ā Ā ā¦ Ā ā Ā you Ā go Ā quiet Ā for Ā just Ā a Ā spare Ā moment Ā or Ā two. Ā you Ā have Ā to Ā gather Ā your Ā thoughts, Ā & Ā which Ā ones Ā would Ā be Ā best Ā to Ā share.Ā Ā Ā you Ā hated Ā talking, Ā especially Ā about Ā yourself.Ā Ā Ā words Ā were Ā suddenly Ā very Ā hard Ā for Ā you, Ā so Ā you Ā talk Ā a Ā bit Ā slowly. Ā ā Ā i Ā was Ā ā¦ Ā never Ā ācondemnedā Ā to Ā hell. Ā honestly, Ā the Ā only Ā reason Ā i Ā had Ā any Ā reason Ā to Ā suffer Ā was Ā because, Ā well, Ā i Ā was Ā born Ā there. Ā āĀ
your Ā words Ā must Ā have Ā been Ā a Ā cause Ā for Ā concern, Ā as Ā eyes Ā dart Ā forward Ā rather Ā timidly, Ā as Ā if Ā anxious Ā for Ā retaliation Ā of Ā some Ā kind. Ā arms Ā fold Ā rather Ā solemnly, Ā & Ā you Ā felt Ā beside Ā yourself Ā in Ā that Ā moment Ā of Ā vulnerability. Ā something Ā unique Ā to Ā your Ā existence Ā ( Ā & Ā your Ā existence, Ā alone Ā ) Ā was Ā that Ā unlike Ā so Ā many Ā who Ā had Ā dragged Ā below Ā to Ā agonize Ā for Ā eternity, Ā you Ā technically Ā had Ā nothing Ā keeping Ā you Ā bound Ā to Ā hell. Ā
ā Ā as Ā you Ā might Ā guess, Ā it Ā wasnāt Ā any Ā cakewalk Ā just Ā getting Ā to Ā this Ā point. Ā i Ā started Ā my Ā escape Ā at Ā fourteen. Ā iām Ā eighteen Ā now. Ā ā Ā brows Ā upturn Ā in Ā a Ā sudden Ā worry, Ā & Ā your Ā fingers Ā grip Ā your Ā sleeves Ā a Ā bit Ā tighter; Ā you Ā look Ā on Ā in Ā what Ā could Ā be Ā considered Ā the Ā increments Ā of Ā a Ā silent Ā panic. Ā an Ā anxiety Ā attack. Ā
ā Ā youāre Ā not Ā gonna Ā make Ā me Ā go Ā back, Ā are Ā you ? Ā ā
Ā Ā Ā hisĀ humanityĀ isĀ whatĀ setsĀ kurosakiĀ ichigoĀ apartĀ fromĀ othersĀ inĀ theĀ gotei:Ā Ā theĀ feelingsĀ inĀ whichĀ theyāveĀ clungĀ toĀ mostĀ ofĀ theirĀ life,Ā Ā theĀ abilityĀ toĀ castĀ asideĀ aĀ judgmentĀ thatĀ mostĀ wouldĀ deemĀ finalĀ punishmentĀ inĀ thisĀ world.Ā ichigoĀ isĀ notĀ heartless.Ā theĀ ichoricĀ muscleĀ beatingĀ awayĀ inĀ chestĀ harboursĀ moreĀ compassionĀ Ā &.Ā Ā understandingĀ thanĀ otherĀ shinigamiĀ heāsĀ workedĀ with.Ā soĀ perhapsĀ thatĀ isĀ whyĀ zangetsuĀ noĀ longerĀ baresĀ itāsĀ fangsĀ Ā &.Ā Ā ichigoāsĀ demeanorĀ shiftsĀ soĀ considerablyĀ inĀ tandemĀ withĀ theĀ strangerāsĀ beforeĀ him.Ā theyāreĀ differentĀ fromĀ theĀ sinnerāsĀ metĀ inĀ past.Ā heĀ canĀ senseĀ somethingĀ offĀ aboutĀ them,Ā Ā butĀ nothingĀ thatĀ makesĀ kurosakiĀ leapĀ intoĀ theĀ frayĀ ofĀ battleĀ toĀ protectĀ theĀ thingsĀ heĀ holdsĀ mostĀ dear.Ā inĀ truth,Ā Ā theyĀ remindĀ himĀ ofĀ soĀ manyĀ wanderingĀ soulsĀ encounteredĀ thusĀ far:Ā Ā lost,Ā Ā uncertainĀ forĀ whatĀ liesĀ ahead,Ā Ā scared.Ā Ā howĀ couldĀ theyĀ everĀ condemnĀ thatĀ Ā ?Ā Ā
Ā Ā Ā heavyĀ isĀ theĀ sighĀ exhaledĀ betwixtĀ chappedĀ lipsĀ Ā &.Ā Ā withĀ slowĀ movementsĀ shallĀ weaponryĀ beĀ placedĀ backĀ alongĀ shouldersĀ Ā &.Ā Ā beĀ engulfedĀ inĀ whiteĀ ribbonĀ onceĀ more.Ā callĀ themĀ aĀ fool,Ā Ā hisĀ gutĀ hasĀ neverĀ beenĀ wrong.Ā Ā ā Ā Ā . . .Ā Ā right.Ā Ā guessĀ youĀ wouldaĀ attackedĀ meĀ byĀ now,Ā Ā yeahĀ Ā ?Ā Ā Ā āĀ Ā theyĀ sayĀ withĀ sternĀ tonality,Ā Ā butĀ aĀ calmĀ oneĀ allĀ theĀ same.Ā Ā ā Ā Ā look,Ā Ā iāmĀ notĀ gonnaĀ makeĀ youĀ goĀ backĀ anywhere,Ā Ā butĀ mānotĀ gonnaĀ lieĀ āanĀ sayĀ itāsĀ safeĀ forĀ youĀ toĀ beĀ outĀ hereĀ allĀ willyĀ nilly.Ā Ā iāmĀ sureĀ theĀ soulĀ societyĀ hasĀ alreadyĀ pickedĀ upĀ onĀ yourĀ spiritualĀ pressureĀ byĀ nowĀ ā Ā āĀ Ā &.Ā Ā heĀ knowsĀ howĀ theĀ squadsĀ handleĀ anomalies,Ā Ā especiallyĀ onesĀ withĀ theirĀ kindĀ ofĀ story.
Ā Ā Ā aĀ handĀ isĀ reachingĀ intoĀ theĀ frontĀ ofĀ uniform,Ā Ā presentingĀ theĀ batteredĀ combatĀ passĀ beforeĀ himĀ asĀ aĀ formĀ ofĀ trust.Ā theyāveĀ alreadyĀ seenĀ himĀ likeĀ this,Ā Ā tryingĀ toĀ hideĀ anythingĀ elseĀ wouldĀ certainlyĀ beĀ aĀ wasteĀ ofĀ time.Ā Ā ā Ā Ā seeĀ thisĀ Ā ?Ā Ā itāsĀ aĀ combatĀ pass:Ā Ā iāmĀ substituteĀ soulĀ reaper,Ā Ā Ā kurosakiĀ ichigo.Ā . . .Ā Ā youĀ gotĀ aĀ nameĀ Ā ?Ā Ā ā
