That Binds Together the Heavens and the Earth

[Orihime Inoue]

“This place is nothing like where I just came from.” Orihime said breathlessly. Taking a step further into the frosty climate, she began to assess her surroundings, seeing a celebrated scenic wonderland. It was a fairy-tale world, child-like and funny. Boughs of trees adorned with thick pillows of snow scattered across the snowy mounds.

Gratefully, the dress she wore was keeping her warm enough. The temperatures in wakomundo were a supernatural cold that was un-escapable, so that was familiar at least. Towering snowy mountains surrounded her with steep cliff sides and pillaring pines. Snow blew down the mountain side creating a blur that made her eyes water. Orihime restlessly watched the flakes, silver and dark, falling diagonally against the sunlight. There was no life in view however, not even an animal. Orihime sighed deeply, feeling discouraged and alone with only the bitter silence.

Having no sense of direction, Orihime moved further into the glittering landscape. Slowly, with every stride into the plushy snow, she thought about how she had never seen such an incredible view. Snow is white and gray, loose and whole, infinitely various, yet infinitely repetitive. It is soft and hard, frozen and melting, bursting underfoot and soundless. She could not help with being fascinated with this place and its beauty. For it did not snow in Karakura Town, the place where Ichigo and her friends live.

Thinking about Karakura Town reminded Orihime about her present situation. I don’t know if I will ever see Karakura Town again thinking of her home and the neighborhood that she lived in. Homesick, she thought of the school that all of her friends go to and the health clinic that Ichigo lives in. Then her mind drifted to the bakery down the street where Ichigo lived, the one with the red bean buns.

“Buhhhuuurrp” her stomach bellowed unexpectedly as she bent over in agony. The thought of their smooth texture and the warm creamy filling of the bun, bursting with flavor, caused her mouth to water. Her stomach talked to her again, only louder this time. Frustrated she screamed, “I’ll never get to have red bean bun jelly casserole again!”

Unexpectedly she heard voices all around her. Orihime looked around, frantically trying to pinpoint where they were located, when it became clear “...red bean bun jelly casserole again!...again...again!”

The land started to shake all around her and she felt the snow sliding past her feet. Shaking with fear Orihime turned around to see a giant wall of snow rushing toward her. “Oh no.” she gasped. She began to sprint against a wall of white death that was dangerously approaching closer and closer. “Santen Kessun, I reject!” her scream being drawn out over the thunder of the snow quickly rushing after her.

The hairpins on her head glowed and separated into a shield that covered her back as she ran for her life. However this was not good enough. The force of the white wall was so great that it pushed her back into the Santan Kessun, forcing Orihime to ride the snow wave uncontrollably. The landscape around her became lost with snow and it was starting to spill over her head in hard clumps.

Then there was a momentary hint of blue sky, the light was enough to reveal a flash of diamonds sprinkling across the tundra, oddly distorting it by its snowy barrage.

All of the sudden everything became clear and quiet, almost peaceful, until she realized she was falling. The avalanche had thrown her off one of the mountains, with no view of the ground. Orihime clutched her shield, completely terrified, forcing the shield on her belly with panic. Closing her eyes she waited for impact, not expecting to survive. The ground was upon her, but the kiss was not as lethal as expected. However, the force from hitting the ground had thrown Orihime in the air and off of her Santan Kessun. Painfully hitting the ground, the touch of the snow against her skin was unforgivable. She continued to tumble down the slope at a dangerous speed, bruising her body. The Santan Kessun was desperately trying to catch up but Orihime crashed on to a boulder hidden in the snow, and tumbled down straight into a crevasse.

Falling again... she thought to herself, her body descending into the darkness. When she found herself at the bottom of the cave she looked up to see a face of a troll glaring right at her. She gasped, then she saw nothing.