Revolving memories...

(Notes: White - Thoughts (in italic) and normal speaking / Violet - Kia speaking / Orange - Random persons speaking)

Kia was wandering around on the dusty streets of Rukongai. Not a soul could be seen at that late hour. There was still a few lights on from the houses and she was using them to make her way through the dark. She came in a mission. Not a mission gave by her superiors, but a mission gave by her own mind and conscience.


Flashback

4 hours before, Kia and a few squad members were assigned to check on a few minor reports made by some habitants. Apart from roof tops that needed to be fixed, there was one report that really was concerning her. An old lady reported that the family that lived near her was troublesome. Apparently, the man was making his daughter look for food everyday and if she couldn't find any, things turned dark to the little one. Everyone saw the situation and no one did a thing. The small child was beat up in the middle of the street and left there to die. According to the lady, this had happen only a few minutes ago. And she was right. When Kia arrived there, the child was still on the ground, covered in blood. Her heart hurt deep with the scene and she began to desire to kill the man. The squad members sensed her cold aura intensify and told her to stand back. Kia rushed to the little girl. She was still alive, but very weak. The man was dragged from the house by the other shinigamis and taken away. Kia carefully took the girl in her arms and left her in the old lady's house with the promise she would return with some medicine to her.

End of Flashback

(Note: All the Indigo lines will belong to the child.)

Kia finally make to the old lady's house where the small girl was being treated. She knocked at the door quietly and entered after being told to. The lady pointed to a small door that lead to the bedroom.

- I knew you would come kind hearted Shinigami. The child is resting on the bedroom. She woke up a few minutes ago and she looks confused. She doesn't wanted to speak and she seems in a lot of pain. - The lady said.

Kia nodded and bowed in respect. Then she made her way to the door and slowly opened it. Her eyes instantly fixed on the small girl laying down on an improvised bed. She had a cut on her forehead, her arms were full of purple spots and her vision seemed to be locked on the beautiful full moon. Kia approached her carefully and sat down next to the bed. The child instantly moved her head and was now staring at Kia.

- Those clothes... Are you a... Shinigami?
- Yes, I am indeed.
- Why did you picked me off the ground Shinigami? The old lady told me you did...

Kia smiled and grabbed a small wet towel, that she used to clean the blood from the girl's forehead.

- Why you say? I couldn't leave a small child die. That's against all things in this life that I believe. Now... Will you tell me your name sweetie?

- I'm... Amaya. Thank you for saving me, Shinigami.

Kia smiled once more and gently put a bit of cream on Amaya's wound.

- I'm not a Shinigami. I'm Tsukiakari.

Amaya flinched as soon as she felt my finger rubbing gently her cut. I was not sure if was only the pain that made her flinch; or the fear she felt when I touched her. But for my relief she relaxed a bit and gave me a warm smile. I smiled back her. I didn't pity her; no. That sure was wrong. Instead of that, I felt a connection to these child. According to my other comrades, this poor soul was now alone in this world. Her father will be accused and condemned to the death of his own soul, and her mother, apparently, died giving birth to her. So if I wanted or not, we were connected by our identical past. I took a deep breath while I was healing her wounds; the old lady was poor like everyone on Rukongai. She couldn't afford raising this girl and Amaya would probably end up living at the streets.

- Amaya, can I ask you something?

- Sure Tsukiakari-sama. What is it?

- Hm, I was wondering... Do you have any family around that can take care of you? Like an aunt or something.

Her expression quickly changed to a sad one. She faced the moonlight once again.

- I'm afraid I don't... The only thing closest to a family I had was my cat Hira that died last month... And now that the man is going to die sooner or later, there's no one in this world that can possible want to take care of me. - She started to cry. - Who could possibly want to take care of a person like me? I'm a weakling and a burn!

I couldn't help it. I hugged her tight and she flinched once again. She was not expecting it and neither was why. I couldn't deny it anymore: I was deeply connected with this child and I had to protect her, no matter what.

She slowly started to get used to the contact and hugged me back. I smiled and gently pulled her to sit on my lap. She looked surprised at me first; but then gave a little smile that meant the world to me on that very moment. I wiped her tears away gently.

- Don't judge yourself by the things others say about you. The only person who can say if you're worth it or not is yourself. Besides... A book can't be judged by his cover. Just because you look fragile, doesn't mean you lack power. You can be just a small bird now; but someday the right time to unfold your wings will come.

- Thank you for your kind words Tsukiakari-sama, but I'm afraid there's nothing I can do. I don't have anyone in this world anymore. I'll just wait peacefully to my dying day so I can join my mother.

- You sound just like me when my aunt came visit me that night...

Amaya looked at me puzzled. I told her my story since the beginning. My birth, my father, my aunt, my almost marriage... And that night when my aunt came to visit me in jail, the words I said to her were the same Amaya said to me. Also, I told her how I died. She listened to everything I said carefully and nodded as a sign she was understanding every single thing.

- When you wish for something really hard, it happens. It's the moon who commands all wishes you know? She made your wish to die came true and took your soul with her will. - She looked over the full moon once again - I wished to die but she said it was not my time yet.

- She? You're talking about the moon dear? She can't talk.

- She whispers to me sometimes, but most of the time I can't hear it clearly. Specially when she says her name is not moon.

I could barely understand what was going on. I remembered the night I died in my head once again. I heard a voice telling me my time has arrived and I saw the moonlight involving my soul. That same voice still chases me once in a while. I wondered if the voice was the same that Amaya claimed to hear...
I shocked my head. I would figured it out later on. My priority at the moment was taking care of that small child.

- Amaya, would you like to come with me to the Seretei?

She stared at me for a few minutes, probably searching in her mind for something to say; but words didn't came out.

- I want to adopt you Amaya, at least if you accept me in your life. I know this is a bit too sudden but I can't forgive myself if something happens to you.

She slowly nodded and hugged me as tight as she could and started crying. I knew I could expect a few problems by taking a small child with me to Seretei and adopt her, but I could really careless at that time. All I wanted was protecting her was much as I could. So I pulled her blanket to cover her shoulders and held her in my arms, walking out of the bedroom. The old lady smiled gently at the scene and opened the door to the dusty street. I thanked her for everything and walked out, using shunpo to reach Seretei as fast as I could. There, a new life was waiting for Amaya and me.