Reunions of the Heart (Tag: Setsuna)

In all the stories the night was supposed to be a horrific thunderstorm. Rain pouring by the gallons, deafening thunder followed by blinding flashes of lightning. The Quarry would be chased the whole way to their chosen sanctuary, welcomed to a warm fireplace with a steaming mug of the local brew. Safe forever from the evils they had left behind, only bothered by tossing and turning memory dreams in their new down comforter life. The stories said it was so, though the woman was too old to think it was going to be like that. But...

For Lakshmi, the sun had shone so brightly that the reflections off of bits of metal or pools of water almost blinded her. That part of the land was hot in the middle of the day and most napped to forget the heat. Once sure most of the family in the compound was asleep, she had taken the essentials in a pack and left. The Soul Society had been so far away, weeks of travel with only the stories and barely any directions. Hopeful enthusiasm had kept her going long past the point sanity would have given out and then desperation once the enthusiasm died a slow, painful demise.

Beraggled was not how she had wished to appear there, a supplicant seeking help and the warm fireplace of welcome. However it had helped her blend in, her backpack so torn, stained and almost empty at this point that even the most pitiful of beggars ignored her. The cloak she had bartered for a week ago matched the clothes of the people here, her grimy appearance helping her avoid notice. Still, her blue eyes kept watching the filthy... dirt. What else was it supposed to be? Being on the trail made her poetic.

It was then that she hit her first bit of luck. She felt it, with her small bit of training, that surge when someone with powerful reiatsu was nearby. Well, it wasn't powerful by her standards, it was more like a small ripple in a pond. It was leagues above those around her though, who registered at nothing or next to nothing.

"My apologies. I am sorry! Please don't be mad!" Pushing her way through the sudden shift of the crowd, Lakshmi's final push forced her out of the crowd and into a small spot of calm. In it stood a shinigami, probably a seated member if they were out this far searching for recruits. Here was her chance!

Back straight, arms crossed, the woman stood up in a somewhat regal manner and looked down her nose at the shinigami. She tried to force the icy eyes her Grandpa had already smacked her for, yelling about his mother. "Take me to Sotaicho Setsuna, if you will."

The tone brooked no argument, so did the minor flaring of reiatsu. The shinigami nodded in surprise, but was more guarded as they led her into the carriage. They eyed her suspiciously as the carriage rattled along it way, so obviously it didn't work as well as she had hoped. It took much longer than she thought and when the slamming of the gate sounded behind her, Lakshmi jolted back to awareness. A sudden thought crossed her mind that this wasn't good...

"We are here. You can meet one of the representatives of the school now and will be placed in a dormitory for the time being. If you meet the requirements for testing, you can stay." Lakshmi was stunned as they led her out of the carriage. The person she couldn't figure the sex of had a distinctly masculine voice and it sounded quite amused as they helped her to the door.

"We'll take your old clothes, you'll be given uniforms and a small bit of allowance for extras if you do indeed pass." At this Lakshmi ground her feet in and growled, "No you don't understand I have to see her!"

"You will in time, she is a very busy woman. Now come this way." The voice sounded a bit concerned now and stopped pulling when the woman didn't move. He turned and gasped, looking at the flaring energy coming off the terrified woman. She couldn't go back, she really couldn't. Her only hope was that woman. If she was forced into the dormitories, He might find her. She had worked too hard.

"I have to see my Grandmother! Let me see her!" A flare of emotion forced my power out of her and the shinigami dropped Lakshmi's arm. Seeing he was losing control of the situation, he nodded and though the news shocked him he was professional enough to stall.

"You will! I promise, now calm yourself. We'll go get her. You can stay right here." Worried for the building if the untrained woman let herself get too emotional, he nodded to several people who had come to see the ruckus. "You two should go get the Sotaicho. Tell her her... 'Granddaughter' has arrived into the Shinigami Academy Registration and Testing buildling."

"What?"

Setsuna said looking up from her pile of paperwork. Before her stood her sixth seat, telling her about some girl he found who claimed to be her granddaughter.

"Madame, she says you're her grandmother and she demands to see you. She's at the academy in the registration building."

Setsuna was a bit confused. She had no granddaughter. Almost all of her family had died. To her knowledge Xarath was the only one.

"I have no granddaughter. Can't you just deal with this? I haven't the time to go talk to some girl who claims to be my blood kin."

The sixth seat shook his head. He had to bring her back to the girl. He feared that if she didn't get what she wanted things could get ugly, and from the way her reiatsu flowed, he wasn't sure if he could handle her.

"Please Madame, she's strong, real strong. Her...her reiatsu kinda feels like yours, and those eyes."

Setsuna's interest peaked a little. Well, this was a little interest. She looked at the pile of papers. She really could use an excuse to take a break from this.

"Very well. Take me to her."

The man and Setsuna left her office at squad one, and headed the short distance to the academy. As they drew nearer Setsuna could feel a strange reiatsu. It was strange, but similar. It did feel a bit like her's, but also like someone else's. No, it couldn't be. Setsuna walked into the building and saw a very pretty woman, although she looked a little worse for wear, as if she'd been traveling for quite some time. Setsuna walked up to her and extended her hand with a smile.

"Hello. I'm Setsuna Fujihana, Captain Commander of the Gotei thirteen. How may I help you?"

While they sent for the Sotaicho, Lakshmi shook and tried to reign in her spiritual powers. They were tied to her emotions too much, a major flaw He had always reprimanded her for. He wouldn't let her join the Soul Society of their home either, but would rarely teach her the control she needed. He might have still been angry at her mother for her choice in marriage though...

Thinking about the past sent more flares out so Lakshmi forced herself to focus on the present. Focus on the now. She was in a room with people who were going to help. In fact, through the chaos in her mind, she could hear the person who had lead her here giving directions in a surprisingly calm voice.

"There, you can feel it? Good, now imagine it being pushed into a ball. Slowly but surely, leave out no stragglers. No chords, no strings of your power. Just push it all in. Its an errant child, don't let it out of your sight." The voice was soothing, though she couldn't see anything. It was at that moment she realized her eyes were closed and that she could almost see what he was saying.

By the time Setsuna arrived, Lakshmi had stuffed all the power into the ball the shinigami had helped her through and both looked at the relatively unscathed room in relief. She smiled to thank the man before turning and seeing in shock the infamous woman whom she had been raised to scorn. She looked...nicer than imagined. Lakshmi took the hand softly, not sure if she should shake it or not. Would she be angry? If the Sotaicho was anything like what Zarden ranted about, then this lost granddaughter should be scared. However, Lakshmi had taken the gamble that the years of rage and spent alone had warped his impartiality. It was a longshot but...

"It is a great pleasure to meet you Sotaicho Setsuna, I am Lakshmi Auna Mehri. Daughter of Hikano Mehri, who is the daughter of Haru Fujihana, who is the son of Momoe Fujihana. My Great Great Grandsire's name is Zarden." Lakshmi had to turn her eyes away. So many things rode on this bet. If the woman still hated her Grandsire, she could be in major trouble. At least she might give a quick clean death.

Setsuna shook the young woman's hand lightly. She seemed to be a bit scared. Well, if she was a liar and wasted her time she had better be. Setsuna didn't take such rudeness so lightly. Setsuna let the girl's hand go and smiled as she greeted her politely and respectfully.

She claimed to be her kin, but how could she be? All of her relatives were dead, to her knowledge, well most of them. Setsuna nodded as the girl said her name, she was about to speak but the girl continued.

She began to list names. So, some of her kin were Fujihanas. Fujihana wasn't a rare sir name, but then there was one name. The one Setsuna knew could only be one person. Her son, Zarden. Setsuna had got his name from a text she was reading about Rome, so she knew it couldn't be anyone else. Unless the girl knew of their relationship.

"Shit. Come with me."

Setsuna grabbed the girl by her wrist and began leading her to the infirmary here at the academy. It was set up exactly like the one at squad four so Setsuna could use the lab for some testing.

"If you are my great great great granddaughter, then what are you doing here? I would imagine Zarden would have forbid it."

It didn't take them long before they reached the lab of the infirmary. The school nurses were busy doing their work as the two women walked in. Setsuna looked at them giving them a look from her icy blue eyes.

"Give us a few moments please."

The nurses quickly filed out leaving their work behind. Setsuna let Lakshmi go and opened a nearby drawer and pulled out two syringes and two viles.

"Let's do a little blood work, shall we?"

Setsuna held out her hand for Lakshmi to give her her arm.

It was good that Lakshmi had resigned herself to her fate, or else she would be too worried to follow Sotaicho Setsuna. The woman's imperious air was hard to ignore or disobey, though the use of a swear word jolted Lakshmi into a stumble as she was taken on a quick tour of the facilities. Quick tour was one description for it, so was being dragged at breakneck pace through the area.

Too wrapped up in looking at the pale skin of the woman pulling her along, Lakshmi stuttered a response. "He...He didn't let me go. I snuck away."

"I am not an object. I don't belong to him." It sounded stronger in her head, but with those words a bit of strength returned to her. They reached the infirmary labs quite quickly, and before Setsuna responded to her words there was some sort of blood testing. She had seen a bit in her training before, but not this up close. She had also never seen people scurry away so quickly at such a polite response!

Without thinking twice, Lakshmi's arm was offered to Setsuna. Her eyes were hard ice, trying to be brave. "If this will prove our blood I am willing to do it. By coming here I left them all behind, the whole compound, so a little blood is nothing. I already know the truth... You look just like him. Especially right now."

"Good."

Setsuna said as she took the girl's arm and tied a band around the top of it. Veins began to bulge in the girls arm. Carefully, Setsuna stuck the needle into one, and filled the syringe with her blood.

"That means you are capable to think for yourself. Zarden...was always a stubborn boy. He was never able to see reason, and once he got something in his head...well."

Setsuna took the syringe of blood and injected it into one of the empty viles. She then proceeded to do the same to her own arm. Setsuna took the two viles of blood and put them both into a large machine that sat in the lab portion of the infirmary.

"After a few moments we'll have an answer. Now tell me, what brought you here?"

Lakshmi watched the proceeding with interested eyes. The needle hurt, but only slightly, as it punctured the skin but it hurt much less than her other scrapes and bruises. Sleeping outside or traveling through back country instead of the direct way here had hurt, but it paid to be careful.

"I was afraid when I left that he would get it in his head that you or someone you knew had brainwashed me. I was terrified he would chase after me, 'knowing' it was for my own good. Not many fight back against him and those who do tend to get cut from his life. He can't stand to be wrong." The usually lilting and rich voice was filled with bitter anger as she spoke, her eyes darkening from the anger but curious as she watched.

"We weren't part of the main family. Grea-Zarden, he hated my mother's marriage to a Shinigami from the Greater Asian Soul Society. He wasn't even a seated member and Zarden forced him to quit and retire as he would now be part of the family. I hate to even call it that. He thought of us as his objects, precious living vials filled with his genes was more like it." Lakshmi rubbed at her arm, her darker skin a bad reminder.

"I heard he never used to be like this, but something changed many years before I was born. I was the youngest born of my parents and the one Zarden decided to take notice of." Straightening her back, Lakshmi rushed on, eyes bright with hope. "Its...complicated, but I thought that if I hated that man so much...and his hate of you would cloud his memories... That you would accept me in here."

This girl knew too much of Zarden. She was either a really well versed liar, or she was telling the truth. The machine began to make a loud grinding noise as it began to print out the results of the blood test.

Setsuna grabbed the paper and read it. The girl was indeed her great great great granddaughter. Setsuna put the paper down and walked over to Lakshmi and wrapped her arms around her, pulling her into an embrace.

"I'm so sorry you had to go through that. No matter what, you'll always have a home here if you want. I'm so glad you found me Lakshmi."

Lakshmi knew the machine would find her as Setsuna's descendant, there was no doubt. However for the older woman, this must have been a great shock. Lakshmi could only sit and wait, wondering what she would be subjected to here. Even now she thought of Setsuna by those old stories and Lakshmi hadn't had enough time to figure what was truth, what was exaggerated truth and what was fiction.

The hug took her by surprise, tears she hadn't wanted to shed falling down her face and she hugged Setsuna back, holding on tightly. "Thank you... Thank you! Be careful, I might stay forever if this is my welcome..."

"If forever is what you want, then forever is what you can have."

Tears began to sting Setsuna's eyes as the girl began to hug her back. It had been so long. So long she had wanted to know what became of Zarden, and now she had a piece of her family. Someone truly her's to love. Still hugging the girl Setsuna gave her a kiss on the side of her head. That's when she realized the girl kinda smelled. Setsuna looked down at Lakshmi and she was kind of a hot mess.

"How about you let me take you to my house where you can take a nice hot bath and get something to eat?"

Lakshmi had no response to Setsuna's allowance of her to stay forever and just hugged her a bit tighter before letting go to sniff herself a bit. She had to smile through the tears though, she did smell utterly rank and awful. It was a surprise she didn't stain the white coat.

"I would appreciate that so much, thank you. Um, Setsuna? Sotaicho? I have to admit I don't know what would be right... Grandmother?" She picked at the cloaked that was tattered and then rubbed her face of tears, her hand coming back slightly dirtier or cleaner, she couldn't tell. The young woman looked like a mess and it was no surprise they had treated her as such. Hair bedraggled, and skin so dirty..."I will follow wherever you need to take me."

Setsuna smiled at Lakshmi, running her hand gently along the girls cheek. She was so happy. So happy that she had found her. Setsuna wanted to know everything about her new great great great granddaughter.

"Please, call me Gigi."

Setsuna grabbed the girl's hand, much more gently this time and began to walk with her towards her home where she could take a bath and put on some fresh clothes.

"We'll go to my home and get you cleaned up. You know, I still live in the home where I raised my children. I could show you what your grandpa Zarden was like when he was young."

Setsuna was probably getting her hands and clothes dirty so Lakshmi felt bad, but still it felt nice. Only her parents had treated her like this, though that had been a long time. She had seen others with their grandparents infrequently and she supposed this was what it was really like.

"Okay...Gigi. I like that." Lakshmi was so giddy, she just laughed slightly and followed Setsuna out and through the compound. Everything was so new and yet so similar, Zarden hadn't strayed from his roots too much but he had adapted a bit more to the area he lived in. There were no shade porches or areas to relax in the heat of the day and Lakshmi supposed she wouldn't have to worry about that here. "Was he ever young, Gigi? I can't picture it at all... I suppose that would help me be less scared, picturing him in diapers."

She rambled a bit, but it felt like it was safe to. Setsuna's hand was warm and nice, though Lakshmi still worried about dirtying it. "What was he like? What about everyone else? I want to hear everything!"

"I like it too."

Setsuna smiled as she and the walked towards her house. They weren't far now, you could almost see it past the little line of trees near it. Setsuna was happy, and a little sad all at the same time. She was happy that she had some family with her, but sad that she had to go through what she did just to get to this point. What did this poor child have to face? Setsuna wished she could go back and time and protect her from it, but she couldn't, so now they just needed to try and mend what had been done to her over the years.

The girl asked about Zarden. Setsuna fondly remembered her little fat baby boy. He was the cutest little thing when he was a baby.

"Oh yes. When he was born he weighed almost eleven pounds. He was such a little porker. He was almost a year old before he grew any hair hahaha!"

Even though Zarden had done so much to cause her pain, Setsuna still loved him. She'd still give her life to protect him if he needed her. You can stop a lot of things, but can't stop the love a mother has in her hearts for her children. Setsuna could see her house now. The large cream colored stone building looked so different compared to the rest of the buildings here.

"See that building? That's my home. That's where my husband and I raised our children."

She wanted to know everything? Well that could take some time. There was so much to tell.

"Zarden was such a good boy until he became a teenager. Then he became so rebellious, and that's when he ran off. As for the rest of my children, Osamu was my oldest. He and his wife have both died. My daughter Hizuki was second, and she married a lovely man named Ittami. They both caught a terrible sickness and died some years ago. It was terribly tragic. Then your grandpa Zarden, and last I heard he had married someone named Wakaba, but I don't know if that's so. Then my darling Ai. She was such a sweet girl. She lives out in the first district of rukongai. Her husband Yasu passed away in an accident at a silk factory. Finally my youngest Takano was born. She was just like her father. She was smart as a whip, and served as his vice captain in the 12th division for a while. Takano retired a long time ago. She never married or had children though. Takano moved off a long time ago to live in another soul society. I haven't heard from her in a while, but I'm sure she's just fine."

By this time they had reached the gates of Setsuna's mansion. Setsuna pushed them open and walked through. They walked up to the front door and went inside.

"Now, lets get you cleaned up."

"I really need to see these. A chunky baby..." Lakshmi laughed, deep and loud. It felt so good to let loose like this and to hear such a funny bit about her great grandfather. She had to stop and stare in awe of the house though, as she saw it. It was large and beautiful, not at all what she was expecting. Everything here was Japanese themed, quite a change from her home. There it was a bit more haphazard, though it got fairly hot so big windows and lots of decking or shade were the norm.

"It sounds like its so empty here then." Lakshmi felt a bit bad, hoping she wasn't intruding. Setsuna didn't seem to mind though and was very welcoming. Maybe she was lonely? She decided to fill Setsuna in a bit more on the details of her family tree. "Yes, he did. She was....is very... Different. They had at least three children, though I honestly tried not to come that close to them. I spent most of my time with my parents."

As they entered the house, Lakshmi spent the time looking at everything she could lay her eyes on. Their ice blue color warming with curiosity. It felt...like a friendly house. Like her parents home. It felt like a home and not a house.

She was led to a bathroom, and shown it. However she stopped at the doorway, not wanting to ask but gathering up the courage.... "Could you not leave me alone? I...am scared Gigi."

"It's something you get used to. I've lived alone for a long time. During the day it isn't so bad, but at night when all the house staff leave, it becomes silent enough for the dead to rest."

Setsuna listened to Lakshmi speak of Zarden and his wife as they walked through the mansion. Setsuna wished she could reconnect with her son. Who knew how much time they had left? After all, no one is promised tomorrow.

"I wish there was something I could do to get him back. You don't know how much he pains my heart. To me he's still my baby boy, but to him I'm just some vile woman who he hates. I'd do anything to get him back. We've all missed so much. I'm sorry that you felt like a stranger in your own family. No one should ever feel like that."

They made it to the door of one of the many bathrooms. Suddenly Lakshmi stopped, not wanting to be left alone. Setsuna smiled and rubbed her hand on the smaller woman's cheek.

"I'll stay right by your side if you so wish."

Setsuna thought for a second.

"How about we go to my private bathroom. It's had a nice large bathtub."

Setsuna guided the girl back to the front of the house, and up the large grand staircase. They went up to the third floor where Setsuna's bedroom was. They came to a set of large white French doors. Setsuna grabbed both handles and opened the door revealing her ornately decorated bedroom. The large four post canopy bed being the main feature of the room. Setsuna's room smelled of roses and fresh fruit. It was gorgeous with rich fabrics draped everywhere. On one end of the room was another large white door, this one led to Setsuna's bathroom.

Setsuna opened the door revealing the spa like room. A large stone tub sat under a stained glass window. Next to the tub was a silver tray with oils, soaps, and all kinds of bath things. Setsuna walked over to the tub and turned the water on so it could begin to fill. She walked over to a linen closet and grabbed two towels. One for Lakshmi to wash with, and the other to dry off. Setsuna handed the towels to the girl with a smile.

"Here you go dear. Please, use anything you want."

"Thank you..." Lakshmi felt so relieved she almost let down her guard. It was instinctual to her, always being aware and watching her surroundings. "I...hope you get to see him again then, Gigi. Even if you don't reconnect fully, maybe seeing him again will make you feel better?"


As they went up the amazing staircase, the young woman felt awe and couldn't help but let her jaw drop. The house she grew up in was a shack in comparison. It was almost like a palace. Maybe it was a palace? If someone came down the stairs in a western ball gown, Lakshmi wouldn't have felt it out of place.

Once her jaw finally got sore, it was reopened shortly after by the bedroom. It was like a Queen's domain! Her eyes sparkled. The bedroom was nothing compared to the bathroom though. It was something out of her deepest fantasies. She felt too dirty for it, but smiled widely as she took the towels. "Gigi, you live in the prettiest house I've ever seen!"

Taking off her clothes, she looked around before folding them and trying not to drop any dirt off on the pristine floor. It didn't feel odd to undress in front of Setsuna, not at all. Once the water was filled up enough, she got in gently, liking the heat but not used to it yet. It felt amazing, knots she didn't know existed were loosening as was the dirt and grim she couldn't get off from quick dips. "Thank you again Gigi."

Setsuna smiled at the girl as she ooh and aah at her home. She was glad the young woman liked it. Setsuna scooped up the girl's dirty clothes and sent them down a laundry shoot. The staff would have them washed and dried in no time, although Setsuna wasn't sure if Lakshmi would want those clothes back. They were worn and torn in spots. Setsuna could mend them, but they would be a physical reminder of where she came from, of who she was. Here she could be liberated from that. Free of Zarden's chains.

"Thank you for the compliment dear, and you are very welcome. How does the bath feel?"

"It feels amazingly relaxing. Also very nice. I can see my regular skin tone once again." Lakshmi's darker tone was once again showing through the grime. She held up a hand with slightly ragged nails, with long elegant fingers before dunking her head under and using those same fingers to try and unravel the knots in her hair. She had kept it as untangled as she could while she fled, but still the hot water the more stubborn ones loosen. Coming back up, she reached for some of the soap nearby, smelling it and sighing in happiness as she scrubbed her hair with it.

"It will be nice to smell like a woman again and not the road. I miss my nails... Now I sound very spoiled, Gigi. I am sorry. What is it like, being a shinigami?"

Setsuna chuckled at Lakshmi. The young woman seemed so innocent, and it touched Setsuna. There certainly weren't enough innocent minded people left in this world, they made it a much better place.

"And a very lovely skin tone at that."

Setsuna watched Lakshmi try and get the tangles from her hair. Setsuna grabbed an ornately carved ivory comb, and sat on the edge of the bathtub.

"Let me help you with your hair. You do have lovely hair Lakshmi."

Setsuna grabbed a bottle of detangler from the silver tray near the tub, and squirted some of it in her hand. She clutched the comb between her teeth and began to work the product into Lakshmi's long dark hair. Such thick hair this one had. Setsuna wished her had was still like this. Over time her hair had thinned, but not a lot, it just wasn't as luxurious as Lakshmi's.

Setsuna took the comb from her teeth and began to work the comb through Lakshmi's hair, starting at the bottom and working her way up until she was done. Setsuna walked over to the sink and washed her hands to be rid of the detangler that was still on them.

Setsuna couldn't help but laugh at little at Lakshmi. She was proving to be a very sweet girl. Setsuna turned and smiled at her, sitting down on a little stool that sat in front of the sink.

"No need to apologize Lakshmi, I know that feeling all to well. The first hot bath after a long time traveling is always the best."

Lakshmi's question wouldn't be too hard to answer, although the answer she wanted wasn't to the question she asked.

"I'm sure you can answer that yourself. You're already a shinigami. You have awareness of your powers. I think what you mean is, what's it like being part of the Gotei, and to be frank, it's hard. Nothing about being a soldier is easy my dear, it is a tough road we travel."

Lakshmi leaned back so Setsuna could have an easier time untangling and to spare her own back. It felt like how her mom used to, and was soothing even as her heart broke a tiny bit more. She had run from them all, they would understand, at least the ones she cared about. That amount she could count on one hand and have some left over to be fair.

It seemed though, as her hair untangled, so did her heart and the pieces started to move back together. It wasn't complete by any means but it was a step in the right direction.

"Thank you Gigi. My father was a spirit from India, though he died long enough ago to have forgotten what it was like to be in the living world. He still loved its food though, and was proud of my looks. He liked the color of my mother's eyes and her 'exotic looks'. He would always say I got the best of both worlds. Mother felt the same way, though for my other attributes."

It felt nice to remember that and she almost fell into a trance as Setsuna's gentle, yet stubborn hands finally worked out all the tangles and knots. Lakshmi reached back and gave a laugh as she pulled a bit towards her. "Aha! I had thought I'd have to cut it all off to get rid of those. Thank you thank you!"

"I do have an awareness...but its more like a pressure right now. It needs and wants an outlet, it almost drove me mad trying to figure out what I needed to do. Meditating helps a lot...but still hasn't controlled it fully. I have outbursts sometimes. It wants a form, but doesn't have one yet."

Lakshmi felt a bit of her enthusiasm die down, her eyes watching the ripples of the water from her breathing. "I don't know if he intended to breed his own army, but we were taught the basics of combat and discipline. I'm sure I'll still need to learn a lot, but I am willing to do it. I want to do it."

"You're parents sound like really nice people. Maybe one day I'll have the pleasure of meeting them."

Setsuna longed to meet more of her family. She had been so lonely for so long. None of her children needed her anymore. Some of them didn't want her. She didn't know what she had done wrong, what she had said to make Zarden feel the way he did. She'd always love him, even long after her death.

Setsuna was tugged back to reality when Lakshmi started speaking again. She had an awareness, that was good. That meant she had a zanpakuto spirit that was trying to communicate with her.

"That's a very good sign, young one. You will learn to control that power at the academy, and it will manifest itself into your zanpakuto spirit. It's basically another part of your soul."

Then Zarden was the subject of conversation again. She wished she could just get a glimpse of him, to see how he looked after all these years.

"Hopefully that wasn't the case. If so, that would be considered treason, since technically he is a natural citizen of this soul society. I'd hate to have to bare witness to the consequences of those actions."

"I hope I can see them again too." Lakshmi felt so young again, just wanting to see her mother and father again while in this bathtub. If it came down to it, she'd have to make a new family here. Lakshmi didn't like being alone... but she turned and looked at Setsuna, glad at least for her help and even loving her so quickly.

"A spirit... I wonder what mine will be like?" Glad to move onto another topic, Lakshmi latched onto it like a sailor to a piece of the wreck of his boat. "What is yours Gigi? What do you do?"

Lakshmi felt...bad for what she had said. It obviously hurt Setsuna to think about that. They should really for now steer clear of that...

"Well..."

Setsuna didn't really know how to answer this question. She didn't want to scare the poor girl, or make her think that she was some sort of monster. This was quite the tough subject, especially considering no one knew the true nature of Setsuna's zanpakuto.

"My zan spirit is that of a man. A very lonely and sad man. My zanpakuto spirit gives me the ability to control the wind."

She wasn't lying, she just wasn't sharing all the information. This would just have to do for now.

Lakshmi thought about what Setsuna said, the very brief description of the spirit and powers. What were other spirits like? Lakshmi wondered what hers would be like. Whether it would like her, whether it would hate her or what the spirits did really?

"It sounds...odd. Do the spirits talk to you a lot, and do others hear or know of them?" A million questions raced through the young woman's mind as she started to get out of the tub, the water a murky color from the recent washing. She looked around for a towel, nabbing one to start drying herself a bit.