Smile in the Dark

[Madelyn Fūrinji]

Walking throughout the smallish town of Karakura once again the spirit Madelyn would seem lost in her thoughts to anyone that could actually visibly notice her. Although she was thankfully to Dr. Bright for helping explain certain things and helping take care of her, it wasn’t the same. One moment she had been living a normal enough life with her mother and grandfather, then out of nowhere she learned she’d died and was now a spirit. A spirit in a town filled with other spirits because there were other worlds that only spirits could interact with. The whole thing seemed impossible to one that had until now been normal.

She missed her family, friends, damn right now she wished she could smile at the fact she missed doing homework. Nothing in her life was the same and she didn’t know why. Why had it happened or how had it happened. She had just died but held no memory of it. She’d been to the place called Soul Society but what she could remember felt more like a vague dream than anything else. How’d she get back to Karakura though if she’d been there? So many questions and yet no way for her to find out right now so despite her normally bubbly happy disposition the young soul was truly slipping into depression.

At the moment she continued to walk throughout Karakura, this was the town she’d moved to with her mother. The one that she’d been growing up in as a person and yet now it was the sight of her death. She couldn’t go back to her family, not now at least. Dr. Bright was going to do everything she could to help Madelyn figure something out but was it possible to really go back? Even if she could be brought back to life she’d already been dead for sometime.

“Wait, when did I die?”

[Satoshi Kazuhiko]

Karakura town was allegedly a hotbed of hollow activity. And so it was only natural that Soul Society would post Shinigami there to help deal with the potential threats to balance that they posed. These brave soldiers had the power to cleanse the corrupted spirits that were the Hollow's origins and return them to Soul Society. Kazuhiko, while among them, was not trusted with such a task.

"My first time in the human world without a chaperone and I'm still benched..." Lamented the tiny Shinigami. Kazuhiko Satoshi had been brought along on todays watch for one reason and one reason only. To serve as triage in the event that one of the -real- Shinigami got hurt. As a member of Squad 4 the bespectacled boy was well aware of what was expected of him. Clean up. Healing at best, and janitorial services at worst. Such had been the fate of the Captain-less squad since before he'd joined it... A sort of squad of misfits.

The boy certainly didn't look the soldier. He was wearing the garb of a Shinigami, but even that didn't look quite right. The colors were inversed, with his robes being white on the outside and the inner garments being black. But more strikingly, they were simply too large for him. His sleeves fully covered up his arms and hands and came down past his hips, like that of a Chinese ghost. His right sleeve looked far less full than the left one. And the sword at his hip was far too large for a boy of his stature. It was four feet, just a foot or so shorter than him. It didn't look dangerously large. It looked comical and unwieldy. Like a stiff tail that wagged behind him as he walked.


His commanding officer had given him one job on today's patrol. "Don't get in the way~" He mimicked the man's voice with childish inaccuracy as he recalled the orders. With a huff, he perched upon a low wall, letting his sandaled feet kick back and forth idly.

[Madelyn Fūrinji]

Standing on the street Madelyn could feel her emotions were all in a state of panic, something so obvious had just come crashing down. She’d been back in Karakura for a week now living with Dr. Bright, who was honestly really nice for all her help, but she hadn’t even bothered to figure out how long she’d been dead! How did Maddie overlook something so important, rushing throughout the streets once more Madelyn starts to look for any sort of newspaper stand but alias such an era was in the past.

Over the next couple minutes Madelyn eventually realized that she could look over the shoulders of humans that couldn’t see her. It’d take her a little bit but eventually she could see on the cell phone held in front of the person reading some sort of new article that it had been a bit. She’d been dead for a month. A little over one to be specific but long enough there was no doubt everyone she knew while alive would know by now. Even if Dr. Bright could help her what was the point they all knew so what could she do to get her life back the way it had been.

Sitting into her street balled up with her head between her knees, Madelyn begins to sob. The tears streaming down her flushed cheeks though cannot be perceived by anyone as the little ghost girl sits in sorrow knowing that everything was hopeless. The sting of pain in her left wrist begins once again, sharp pain coming from within as if a blade is being twisted inside her. A pain she knew by now yet couldn’t figure out the reason, one that brings forth rage through the sorrow as she raises her tear stained face to glare angrily at her own wrist as if threatening the section of her body.

[Satoshi Kazuhiko]

Kazuhiko sat with is feet dangling for what felt like an eternity. Whatever the rest of the away team was doing seemed to be taking some time. That, or perhaps they'd forgotten about him. Or worse, left him behind as a prank. He bit his lip considering it for a moment before he shook his head. "They wouldn't do that." He told himself. "The teasing is just to toughen me up. At the end of the day, I'm their brother!" He added. "I wish Fuuko were here." He spoke the words out loud, interrupting the examination of the previous thought.

This side of the human world was lonely. It was too late for any decent humans to be wandering around. The greys and blacks of the urban environment were lit by natural moonlight and the artificial yellow of the street lamps that hung overhead. He had little to keep him company save for the dull thrumming of electricity as they coursed through them. Or so that had been the case until a sorrowful sound crossed his ears!


"Hm?" With his interest peaked, the small Shinigami pushed off of the wall. He landed with a strange soundlessness. The result of being little more than a weightless spirit in the human world. It was a sensation he did his best to ignore as he made his way towards the only sound in the area. "Hello?" He called out as he turned a corner. He froze as he discovered the source of the sobbing. A girl, curled up in the street.

"H-hey!" He called out timidly as he approached her. "Are you lost? It's okay. I'm here to help!" His cherubic face was a picture of warmth. He wore a soft smile that reached all the way to his brilliant blue eyes. He looked young, like her. And was likely smaller than her, standing at only five two. His robes of snow white helped to further his angelic appearance. As did the golden halo of blonde hair that surrounded his face. But no amount of celestial features could hide the rather large sword strapped to his hip. Nearly as large as he. Depending on her perception, it would look supernaturally dangerous, or comically out of place... But it was impossible to ignore either way.

[Madelyn Fūrinji]

The little girl lost in the world with only so much stress and sorrow to handle had crumbled. This wasn’t something she ever expected to deal with, nor was it something any normal human would expect to deal with. She knew that her grandfather would be telling her to figure out the problem and then use that to develop a solution. He’d have her back right away and that would help her no problem at all. She couldn’t rely on him for this though, she died, how can she figure out a solution to such a problem!

Swallowed up in this different life Madelyn didn’t notice the approach of someone else until they were literally right in front of her making themselves known by speaking to her. Through her sobbing she heard the voice of a boy. Opening her eyes she saw she was correct although the boy in front of her wore robes similar to the Shinigami she met only a few days ago. His name was Amon who had a very unique friend who traveled with him. He looked like a full grown man but this one if he was a Shinigami looked more like a boy younger than her.

Wiping the tears from her face Madelyn pushed herself upright using the wall of the building at her back for support. A couple of sniffles Madelyn does her best to center herself not wanting to push her problems on others anymore than she already had too. “No, I know Karakura. You’re one of the Shinigami aren’t you?” Madelyn really had to guess she’d only met Amon before and this one looked almost the opposite. Could a Shinigami really appear to be so young while his sword is so big?

[Satoshi Kazuhiko]

"Oh?" He couldn't hide his surprise. The girl was quick to right herself and wipe his tears. He couldn't hide his embarrassed smile. He'd assumed a little girl would be lost and need of saving from a knight in shining armor... It felt a little silly now. Especially since it was HE who didn't know Karakura Town.

"That's right." He nodded, not bothering to hide being surprised by her knowledge. His robes were a different color, but there were very few ghosts who dressed like samurai attending a funeral. What else could he be.

"But I prefer to go by Kazuhiko. If you don't mind! What's your name?" He continued to approach her, but only getting close enough for polite conversation. They were in the human world after all... And this place could be dangerous.

"And uh don't mind this!" He rapped a finger on the hilt of his over large zanpaktou.

He had noticed her eyeing it a number of times. "It won't hurt you!" He gently grasped the hilt and slid but an inch of it free from its' sheathe. The moonlight glimmered along the weapon... It had no cutting edge. It was blunted. He put a finger to his lips in a mock shhh gesture before giving her a kindly wink!

[Madelyn Fūrinji]

So this boy really was a Shinigami, getting up into her feet though she was met with another fact that she wouldn’t have expected, they were the same height. How could a Shinigami that used such a long sword be the same height as her, how could he look to weigh the same as her. It didn’t make any sense to her due to the simple fact that in her own eyes she wouldn’t be able to do the same. There was no way she’d be able to use that sword in a fight let alone even lift it. Her curiosity wasn’t just with his size though, but why his outfit was different.

She didn’t really have time for her mind to wander around that subject though when he began speaking and revealed his name to be Kazuhiko. “I’m Furinji, nice to meet you, Kazuhiko.” Nothing seemed to be going wrong. This was honestly like she was talking to a new kid at the high school. Strange, almost completely different than how Amon and her had interacted. Although Amon was nice as well so maybe Shinigami in general were positive. Either way though it wasn’t until Kazuhiko showed the edge of his zanpakuto that Maddie suddenly grabbed her left wrist.

A shout escaped from her as she did her best to deal with the pain. The same pain that she’d been experiencing since her death. Something was different though, normally she couldn’t link anything to why she was doerincjng such intense pain. Now though she had a cause and effect sort of realization. For some reason unknown to her when she looked at this weapon it hurt, almost like the weapon had already carved up her wrist. This sensation, still a mystery, had just shown more about itself then in the week since she’d opened her eyes as a spirit.

“What are you doing in Karakura?”

[Satoshi Kazuhiko]

"Furinji-chan? Nice to meet you as well!" He bowed his head after their introductions, but before continuing to show her the truth of his Zanpaktou. Kazuhiko had hoped to comfort the girl by showing her that his sword was without a blade. To show her that he meant her no harm. But her reaction was something far beyond what he had expected!


Madelyn's shout caused the boy to recoil and hastily push his sword back into its' sheath! "Uwa!" As he too let out a sound of surprise! He stumbled backward! One sleeve windmilling in the direction opposite of his fall in an attempt to keep from toppling onto his bottom. He teetered backward, but planted a foot down and righted himself! He exhaled through his nostrils and resisted celebrating his victory over physics. How could he celebrate when the little girl he'd introduced himself to seemed to be suffering so much.

He watched her quietly. Allowing her to tangle with whatever was going on inside her... But examining her at the same time. She clutched her wrist... But there was no blood. Nor had anything come between her to cut her... A phantom pain. The irony of the words weren't lost on him. He put his hand over his right shoulder, and his fingers dug into it.

"Mine still hurts sometimes too." He offered her in sympathy. Much like she grasped her wrist, he too grasped at the space that should have been his shoulder. The fabric within his fist balled up, exposing that his sleeve was empty. "But that pain means you're still here. You can still feel. I think that's wonderful, in a way." His expression was the opposite of Madelyn's. Rather than shocked and agonized... It was warm and comforting. It was a genuine smile that reached all the way into the center of his beautiful blue eyes. It was bedside manner.

He let go of his shoulder and allowed his sleeve to fall limp as Madelyn redirected the conversation away from her outburst. "I could ask you the same thing, Furinji-chan. Are you... Lost?" His words carried with them a double meaning. He wondered if this poor girl needed help getting to Soul Society... If it was her pain that was stopping her from a proper Soul Burial... And his thoughts began to spiral. Concern led to fear as he wondered if that same pain could result in a hollowification!

"I'm here not to make a mess." He answered her with a grin that hid his internal turmoil. Much like she had redirected the conversation away from her outburst, he wished to redirect his thoughts away from catastrophe. That wouldn't happen! He wouldn't let it!

[Madelyn Fūrinji]

Although Maddie was dealing with the intense pain that swarmed throughout the small piece of her left hand, it didn’t mean she was oblivious to what was happening around her completely. She could still see the color and shape of Kazuhiko. This was all she needed to know that her sudden scream of pain had gotten him to move away from her. Although being someone untrained and inexperienced she couldn’t tell the same based on the small increase of distance between them. She had much to learn if she was going to survive longer as a spirit than she did as a human.

By the time Maddie asked Kuzahiko why he was in Karakura she could feel the pain in her wrist subsiding enough that speaking was now possible. Standing up straight though was something that remained beyond her as she continued to lean over holding her left hand up close to her chest. This wasn’t something she had been ready for, unaware whenever the pain would actually begin although this time it was lasting a bit longer. Usually lasting only for a moment or two and then vanishing as fast as it came, this time it was lingering even if it grew weaker it was still present.

“Mine still hurts sometimes too."

What she saw next though was something that she hadn’t noticed originally. The statement that Kazuhiko had just made was one that made Madelyn confused for a moment. It wouldn’t be until she got a good clear view of him grabbing at his shoulder for her to realize that he didn’t have his right arm. So despite his young appearance he’d suffered more than she could likely imagine. Losing something like an arm, Madelyn just knew she couldn’t comprehend. A fact that made her feel so much smaller even now by his words. How could he compare her pain to his? Hers had to be like nothing compared to his own.

“I guess so.”

Maddie wasn’t sure if she agreed with him although something felt off about it. Although she was unaware Kazuhiko was referencing the wound that had ultimately led to his life as a Shinigami starting, her own pain in the wrist wasn’t responsible. His response to her question was something that she caught particularly due to the fact Amon had asked virtually the same question. So, would every Shinigami ask her this? She couldn't be certain although now she really had to question more than before why her wrist always hurt.

“No, I lived in Karakura before. Aren’t Shinigami soldiers though? So why would I think you’d make a mess?”

[Satoshi Kazuhiko]

He could see the turmoil in the girl's eyes as they spoke. She was struggling. He wasn't sure of her origin, but he could see the way she was gripped by despair. Considering that she was theoretically a plus, he couldn't help but worry about her losing herself. According to his academy teachings, a hollow was made when a plus lost their heart to trauma. He'd never witnessed it happening, and he prayed he never would. But with his baseline understanding, she seemed to be at risk. He would need to handle the situation with care.

"Is that so? I've only ever come here from the other side. I can say with relatively certainty, that I am in fact, a bit lost!" His words were offered with another smile. His response to her statement about Karakura town was half-fact, half-jest of course. He then considered her follow up question. "Why indeed!" He answered with a wry chuckle. "I wish you had been around to ask my peers that question!" She seemed much calmer when she was talking, and so Kazuhiko decided that was the play. At least for now.

If they were going to chat, then Kazuhiko decided he was going to do so in comfort! "Yu-toh!" He made a sound of effort as he hopped into the air and kicked his feet up. It appeared as though he would fall right down to the Earth, to land on his bottom. But instead, he hardly descended at all. He hung in the air, seated upon it in fact. His legs kicked idly, as if he was perched upon a school desk. This was because he had used Air Ground to create a surface for him to sit upon.

"I try not to think of myself as a soldier though." He continued in regards to her previous statement. "I'm a medic!" He offered with pride. "It's my job to save as many lives as possible!" He offered her a stupid grin and lifted his arm! His hand remained hidden beneath his overly large sleeves, but she could still make sense of the gesture by the bump in the fabric. The goofball was giving her a thumbs up.

"What about you Furinji-chan. What is it that -you- hope to do?"

[Madelyn Fūrinji]

Madelyn wasn’t the quickest of people to pick up on things so maybe it had to do with the drastic change in her life or now lack thereof, but she realized something right away. Kazuhiko was doing his best to seem happy go lucky although something seemed almost manufactured about it all. Almost like he was putting on a false face. Madelyn recognized it as something she’d seen countless times with others in her high school. The face of a peer struggling in the social environment yet unwilling to show their struggle to anyone else due to the fear that it would only grow further.

Something that most would consider more important though was the fact he mentioned his peers. Madelyn wasn’t sure if he was talking about the other Shinigami in general or if others had come with him to Karakura. She’d only come across one other Shinigami up to this point, but she hadn’t been a spirit for long, nor had she left Dr. Bright much either. So it was possible that multiple Shinigami surveyed Karakura at any given time. It just seems so strange to Madelyn though that the smallish town she grew up in could have something like this happening and she never knew.

Any direction that Madelyn had been thinking of taking the conversation though was completely derailed when Kazuhiko hopped into the air and didn’t fall. She’d just watched him jump up and then not fall back down something that should be impossible. Something so amazing that in the following moments Madelyn was awe struck, nearly missing what Kazuhiko was saying about himself. “How can you save the life of someone that’s been attacked by a Hollow? They eat others. Shouldn’t you be with someone else that can kill the Hollow if you’re not a soldier?” Madelyn spoke with a sort of panicked tone, not one of superiority or condensation, just a young girl afraid of everything she’d been learning.

She’d wait for Kazuhiko to answer her then when she asked her about what she wanted she wouldn’t even hesitate or think about it. “I want to find a way to return to my grandfather.”

[Satoshi Kazuhiko]

Madelyn's question resonated with something he'd had hammered into him ever since he'd decided he wanted to become a Shinigami. His desire to find balance without violence was often rebuked as naive and farfetched...

Initially, it had just been to find his sister Fuuko. Being a shinigami came with fame and recognition if you were good enough. And that meant that if he tried hard enough, she'd be able to find him no matter what. Incidentally, they had found each other rather quickly. Having died at nearly the same time, the two siblings' paths crossed at the academy. And while this invalidated his initial goal, he'd been inspired towards another. Protecting life.

The Shinigami were incredible. An entire organization of amazing people with unbelievable power! They could do things he'd never dreamed of! In fact, he'd felt much the same way that Madelyn seemed to feel as she watched him float on air. If he could become just as powerful... Then maybe he could use that strength to change the world. To protect as many lives as possible. And to create genuine peace and understanding. And most importantly, by means, other than killing.

"They do." He nodded with a somewhat embarrassed smile. His hand came to the back of his head, still hidden under his sleeve, and he rubbed it idly. Her question was poignant. And he hadn't -quite- worked that out yet. "I'm sure if something were to happen, it would work out! I'm not very strong... But I have a responsibility to protect people, whether I'm strong enough to do it or not." He sounded sincere enough. Even if his words didn't instill confidence in his capability, they certainly conveyed that he would do his best, regardless of his qualifications. That had to count for something... Right?

"To your grandfather?" He considered the statement. "Well. Where is he? Is he here in Karakura town?" He crossed his legs as he followed the kindly ghost girl's line of conversation. He propped his elbow upon them, and placed his chin in his hand, again, still inside of his sleeve. "Or perhaps he is already in Soul Society?"

[Madelyn Fūrinji]

Madelyn listened to the response to her question although despite the good nature that came from this Shinigami that seemed to match her own usual attitude she just seemed like she couldn’t take to it. She knew right away that she felt respect toward him for sticking to what he believed in and going forward with it despite everything, but at the same time it almost felt suicidal. She’d been a soul for a few weeks now and heard many things about the way things worked, yet she hadn’t come across a Hollow in person yet. Everything she’d heard about them though told her they really were the monsters that kids grew up fearing about in the shadows. So how could a shinigami with no real skill in combat protect anyone from a monster?

“You’ve got your sword, are you any good at it?”

Madelyn, still amazed by the fact this Shinigami was standing on top of the air, would raise her right leg up and try to imitate what she was seeing only for her foot to move down like any other time. How he was doing it didn’t make any sense to her, but then again she knew she was a spirit now. This had to be something she could figure out right? She’d grown up hearing and seeing so many things about ghosts like Casper so there had to be some truth right? If all the legends were based in some truth then perhaps she could learn to fly and pass through walls. Her attention was ripped back to the conversation though when asked about her grandfather.

“No he’s still alive, we live on the outskirts of Karakura. He’s a great craftsman who’s super religious.”

[Satoshi Kazuhiko]

"My sword?" He looked at the weapon stitched through his obi. He'd shown it to her once already. A great, cumbersome piece of metal. Too long to be effective in any situation that wasn't outdoors. And worse. It was blunted. Not reversed, but bladeless entirely. It was little more than a thin steel club. It was a weapon with nearly zero offensive power, only capable of defending... Though its size did allow it to do so at a considerable range.

He patted the hilt of his faithful 'weapon' before turning back to Madelyn. "Nah. Not very good at all." His answer was as blunt as his blade. He'd seldom drawn the blade. And when he did, he couldn't ever recall a time that he swung it at someone.

His hand fell from his hilt and he rubbed the back of his head with a silly grin. "I'll confess. I don't much like hurting things. Regardless of their intent." It was a strange statement for a soldier to make... But then, he had said he tried his best not to think of himself as one. And that was beginning to become more and more apparent.

"A spiritual craftsman huh? Sounds exciting! And if you know where he lives, well, he probably isn't that far away!" He popped up to his feet, landing again on the invisible surface that allowed him to float off of the ground. "Why don't you just zip over to him? Are you afraid of Hollows? I can escort you if you like!" He offered her his hand. "Come on, we'll take the sky! It'll be easy, and you'll have an awesome view of Karakura town!"

It wasn't exactly what he'd been ordered to do... But his peers had made it clear they simply wanted him out of the way. And at least by doing this, he might be able to help the poor girl get some relief. Then, with her business done, perhaps he could help her cross over. It sounded productive and far less cumbersome than trying to beat back a hollow with his fairly useless Zanpakutou.

[Madelyn Fūrinji]

Madelyn had been expecting all Shinigami to have knowledge and skill when it came to combat, how else were they supposed to take down these creatures called Hollows. Madleyn hadn’t yet to actually come across one, but she knew the basic description of what they were from Dr. Bright. The souls of people and animals that stayed in the human world too long after passing away. The chain that was supposed to be in her chest would get smaller and smaller until eventually she’d turn into one of these Hollows. A white mask of bone marked them all, but Maddie had no chain nor a white mask or a zanpakuto so what was she?

“I don’t like to hurt things either. . . . won’t others get hurt though? If you can’t stop one.”

Madleyn continued to raise up one leg after neither trying to imitate what this Shinigami was doing. He wasn’t just standing in the air but sitting on it too. How he was doing it though really didn’t make any sense to her as she saw nothing under him. This was something that didn’t make any sense to her, she hadn’t seen anyone else do this not even Dr. Bright. Was there a trick to it or was this something only he could pull off. Being able to walk on the air was something that fascinated Madleyn. Something she never even thought about before and now it was in the front of her mind.

“No, I can't go back not yet. I have to figure out a way I can be seen again. Once I figure that out I’ll be able to go back to the way things were before.” Madelyn wasn’t really sure how she could tell this Shinigami that he didn’t really give her a sense of security, especially when he told her he wasn’t good at using his zanpakuto. Madelyn all things considered right now just couldn’t hold back anymore and basically burst out with her question. “How are you standing on the air?”