The Ghosts in the Meadow [Ehefra / Julia]

While Ehefra talked Julia’s eyebrows rose, and rose… It was clear that she had been missing several pieces of information which Ehefra now gave away freely.

“Hm…I know about what Hollows and Shinigami are. But what effect our powers have…my pa…I mean, my teacher must have forgotten to teach me that.”

The way she had pronounced forgotten clearly said she didn’t believe it was unintentional. It was just more lies. More lies her parents had told. The fact that it was in fact truths which they omitted didn’t make any difference to Julia. For a moment a hot wave of anger washed over Julia. Anger towards her family, towards Quincy, even towards Ehefra. But she quickly pushed it away. It wasn’t Ehefra’s fault. At least she hoped so. Or better: She hoped it wasn’t an inherent trait of all Quincy people. It really seemed as if she didn’t know anything about Julia, so the blonde girl just shook it off. Still…her face felt hot for a couple more minutes.

“Come on, drinks are this way.” she said and beckoned Ehefra to follow. Their way first led out of the woods, from there onto the roofs of the first buildings of the city, where Julia got her bearings and led the way deeper into Karakura.

“Well, the Mup…I mean, the Shinigami don’t have to worry about me. I usually prefer to leave the Hollows alone if they leave me alone, you know? Only some of them are not that smart. So I step in and do something before they start munchin’ on my neighbours.”

Julia travelled at a relaxed pace since it wasn’t very far.

“I originally came here to have peace and a normal life.”

They arrived at the apartment building where Julia lived. Here and all around the traces of the attack of the giant creature could be seen. Almost every damage was repaired, but here and there the materials were just a bit more new and shiny than the surroundings. As were the windows and the door on Julia’s balcony, on which the pair landed. She opened and let Ehefra in. The flat wasn’t too small, but also not very big. A short hallway from which a bathroom could be reached and a seperate bedroom, barely large enough for a bed and a wardrobe. The living room, in which they now stood, had a small kitchen in the far corner of the room, separated by a bar-like counter. The door to the bedroom was to their left and the hallway ahead. The living room was dominated by a lunge area close to the windows: mattresses and large pillows surrounded a low table. But there was also a small dining table, enough for four people, although it would be quite cosy. The dominant colours were purple and white, girly, but not inelegant. Still, it was clearly a flat in which a young woman lived alone and seemed to enjoy it.

“What can I get you?” Julia said and strode across the room. Before she entered the small kitchen area she took off her coat and flung it with a practised motion into the hallway, where it landed perfectly on a hook on the wall. With a relieved sigh she also took off her boots. Now she was wearing only tight, long pants and a tight top, which was short enough that one could see her bellybutton.

“Oh, by the way, don’t worry about your shoes. Leave ‘em on or not, however you like. I have a small cleaning bot somewhere that can deal with anything that might be stuck on there and I’m not Japanese, so I’m not bothered if you keep ‘em on.”

She opened a few cabinets.

“I have mineral water, some soft drinks -Ramune, if you want- and wine. I think I might have some beer as well.”

Julia dove under the kitchen top and a fridge door was being opened.

“Hey, yeah, I even thought of putting it in the fridge, waddaya know.”