New Member
IS OFFLINE
Years Old
Male
Male
“The impossible becomes possible if only your mind believes it.”
1,718 POSTS & 0 LIKES
|
Post by Mallach Dirson on Jul 21, 2012 15:53:40 GMT -8
[bgcolor=00000]It was too late to pull back now, Malik knew it and he would be soon paying the price, though not without a benefit of his own. His legs would shoot out true, his feet continuing on course to slam into the front of Kurisuna's knees. As a result however, Malik took the blade of his female counterpart across his calf.
Her slicing motion plus the momentum of his kick made the injury all that much worse as the zanpakuto tore through skin and muscle, followed by the cascade of bright red blood. He cried out as the sharp pain shot up through his body but this did not halt him in anyway from going through with his agenda.
Unless she suddenly found a missing spring in her step, Kurisuna was going to topple over and if his theory on gravity was friction was correct, she would come down atop him, sword and all. So, he was ready to react with a fist wrapped around a sword hilt, his right one to be precise. He would wait until she was almost on top of him and then swing with everything he had to punch her square in the jaw.
No, it wasn't the gentleman-thingy to do. No, it wasn't very civilized. However it was in his belief that this would be the finisher. And if anything less, he was about to break a few fingers a knuckle or two and perhaps his entire hand in the attempt to end this quickly.
As if things had been going his way thus far.
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Aug 9, 2012 4:11:52 GMT -8
The blade canted naturally in her hands as his leg squandered outward, splurging in the blood that had been taken so frequently for granted and now saturated his shihakushou a darker shade of almost indiscernible red. In the moments prior to foot striking knee, she could see every elaborate strand of immaculate tissue part under her blade, feel the flesh depress ever so slightly as the cold steel carved a most exquisite gash across his calf.
Butterflies manifested in her stomach and flitted on gossamer wings, torn between pangs of both relief and apprehension; she'd cut him, had imparted upon his wound all her furor, sliced, split, and pierced the whole way as the sole of his foot connected with the joint. That instant, Kurisuna was baffled, from adopting a routine defensive stance to stooping on a single throbbing knee, her sword angled downward and stabbed through her friend's leg, committed to that final blow--this wasn't routine.
What remained of the demented smile that had rent her features faded entirely, and established in its stead an expression of panic, of dread; the fresh, pulsating pain of her knee was a delight that simply did not register against the magnitude of her fear. What was she afraid of? At first, she thought it was the severity of the injury, the blood draining from the confines of his circulation. But this had never frightened her before, and she realized her apprehension had never concerned the wound, or the liquid pooling ruby red on her neatly trimmed lawn: it addressed something darker, her willingness to maim his leg, the rapture of doing so.
She fell back, cupping the side of her head with a clammy hand, gaze incapable of focusing, let alone look at Malik.
|
|
Administrator
USER IS OFFLINE
Years Old
Female
2,239 POSTS & 0 LIKES
|
Post by zoi on Aug 9, 2012 9:21:38 GMT -8
[bgcolor=555555] "My, my. What do we have here?"
The words wafted over the scene, carrying their whimsical tone to the combatants who were relatively indisposed upon the ground with their various injuries that did not all reside within the physical realm. The voice belonged to none other than Natsukoi Sumie, whom stood in the opening of the wall that Kiba had so kindly rendered with his own frame. Two thick leather folders were clasped in her arms from which the loose sleeves of her shihakushou dangled downward for several inches about her elbows. As Sumie stepped out from the impromptu door, she angled her head forward so that she could properly see the ground before her in order to avoid any clubfooted mishaps, causing the brown tresses of her loose fringe to cascade over her features, barring them momentarily from those before her.
Soon enough however, Sumie had cleared the miniature obstacle course and her head raise allowing her to properly survey her surroundings which still included small remnants the fish fare and Kiba's stained haori. It was not these landmarks which held the Fukutaichou's gaze, but that of the two Taichou in their disheveled states. Sumie was not alone in the appraisal as two unseated men of the Third Division had followed her out from the building. It was they who had summoned her after the fish fiasco, sensing that troubled waters might give way to a storm, and so it had.
"Certainly it is not my place outside of a meeting to tell a Taichou how to behave as I am not a member of our dedicated inner defense, but perhaps unrestrained spars, though they are technically by law allowed, would be more appropriate in an area designated for such."
A clearing in which one took lunch with companions so near to a building was typically not suited for combat, especially between what were considered elite members of a military organization. Sumie's features were both mirthful and melancholy at the same time as she tried to lightheartedly chide the captains; for those that did not know the woman well, which were many as her own affairs were hardly a matter of public knowledge despite her own quest for information and companionship, such a combination could easily be taken for mockery or that the Lieutenant was being condescending. As simply as it could be described, Sumie was conflicted and no master of concealing deep emotion. She wanted to portray mirth to ease the tension of the situation, but there was a sweet sadness of concern for Kurisuna's well being beyond bodily marks that colored it.
"Gentlemen," Sumie said, now addressing those whom accompanied her. "Please escort the Soutaichou to the Second Division. I will be along with Kurisuna-Taichou shortly." Sumie let her earthen gaze fall solely to Kurisuna as she mentioned the older woman in her orders. There too, did emotion go unconcealed. The tired lines beneath her eyes deepened as she searched Kurisuna's figure and face, seeking something that signaled that the woman would pull through this incident without going deeper down into the dark abyss which Sumie's message had created so many years ago.
|
|
New Member
IS OFFLINE
Years Old
Male
Male
“The impossible becomes possible if only your mind believes it.”
1,718 POSTS & 0 LIKES
|
Post by Mallach Dirson on Aug 10, 2012 13:37:25 GMT -8
[bgcolor=000000]What a sight he must have been as he flailed wildly in the air at nothing before falling unto the flat of his back panting wildly, leg pulsating with pain. Releasing his hold upon his weapons he gripped the wound and tried to hold it closed as much as he could. He knew he was out of the fight. Taking his eyes off his own wound, he cast his vision upon Kurisuna and knew too, that she was out as well.
For an entirely different reason.
"Dear spirits.." He watched in agony as his older friend (although she seldom acted like it anymore) have what appeared to be a fit. And that is when she arrived on the scene, and not a moment too soon. Well actually she could have shown up a moment sooner, it might have saved him this nasty gash upon his leg.
"Natsukoi-Fukutaicho!" He managed with a smile catching the aura of her words all too quickly. Considering the lose of blood from his leg he still managed to blush ever so slightly. "I'm terribly sorry. I've seemed to gotten myself a rather nasty cut and I appear to be making a mess upon your grounds."
The offer of help did not go unnoticed and after he made sure his weapons were slipped into their homes safely at his hips first, he graciously accepted it. Shooting Sumie a grateful smile, he gave her a knowing nod of understanding. "Take care of her, and make sure she visits the Second Division as well. If anything, to see me. I wish to apologize for the mess I've made, and for the knee."
And just like that he was half carried, half walked out of the garden. Sure he was in a lot of pain but he insisted on walking as much as he could all the same, not to mention speaking with each of his helpers names, thanking them each in kind and demanding that he send them thank you baskets. You know the ones with fruits and flowers, cheeses and sake. Well, wine usually but he figured this lot would much prefer sake. And then it hit him.
Oh god, Chie was going to find out about this awfully quick. Not to mention Mai. He paled a little at the thought, he was certain he was in for a few lectures.
[exit]
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Aug 12, 2012 10:23:58 GMT -8
Kurisuna noticeably stiffened at the sound of Sumie's voice and the muffled footfalls of nondescript Unseated, so overwrought with the additional shame of being exposed as she laid there, stunned, that her face burned red with embarrassment, and a rising, ambient pressure, not unlike the sort that precedes and accompanies a thunderstorm, bore down at the sternum. She was on tenterhooks, awaiting the trace of disappointment in her tone.
As with Malik, she didn't dare look at Sumie, either. Oh, she'd turned her head and glimpsed the heavy-hearted concern so unmistakable in the woman's gaze, but that was, perhaps, even worse than confirming how she had let her down. Her hand dropped to her ankle as she watched pairs of feet assist the Soutaichou onto his own, paying particular attention to the finite trail of blood that followed him, rubies on an emerald canvas. His back turned to her, she mustered the will to speak, but failed to utter more than a plaintive, apologetic cry, and suddenly hated herself over having expressed it at all; despite efforts for the contrary, tears welled up in her eyes, fortifying her resolve not to glance anyone's way.
|
|
Administrator
USER IS OFFLINE
Years Old
Female
2,239 POSTS & 0 LIKES
|
Post by zoi on Aug 12, 2012 17:38:05 GMT -8
[bgcolor=555555] The two unseated were quite capable in escorting people to the Second Division; they often aided her in similar incidents or when Kiba met something harder than his own head. They would be sure to escort the Soutaichou safely and efficiently to the hands of the healers before reporting back to Sumie. The Third Division was in charge of information after all and Sumie recorded everything she could get her hands on, often complete with drawings; perhaps there would be a new comic of Malik floating around shortly. Regardless of any future plans the Fukutaichou had for the image caught so perfectly within her mind for what was essentially forever, Sumie bid the Soutaichou farewell with a nod of her head and a reflected smile for a brief moment she spared from surveying Kurisuna.
When the footsteps had faded into the background of the building behind her, Sumie strode forward, careful to avoid stepping in the trail the white haired captain had left behind; the scene would need cleaned soon and Sumie did not want to track the mess about where it might not be spotted as Kurisuna did not need any reminders of the incident hiding in the grass for her to find when she was alone as she often tried to be. The folders she carried, which contained paperwork and records for both the Third and Fourth Divisions, were set gently on the ground to Sumie's left as she knelt in the grass before Kurisuna. She reached forward with her right hand which sought purchase with the palm onto the red head's brow.
"The heat is too much for you at this time of day, Saikokui-Taichou," she remarked amiably into the air. It was a similar statement which would find its way into what Sumie would record about the incident for public record, even if it was not what would go in her private collection, and she would adamantly repeat the reasoning should Malik or any other question what had prompted Kurisuna to behave as such. "These outside lunches aren't the best for you. I'll have a talk with Tanaka-Taichou about having them bi-monthly and indoors from now on."
Though Kurisuna refused to meet Sumie's eyes, Sumie's gaze stayed upon the woman even as she removed her hand from her forehead. The physical contact would not remain broken long though for Sumie went to gingerly press upon the knee which Malik had sought to dislocate, though someone of such low physical strength would likely have had a very difficult time doing just that from the position he had been in. Still, the probability that the joint was sore was there, so Sumie attempted the inspection as gently as she could manage.
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Aug 12, 2012 23:13:54 GMT -8
It was said that lightning, an unpredictable fact of nature, never struck the same place twice; this, as it happens, is false. The reality is that the occurrences happen so infrequently that it can be difficult to predict it happening again. Kiba was not lightning, and so tended to be considerably more predictable: therefor, if anybody were to suppose that Kiba had gone to his workshop to discover he had a fairly sizable amount of spare wood, it wouldn't be very difficult for them to accurately presume he would do as he had promised much sooner than he'd promised to.
"Kukuka-Taichoo, wonderful news! I have everything I need to fix your wall today!" The Taicho cried, his face split by a massive grin as he shoved his way through his hole in the wall. "Guess I shouldn't have left those fish laying about; looks like you and Tanaka-Taicho got hurt trying to put them down!"
His laugh was good-natured enough as the strong Taicho turned to his woodpile, humming as he took up a hammer that had fortunately not fallen into the center of the pile; he had to root a bit for some of the nails which had managed to lose themselves in the grass, but not big deal! Kiba had all the time in the world.
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Aug 14, 2012 9:27:16 GMT -8
"All the time in the world"? Unfortunately for the Yonbantai-Taichou, this was not the case, as the man's fukutaichou, Fudari Shigeo, cast a large shadow over the would-be carpenter, having arrived at the chaotic scene some moments ago. Frowning slightly, the fair-haired giant looked down at his superior, brows raised in a questioning manner. "I was told I might find you here, Shuchiku-Taichou," he began, pulling free a sheaf of papers tucked within his kosode and giving them a brief wave. "There are several reports here that require your attention."
Particular emphasis was put upon the pronoun; it seemed to Shigeo as though much of the work that was meant to be performed by his Taichou somehow ended up on his own, already full workload. Shigeo suspected this was not an accident; it would seem, giving his over-eager Taichou's position -- rooting about in the grass for nails, hammer in hand, and inane grin plastered across his face -- his suspicions were confirmed. "If you would take a look at these, sir...?"
Shigeo's clipped tone vanished, his words trailing off as he finally took his attentions off of his errant leader and took in the large pool of blood, staining the green grass a sticky crimson, and the trail of droplets leading into the division headquarters; a short distance away, his former mentor (and friend...that, too), Kurisuna, stood with her fukutaichou. His uneasiness grew even more, a heavy knot seeming to form in his stomach. "...Excuse me a moment, Shuchiku-Taichou," he muttered, beginning to move towards the Sanbantai-Taichou without waiting for his own's permission.
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Aug 14, 2012 11:23:17 GMT -8
Kurisuna tore her gaze from Malik and his escort as the Soutaichou was expeditiously guided toward the neighboring division, away from the ill-equipped splendor of her own. He hadn't seemed the part, but she was convinced he hated her for it, despised her for the bitterness she had greeted him with, the years of contempt and indifference. Why had he, Shigeo, and select others tolerated her for so long? Not that it mattered now; she'd gone too far. The leg was nothing—he'd surely recover from those wounds. But in her stupor, she'd possessed half a mind to take it up a notch, to breach the fine line between spar and fight or flight combat, and the even finer one of life and death.
Thoughts streaked through her reeling mind, all dangerous. By now her fear had subsided, brief as it'd been. The emotion had served its purpose. She'd stopped, hadn't she? But some all-important question loomed at the back of her head, encroaching, dark and forbidden, the kind that gnaws at you insidiously until an answer is procured.
She did not push Sumie away like she would've any other, allowing the woman to put palm to brow in order to check the temperature of her forehead. Heat? Ah, that's right. The sun was still up, beating down oppressively on her stationary self. The sushi was probably warm by now, but most would've gone uneaten anyway. Thumb and forefinger rose to delicately massage the tears from her eyes, lest anyone find out she'd been on the verge of crying; Sumie may, due to her proximity, but no one else was touching her. She wouldn't let them.
''Don't.'' Finally. Coherence. ''Don't talk to him. Please.'' She didn't want her Lieutenant discussing the incident with him. Not alone. She'd go to the 2nd (didn't want to), and she'd address what had happened on her own, for better or for worse. Kurisuna couldn't really see herself apologizing. She didn't want to repeat the pitiful yelp of just a minute ago. But she had to play the part of someone ruing her actions, if only to pacify Malik and company.
''My knee's fine, really,'' she breathed alongside a weary sigh as Sumie pressed it, doling out a succession of painful throbs. Turns out, it was nowhere near as upsetting as the din of Kiba's voice, which was, at the very least currently, as pleasant as nails clawing at a chalk board. Perhaps that was what it sounded like to her as Kurisuna dipped forward and covered her ears (she really couldn't deal with him right now), hissing urgently, ''Just get him out of my division!''
|
|
Administrator
USER IS OFFLINE
Years Old
Female
2,239 POSTS & 0 LIKES
|
Post by zoi on Aug 15, 2012 9:32:50 GMT -8
[bgcolor=555555] Sumie had known that Kiba would be back even without having heard his claim to fix the hole he had created; he came to the Third Division several times a day, whether it was to sneak his personal books onto the shelf or to give the female Fukutaichou the paperwork that his own had given back to the captain, which was likely what would happen now as Shigeo shadowed his taichou with papers in hand. Sumie sighed and withdrew her own hand from Kurisuna's knee so that she could rise from her crouch to full height before Kurisuna made her demand for Kiba's removal.
Unlike Kiba's appearance, Kurisuna's adamant request did surprise Sumie, at least that regarding Kiba as she had known Kurisuna would not want her to speak to Malik out of her residual pride. Yes, the woman was often uncooperative, distant, and unfortunately, unstable, but she had generally not raised a fuss about Sumie's childhood friend spending time within the Third; not so harshly, anyways. After all, many Shinigami did frequent their division as the Third boasted the library which contained many useful resources for the guardians of Seireitei. Granted, not all of the visitors were known to occasionally burst through walls, but Kiba was always true to his word and fixed what he broke.
The younger woman's feelings were reflected on her face for a few seconds in the form of a quirked brow and a slight downturn at the corners of her lips, but her expression did not stay that way for too long. Sumie's features gravitated to a more pleasant countenance as she directed her attention to the oncoming Fukutaicho of the Fourth Division. "Shigemitsu-san, please don't tread on the grass; you really don't want to know what's been there recently! That goes for you too, Kiba," Sumie chided merrily. "I need to escort Saikokui-Taichou to the Second Division, so I'm going to have to ask you both to leave for the time being; the Third Division will be temporarily unavailable to guests while we're both away."
It would be easier to put the division on a light lockdown while away. People nosing around could get messy quick. Especially if Kiba was wandering about. The grounds needed cleaned, incident reports by those who had seen what happened needed filed, and most importantly, rumors needed quashed before they leaked out. Sumie extended her hand to Kurisuna after she addressed the men to offer the woman help to rise from her seated position; they needed to get a move on if Sumie was to do her secondary job efficiently.
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Aug 17, 2012 13:49:25 GMT -8
At Sumie's statement that they needed to leave, Kiba's face scrunched up. There was an inner conflict occurring here; on the one hand, he really didn't want to be a bother to Sumie, and Kurisuna definitely looked like she needed to go. On the other... he had to fix a wall.
"But Sumie..." Kiba said after a few moments, turning from the lone board attached to the wall before him by one side, that side having two long nails driven deeply into it; he was quick, that Kiba. "If I leave now, the wall won't get fixed til tomorrow. Who knows what kinda bugs and stuff'll get inside if that happens?" Of course, an equally valid question could have been 'why didn't you think of that before headbutting the wall', but Kiba wasn't one to reflect pointlessly like that.
"Really shouldn't take more'n half an hour tops, less if my Fukutallcho helps!" Kiba lit up at the notion, not really thinking about the fact that he'd brought only one hammer; as he figured it, where there was a will, there was a way, and also probably some rocks. Rocks were notoriously hard to get rid of, and also hard, like hammers. These were all things he could probably get to work in his favor!
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Aug 18, 2012 6:57:46 GMT -8
News travel fast. Or so they say. News of what appeared to be about a giant hole in the wall and about the Soutaicho being helped off by members of her own division caught her interest. Who's you may ask? Tenba Gensou, the recently appointed Third Seat. Overhearing what could only be described as gossip between two chatterboxes about these events caught Gen's ears. Rather than asking, she decided an easier way to check the reliability of these news would be to actually go there.
Making her way there, she confirmed some of these news. There was indeed, a giant hole in the wall that made an easier path to the garden area of the division. She stuck her head out like a cat peeking out of a box, only to see that her superiors are out there. (beat)"what" would be her first thought. There they were, the Fukutaicho and the Taicho. Oh, and I guess some other guys were there too. One who could easily just stop Gen down like a bug, and the other that doesn't seem to be THAT monster-tall.
Now came the dilemma. Should she raise her voice? Yes? No? Maybe? I don't know. But she did, letting out a rather confused... "Is everything alright out he...re?". Bad mistake. Or so she thought. She felt as if she'd just stepped into a large cage full of tigers.
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Aug 20, 2012 9:30:24 GMT -8
Shigeo came to an abrupt halt at Sumie's pleasant, but firm warning, a frown tugging at the corners of his mouth; he was actually quite sure that, yes, he did wish to know what exactly dyed the grass such a color (and he was fairly certain he knew what it was), especially if it concerned Kurisuna. "...Natsukoi-san-" he began, thinking to protest, to persuade her to allow the towering male to investigate her Taichou more closely.
His concern seemed to evaporate, however, to be replaced by a sort of panic as his own superior spoke happily of enlisting Shigeo's aid in the tiresome, tedious task of rebuilding the devastated wall. The fukutaichou had duties to perform, real duties -- he had no time for play, as seemed to eternally be the case with Kiba. "...As you wish, Natsukoi-fukutaichou. Shuchiku-Taichou, we must heed the fukutaichou's words and leave, back to our own division; we do have work to do..." As he spoke these last words to his Taichou with something of an edge to them, Shigeo made to grab at his Taichou's sleeve, intent on dragging the excitable man out if he had to.
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Aug 20, 2012 12:00:54 GMT -8
It would've seemed, to anybody not accustomed to the dynamic and bustling ambiance of the 3rd division (these were, perhaps, not characteristics envisioned by new recruits), as if the incident had spawned a wealthy entourage of Shinigami, when this did not deviate from the norm in the slightest; being that Kiba seldom spent more hours per day within his division than her own, it was not rare for a pair of Taichou, two Fukutaichou, and a peeking 3rd seat to converge upon the same scene, though this was a noticeably less lighthearted occasion.
She eyed Shigeo detachedly as Sumie addressed him, a drawn, tired look to her face. As if she didn't know the Lieutenant, this stranger, who regarded her through the pained pinch of his visage. ''They all know what you've done; it's written all over their faces. After all, you are the reason the Soutaichou—no, I'm sorry, your friend—is being rushed to the 2nd.'' The meaningless task of replying to the disembodied voice stumped her, because he was correct, delighting in the accuracy of it all—even though there was one flaw. ''Instead of sitting prettily in the grass, take one good look at your arm. You know what you have to do.''
She did. Her life force had applied a tinge of red to the no longer unblemished haori, and drained down her skin in spindly rivulets. It was not a terrible wound. She could get away with treating it herself. Self-inflicted, she'd cut into the appendage after slicing Malik's own to ''even out'' their spar. And then she'd stabbed his leg.
Purpose gripped her as tight as the fingers coiled around the hilt of her bloody sword before she lifted it, tip slanted downward, primed to sink into her calf. She didn't deserve to accept Sumie's hand, but there was penance in the excavation of her leg.
|
|
Administrator
USER IS OFFLINE
Years Old
Female
2,239 POSTS & 0 LIKES
|
Post by zoi on Aug 20, 2012 12:36:25 GMT -8
[bgcolor=555555] Whatever Sumie's reaction to the other beings among the scene was to be had been delayed by a single soul. The extended hand of help became one of deflection as Sumie leaned her body weight into a motion designed to prevent Kurisuna from further injuring herself. She and the Taichou would be on par in strength as Sumie's fingers gripped the blade from the sides in a pinching motion and while Kurisuna had the advantage of downward momentum, Sumie was not seeking to fully stop her, but rather reroute the course into the dirt at the redhead's side, which is where Sumie's weight would play its part quite well, even if the captain offered sideways resistance in addition to the downward thrust. The action flowed as smoothly from Sumie as a natural reflex as did the words from her lips.
"Ah, of course. It is preferable to rely on one's zanpakuto as a crutch to rise in your situation and status. Forgive me, Saikokui-taichou, but at least allow me to stabilize the blade; its lacking its sheathe, you see, so it might sink deeper into the ground and cause you to stagger."
Hopefully the catastrophe had been avoided so Sumie allowed part of her attention to refocus on what laid beyond Kurisuna though her fingers stayed firmly locked on the blade in opposition to the captain should the need arise though Sumie would assist with stabilizing the crutch as promised. The scene had changed since Sumie had last laid eyes on it, though it had only been moments, if not seconds, ago. At least in the form of a new arrival. Sumie was fantastic with faces, but terrible with names so there was a short pause before she continued on.
"Gen-chan," the informal greeting slipped out finally. "Good timing! Please take these files back to my office in the library." Sumie motioned to the two thick folders she had carried out with her with her free hand. "Then inform the rest of the division that we are under a brief lock-down for clean up and maintenance while Saikokui-taichou and I are away and send runners to the First, Second, and Fifth Divisions with the information as well; as you can see, the Fourth is already aware."
All the while despite the circumstances of, for lack of a better word, babysitting, Kurisuna, Sumie remained as amiable in tone as possible, though every now and then the left corner of her mouth twitched back ever so slightly and a small throbbing had begun at both temples. Still, there were no grievous injuries yet or incident that could not be covered up, so Sumie's calm facade remained and perhaps even relaxed further as she addressed Kiba. "Just go back to the Fourth Division, Kiba," she said, all traces of formality gone, even the honorific she had bothered to use with Gen. "If it turns out that the hole needs emergency repairs, we'll contact the Fifth Division. Otherwise, I'll see you later." The last word fell away about as subtly as Shigeo's had.
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Aug 20, 2012 13:33:52 GMT -8
Kiba's gleefully lit face fell noticeably as not only his Fukutallcho, but Sumie as well began to speak to him in their 'no nonsense' voices. Shigeo often used that tone of voice, but Sumie only did when she was really tired of him, and that never did much for Kiba's mood. He hadn't seen the action Sumie took with Kurisuna's sword, what with his back to them, but he didn't need to; the way she spoke, justifying the action, said enough about it. Shortly after Sumie gave a little instruction to the girl poking her head through the hole Kiba had put in the wall, the Taicho's hand dropped the hammer it had been holding and instead took hold of the board from beneath, tearing the thing from the wall with a grunt.
"No point leaving this up, then. Somebody might bump their head." Kiba groused like a scolded child, dropping the board before pulling away from the giant Shigeo, shooting the taller man a telling look as he took several long steps toward the mound of still-flopping, now stinking fish surrounding a burlap sack; two good kicks to the piles of fish revealed a stained, filthy white cloth, which Kiba picked up with hardly a care for the mess that covered it.
When he turned again, Kiba again strode toward the hole in the wall, stopping before Shigeo long enough to reach up and slap the sopping wet haori atop the stack of papers. "Do me a favor and drop that off to be cleaned, would you? It seems I'm needed in my office."
And so the Taicho bowed his head as he approached the hole, not feeling the need to spread the size of the hole with his forehead; as he exited the scene, he held his right hand over his shoulder, waving it fleetingly; a so-long to Sumie for the day, though he imagined she'd be too busy dealing with Kurisuna to see it.
[Exit]
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Aug 20, 2012 14:12:06 GMT -8
Wait. Did this just happen? Like, really..
The events that transpired happened fast, Kurisuna attempting to stab herself but Sumie saving the day. It left Gen with a rather weird face expression, a mix of WHAT? and HUH? as she stepped out from the hanging position. However, it appeared Sumie had control of the situation.
"Gen-chan.", waitwhat? -chan? No time to dwell on that. Moving past the two other shinigami men, she walked up to Sumie as the orders were clear. Gensou made a little notepad in her head, "writing" these things down.
#1 Return the files given to you by Natsukoi-Fukutaicho to her office in the library. #2 Inform the division shinigamis that the Division is under a brief lock-down under reasons of clean-up and repairs. #3 Send runners to the First, Second and Fifth divisions about the brief lock-down.
"Y-Yes! Got it!", she girl answered with a slightly nervous reaction. As she accepted the papers from the Fukutaicho, she took a quick glance around, noticing the red parts of the grass. Ignoring the fact that Cap'n Kuri here just tried to stab herself, Gen just told herself that it was paint, and they were going to.. remodel the walls... by breaking holes in them.. or something... Yeah, that sounds reasonable.
"I'll go fix this then.", she nodded her head at Sumie and then at Kurisuna, however that nod seemed half-assed, as the girl backed at the same time as moving, making her way to the hole again and walking off to perform her duties. Slipping in through the hole again, Gen made it off to first announce the brief lock-down to the rest of the division, followed by handing three runners each a message for the First, Second and Fifth division..
OH! She also put the files from Sumie at the office at some point, abeit, later than intended.
[EXIT]
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Aug 21, 2012 9:40:00 GMT -8
If Shigeo had taken notice of Kurisuna's attempt at self-injury, he would have undoubtedly (and foolishly) acted to try and stop her, and things might have ended in pain for the concerned fukutaichou. Fortunately, the titan was still concerned with getting Kiba to cooperate, to bring the excitable, Quixotic Taichou's thoughts to bear on the stack of paperwork within Shigeo's grasp. Even as Sumie spoke, creating an excuse for Kurisuna's irrational actions, Shigeo was speaking over his comrade.
"Shuchiku-Taichou..." he began, exasperation ringing clear in his voice. "...Otherwise, I'll see you later." Sumie's words, spoken to Kiba during Shigeo's silence, were heard clearly by the fair-haired man, who struggled to suppress a triumphant smile. The look that Kiba shot his way quickly brought Shigeo back to solemnity, however, as he released the smaller man's sleeve and stepped back, bowing his head.
...Only to bring it back up, sputtering in surprise, as his Taichou slammed his filthy, smelly, wet haori into Shigeo's arms, scattering a number of the reports and pinning the rest -- certainly ruining the top few, the ink running so as to become illegible. "But, Shuchiku-Ta--!" the fukutaichou cried out in dismay, turning to follow his superior out of the gaping wound in the garden wall. He paused, then, spun, and bowed his head towards Sumie, Kurisuna, and the other member of the Third Division -- Gen, Sumie had called her? Shigeo did not recall seeing her before -- in a sort of farewell, before hurrying after his Taichou, protesting all the while.
[EXIT]
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Aug 21, 2012 14:28:08 GMT -8
There came a brief, miserable moment, after her sword had deviated from its path and mutinously embedded itself into the soil, where Kurisuna looked at Sumie as if the latter had committed nothing short of treason in the process of stopping her hand. Couldn't she see that she wanted this? That there was no use in protecting her, even from the prying eyes of everybody, when it would only be delaying the inevitable?
Kurisuna sharpened her mind in one of those rare instances of clarity. No, she was being selfish. The hopeless, disappointed look on her face melted away as she realized the downward thrust would've tarnished more than just her leg, receding into a grim frown that fixed Sumie as she issued her orders, as if the woman would suddenly relinquish her influence from her blade and let it pierce where it had Malik. She hadn't resisted, though.
Finally, after Gen, Shigeo, Kiba and several others had departed the scene, Kurisuna ripped her gaze from the Fukutaichou and made to stand. ''I don't really want to go,'' she decided. It occurred to her that she should have spoken earlier, before Gen had left... but she hadn't wanted to voice much of anything at all. ''I don't want them treating me...''
|
|
Administrator
USER IS OFFLINE
Years Old
Female
2,239 POSTS & 0 LIKES
|
Post by zoi on Aug 21, 2012 19:12:20 GMT -8
[bgcolor=555555] For a moment Sumie's frame seemed to sag and tire even though she encountered no resistance to her efforts; it was as if gravity had doubled her workload, placing all of the world's own pressure on her gently rounded shoulders, but even as those before her retreated away from the scene, life came back to her. It started with a breeze that swept over the division's walls and cascaded across the grounds, caressing over Sumie's body. The stray strands of hair which comprised the foremost of her mane stirred around her face, tickling her skin and causing her nose to twitch from the soft agitation.
It was the subtle jump start that the Fukutaichou needed to get back into the swing of things. Her posture straightened and her hand returned to her side though her expression was cautious as she turned back to Kurisuna. Even as she did that, Sumie was filing away the image of the others leaving, most notably Kiba. His disappointment had been obvious and Sumie felt as if she had sensed something else from her closest companion. Had it been frustration? Was he exhibiting the same, albeit more diluted, emotions that Kurisuna had regarding the other's presence and how Sumie had to handle it? Did that make it jealousy?
Sumie was unsure and could spare no time to fully consider the matter now. Kurisuna needed tended to and if she refused to go to the Second Division, it fell upon Sumie to take care of her, as it often, if not always, did. She would just have to make it up to Kiba later. Her shoulders threatened to droop once more in a subtle slant downward, but Sumie held her position. "Of course, Kurisuna-san," Sumie replied, slipping to a less formal method of addressing the captain now that they were away from prying eyes. Well, not exactly. They were still being watched by various members of the Third Division from within the newly renovated library, but Sumie and Kurisuna were far enough away that they would not catch the words which either spoke if their voices remained at a soft conversational level.
"Still, we should at least clean the wound on your wrist and get ice on your knee. Let me help you back to your office." Once more Sumie's hand extended as an offer of help to Kurisuna. As it always had, and perhaps, as it always would. Sumie's expression had gone through many changes over the past several minutes, but as she sought to give Kurisuna the assistance she needed, it settled into the usual gentle, concerned, but tired arrangement it took when dealing with the aftermath of incidents such as these ever since that day long ago.
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Aug 24, 2012 17:14:55 GMT -8
Seeing Sumie's extended hand, Kurisuna made one last attempt at standing through her own power, but her legs felt too heavy, too nonexistent beneath the mound of quivering flesh that was her (was it still bliss, or a soupçon of lingering anxiety?), as if an artist had forgotten to draft those limbs in his preliminary sketch. Except they were there, and taking the Lieutenant's hand into her own, she found herself eased unto her feet as gracefully as a blooming annual, the pain in her knee a distant sensation even as she rose.
It was welcome relief, standing unassisted. It restored a familiar and more characteristic order of confidence to the Taichou, who swept her blade in a ceremonial Chiburi before sheathing its length, as she was prone to do after every flourish. ''All right. Let's go.''
And it was like the incident with Malik had never occurred, if one had to compare her new-found composure (that was not quite what it was; there was an awful ambiguity about the half-smile on her face) with that of this morning. Her tongue no longer felt fat in her mouth, and her heart had ceased to beat irregularly. All that remained was a curious bittersweet aftertaste, a conflicting shift in perception that could either shrivel and die or establish a new set of ideals.
She looked back at Sumie, whom she owed so much still, and then walked in the direction of her office. Although it would've been shorter to go past the hole in the wall, she took a more conventional route; Shinigami parted out of respect, but a few shrunk back out of fear, and these she paid special attention to.
[Exit]
|
|
Administrator
USER IS OFFLINE
Years Old
Female
2,239 POSTS & 0 LIKES
|
Post by zoi on Aug 25, 2012 12:22:08 GMT -8
[bgcolor=555555] Sumie felt oddly aware of the pressure her own zanpakutou placed on her back where it was wedged between her frame and obi as Kurisuna flourished her blade. A tensing which she had not been all too aware of eased when the weapon was sheathed and Sumie allowed herself to fall into step behind Kurisuna as the taller woman marched back into the division. Sumie would tend to the injuries of the captain and make sure she was stable, at least for the time being, before ordering a clean up of the scene and for a roll of fabric to be placed over the hole. It would do the job of keeping pests out until Kiba could make good on his word to repair the damage, though Sumie had a nagging feeling that it might be in the best interest of the building to have someone from the Fifth Division do it instead. Still, it did one good to live on the wild side every now and then and perhaps a building collapse would be a nice break from the paperwork which she had Gen deliver to her office.
[exit]
|
|
Administrator
USER IS OFFLINE
Years Old
Female
2,239 POSTS & 0 LIKES
|
Post by zoi on Aug 25, 2012 12:40:46 GMT -8
Thread Rewards: Kurisuna - 22 RP (20 + 2 Quality)
Malik - 17 RP (15 + 2 Quality)
Kiba - 6 RP
Sumie - 6 RP
Shigeo - 3 RP
Gensou - 2 RP Points added, thread locked.
|
|