Pendulum - The Butterfly Effect (Bleach FF)

21: A Fresh Start

Chapter 21 - A Fresh Start

As the carriage trundled down the now familiar route, one piece of advice that Granny Chie had once given Kimi stuck in her mind: Don't dwell on things.

The more she thought about what I was leaving behind the more homesick I felt, and I hadn't even crossed the border to district one yet. I decided to put her past behind me; Not to forget it entirely, how was I supposed to forget almost fifty years worth of fond memories? But to pursue my future to its fullest, I could not allow anything to hold me back. That would be what my family would want for me too.

I smiled at the again familiar sight of the white and golden-roofed building as my carriage pulled up to the pavement directly outside the courtyard entrance as it had for the exams. I had only been here twice before but strangely I felt as though I knew the place already.

The carriage driver dropped a set of steps and helped me and my luggage down.

Immediately I felt stares and whispers on my back and I switched to self-conscious mode. No matter how much I didn't like to admit it, she looked like a snobby rich kid right now. The majority of new students filing onto the campus grounds around me wore ragged, tattered clothes, some didn't even wear shoes, and some were carrying just a blanket with all of their worldly possessions wrapped inside. And there I was, climbing out of a shiny black carriage drawn by a majestic looking steed, clothes of rich, expensive and good quality materials that carried her family crest on the back, with two bags, a suitcase full of possessions and my gleaming Onyx sword at my hip.

I was tempted to let my hair down out of its tie knowing that it would cover the cherry blossom crest on my back, not that there was much chance of anyone recognizing it around here but it told everyone that she belonged to a wealthy family.

Why are you so ashamed? A voice that sounded like Hatsu's asked inside my head. Your family would tell you to flaunt your house colours with pride!

Having a crest emblazoned on my clothing was like having a neon light above your head saying: 'Rich kid, come and bully me and hate me!' and that was the last thing I wanted to be labelled as. Unlike some of the kids here I wasn't a case of 'all money no talent'.

I took a deep breath and held my head high, looking straight ahead as I walked and ignoring the eyes glaring at me.

Instead of the long beginningless queues that had greeted Hatsu and I the last time we were here, I saw a long row of tall whiteboards with writing dashed across them at the front of the courtyard with people crowded around them.

Students, already dressed in their uniforms to make them stand out from the rest of a crowd, red and white for girls and red white and blue for boys, were calling instructions over the babble of noise.

"First years find your name on the boards!"

"First-year boys this way for your accommodations!" A group of male students called to the left, taking it in turns to escort groups to their rooms.

"First-year girls this way!" Called another group of girls on the opposite side of the yard.

A young man in white and blue kindly offered to hold my suitcase while I quickly checked the boards.

I watched as a group of boys that looked more like barrels with legs pushed a girl over as if she were a bowling pin as they forced through the crowds to the front. No wonder they're so stressed, having to organize this rowdy bunch...

I left my suitcase with the boy and rushed forward, finally thankful for my petiteness that allowed me to squeeze past people like a mouse.

My eyes skimmed across the board, searching quickly so I could get out of there and not have to risk being crushed.