Pen Pals Across Realms

Mia was a bit focused on her singing and the small birds that had stopped chirping and now sat on branches near her as she sang to them. Her voice was still soft, but it didn't disguise its ability one bit. The birds were joined by a few others, all sitting on the branches as she sang to them with a smile.

They couldn't understand her, but felt nice to have such an audience... She didn't notice the few other animals come up, a little bunny family. Instead she sang to them of a sad clown with all of her heart, smiling when she could at the little followers she had gained.

She had...been waiting for something...

...What...?

Aito blinked; having entered the grove this...this was not something he expected to see. What was with all the animals? What was this a storybook?

Birds, rabbits...really...?

Aito averted his eyes, looking from the left to the right before settling on a direction; he gave a small cough to signal his arrival, not knowing any other way to really do it...

Mia was almost done with the song, the animals all entranced by her singing and voice when she heard a soft polite cough. Her voice choked to a sudden halt, her body freezing as the animals all fled once the spell was broken.

Eeping, she then dove forward, hiding behind the tree and peeking out nervously. She...hadn't thought... Oh...Oh it was Aito...

Nervously slinking from behind the tree much like a scared cheetah, she moved closer to Aito in tiny steps as she looked down. "S-Sorry...S-Sorry..."

"...s'Fine." Aito replied, bringing his free hand up to his hair to ruffle it slightly as Mia slowly made her way out of her current hiding spot behind a tree, obviously nervous.

He was unsure of what more to really say; he'd gotten here on time, and had felt it right to mention he was here when he'd gotten here...

"D-Did...you...h-hear anything?" How could he have not!? Mia's brain was rebellious though and had to ask, her flushed face coming up as the hood fell back from how forceful her looking up was. He had probably seen the animals too...they did that when she sang...

Dracufly for its part was fluttering around her head, its wings brushing her hair lovingly...

"A-Ah..." Aito gave a small nod, his hand still not having left his hair as he answered her.

Yeah, he'd heard some of it...he'd been on his way here, had reached the area where she said she'd be waiting and he'd just...gotten here while she was still singing.

Mia took the nod in, hoping against hope that he had been listening to something or...anything but her... singing...

The bright red blush grew from her neck up, covering her entire face. She turned around slowly and then cowered down, crouching and pulling her hood up in her utter embarrassment.

"H...Hah?" Aito blinked as Mia turned away from him before...crouching down. What...? It was just singing? Nothing to be embarrassed about.

It....It seemed almost everyone he met had that embarrassed streak when it came to singing.

"It...It's alright..."

"S-Sorry...I-I'm not used to people other than Masa hearing me..." Mia admitted finally, standing and pulling bad her hood. She was still pretty red, but she put on a brave smile and looked at Aito.

Giving him a warm smile, she tilted her head and laughed softly while her eyes closed. "It's nice to see you again...thank you... I h-hope my singing didn't bother you too much."

"A-Ah..." Aito replied, giving a nod as she said it was good to see him again; "Mn...it was fine...not bothersome..."

He hadn't been bothered by it, though he had been a bit confused by the scene when he got here considering all the animals. It was fine though, it wasn't like it bothered him or anything...

"Okay... H-Here let me...get the portal..." Dracufly floated over at her words, opening a special looking portal. Three doors instead of two, Mia felt things might be easier if they left this stupid grove.

He hadn't been bothered, that was a relief... If he had she'd be so upset...

Aito nodded, watching the butterfly float around before a portal opened up; so he'd need to just...walk through that? From what he knew it was safe, anyway...

Regalia gave a mew at the gates, they having just suddenly appeared catching her by surprise some.

Mia started at the sound of the kitten, not expecting it to come along too. Smiling softly, she bent over slightly and reached to scratch her head. "Don't worry lil girl, you'll be just fine. Be brave."

Smiling as she looked up, she ended up staring directly into Aito's eyes for a moment before she had to look away. She didn't...really look at others much so it was hard for her and she felt bad when she didn't. Instead turning, she headed for the portal and just...itching to pull her hood up she instead ignored it and stepped through first. It led directly to the Squad 6 entrance, the large ancient styled buildings and white ground around here...

Regalia mewed again at Mia's words, though the short head scratching had been welcomed, and she quieted afterwards.

Aito wasn't sure what to really say as Mia looked up at him, so he just remained quiet as she turned and headed into the portal; he followed behind her, walking all the way until they were there.

This place...It really did look a lot like ancient Japan...

Regalia was trying to look everywhere, squirming a bit in Aito's arms but he kept a hold of her, the new area causing curiosity to run through the kitten.

"This way..." A few people waved at Mia as she started to lead Aito along, the cloak familiar to them at least as Masaru's girlfriend... Mia waved back while looking down away from them after a moment.

It was still hard...and Masaru wasn't here... Her butterfly closed the portal and fluttered off to do Dracufly things, leaving Aito and Mia without a way back for now.

"I-It might be a bit...of walking... I-If you get tired we can take a break... She lives out in the Nobles section." Trying to explain a bit, Mia glanced back at Aito and the squirming kitten with a small smile. "I-Its more...western in style, her...um...mansion..."

"Ah..." Aito followed Mia as she walked through the area, noting the people that waved at her, though she kept looking away, then again...he'd figured out her shyness shortly after meeting her.

When she mentioned it might be a bit of a walk he gave a small nod; "s'fine..."

Walking wasn't a problem, he could handle that. Mansion...though? They were going to a mansion of all things...?

"O-Okay... thats good..." He seemed fine with a bit of a walk... Mia was relieved and sighed softly as she led him along a road, not many people were about a this time of day. It was the middle of the work day, most shinigami were in their offices or working where needed. It wasn't entirely empty though and though they looked at Aito a bit they didn't seem to notice anything wrong or say anything.

"A-Any questions s-so far?" It was supposed to be a fun trip for him... So she felt she was being too quiet and spoke rather timidly.

"Not...really..." He replied as they walked; really, he couldn't really think of that many...none worth asking anyway, he new most of the stuff from those pamphlets and from Aoi already, so he wasn't sure about asking anything else.

Mia just nodded, returning to her walk in utter silence again. She took him out of squad six, taking him through the regular paths and not the back ones she normally took. Aito deserved... to see the nice parts...

Aito... Aito... Eeping as they started to near the Nobles district, the buildings disappearing and more trees and such coming up, Mia glanced over at Aito with utter dismay. "...I-I never asked your last name! I am so sorry..."

She hadn't even asked important things like that! How...how could they be friends? She didn't... She was so bad at this...

Aito looked up some towards Mia at the sound she'd made; what? She think of something to freak her out or something? She seemed surprised...

...Ah...

Last name...

He was quiet for a moment or two before letting out a huff; this was stupid, the whole damn alias was stupid now. "Hibiki Ikehara...real name...tch..."

The whole damn alias was stupid now, there was hardly even a point to it anymore since everyone kept calling him by "Hibiki" anyway...ugh...

Mia stumbled to a halt, letting out a small eep as the last name she expected turned out to be. Aito was not...Aito...

She stared at him in shock, he even made the Tsun sound at it! "...It's not...Aito? But...that's pretty too..."

Her eyes turned from shocked to looking like a kicked fluffy baby cheetah as she stared up at him in just utter confusion and dismay. "...Why?"

Aito stopped as Mia came to halt, blinking at her reaction as she stared back at him in shock. W...What? He'd just given his name...even if he'd been using an...alias before...

"Aito's...s' alias..." He replied, glancing off to the side as Mia's expression morphed into that of a kicked animal. "Th...There's reasons...since..." Aito gave a sigh, "for one that names probably still marked under homocide victim...gh...so..." It felt weird on his tongue...it really felt weird on his tongue... "so...sorry."

Tch...this was dumb, just...coffee drinks, she wanted to learn how to make coffee drinks.

Mia's hurt expression disappeared as she heard a bit more, an alias...for a reason like that? What...what had happened in his life...? The glance to the side made Mia reach up with her gloved hand and gently turn his head back to her. It was easier with gloves...

Shaking her head softly, she couldn't trust herself to speak and instead just smiled for Ai-Hibiki. Her head shake said many things, it was okay, don't say sorry, don't worry... Her hand moved from his cheek up onto his head and she ruffled his hair for him as he did when he was nervous with closed eyes as a few tears leaked out.

Whatever had caused him to have to change his name, it wasn't her business to ask too much. She would just let him know it was okay!

Aito was a bit surprised as Mia turned his head, standing there as she attempted to reassure him without using words. Wha...It was fine! He didn't need reassuring!

"Y...'Ya don't have to cry..." He muttered, turning his head once he was able, his speech becoming a bit more informal than usual at times like these...it was weird...

Mia shook her head more forcefully this time, making a small sound in her throat. She could almost speak again! Tears still streamed silently down her face as she opened her eyes. The gloved hand straightened his hair gently, before moving down to grab his hand shakily. She squeezed it softly before looking up at him again.

"...I'm weak so...I-I cry when...I hear others have...such sad things..." Her violet eyes were soft but not pitying, just a bit warm as she smiled up at him.