Afterlife

"Mmm..." With a soft groan, she woke up and found herself to be inside a building some where.

There was sunlight shining in through a ragged sheet for a door and there seemed to be people talking. Someone gasped, maybe a young girl, and they raced over.

"Miss! You're awake! Oh, thank goodness you are! We were so worried!" She blinked, confused. The last place she was... Was it near a river? She closed her eyes, trying to remember. Everything was blur until she woke up.

"Where... Am I?" She croaked weakly, her throat dry and stomach empty.

"You're in Inuzuri. This is one of the roughest areas of Rukongai besides Zaraki and Kusajishi. We found you just beyond the outskirts of the district... You had no number and we don't know your name."

The woman opened her eyes again, finally able to remember something. "Masaki. My name is Masaki..." She whispered, slowly sitting up and her eyes growing wide when she remembered something else. "Was there a man? He was very handsome and had snow white hair. Did anyone see where he went or if he was with me while I was unconscious?"

There were footsteps behind her and Masaki whirled around as she sat up, her long, light brown hair flying in her face. The person whom saved her was there! He crouched down before her, holding a hand out carefully, with caution.

"I'm Ukitake Jūshirō. It's very nice to meet you, Masaki-chan."

Masaki nodded, shaking his hand. "I'm hungry. May I please have something to eat?"

Ukitake's eyes went wide at her request. "Are you sure you're hungry? In Rukongai, that means you usually have some form of reiatsu."

She nodded, her stomach growling and her cheeks flushing red. "How did I get here?"

Ukitake helped her up off the ground, aiding her in walking since she hadn't been using her legs regularly since she had been found along the outskirts of District Eighty. "You were in the World of the Living when I found you. You had died from serious wounds while protecting a small child."

Masaki's brow furrowed, trying to remember if she had given birth to children during her life.

"It's best not to remember, Masaki-chan." Ukitake whispered, patting her head gently.

She nodded, her stomach rumbling loudly and making her blush once more. Ukitake smiled and lead her outside the small hut, towards couple rows of stalls. "We'll get you something to eat and discuss your future at the Shinō Academy."

So with Ukitake kind enough to pay for her meal, which apparently was large enough to feed her and her caretaker for a few weeks, they talked. She had reiatsu, which allowed her to take the Shinō Academy test to see if she qualified for study there.

They discussed the topics she would learn while there: Zanjutsu, Hakuda, Hohō, and Kidō. Masaki knew she could read and write, so she took down steady notes on everything Ukitake-taichō said. Which, once she became a member of the Gotei Thirteen, she'd have to refer to him as that because it was his formal title.

"Thank you, Ukitake-taichō. For everything." She sad as they stood to part ways.

"You're welcome, Masaki-chan. I hope to see you in the Thirteen squads some day soon." Masaki bowed, now knowing that she could start a new life thanks to the captain who had been kind enough to conduct the konsō on her spirit when she had passed.

"I thank you, Ukitake-taichō. From the bottom of my heart, for giving me a new life in the Soul Society." Ukitake let out a small chuckle, rubbing the back of his neck, an old habit he had picked up from his previous fukutaichō.

"It's no problem, Masaki-chan. Please, take the time to learn how to control your power. If you can figure out what your strong suits are, it'll be easier for you to be sent to a squad when you take the placement exam."

She nodded, shaking hands with the elder male and bowed once more. "Thank you for everything, Ukitake-san!" He patted her head before using what she discovered was called Shunpo. I will make a new life for myself here. I will make new memories and friends. I will be able to do this, no matter whom may try to stop me.

And with her conviction set her determination strong, Masaki was ready to become a member of the Gotei Thirteen and help others who needed her.