[BitP:R] Soul Society 2

[tgva8889]

"To talk to Hannibal. Also, his sword back, but that problem resolved itself, it seems."

"Yeah, well, I would like many things I can't have. What reason does he have for needing to speak to Hannibal?"

[horngeek]

"I don't know."

[Frozen_Feet]

[Zaraki District]

"Thank you for your help, Sir! I'll contact you if anything comes up!" With those words, the mage speeds away with Shunpo, following the snaking and ill-maintained pathways of Zaraki to the direction Soushi pointed, unaware that it was his comrade's murderer he just thanked...

[Kuroimaken]

[Zaraki district]

In the meantime, Soushi pondered exactly what to do with the newfound information. All he had to do was open a Senkaimon. No easier task in mind. While he was still bothered that someone knew who he really was, at least that someone wasn't about to snitch on him.

And indeed, might even prove to be an ally.

Ah, what the hell. Maybe I'll even get to have some fun. And that DOES fall in line with my other plan to use dear, dear Hannibal...

But it was still a good amount of time until that would take place. What was it about the cemetery of Phoenix Town that made it of particular importance to... whoever it could be? Most pluses didn't focus on cemeteries, or even Hollows...

"Research time."

[KnightDisciple]

"Well, for the time being, looking into armor would be a good way to go. One of Sazanou's forms is a pair of gauntlets and boots, I could use them in a pinch. Perhaps there's something I could eat to naturally increase my bone density.

I appreciate that you take the time to help me like this, Masaru-san. I know full well that at first brush I'm hardly different from some of my more boorish squadmates."

Masaru nodded with a slight smile.

"Inventiveness. Good. That will serve you well.

As for 11th...suffice to say, I'm always willing to believe in exceptions to rules, as it were."

The Captain stood, nodding his head to the Officer as he turned to go.

"May your recovery be swift, Officer."

With that, he was gone.

[KerfuffleMach2]

[4th division recovery ward]



"Thank you, Sietka-kun. If you've concluded my check-up, you can go now. I look forward to..."

Oooh! I know! You should ask her out!

Hachirou does his best to hide the angry tick above his right eye. "... working with you in the future. Have a nice evening." He then turns to the hell butterfly and begins dictating his message to it.

Alysha gives him a warm smile. You too, Hachirou! I'll probably be back in a day or two to check on you. She gives a short bow, and leaves the room.

She walks down the halls towards Kyou's room. She has to check on her next.

[tgva8889]

"I don't know."

"Well, he'll need a much better reason than 'just because I feel like it.' Hannibal is quite indisposed at the moment."

[horngeek]

Natsuko looks at Taiki. "You'll have to ask him why..."

[Dorizzit]

4th Division
Medical Center

Unfortunately, it seems that solitude is not in Hachirou's future any time soon. Almost as soon as Alysha leaves to go check on other patients, yet another visitor enters the room, Thirteenth Division Unseated Allan Crossdale. He doesn't look like himself; the usual spring is gone from his step, and his eyes have a pained look to them that they've never had before. He enters and is quiet for a few seconds before speaking.

"Hachirou? How are you doing?"

[Frozen_Feet]

Hachirou blinks. Allan's miserable bearing is like a series of discordant notes or scratch of a broken record amidst his favorite song. "Crossdale-kun? Nice to see you're back in one piece. What's the problem? You look like your house just burned down."

[tgva8889]

Natsuko looks at Taiki. "You'll have to ask him why..."

"Maybe I will. Seems odd that he'd want to visit one of the deadliest Shinigami in Soul Society without a sword."

[Dorizzit]

Hachirou blinks. Allan's miserable bearing is like a series of discordant notes or scratch of a broken record amidst his favorite song. "Crossdale-kun? Nice to see you're back in one piece. What's the problem? You look like your house just burned down."

Rather than answer verbally, Allan simply reaches down to his waist, wrapping one hand around the hilt of his sword. In a simple motion, neither particularly fast nor unusually slow, he draws the blade from its sheath, until it abruptly terminates in a jagged, broken edge. He smiles without humor.

"Not all in one piece."

With a small sigh, he sheathes his broken Zanpakuto once more.

"How about you? Are you recovering alright?"

[horngeek]

Natsuko shrugs. "Yeah, it is a bit... not that he'd be able to bring in a sword anyway."

She chuckles.

[Frozen_Feet]

[4th Division recovery ward]

Oh, lookie! Now he's just like you!

Hachirou furrows his brow at sight of Allan's broken zanpakuto. "Eh, I'll be here for a few days." In truth, he's gettin pretty tired of that particular question. "I'm trying to get Shiaki-san from 6th to fill in for me... I trust you remember him?"

I mean, isn't that cute? He's even got the same gloomy attitude! He's finally realizing your worth as a role model!

Hachirou does his best to ignore Jin's cheers as he examines Allan's defeated visage. "You know, it's just a sword. It'll fix itself once you get your energy back", he tries to console him. "At least you're alive and on your own two feet. I sincerely hope the same can be said of Yama-san. It isn't like you to be this downbeat. Care to tell me what happened, Crossdale-kun?"

[Dorizzit]

[4th Division]
Recovery Ward

Allan nodded at Hachirou's answer to his question.

"Yeah, I remember. He was pretty cool."

He remains silent as Hachirou continues, then nods again, this time more slowly.

"Yeah, I know it could've been a lot worse, pain wise, at least. Once you've been vivisected, everything else just kind of pales by comparison." he pauses for a moment before continuing. "Yama is fine, as far as I know. I've been trying to avoid him. He got pretty ticked at me during the fight, because...well...I'll start at the beginning, I don't know how much you saw. I got into a fight with Elder, who stole my Zanpakuto pretty early on. I was doing alright, but I wasn't making any progress. Akio came in and told me to back off, but I told him that I wouldn't until I got my Zanpakuto back. Anyway, long story short, Elder ended up getting too enthusiastic with my sword and...yeah."

He motions at his sword.

"Here I am now, which brings me to my current problem. My power is fully back. This thing isn't repairing itself."

[tgva8889]

"I suppose having a sword wouldn't help him a bit. Thus why the rules exist." Taiki doesn't find the comment all that amusing. "In any case, have him come to my office. Otherwise I'll just raise security and put up patrols. No one wants to 'visit' Hannibal. They want something from him."

[horngeek]

Natsuko nods. "All right.

..."

[tgva8889]

"...what?" Taiki turns to her.

[horngeek]

"Just thinking that 13th is currently... well, I'm in no shape to make snap decisions, and with Karite suspended..."

[HirokatsuGoto]

Spoiler

Show

Sigint smiled instinctively in return, even though it isn't that visible beneath the mask. "Nothing that Kiku-taichou hasn't already heard. Thank you for asking, though."

In his mind, a whisper arrives. Perhaps it would be prudent, Sigint, to seek a union with this man. He has the same goals as you, and it could help beat back anything that may seek to harm Soul Society.
...Perhaps you are right.

To everybody else, Sigint appears to look off, then after a while nod in agreement with something. He then turns to Hirokatsu. "How has the 9th been, so far?"

[9th Division Barracks] (front porch)

Hirokatsu nods and gently closes his eyes as he realizes he can not read the facial reactions of the 2nd Division and Onmitsukido member under his mask. Knowing whatever would be gleaned must come from conversation he then turned and looked (eyes closed) in the direction of the front courtyard of the 9th Division Barracks, regripping his umbrella with both hands lightly.

Hirokatsu noticed the slightly odd interval before Sigint spoke again and his unusaul nod to himself, but thought little of it, other than that the man was deep in thought, that and he obviously had something else on his mind. Once the man spoke again with such a casual question this only confirmed that this man was in the mood to talk, and Hirokatsu was never one to pass up an opportunity for intelligence and knowledge, especially with a member of a clandestine organization. He would have to be careful knowing this man was in the same line of business as the 9th Division however.

Turning and opening his eyes to him very slightly he would respond softly, somewhat perplexed with his oddly informed question. Hirokatsu had been the Vice Captain of 9th Division for some years, but he would indulge the man's question. His tone was clear and almost upbeat, so as to invite a less guarded conversation hopefully.

"Thank you for asking Kageen-san" bows his head slightly in respect"I am quite pleased with it...we are a small division, but we work hard and are quite efficient. The Captain is insightful and treats myself and the division with respect. I enjoy the trust and respect she has in me to allow me to train the division members with some freedom, especially in regards to paperwork and documentation. As she is not one for paperwork, and I am, it does make for keeping the division from falling behind on paperwork much easier."

He would then pause and ask the man "And how does your work go?" pausing for a few moments "I hope you do not mind me asking about the Onmitsukido or the 2nd Division...we are all on the same 'team' right?" he then would smile very lightly and nod to the man. This man was probably less familiar with his lack of smiling at all, but he felt the sentiment was clear regardless.

[tgva8889]

"Just thinking that 13th is currently... well, I'm in no shape to make snap decisions, and with Karite suspended..."

"Do you have someone who can manage it right now? There must be someone."

[horngeek]

"Well, the 3rd Seat's currently managing the division... but still."

[tgva8889]

Taiki nods. "I'd be worried in your situation, too. What a time for the VC to be getting suspended...I oughta smack Karite upside the head." He smiles at the thought. "Things will work out. If anything comes up, the Commander-General or Central 46 will be able to settle the issue. You chose your 3rd Seat expecting that they would be able to handle the division until the Vice Captain and Captain could return to duty. Trust your own judgment."

[horngeek]

Natsuko nods. "Yeah... I know.

Well, at least the Hayashi House is running smoothly."

[InyutheBeatIs]

Spoiler

Show

[9th Division Barracks] (front porch)

Hirokatsu nods and gently closes his eyes as he realizes he can not read the facial reactions of the 2nd Division and Onmitsukido member under his mask. Knowing whatever would be gleaned must come from conversation he then turned and looked (eyes closed) in the direction of the front courtyard of the 9th Division Barracks, regripping his umbrella with both hands lightly.

Hirokatsu noticed the slightly odd interval before Sigint spoke again and his unusaul nod to himself, but thought little of it, other than that the man was deep in thought, that and he obviously had something else on his mind. Once the man spoke again with such a casual question this only confirmed that this man was in the mood to talk, and Hirokatsu was never one to pass up an opportunity for intelligence and knowledge, especially with a member of a clandestine organization. He would have to be careful knowing this man was in the same line of business as the 9th Division however.

Turning and opening his eyes to him very slightly he would respond softly, somewhat perplexed with his oddly informed question. Hirokatsu had been the Vice Captain of 9th Division for some years, but he would indulge the man's question. His tone was clear and almost upbeat, so as to invite a less guarded conversation hopefully.

"Thank you for asking Kageen-san" bows his head slightly in respect"I am quite pleased with it...we are a small division, but we work hard and are quite efficient. The Captain is insightful and treats myself and the division with respect. I enjoy the trust and respect she has in me to allow me to train the division members with some freedom, especially in regards to paperwork and documentation. As she is not one for paperwork, and I am, it does make for keeping the division from falling behind on paperwork much easier."

He would then pause and ask the man "And how does your work go?" pausing for a few moments "I hope you do not mind me asking about the Onmitsukido or the 2nd Division...we are all on the same 'team' right?" he then would smile very lightly and nod to the man. This man was probably less familiar with his lack of smiling at all, but he felt the sentiment was clear regardless.

Sigint listens with interest. "That is good to hear."

And then, Hirokatsu asked how his work was going. "Well, I was under the impression that the Onmitsukido was meant to be more secretive than the rest of the Gotei 13, but I suppose a man of your position would be privy to such knowledge. So no, I don't mind."

"My work is going rather well, if a bit uneventful. The Captain and Vice-captain are well, the operations are running smoothly, and I've been able to go through paperwork without much problem."

Sigint then looks off into the distance for a moment, before looking back to the Vice-captain by his side. "So, anything particularly eventful happen recently? Aside from Karite-fukutaichou's odd behavior."

[tgva8889]

Natsuko nods. "Yeah... I know.

Well, at least the Hayashi House is running smoothly."

"Well, you do a good job managing, and I can help in that respect." Taiki smiles. "It is as close to family as I have."

[horngeek]

Natsuko smiles at him. "Maybe because we are?"

[tgva8889]

"True, true. Not by blood, though. Some nobles might have a problem with me as head of a household I don't have blood ties to."

[horngeek]

"Well, I'm the head of the household... but the Hayashi house has never taken that view. We're fortunate, but we're not inherently superior to commoners."

[tgva8889]

"Well...I support the head in her capacity when she's unable to perform all the necessary duties." Taiki smiles.