Ohana means Family (Keiko/Elyss)

How horrible… There is but a knock on the door, three quick raps upon the wood, that echoes within the room that lies a wounded soldier. Keiko Kuchiki, Academy student and intern for the Seventh Division. The news of the young girls tragic beating spread like wildfire among the Gotei. People simply enjoy gossiping, but many take it too far and, soon, facts become fiction and none can tell what truly happened and what was made up. Still, one should at least pay attention and ask the important questions to understand the situation better, and that was where the redhead standing on the opposite side of the door messed up.

In her own world, doing her own thing, and showing a selfishness she tried to never have, Elyss had spent so much time helping others and letting her own personal health fall that she didn’t even pay heed to the word going around that a young Kuchiki had been injured by a member of the Shihouin family. As if any of that even made sense to Elyss. She didn’t know much about Nobility in Soul Society which she had shown a many of times through ignorant misunderstandings and lack of care. Yet, she cared about the individual, and the fact that she didn’t know Keiko had been disposed of in such a manner earlier proved that her claims of seeing the young Kuchiki as family were as true as her claims of strength. How absorbed in working herself to death has she been to not notice that young, pretty, hardworking, and bright individual missing among the ranks of her peers.

Elyss had come in like a raging storm appearing on the estate of the Kuchiki barely concealing her worry asking and pleading to see Keiko with a stern determination that eventually brought her here at the young girl’s door where she had knocked. Now, she can only hope that she is allowed inside to see someone she, herself, has done wrong. Nothing can change that thought in her head, not even if Keiko had told her she was okay due to being busy. No. Elyss feels horrible, and hopefully, seeing Keiko will at least relieve a little bit of her mental beratement of herself.

Come in. Something inside Elyss didn’t really want to open this door, but backing down now would go against the way she carries herself that she’d never be able to look at her own reflection again. The very fact she let the idea plant itself within her mind caused her to pause, but this isn’t the time for her to have experience some self reflection mumbo jumbo.

The knob to the door opened, and the wooden thing slid open letting the redhead slipped into the room. Wow. It’s rather empty in here. Though, Elyss has never had much herself, so there’s a familiarity about the spacious area. As if on purpose, her eyes trailed over everything but Keiko: the desk, the chair next to the desk, the papers on said desk, that lamp, ceiling light, a sliding closet, and a wheelchair. The wheelchair sort of knocked the breath from her chest with how out of place it seemed in this lonely room. Slowly, those feeble onyx eyes rose from that metal chair to the dark skinned woman on the bed.

“Hey Keiko. Sorry I’m late kiddo.”

Elyss doubted she’s old enough to call someone kiddo, but it was just a weak attempt at settling her own beating heart. No doubt Keiko isn’t as worried as she was when this whole mess started, but this is the first time Elyss has seen Keiko, and this solemn situation was proving to be a bit too much for the tired redhead. The smile on her face seemed worn, ancient even. Elyss’ eyes seemed to grow smaller as it felt the whole world was crashing on her back as a million thoughts raced through her mind aging her appearance as she stood. Though, in the very next second, she seemed perfectly fine stepping forward closer to the bed.

“Heard a lot about you. Are you doing okay?”

Elyss is glad she came too. She’s also mad she didn’t come sooner though. Seeing Keiko in this fashion dropped her mood by a lot. One day, she was helping Keiko push boxes, and now, will Keiko even be capable of pushing a box? It’s always the small things that one takes advantage of that they realize aren’t always guaranteed to them when something tragic occurs. At least it seems her friend is doing better. Elyss can only assume that when this all happened, Keiko felt horrible, worthless, and hopeless. Of course. No one would be happy right after an injury to this extent. The girl can’t even see.

This isn’t right, however. How dare Elyss feel bad for someone who doesn’t seem sad at all. She should greet Keiko with a smile instead of with a frown. With a small smile she looked around again wondering about a few things.

“Lessons, huh? What kind of lessons? And, what a bland room. You should really ask that they spruce it up. Maybe add a window or something.”

“It’s great to see ya working around your little setbacks. Can’t wait till you’re back around the Division helping out as ya did.”

Posters? That’s rather youthful. Elyss lets her mind think of her own home for just a moment, but the thought of that vacant place fills her with slight dread which she doesn’t need at this particular moment. Neither of them really need to think of anything depressing. Though, it seemed Elyss opened up a can of worms when she mentioned the division, and the redhead regretted everything when she saw Keiko’s face fall. Well, it wasn’t much of a fall however, but the redhead knows that look all too well; that stoic face when you wish to not show any strong emotions to someone.

“...It’ll be alright. It’ll be okay…”

Elyss stepped forward closer going down to her knee as she reached for Keiko’s hand to wrap her fingers around it tenderly before tightening her grip. She put on a small smile despite it not being seen hoping Keiko could at least feel her attempt through her blindfold. Ah. A bit of emotion even if small. That lip bite is all Elyss needs to know how Keiko feels; that drive to do something with yourself but being told you can’t, being told that you’d be better off elsewhere. It sucks, and oh, how many times has Elyss been forced to face such realizations, an oh, how she works herself to death just to make herself useful to someone, to prove she’s not worthless.

How selfish of you, my master. Always thinking about yourself even wishing to help. Isn’t this all just for us; to prove we’re something when we both know you’re nothing?

Elyss frowned as her Zanpakuto spoke up causing her to realize just how wrong she is at this moment. As if Keiko wanted to hear dreams and wishes that may never come true. What good would telling her she should keep trying be? It’s just all to make herself feel slightly better about her own insecurities. Elyss sighed and looked up into Keiko’s face and felt more tired than she ever has.

“Life sucks something Keiko. Things out of our control happens, and all we can do is ride along. I wish I could tell you that you’ll be your old self again doing what you dream of, but I’ve seen how cruel this world can be to those with ideals. This is a setback, yeah, but if one door closes, another will open. Do not give up hope that you can grow into something great even if it wasn’t your original plan. I know, despite all this, that one day you’ll grow into someone stronger, and this right here will be nothing but one of the many stepping stones that you climbed to reach such heights.”

“Yeah… Of course we’ll see each other… eventually.”

Elyss isn’t sure what the situation with Keiko’s eyes are. She didn’t learn much of anything besides that Keiko was injured in a training session. That was all she needed to know to worry greatly. It still pains her that she didn’t know about any of this sooner, but there’s nothing she can do about spoiled milk except buy a fresh gallon. There’s too much pain in this world that needs to get discarded and replaced by something relieving and better.

Then, she was randomly compared to Ulv. Now, that made Elyss frown a bit. Ulv? What did that woman have to do with any of this? Out of all people, why is Ulv the one mentioned? Why is she being compared to that particular woman? It seems her so called ‘mother’ gets around far too much for her own good. How many times will Elyss be hit by the fact that Ulv knows everyone? Though, that’s not the issue here. The fact that Elyss sounded like Ulv is. Despite trying to separate herself from the woman, Elyss seems to have slowly become more and more like her. How… troublesome.

“My mother?”

She caught herself immediately closing her mouth as she called Ulv her mother which will no doubt confuse Keiko. The hand conjoined with the young Kuchiki shakes lightly before losing its tightness as Elyss sighed and shook her head.

“Yeah… I know Ulv. She… helped me out a lot. We’re kind of… connected… How do you know her?”