Smile in the Dark

[Satoshi Kazuhiko]

"They won't. I won't let anyone get hurt." He said with an impressive level of confidence. "That's what I'm here to do. To prevent harm. But I can't very well allow myself to -do- harm in order to prevent harm." Again, he delivered the words as if they were inarguable facts.

"I know that's a lofty goal, but it is what I strive to do." His peers had told him as much. It was a fool's errand. What good was a Soul Reaper that wouldn't Reap. But he was steadfast in his beliefs. He and his squad had taken down a hollow together. And he would never forget the look in its eyes as life had fled its body. He'd find a way to get strong enough to make his ideals a reality!

"A way you can be seen again huh?" He rubbed his chin. He'd heard of mortals that could see pluses. And even hollows. But he was admittedly unsure of a way for spirits to forcefully make themselves visible to the material world. He continued to ponder this until her follow-up question broke him from his thought.

"Oh? This?" He slapped the air beside his bottom. It didn't make a sound, but it gave a clear resistance to his actions. "This is Air-Ground." He pushed himself up to his feet, standing atop the ground. "You just focus your reishi into a foothold. Admittedly, I'm a bit better at it than most." He hopped up and down in the air, and though invisible, Maddie could see a soft kick-up of dust from the platform upon which he was standing.

"If you want, I can teach you. It would make getting back and forth much safer for you. What do you say?"

[Madelyn Fūrinji]

Although the way that Kazu explained his answer to what Madelyn asked him didn’t make any sense to her, she really enjoyed how confident he sounded when speaking. She could tell that although it didn’t work in her opinion he believed it completely. From what she could tell he just seemed like someone that genuinely wanted to help others and wouldn’t harm even to save. It really was something hard to answer. Would you hurt someone or even kill them if it meant saving someone else. Madleyn wasn’t sure if she could, but based on what she had been told about Hollows, all she could imagine was stopping something like a vampire or a werewolf so was it really a bad thing?

Sadly, though what Kazu said next wasn’t something that brought her any further joy, in fact it was quite dreadful. The fact that Dr. Bright and now this shinigami both didn’t really have an answer for her. How was she ever going to figure out a way to get back home, to continue her life with them. She knew and accepted now that somehow she had died not too long ago, but there had to be some way to accomplish what she wanted. There were so so many things about this new life that she wouldn’t have ever imagined so there just had to be a way to accomplish this goal.

Back and forth again though Madelyn was happy to learn when she asked that what Kazu was doing that let him sit and stand on the air wasn’t something unique to him. The way that he spoke about it made it feel like all Shinigami could do it. Then without having to even ask he offered to show her how and Maddie without thinking just shook her head yes with hype anticipation. It went by the name Air Ground, rather self explanatory but so were many other things. She’d learned a little bit about reiatsu from Dr. Bright, but using it for anything was still something she hadn’t accomplished yet. This would be her first test to see just what she could do.

[Satoshi Kazuhiko]

Kazuhiko studied Madelyn's shifting expression. She seemed deep in thought. Troubled and lost. But even that state was better than the one he had found her in. No longer was she sobbing. Her despair had been replaced with ponderance, and additionally, these thoughts were no longer provoking tears. Now that he'd redirected her towards curiosity, he was confident he could put that energy to use in developing a new skill!

"Okay! Let's do it! I'll teach you how to walk on air!" He threw his hand out with an encouraging thumbs up, harmonizing it with a big goofy grin! His reasoning might not have seemed especially clever, but there was an infectiousness about his positivity. It was difficult to see him as anything other than a force for good. Even if it was a rather naive one.

"Hmmm... How best should I explain this... Let's see. Well! It isn't quite as magical as it might seem!" He rubbed the back of his head as he found himself having some difficulty explaining the otherwise simple technique. "So! Reishi, or Spirit Particles is what folks like us and all spiritual matter are made up of! There's far more of it in Soul Society if you ever get to go there. But there is enough of it here in the Human World!" He figured this was the best place to start! Especially if the concept had never been introduced to her.

"What I'm doing is called Air-Ground! And it's pretty aptly named I think!" He snapped his fingers and pointed at her. "And I think it is the best way to conceptualize it! I'm not flying as it appears. But instead, I'm standing on a platform of free Reishi that I've manipulated! When you get good enough at it, you can bounce or stand upside down or create all sorts of fun objects. But for now, why don't you try making a step in front of you? Something big enough for just the ball of your left foot!" He lifted his right leg up and wiggled his sock-covered toes.

"I think closing your eyes is the best way to start! It'll help you tune out the visual noise of the world you're used to. This is something that was never possible for you before! So lift up your foot and prepare to take a step up! Know that it is going to be there because you're going to make it so. Breathe in deeply. And then dream up your step! Conjure it in your mind! Think about how it feels. Does it grip your boot like concrete? Or does it comfortably allow it to sink in like fresh grass?" He walked her through the thought exercise as if it was a meditation. For him, it was hardly an act of effort anymore. But for a young plus like her, the concept might be difficult to grasp without guidance.

"Once you have your step in your mind, project it! Don't just think about what it is... Now put it where it is. Under your foot. Breathe out, and allow that release to move down your body. To flow down your calf and spread along the sole of your foot! More than anything, the most important part is that you know it is there. Don't just -believe- in it. Know it. Because it will be there. Because you will have made it so! You're in control! You can do it!"

[Madelyn Fūrinji]

The prospect of actually being able to walk on the air itself was something that really had seeped into Maddie. This was like learning as a young child a secret way to actually fly. It wasn’t quite flight, but this was something almost as amazing and to the girl who’s had her entire life stolen from her this might be the only real positive so far. It’d be for this reason that Madelyn’s usual joyful nature actually resurfaces. Extending her own left hand upwards in a cheer with a large smile full of shine.

“Hurryay!”

Right afterwards Kazu started to explain how to stand on the air, something that so far despite trying it several times Maddie didn’t get as nothing seemed different than when she had been alive. Kazu began to explain and although certain things she already knew like how everything spiritual had to be made of this energy called reishi. Well it didn’t hurt to listen to everything he had to say especially when it seemed he was in such a good mood. Listening was all she had to do right now since she couldn’t seem to get it by herself. As she listened, one thing for certain clicked and she felt more confident in what she could do.

The notion of picturing the floor beneath her feet, a suggestion that sparked inside her fairly deep. Lifting up her left foot assuming the position one would think of to mock military marching Maddie stares down at her foot. Doing her best to picture a cement step right there then pushing her left foot down. On the first attempt she’d feel a bit better knowing the resistance meant she had the concept down. It wasn’t enough though as the step broke and her foot went down. She wasn’t put down, her cheerful energy pushing her forward to try again.

Trying again much the same as the first, Maddie goes through the steps to find her step. This time though she had to think the first step had been too weak to keep her up. She had to believe it more based on what Kazu was saying. Something felt like it was staring her in the face and that’s when she realized she had the best example possibility right in front and behind and below her. Feeling the sturdiness below her right foot of the actual ground Maddie does her best to make it the same under her left. Just like that she’d stand up tall although with more effort and a look of nervousness. “Soooooo cool.”

[Satoshi Kazuhiko]

Kazuhiko watched Maddie practice with a confident smile. It didn't matter whether she failed or succeeded, that encouraging grin wouldn't shift one bit! That's because his expression had nothing to do with her results, and everything to do with the sense of wonder and exploration she was experiencing. This plus had been wallowing in despair not moments ago. Frozen. But now she was moving again! Taking steps toward her uncertain future!

'Oh! She almost had it!' He thought, and his smile grew wider despite himself. Maybe it was a bit result based after all. 'She catches on so quickly! She might be a natural!' He mused internally for fear of interrupting her focus. Silently, he watched her practice. Pondering her state and origin. She wasn't a normal plus. Though this technique was a rather low-level one, she was taking to it like a fish in water. He had expected to give her this task as something to work on for a week or two. To keep her busy. But before he could finish that thought, she had lifted herself into the air!

"YATTA!!!" He couldn't help but leap into the air and throw his hand up in celebration! "YOU DID IT!! HAHA!" His laugh was bubbly, joyous! Like he'd just watched his little sister ride a bike without training wheels for the first time. "You're amazing Furinji-chan! If you can make one step, then you can make hundreds!" He couldn't help but shower her with praise as she balanced on one foot in the sky!

"You've got the basics down already! Gosh! You're going to be a master in no time at all! Once you've got it down, you'll be able to go wherever you want! How's it feel to no longer be bound to the Earth? You're as free as a bird now, Furinji-chan!" His big dumb grin faltered suddenly as something dark and colorful landed on his shoulder. A Hell Butterfly...

"Nnn... I'm sorry Furinji-chan. But, I think I have to get going." The message it delivered was simple. Hurry back to the rendevous spot. We're not going to wait for you. The hunting party had concluded its business. His healing services hadn't been necessary... And the Senkaimon Gate would only stay open for so long...

[Madelyn Fūrinji]

While she had always been super nice and got along with most others despite age difference this was the first time that Madelyn actually felt like someone was really cheering her on, with one exception. While her mother worked the majority of the time and she knew she cared for her deeply, even above her was the grandfather that Madleyn wanted to see more than anything else. He was always there giving her encouragement, helping her out, teaching her everything that she would need to know as an adult.

It felt nice what Kazu was saying to her, but she could tell or at least felt like he was blowing it out of proportion. If she could pick up on it after only a little bit that meant that the Shinigami had to be able to get it done on the first with perfect balance. No she could tell she had a lot of practicing she needed to do in order to walk through the air with any kind of confidence. Stepping down once again onto the ground beneath her feet she smiles at Kazu. “I’m sure it’ll be breathtaking soon.”

She didn’t have time to say anything else though as she was struck by the sight of an unusual butterfly that landed right on Kazuhiko’s shoulder. Something about the butterfly just didn’t seem right although Madelyn could tell just from the first glance that it was beautiful. Nearly pitch black with a scarlet bit at the ends of its wings. Although black wasn’t one of her favorites it always made everything near it just so much brighter. The figure was encapsulating and one that she wished she could hold for herself. Madelyn a little off guard by the sudden decision to leave bowed her head.

“Thank you Kazuhiko-Chan. Good luck with your goal.”

Madelyn would wait for Kazuhiko to leave and then would do her best to follow at a distance. She wanted to see for herself what was going on. If he was going to deal with one of these monsters called Hollows or the other Shinigami in the area. If he was going to meet up with the others then are they leaving? If they were going to Soul Society. . . how would they do that? Having no knowledge of such things Madleyn couldn’t imagine them opening up a literal doorway between worlds.

[Satoshi Kazuhiko]

"You will be. I'm sure of it!" He nodded encouragingly. Breathtaking was a good word for it. He'd never imagined he'd be able to see the world from the clouds. How it made everything seem so small and so simple. It made all the tiny troubles he'd dealt with in Rukongai melt away... "I hope that it can do that for you too!" Madelyn would be left to wonder what "that" was. But his tone and smile made it clear that whatever it was, was a good thing.

"It was nice spending time with you Furinji-chan. If you ever decide to come to Soul Society, don't be afraid to look for me!" He stepped down off of his air-ground and gave her an especially formal-looking bow.

As he got to his feet he looked the young plus right in her eyes. "I'm sure you'll be able to find the answers you're looking for someday. Just remember to take the time to enjoy the now while you wait for the future. We live in a beautiful world full of marvelous, wonderful things. Including you! Don't forget that! Your happiness is the key to keeping hold of yourself. And as long as you've got a grasp on who you are, those answers are sure to find you in time!" He gave her a small wave then and turned to make his way off.

His words were encouraging but carried with them a grim, veiled warning. He wasn't sure quite what she was... But operating on her existence as a plus, if she lost control to despair she would lose everything. He hoped they made sense to her. Or at least that they might make sense to her in the future.

With a soft sound of effort, Kazuhiko leaped up into the air and began to hop off of conjured steps. It was proof of Madelyn's assumption that Air-Ground could be so much more. He was deft and athletic. His steps carried him up into the night sky, backlit by the moon. And once he was high enough to see the rendezvous point he paused. He bent his knees. Tapped his foot. And suddenly was gone. He used the surface he created to shunpo.

If she was somehow able to follow him (as he was not expressly trying to avoid her), she would get to witness him laughing stupidly as he stepped through a pair of great paper doors. A Senkaimon Gate. There were three others who accompanied him of various sizes and genders. Though none looked as strange or unique as the dark-skinned boy with one arm.

[Kitai Yoru]

88 paragraphs, 440 TP awarded, since it was not specified