Training of the new generation....{{private/no death/training/Possible XXX}}

She managed a warm smile and nodded her thanks. "Naht, huh? I'll call you Nahty." She teased.

The recovery was taking place pretty quickly and in fact she was just thankful for her life. She felt indebted to this man in a way. Her eyes closed and she nodded as he spoke about training. Was it so bad that she felt oddly intertwined with this man, almost as if she knew him from a long time ago. It was possible, but inprobable.

She cursed her memory. It wasn't fair. How come she couldn't recall her past? She struggled to think, but nothing came. She let out a sigh and laid against him, wrapping her arms around him. Slowly and softly, she hummed a song that sounded familiar but so vague. Her eyes recalling the red moon above.

"Red moon, red moon,
Cleanses the sinful and makes them anew.
Shining brightly, in the night sky,
waiting for the souls
Who will be born again tonight?
Who will be born again tonight?"

His voice crackled as it spoke out.

Red moon, red moon,
Cleanses the sinful and makes them anew.
Shining brightly, in the night sky,
waiting for the souls
Who will be born again tonight?
Who will be born again tonight?"

He spoke in perfect unison to her humming. As if he knew what she was singing. They shared a strange bond it seemed and something was odd about it. He spoke softly after.

"I vow, from now till the day I die, to forever protect you with my life. I promise this. It is the least I can do after what happened."

He said with a small tear showing on one of his eyes. This was rare for a man like him to cry. He kept everything bottled up and everything like that. He was someone who loved all creatures, even the hollow living inside of him. It was a strange thing but he minded it none.

She blinked, surprised to hear singing. However as he began to sing she smiled and hummed louder, allowing him to vocalize with her. It was her favourite song and where she learned it, she hadn't the faintest, but when she heard it, it relaxed her. How did he know the song?

She looked up and smiled as they finished and laughed lightly. "You're crying." She said in a sweet voice She was calm, sweet; her true colors showing at the moment. She was no longer barracading herself from him at least. Her hand reached up and wiped his cheek with her thumb. Her eyes showed comfort and even what looked like adoration.

She closed her eyes and repeated the verse, but this time in japanese, allowing hersong to flutter around with the wind. She was comfortable and she managed a blush, "I-I'm sorry I've been so rude to you. It's just hard for me." She rolled over in his arms to look at him. "I feel it's fair if I tell you a secret too if that's okay. It's not as life changing but it's important.."

"Of course, you can tell me anything."

he said in a soft voice. His eyes were kind once again and his hands held her. He was unsure of what this secret could be but he would keep it as he said he would. He offered a comforting hand as he stroked her hair once more. His eyes kind still and his lips un-parting. He sat there calm and happy. He enjoyed himself as he simply sat there. He spoke after she would be done.

"I need you to keep the fact that I have this curse to yourself. It could get me in a lot of trouble and even sent from soul society. it wasn't my choice to have it but I do and I have to live with it."

Ai smiled and nodded, "I promise." She looked thoughtful then sighed. "I can't remember a thing.. nothing. I try to think back to before the academy.. but there's nothing."

She sighed and shrugged, "I don't even know if I have family, I just know from the time I started the academy, noone ever visited me." She frowned. "Why it happens I have no idea. But the headmaster never let me quit no matter how many 'tutors' I sent packing. Everyone but him called me unteachable."

With a sigh she looked over. "In a way he's the only thing I've ever had to consider family." Closing her eyes, she yawned, "What's stranger is I feel like I've met you before. But I know it's not from the academy. I'd remember your face.."

"Well i agree that we've met somewhere before as I feel like I know you as well. However, from where I haven't got a clue. Although, you do resemble a young girl I used to care for a long time ago. I used to sing her to sleep with that very song. I can't remember if she had a home but she stayed in mine for a little bit, not as a foster child but because her family was doing something. Sadly because of this split of views the Gotei are going through caused her mother and her father to fight against the new generation where they were killed "accidentally" and i promised them before they died, that I would take care of that girl if I ever found her. None the less she remains hidden to me. I was in the academy to search for her when I stumbled upon you."

His words were kind and his eyes a little wet from his thoughts. He almost loved that girl like a daughter. The girl in his lap however, he loved a different way. It was somewhat odd too. He loved her in a way that he only loves her, for a reason that he can't understand. But he grit his teeth and just sat there and tried to smile, holding back more tears.

Ai looked up and laughed lightly. She didn't know how to respond, but simply listened to his voice. Her eyes closed as she rested her head on his chest. She sighed and yawned, "I have to re-dye my hair soon." She grumbled, looking at the ends of her hair with a slight frown.

She looked at him with a grin. "You're a big softie, huh?" She teased, sticking out her tongue playfully. She playfully flicked his nose. She didn't want him to cry. Seeing the tears he was holding back made her feel awful.

"dye your hair? Heh, if your hair was white I would say that you would look exactly like that little girl I used to care for but..."

His voice stopped and viewed the girl. Her hair....was....white. All the memories came rushing back to him of the girl. it......was.....her.....the same girl he swore to protect long ago. She was here, right now. She was that little girl? She had grown yes but could the girl now, that he fell in love with, really be that little girl? Was it wrong? was it so bad that he fell for her? Was it bad that the one that cared for her....wanted to....have her, both mentally and sexually? It was, but it felt right. A true conundrum indeed. He thought a moment and the spoke.

"Do you have a birth mark?"

He asked in a sweet voice as he sat there and thought.

Ai paused a moment, "Ha small world. I must be her twin or something. My hair's naturally silver, but people always made fun of me for it, so I dyed it pink and cut it short." She twiddled her hair in her fingers and sat up in his lap, pulling the haori tighter around her and shivering slightly. She needed new clothes.

"Birth mark?" She paused and thought a moment then laughed. "Doesn't everyone. Mine's really embarressing though.." She looked away and blushed. "My friend saw it and laughed saying it looks like a teardrop." Shifting awkwardly, she ruffled the back of her hair. "I've refused to wear a bathing suite since.."

Her eyes rested on him and she smiled. "You ask strange questions, Nahty." Her eyes gleamed with amusement and only showed her teasing him. She wanted him to smile.

"Heh, well you don't remember anything huh? Well that's quite odd since the girl I took care of had the same birth mark, on her inner thigh."

He smiled and laughed a bit after he realized she was the girl, but somethign worried him. What made her lose her memory. He thought a moment and put it off as something else. Standing up he gripped her softly and spoke.

"I have to pay a visit to the headmaster. I will take you to your dorm and pack your things, also, I have one last request. In order for me to protect you, you have to promise me that you will listen to any direction i give you. No matter what. So If I tell you to run you run, Got it?"

He said as he picked up his sword and placed it in his Obi. With that he set one foot on the ground and their bodies faded as he shunpoed around. He was aiming for the Head master's room and talk about this with him. By the time he would get there it would be mid day and he should be in his office.

"I hope she doesn't realize I love her."

He muttered aloud thinking she didn't hear as he used a combination of running and shunpo to get to his destination.

{{Exit---> Debate-Head master's office and Ai's quarters.}}

Ai blinked and stood up. Her birthmark? Her memory. Somehow.. somehow this man was linked to it. The missing pieces were held in his hands? Could it be? But on top of it all, she felt a strange drumming in her chest that sounded almost like a lullabye to her.

She followed closely, for once silent as the white cloak floated somewhat behind her. She had to strive forward. His line before he disappeared caused her heart to strum harder. H-He...? No.. she had to be hearing things.. but what if she wasn't? It was frustrating.. all so confusing. She swallowed her conundrums and set forth to her room.

[exit with Naht]