Saki had lead Ai to her private quarters just about three corridors and two turnings from the dining hall; she even had her own garden. It was a very well kept little garden; you could tell Saki obviously put time and care into her gardening, leaving Ai to wonder when the older woman had the time considering her busy schedule.

There was a cobble stone path the cut the cute garden in two, it lead to the middle where there was a round pond, with three big koi fish swimming around, and even a few frogs and other small goldfish. The pond had stone bricks surrounding the edge, giving it a neat and finished look. The grass was a vivid green, and looked luscious from frequent watering. There was a single sakura tree just off to the right at the beginning of the garden, and beneath it sat a wooden table with two chairs already positioned.

Saki had made tea for them both before leading into the garden, and she set the tray down on the table, waiting for Ai to sit, and she then poured them both a cup of peppermint green tea. Ai looked at the pottery closely, and if she was not mistaken the tea pot and cups were the best china.

Saki sat down on the other side of the table, closest to the tree, and took a sip of her tea, Ai following suit.

Ai sighed softly, she loved green tea, and peppermint was her favourite.

"Nothing like a cup of peppermint tea to soothe your mind, is there?"

Ai glanced at Saki at her question, she assumed it to be rhetorical, and the brunette was sat with a serene smile on her perfect features, her sky blue eyes looking up at that which they replicate.

"I am impressed with your garden, Saki," she commented, not knowing how to broach the subject of Saki's past.

Saki looked back at Ai, who had turned her attention back to the pond, watching the mid-morning sun reflect off the water in ripples, as the koi swam with vigour.

"Thank you, Ai, it does take a lot of my attention though, it happens to be the only thing that has kept my attention for all of these centuries," she said warmly, finishing with an amused chuckle.

Ai's perfectly cold face managed to crack a small smile at Saki's words, and it warmed Saki's heart greatly. She had never seen such a pure and sincere expression upon the young shinigami's features in all the years she had known her.

It disappeared as quickly as it appeared, only to be replaced by her cold façade once again.

"But to admire your garden, as beautiful as it is, is not why have asked to see you, Saki," she paused, and Saki waited patiently.

Ai took another sip of her tea, suddenly feeling her mouth go dry. She had no idea why, but unexpectedly she began feeling nervous about what she wanted to ask Saki. To ask about her past, a subject she had never tried to broach with the older woman. Particularly because to talk about the past and her mother with her father was something she avoided relentlessly. She knew it hurt her father when he spoke of Yumi, her departing shook the very core of the Seireitei and everyone who knew her were fraught with grief.

She supposed this feeling of nervousness to speak about when Saki had been at the academy stemmed from her undying endeavour to not discuss her mother to anyone at all.

She swallowed her anxiety and decided to just bite the bullet.

"Saki… I wanted to ask about when you were at Shino Academy…" she spoke in a measured tone, choosing her words carefully.

Her emerald eyes locked with Saki's topaz ones, and Saki, "What about my time there would you like to know?" She asked, although she could guess.

"Well… Maybe if you start from the beginning?"

Saki's smile softened at the memory, "I met Shunsui first, he was in all of my classes, and at first he struck me as a lazy ass, who only wanted to go out drinking and get all the girls," she paused, laughing at her memories, Ai smiled, "But then I wasn't so different from him, of course I was better at separating my work from fun, and I studied vigorously, but we hit it off before we even got to our first class…"

The next chapter will be various flashbacks of Saki's time at Shino Academy, and her journey with her friends as they become shinigami! I hope you look forward, I am having so much fun writing it, I can't wait for you all to read it! :) Please someone review? *puppy dog eyes*