up to her. The man stopped in front of her and stared down at her. He instantly recognized the boy as being a noble and spoke up in a kind voice to him.

"Well hello there young man. I'm sorry for this Wench causing you trouble. I'll take care of it."

Just after speaking the man slapped the food out of her hand and started to smack her around. He hit her so much she started to bleed. No one came to help and just walked by as nothing was happening. She just stood there, didn't say a word or do anything. Her right cheek, lip and ear bleeding the man stopped for a moment and spoke again.

"So what now, you have resorted to stealing from nobles? Do you know how many times you have stole from MY shop!?!?"

He started to smack her again while talking.

"What, now you are ignoring me? Say something when I'm talking to you."

Kenya herself was off in another realm with a beautiful, tall woman dressed in white. Little did she know her daydream was of her Zanpaktou's true spirit. At this time she didn't know about Zanpaktous or much of anything other than sealig.

Hezro's confusion turned to anger during the incidence. Fathers 11th rule; never hit a girl unless provoked.This clearly wasn't provoked and such resulted in Hezro's somewhat second personality to kick in, the rough and strict attitude that would grow to be used as a voice of sound order and authority. Hezro walked up to the man and smacked his hand away from Kenya, it was quickly followed by a slap in the face.

"How dare you hit her without letting her respond!She is MY friend and didn't steal anything from me!Now go back to your shop before I get my father, AND HE IS A CAPTAIN!" Hezro finished his rant at the man who was probably in awe of him acting much older than he was. His fathers training had paid off.

Then he went over and leaned next to Kenya and wiped the blood from her face and helped her up.

Kenya's world crumbled as she came back to reality she saw the boy smack the man. However funny this was she couldn't laugh or even smile at the moment. As the boy helped her up she started to feel somewhat safe, then the boys words blasted through her mind. 'She is MY friend', It played over and over in her mind. The man grabbed his cheek and started to get angry. His face turned to an almost cherry red with anger. As she was being helped up she hugged the boy and started to cry. The man got even more mad and aimed a smack at the boys head that would most likely send him to the ground.

A shinigami in a black face guard with jet black hair shunpoed in front of the man and caught his hand as it was about to come down on Hezro. The man was named Hino, Hezro's personal guard. He was one of the man reasons Hezro didn't care to go into the rukongi in the first place. Hino went wherever Hezro was, like it or not. He threw his hand to the side as he began to speak with the other hand on his zanpaktou

"This boy is a member of the Hittori clan, hit him and you will face a fine that the likes of you have no hopes of paying." Hino said to the shopkeeper with narrowed eyes and a sense of aggression in his voice.

On the other hand Hezro held the girl in his arms while she started to cry and just let her cry for a moment, waiting for her to calm down. He watched Hino step into the situation and knew the shopkeeper had made a mistake. Hino wasn't above drawing his Zanpaktou on a soul in Hezros defense. Hezro lifted his head from the girls shoulder a moment to speak to Hino.

"Its ok Hino, he didn't mean it." Hezro said to him. Hino's eyes shifted behind him as trying to look at Hezro. his hand relaxed from his Zan. They then shifted back to the shop keeper.

"Don't make me come back here clerk." He said directly to the man. He was gone in a flash that was similar to the one he arrived in.

she finally stopped crying and stood up. Her eyes red and face battered, she picked the food up and started to walk away again. This time was different, she knew the man would just come back tomorrow and beat her ten times harder. As she walked away she started to cry a little again. Her ear was still bleeding along with her lip which was now a little swelled. She walked for several moments and turned in to a more older shanty like building. She set her food down on the floor in the corner. Walking over to a small pale she ripped part of her dress. After dipping it in the stale water she started to tend to her wounds as best she could. In retrospect all she did was clean them with a wet, dirty cloth. This would cause it to get infected and what not but this was the best she could do in her living conditions. she prepared some food as best she could and made a little extra in case the boy was going to follow her.

It took Hezro some time before he found the girl in the building. He had a box in his hands and a smile on his face. He watched her prepare food wondering what she was doing exactly. he had never seem someone his size make their own food before. He slowly walked in trying his best not to create much attention.He peered over her shoulder and looked at the food a moment, then back at her. He stepped back a moment and outstretched his arms holding the box.

"I'm sorry you got hurt. This is for you." Hezro said kinda shyly. The Contents of the box very nice white dress that Hezro had bought just outside the gates of Seireitei and a silver hairbrush that had been one of his mothers many many spares that he had Hino go and collect for him, the man was only gone for one minute before returning with it.

Kenya set the food on the floor as there was no table. She had prepared a small plate with a piece of bread only a third of the size of the plate and some stale water from a bucket that was next to the pale. She took the box ad peeked inside. What she saw tantalized her eyes and thoughts. She could do nothing more than stare at it for what seemed like an eternity. After she stared a little bit she gave little Hezro a hug, a kiss on the cheek, blushed for a moment and sprinted like a human runner to the back of the shanty like hut. she moved a sheet out of the way that close immediately after she entered. As she started to slip her ragged dress off she looked over her shoulder to make sure the boy wasn't looking. After she felt it safe she finally took it off. As she slipped in to the pure white dress she felt a sense of happiness. she stood there after she put it on she just felt the cloth, she felt how soft and good it made her feel. After this she sat on a small box in front of a broken mirror. she started to comb her hair that was over a year uncared for. It was riddled with knots and such that took what felt like forever to take care of. After several moments she had finished and came out of the back. Her new dress on and hair combed. She gave little Hezro a hug again and sat down to eat. She knew the boy was most likely used to more food than she could offer but she tried nonetheless.

ooc: hope this is alright with you Kenya since we went over this yesterday.

((100 years later))

hezro was 102 years old now. He had grown very muscular over the years of training by his father, his pale skin had tanned from countless days in the sun, and his features had reflected his Noble background. He looked 18 years old now and would very well be considered a man. He walked with his regal cloths on as he walked in the rukongi towards a small house. He knew the way more than he knew anything from his training. In his hands he had another box, one that looked exactly like the one he carried 100 years ago to this place. Unlike every other year since that time, this box did not have a dress in it. Instead it had something much more important, something Hezro thought of as a great honor and he would make Kenya put it on even if he had to strip her down and put it on her himself.Inside the box was two sets of shinigami robes. The day before Hezro had enrolled both him and Kenya into the shinigami academy, without her knowledge. He wouldn't sit back and let her waste away her life here in rukongi. Today was the day of entry, a day where all the people signed up would be tested and separated into classes. He had came a few hours earlier just in case Kenya didn't want to go so that he could convince her (or drag her) to go to the academy. Hezro opened the door and knew she was home, he could smell the stew she had on the stove the fire, slowly being cooked to perfection.

"Kenya! Come here, I got something for ya!" He shouted into the back of the house. His face was already grinning, waiting to she her as he always does.

She didn't exactly expect Hezro this time but she put on the firs dress he gave her just in case. She walked out of the back at the voice she recognized instantly. Seeing Hezro she smile widely and started to run a little to him. Her brown hair was almost down to the middle of her back, Her dress as white as the day Hezro gave it to her, and her hair perfectly combed and in a ponytail. As she 'sprinted' to Hezro her hair jostled lightly. She almost plowed in to him as she gave him a somewhat strong hug and a kiss on the cheek like she had done every time he showed up. She backed a way a little and looked at the box, thoughts of what could be in it flowed through her head. She spoke up in a tone that matured from her old one, it was more caring than anything.

"So, What is it this time?"

She smiled and almost burst with joy and anticipation.

Hezro loved holding Kenya in his arm as she hugged him, the kiss on the cheek was always that little bit Hezro wished was more of in his relationship with the girl. Everyday for the past 100 years Hezro had visited the girl he meet in Rukongi to fateful day. He was in love to say the least. whenever his training with his father was over he sprinted, disregarding how tired he was, to her house. The two were inseparable until Hino decided it was time to head back home. No one decided to pick on the girl after Hezro came into her life, on occasions he had threatened anyone who did dare call her so much as a name. He looked at her a moment as she wore the white dress he bought for her the first day they met. She was just as beautiful in it as always. He then answered her question.

"its something that will our lives forever, go ahead, open it." He said with a smile on his face, he couldn't help looking at her without smiling.

Kenya opened the box and stared in awe. If her jaw could have dropped it would have created a crater the size of seireitei its self. She stared at the contents for several moments. She then looked at Hezro and spoke in a confused yet happy tone.

"So you...I...WE...?"

Her question however incoherent was most likely understandable be Hezro. She could only stare at Hezro as she felt the robe.

Hezro was kinda surprised with her reaction, usually she didn't like the idea of violence. however the joy on her face couldn't compare to anything he had ever seen. He stood wit ha smile on his face.

"I enrolled us yesterday. We have about an hour before we have to be there for entry day. Father is paying for all our supplies, all you have to do is put that one, grab a few things and head out. your the first one to look at that too, I haven't even seen mine yet." He said with a smile on his face.

He had been training for this his entire life and was confident of his abilities to enter the master classes at the academy. It had taken a lot more for Hezro to convince his father to supply for Kenya as well. She had little fighting experience but she had a high level of reiatsu about her for a normal rukongi citizen. He said he did it because ' it would be a waste of a good soul' if he didn't but Hezro knew the real reason. He knew that Kenya reminded him of Mia, Hezro's mother, who had died shortly after Hezro's birth. The only thing that bothered Hezro was that he might not get the same classes with Kenya and would only see her afterwards. but he was glad he got to show her a world outside the broken glass of this beaten down house.

She quickly went in to the back and tried it on. The robe fit perfectly. There was room for movement and it breathed. She walked out and turned around in circles to let Hezro see. After this she walked over to him and slapped him. Just after this she hugged him and spoke up.

"You know I don't like fighting much, but thank you."

Her voice wasn't angry or sad but happy with a hint of uncertainty.

"Where will I be staying, are there dorms or-"

She stopped and looked at Hezro for an answer.

Hezros face burned with the slap but the pain vanished with the hug.

"Don't worry, they have dorms and everyone there has to stay in them so I will be close.But you have to be focused today, the entry day is the most important day in your life as a shinigami. Fathers only going to keep paying for you if you do good in class and if you don't have a good sponsor in the academy its much harder. Plus if you do good we can be in the same classes." He said while he was still hugging her. Then he let go and went back to the box and picked up his robes from it as well.

"I'm gunna go put this on. Gather your things you want to bring with you, they don't let people leave often when you are in the academy. My stuff is already there." He said as he went into the back to change.

As Hezro went to change Kenya gathered up two books, both black, and two ribbons of which were black. She also gathered up her dresses, which she found to be quite useless and unable to carry. However she found a way and was all set. As she waited for Hezro she finished the soup and poured it in to the two bowls next to the battered pot. She often wondered what would happen if she joined the Academy but never tried considering getting in for someone like her was next to impossible. she WAS happy that Hezro's father sponsored her but she started to wounder why or even if he would stop. Her mind stopped racing at the simple conclusion.'I'll just attend and do my best until he stops sponsoring me.' In her early years she had quite the pessimistic attitude most times. She started to eat the soup because she know it was getting close to time to leave.

"Are you ready yet? and do i have to meet your father?"

Her question was surprising to her mostly as it came out before she could think. It wasn't something she should have asked yet it was necessary. She hopped the answer was no but feared it was yes.

A voice came shouting out of the back. "We might see him at the gate, he said he had a Captains meeting he may have to attend to but he should be back before we get there, if not he said to go on in." Hezro was putting the finishing touch's on his shinigami robes. He had to put on his family crest, which was actual a real pain to put on. The silver chain that reflected Hezros noble status looked great on him however. He stopped and thought for a moment. something that had always bothered Kenya was being poor, so Hezro had always tried to look less noble for her in the past. Today was different however, the crest was required. He wondered what she would say when she saw it and realized what it meant. Hezro walked out of the back finally after a few more moments thinking.

"How do I look?" He said to her with a grin on his face.

She turned to look at Hezro and was in awe. Even she had to admit he looked handsome in a shinigami robe. She noticed a shiny chain that was on his robe and started to ask what it meant when she realized it. She looked to her left and down at the floor. She gripped her robe tightly in her hands.

"Do you have to wear that?"

Her voice was more than a little angry. She thought the worst and assumed that it meant not only his noble background but that he would not e seeing her again in the academy. That was something she couldn't bare to have happen. She turned to face the other way. Her back now facing Hezro as she put her arms next to her chest. She crossed them and gripped her arms so tightly she would have drawn blood instantly if she didn't loosen up. The fact that he was noble and she was a lolly Rukon citizen meant a difference in their being treated. She did however like the fact that Hezro treated her like an equal when others didn't.

(epic post fail)

Hezro immediately went up to her and hugged her from behind.He held her a second before whispering in her ear.

"Yes I have to wear it, I argued over it with father for hours last night. But it doesn't change anything. I will still be treated the same but I get to go first during special events. If it were up to me i would be wanted to be treated like everyone else, you know that." Hezro said softly, knowing how much she hated it. He stood holding her in his arms hoping it would help for a moment.

She was about to shake him off when he spoke. She knew he meant his words but she still hated the idea of the classes. she nodded her head and grabbed her things. She thought that no matter what she wasn't going to battle unless she had to. Kenya was almost out the door when she turned around and aced Hezro. With a fake smile, eyes closed, and a fake tone of happiness she spoke up.

"We are going to be late Hezro. It'll take almost half an hour to get from here to there."

She went out the door and started towards the gates of Seireitei. She felt proud though because the people staring at her. Some clapped and others booed. She understood both as some liked the Shinigami because of what they do while others hate them because of how they treat the people in Rukon. Kenya lived in the most notorious and widely known part of Rukon. The west, t was home to criminals, wanna be gangsters, and all around bad people. She was happy none the less to escape this hell which she came to call home.