Jamie's search had been unending for more than a week. Nothing. Jamie had brought up the map they had been working from on the inlaid touch screen computer in the breakfast island. Lips rubbed his desperately in need of a cut blonde hair, as he came to sit with his cereal bowl full of the local brand of sugared corn flakes. He yawned. "Hmmm....that Uryu really likes to leave us early doesn't he." Jamie just rolled her eyes. "He's trying to be discrete, something you could learn from him. Plus we really don't need to involve him in our business. On top of that Mira's been training him, so he has to be an early riser." Lips grumbled and then saw the map.
" Oh mom not again. Look 'ole' Sammy must have gotten it wrong." The look that Jamie gave him had Lips apologizing. "Sorry. So where to today?" Lips said as he sagged back onto his bar stool. Jamie frowned as she swallowed down the spoonful of granola. Mira came in as always fresh from the shower after running her usual 10 mile run. "Morning mom. Maybe we could let 'ole' hound dog Lips here have a small rest." Lips stiffened and stalked off with his bowl. "I'll be ready in 5. I suggest you be ready." Jamie swallowed her remaining cereal, and in less then 5 they were hitting the less busy streets. The ones that couldn't afford to say no but really didn't want to say yes. As the hours ticked by they split up. Jamie found herself on the last street on her map at least the last one for the day. She had them split up, one at each end of the street. Jamie blinked at the dirty smudge of her reflection in a car window. "Eeh...did I fall from the ugly tree this morning or what?" Mira laughed. "No but you did seem a little preoccupied. I did try to put a brush threw your hair but you seemed pretty adamant about not wanting it done." Mira
finished. Jamie went and sat down on a fairly clean bench, thinking about the dreams she'd been having since coming home.....she shivered. Home. Was this place really what she was having to call home? Maybe when it was just a small remote contented fishing village filled with good people, ruled by a good lord and a descent forge. Tears came to her eyes. She'd made a mistake she shouldn't have come, there were just too many memories. Chad walked in the direction of Kesuki's shop the direction of trouble. A gust of wind threw up a bad smell at him that made him dizzy and
As Chad walked toward the bad smells he passed by Ichigo's with an uncomfortable feeling as no one had told him about that night. "Is there somewhere you're going Chad?" Ichigo said coming up even with him. "Ah nice party wasn't it?" Ichigo narrowed his eyes. "Cut the crap! Why is Jamie cutting me out of what's going on?" Chad sighed. "You can't tell her I told you." Ichigo blinked at him. "Huh? You're scared of Jamie?" To his chagrin Chad blushed hard. "No but I don't want to see her upset." Ichigo frowned. "Why didn't Uryu go home, in fact he hasn't been there since she hired me. Plus why doesn't she want to tell me about that monster in the court yard." Chad coughed lightly. "About that, she was unconscious. Uryu couldn't move her so he called me." For a moment he was quiet as they walked towards the street that Keisuke lived on. "Shauni has had trouble coming to terms with her past. Especially here. This was her first home. Before it was a town it was just some fishing village. Give her time to adjust." Ichigo frowned. "And it's got nothing to do with her kidnapped daughter. Why doesn't she want me to help?" Chad sighed and sagged. "She's the Soul Smith that the Soul Society is looking for. You are part of her blood line, can you guess how the soul society would use you if they knew that. They would use you to draw her in and after I don't know, but I know Shauni. She would rather die then let one drop of another's blood fall. She is doing what she can to protect you and your family. Unlike everyone else in her family. Ordisquiet running through his veins. Something was going to happen today. Shauni? Her powers were coming back on line before she was ready. If his grandfather's information was right such things were dangerous for not only the smith but those within the vicinity. He still felt no small amount of guilt about keeping his knowledge about Shauni or Jamie as she was being called now to himself. Uryu? He was the moth drawn to her flame. No good could come of it. They were family.....How did he know that? But he did, that was the point. Right now though they would have to keep it a secret from Ichigo and his family. The less everyone knew the better. Chad could take a lot where the others....were not meant for dealing with such tortures that could loosen tongues. His mind suddenly turned back to the first time he had met the legendary lady of the forges of Gloryflowers. He was back with his grandfather and very young. Standing behind the curtain that stood in place of a door. His grandfather had recieved word by letter to expect company at 3 that day. He had never seen his grandfather so nervous, till that day. "You will stay here until they are gone. Do not come out. Do you here me?" He had nodded. His grandfather had hugged him hard as if aftraid. Another first. When the time came he couldn't help but take a peek at the monster that had scared his grandfather. A knock came at 3. His grandfather had bowed to the knocker. A girl's laugh had echoed off the walls. " Oh please, we are old friends and I am no longer what I used to be." There was a hint of heavy pain in the tone she said it with. "My lady you are the last.Friend or not you deserve my respect." The woman snorted softly with a sneer. "I've lived too long and seen too much to believe anyone deserves such respect." She'd sat down, her safari hat hidding her face. His grandfather's shoulders sagged. Taking her hat off, she held the sides of her face in her hands crying. " Forgive me. My problems aren't yours." His grandfather put his hands on her shoulders."They once were.You should not carry your burdens alone." At that she hissed. Chad had rushed out to protect his grandfather. Seeing the boy, his grandfather tried to grab him up, but she got to him first. " My lady..." The woman hugged him, tears wet him from above in streams. "H...how? I....I...I...." Her words refused to get past the lumps sticking in her throat. She sat with him, refusing to let go as she rocked the chair and hummed a lullabye he had heard long ago. One that his grandfather hummed to him when he was sick or scared which was hardly ever. "Let me take care of you both.With the kind of money I have you could have the life you should have had." His grandfather shook his head. " It is safer to be as we are for now. None but you have found us and I was worried how you would react to him." The woman frowned at that. " Did you think I would..." She took a breath to reign in the sudden anger. She then relaxed and nodded. " I understand. How could you know how things had gone? He was the only one not there that day. You know I was in love at one time and that I suddenly went cold. I made a mistake, I left him too long, he married someone else." Her face then sneered up. "Then my sweet twin brother cursed me to this realm never to age, never to die, never to return home. He killed everyone. I never understood why,and it no longer matters. By now he's dead." Then she squeezed Chad tightly to her, kissing his temple as she did so. " If you won't let me take care of you at least allow me to buy dinner tonight. You should remember the old saying about a smith in the kitchen." His grandfather had laughed agreeing. As she tossed
him her pouch of money she said. "Sorry I don't get to an exchange all that often, but there should be enough in it to buy something good." He took out a few ancient coins.
" You should put these away for a rainy day, they are mueseum pieces." The woman snorted and flipped the coins high in the air. "I got them from Cesar Augustus.Bad poker player and pissy to boot.I keep these two as good luck charms.The rest are sitting in a nice big cedar chest in one of England's banks." She looked at the boy who looked at the coins now looping around her hand.
"How do you do that?" She chuckled lightly as his grandfather slipped out of the door. She told him stories and showed him tricks giving him baubles and jewels to put away for when the times got tough. "Just don't tell your grandpop. O.K. He'll make me take it back and that would make me sad. Very sad." Chad had hugged her.
"I don't want you to be sad. I hate sadness."
So they'd put the goods in his stashing place. When she'd left the next morning there were the two coins on the table and a note. "Send one to me when there is need and I will come, no matter where I am I will come. Always your friend. Love Shauni Kura Gloryflower." He got up and went to his top drawer. There they were, the letter and the two coins glittering up at him.Even when ill his grandfather had refused to send out the coin. "If you should meet the great lady again, tell her that there is a way. Tell her not to give up hope." Putting on his pants he pocketed the two coins.
Orihime sat at her new dressing table with her hair iron trying in vain to give herself a new hair style. But it just wasn't working. Finally in tears she gave up.She just didn't have what it took to get him to notice her. Maybe if she tried to make him jealous....
" Oh mom not again. Look 'ole' Sammy must have gotten it wrong." The look that Jamie gave him had Lips apologizing. "Sorry. So where to today?" Lips said as he sagged back onto his bar stool. Jamie frowned as she swallowed down the spoonful of granola. Mira came in as always fresh from the shower after running her usual 10 mile run. "Morning mom. Maybe we could let 'ole' hound dog Lips here have a small rest." Lips stiffened and stalked off with his bowl. "I'll be ready in 5. I suggest you be ready." Jamie swallowed her remaining cereal, and in less then 5 they were hitting the less busy streets. The ones that couldn't afford to say no but really didn't want to say yes. As the hours ticked by they split up. Jamie found herself on the last street on her map at least the last one for the day. She had them split up, one at each end of the street. Jamie blinked at the dirty smudge of her reflection in a car window. "Eeh...did I fall from the ugly tree this morning or what?" Mira laughed. "No but you did seem a little preoccupied. I did try to put a brush threw your hair but you seemed pretty adamant about not wanting it done." Mira
finished. Jamie went and sat down on a fairly clean bench, thinking about the dreams she'd been having since coming home.....she shivered. Home. Was this place really what she was having to call home? Maybe when it was just a small remote contented fishing village filled with good people, ruled by a good lord and a descent forge. Tears came to her eyes. She'd made a mistake she shouldn't have come, there were just too many memories. Chad walked in the direction of Kesuki's shop the direction of trouble. A gust of wind threw up a bad smell at him that made him dizzy and
As Chad walked toward the bad smells he passed by Ichigo's with an uncomfortable feeling as no one had told him about that night. "Is there somewhere you're going Chad?" Ichigo said coming up even with him. "Ah nice party wasn't it?" Ichigo narrowed his eyes. "Cut the crap! Why is Jamie cutting me out of what's going on?" Chad sighed. "You can't tell her I told you." Ichigo blinked at him. "Huh? You're scared of Jamie?" To his chagrin Chad blushed hard. "No but I don't want to see her upset." Ichigo frowned. "Why didn't Uryu go home, in fact he hasn't been there since she hired me. Plus why doesn't she want to tell me about that monster in the court yard." Chad coughed lightly. "About that, she was unconscious. Uryu couldn't move her so he called me." For a moment he was quiet as they walked towards the street that Keisuke lived on. "Shauni has had trouble coming to terms with her past. Especially here. This was her first home. Before it was a town it was just some fishing village. Give her time to adjust." Ichigo frowned. "And it's got nothing to do with her kidnapped daughter. Why doesn't she want me to help?" Chad sighed and sagged. "She's the Soul Smith that the Soul Society is looking for. You are part of her blood line, can you guess how the soul society would use you if they knew that. They would use you to draw her in and after I don't know, but I know Shauni. She would rather die then let one drop of another's blood fall. She is doing what she can to protect you and your family. Unlike everyone else in her family. Ordisquiet running through his veins. Something was going to happen today. Shauni? Her powers were coming back on line before she was ready. If his grandfather's information was right such things were dangerous for not only the smith but those within the vicinity. He still felt no small amount of guilt about keeping his knowledge about Shauni or Jamie as she was being called now to himself. Uryu? He was the moth drawn to her flame. No good could come of it. They were family.....How did he know that? But he did, that was the point. Right now though they would have to keep it a secret from Ichigo and his family. The less everyone knew the better. Chad could take a lot where the others....were not meant for dealing with such tortures that could loosen tongues. His mind suddenly turned back to the first time he had met the legendary lady of the forges of Gloryflowers. He was back with his grandfather and very young. Standing behind the curtain that stood in place of a door. His grandfather had recieved word by letter to expect company at 3 that day. He had never seen his grandfather so nervous, till that day. "You will stay here until they are gone. Do not come out. Do you here me?" He had nodded. His grandfather had hugged him hard as if aftraid. Another first. When the time came he couldn't help but take a peek at the monster that had scared his grandfather. A knock came at 3. His grandfather had bowed to the knocker. A girl's laugh had echoed off the walls. " Oh please, we are old friends and I am no longer what I used to be." There was a hint of heavy pain in the tone she said it with. "My lady you are the last.Friend or not you deserve my respect." The woman snorted softly with a sneer. "I've lived too long and seen too much to believe anyone deserves such respect." She'd sat down, her safari hat hidding her face. His grandfather's shoulders sagged. Taking her hat off, she held the sides of her face in her hands crying. " Forgive me. My problems aren't yours." His grandfather put his hands on her shoulders."They once were.You should not carry your burdens alone." At that she hissed. Chad had rushed out to protect his grandfather. Seeing the boy, his grandfather tried to grab him up, but she got to him first. " My lady..." The woman hugged him, tears wet him from above in streams. "H...how? I....I...I...." Her words refused to get past the lumps sticking in her throat. She sat with him, refusing to let go as she rocked the chair and hummed a lullabye he had heard long ago. One that his grandfather hummed to him when he was sick or scared which was hardly ever. "Let me take care of you both.With the kind of money I have you could have the life you should have had." His grandfather shook his head. " It is safer to be as we are for now. None but you have found us and I was worried how you would react to him." The woman frowned at that. " Did you think I would..." She took a breath to reign in the sudden anger. She then relaxed and nodded. " I understand. How could you know how things had gone? He was the only one not there that day. You know I was in love at one time and that I suddenly went cold. I made a mistake, I left him too long, he married someone else." Her face then sneered up. "Then my sweet twin brother cursed me to this realm never to age, never to die, never to return home. He killed everyone. I never understood why,and it no longer matters. By now he's dead." Then she squeezed Chad tightly to her, kissing his temple as she did so. " If you won't let me take care of you at least allow me to buy dinner tonight. You should remember the old saying about a smith in the kitchen." His grandfather had laughed agreeing. As she tossed
him her pouch of money she said. "Sorry I don't get to an exchange all that often, but there should be enough in it to buy something good." He took out a few ancient coins.
" You should put these away for a rainy day, they are mueseum pieces." The woman snorted and flipped the coins high in the air. "I got them from Cesar Augustus.Bad poker player and pissy to boot.I keep these two as good luck charms.The rest are sitting in a nice big cedar chest in one of England's banks." She looked at the boy who looked at the coins now looping around her hand.
"How do you do that?" She chuckled lightly as his grandfather slipped out of the door. She told him stories and showed him tricks giving him baubles and jewels to put away for when the times got tough. "Just don't tell your grandpop. O.K. He'll make me take it back and that would make me sad. Very sad." Chad had hugged her.
"I don't want you to be sad. I hate sadness."
So they'd put the goods in his stashing place. When she'd left the next morning there were the two coins on the table and a note. "Send one to me when there is need and I will come, no matter where I am I will come. Always your friend. Love Shauni Kura Gloryflower." He got up and went to his top drawer. There they were, the letter and the two coins glittering up at him.Even when ill his grandfather had refused to send out the coin. "If you should meet the great lady again, tell her that there is a way. Tell her not to give up hope." Putting on his pants he pocketed the two coins.
Orihime sat at her new dressing table with her hair iron trying in vain to give herself a new hair style. But it just wasn't working. Finally in tears she gave up.She just didn't have what it took to get him to notice her. Maybe if she tried to make him jealous....
