The office was spacious, uncluttered, well lit, and decidedly very unlike a place wherein one would conduct any sort of formal business at all, in spite of the desk situated at the endmost part of the room. Its counter had been polished, resplendently so, yet only half of the items on top of it—plant, plant, manuscript paper, ink and brush, plant—had been tended to. The ink had congealed to a thin paste, and the paper was curled, but the evergreens, the ferns and flowers… these thrived here, upon every surface of her station, some ascending, others hanging down in exotic spills of leaves.

There were books, too. Shelves of them. Novels of the horror genre, volumes by famous historians. They were arranged methodically to facilitate notice, alphabetized by author and title at Kurisuna's compulsive leisure. Everything was meticulously positioned, so obsessively neat and parallel. Order and cleanliness were important. They kept certain facets of her hemmed in, facets that would otherwise indulge in dangerous games teetering on the knife-edge of mindless insanity and controlled, ordained bliss.

Kurisuna opened the door. The intermingled scents of flowers greeted her so sickly sweet as the Taichou stepped inside, followed by her Lieutenant. She sat—rather, collapsed—into the chair closest to the medicine cabinet with a heavy sigh. Sumie knew what to do, where to look. ''You were convincing out there... but they are going to know.''

Time had passed resplendently, though Chie has no recollection nor knowledge of it. She had been summoned to cleaning duty of the Taicho's office, a most dangerous task she had heard. The Taicho was a very neat, orderly person, whom liked her possessions and world kept in a ship-shape fashion. Everything had to be kept just so, lest the Taicho be displeased.

These, of course, were impressions that Chie had gathered second hand, or just by assumption, as she rarely had interaction with the upper echelon of Seireitei and her division. She met her leader, of course, but exchange was minimal, and being the cowardly creature she was, Chie of course did not seek out any attention.

But yes, today was cleaning day! Having been assigned (bullied into taking) the task, Chie found herself tenderly and gently dusting and wiping down the office so that it would gleam and glisten to the Taicho's pleasure. Her plan was to make it 'just so', and then scamper away before the Taicho came back.

Upon her final task, the dusting of the books and their shelves, she found temptation in the form of a book. Her leader seemed to have a collection of horror novels, and a particularly gruesome looking title caught her attention. The siren's call was far too strong, and before Chie could master her temptation, she was tenderly taking the tome from the shelf.

Just five minutes, her curiosity beckoned. A peek and then she would finish that very last shelf and be gone.

Well...perhaps she should get comfortable. There was a bit of floor behind the desk where the light was most advantageous, perhaps she would curl up there for just a moment with her new bound friend.

Five minutes passed, then 10, then 30...

And then, she fell asleep.

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Sumie entered the office just behind Kurisuna. Her dark eyes swept over the scene as her nose crinkled. Plants. Plants everywhere. It was an overwhelming scene for one who did not spend as much time in the office as Kurisuna did, but Sumie had to admit, internally at least, that it was nowhere near as foul or overbearing as the courtyard had been earlier. The entire area had reeked of fish and the underlying metallic scent of blood from the battle. Yes, flowery odors were far more pleasant.

Once the initial scan of the room was complete, which took all of two seconds, Sumie closed and secured the door behind her to give the pair privacy. She stepped after the taller woman who retired to the seat behind her desk, though her path diverged once there and led her to a cabinet hidden away on the side panel of one of the bookshelves that rounded about the room. It was then that Sumie noticed the sleeping form of Chie. The long white hair and still frame caused a moment of panic. She recognized the figure as a Tanaka though her given named escaped her and for the briefest of moments, Sumie wondered if Kurisuna had taken her from her father in a subconscious outlet for her past trauma. Then Chie's chest rose slightly with the draw of breath and Sumie relaxed.

The Fukutaichou's gaze moved from Chie to what had obscured her from both Kurisuna and herself when they had entered the largely uncluttered room and Kurisuna had seated herself at the desk; a large potted cactus with broad heart shaped spines that laid flat like petals and two vibrant fuchsia flowers atop its crest. Kurisuna had once told Sumie that it was called an Ariocarpus kotschoubeyanus. Sumie called it Sticky Fingers. It had grown to an abnormal size due to Kurisuna's devoted care and as per its needs to thrive, it had been positioned in the same sector as Chie for use of the light she had sought out for reading. It was also the only thing between Chie and an explosion from Kurisuna.

Though cleaning the office was occasionally done by division members, it was never done when Kurisuna was in the vicinity. It was authorized by Sumie on the Taichou's behalf to ease the latter's workload to the bare minimum, but that didn't mean Kurisuna actually knew about it. If she did, Sumie wasn't aware. She had hesitated for several seconds now at the cabinet, even lingering after Kurisuna had spoken. Her mind raced in an attempt to find the best way to soothe the situation over before it turned out much like earlier. Sumie highly doubted the response to seeing another Tanaka would be pleasant.

Eventually her voice found presence in the air. "Know about what, Saikokui-taicho," Sumie questioned with false confusion for the benefit of all present. Kurisuna's secrets needed to be kept and Chie needed to be kept in one piece. Sumie didn't fancy sending Malik's daughter to the Second Division immediately after he had gone. Information control was a specialty of the Third Division, but two victims at Kurisuna's hand in one day was a bit out of Sumie's league. Unfortunately, Sumie was not perfect and a reflexive slip of the tongue had occurred. Sumie never addressed Kurisuna as such in privacy, but it was too late to correct now and as Sumie realized this, her body stiffened with her hand halfway to the cabinet cover. For the second time that day, Sumie felt oddly aware of her zanpakutou's pressure on her back.

Kurisuna hadn't noticed Chie. Her gaze had been drawn to a plant potted in the leftmost quadrant of her vision, its petals flushed red, peeking from buds of protective green. Like this, she hadn't seen Sumie fix the Tanaka's prone, balled-up figure, obscured at least partially by the overgrown cactus, though if she were to look, really look...

She knew something was wrong. The way the woman carried herself held a note fraught with... was it unease? ''Sumie...'' It wasn't worry in her voice; it was a warning. She was rarely this tense, this hesitant around her. For a moment, Kurisuna thought that she, too, had been frightened by the ordeal with Malik. Her hand lingered before the cabinet as if reaching inside was to defile some hallowed remnant of her soul. Then came her name...

She wasn't allowed to address her formally, see? Down in the yard, she had understood; it had all been a feint tailored to appease onlookers, and it might have sufficed for some, could've very well fooled the most raw, gullible members of the establishment as Malik was hauled dreamlike to the medic's division, too bizarre to be real. But the need to plunge a blade into flesh had been as primal as the need to apply color to a canvas. This was something Sumie could relate to. The sword had besought her like a brush saturated with ink or paint. Could she really be judged?

A few more seconds passed. She stood, the chair squealing back, perhaps more violently than she'd intended. ''Is something wrong?'' Concern warped her voice like paper. It wasn't something she was used to conveying. It slipped past her lips demandingly, because she needed to hear Sumie say ''no,'' although the contrary was clear.

Ah what a nice dream Chie was having...in the midst of a lush, green meadow, she was sitting at a table, seated in western styled chairs no less, sipping tea with her mother. How long had it been since she had dreamed of her?

They were not speaking, but conversation wasn't always required to enjoy the company of another. Though..upon further inspection, the quiet scene had a subtle tone of melancholy to it.

Perhaps she wasn't really happy to see her mother after all.

Perhaps she was sad and angry at the same time.

She could feel red, hot patches of her cheeks flushing every so slightly. Her mother opened her mouth to speak, but the voice was dull and distorted, as if coming from a long tunnel.

She heard it faintly, in her dream and also in reality (though she didn't know it). "Is something wrong?"

"No," Chie murmured in her sleep, shifting her position in agitation.

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If there had been any hope for a smooth coverup and an easy solution for Sumie to employ as to prevent risking another incident with a Tanaka, it was ruined as Chie's lips parted to murmur aloud in the real world. Sumie's left eye twitched as her stress level rose, but despite not having her typical easy way out, Sumie couldn't afford to hesitate in an answer to Kurisuna this time. Wasn't it said that honest was the best policy? Sumie didn't believe it herself, but when you had nothing else left, it was as good a route as any.

She kept her body positioned at the false cabinet though her head was turned in the direction of Chie with her left side facing toward the younger female. A wave of the respective arm gestured toward Chie's location. "It looks like one of the unseated members assigned to do light chores for your office has fallen asleep." Sumie craned her head slightly, getting a different perspective, then added, "While reading." Kurisuna would likely punish the girl, but Sumie could at least lessen the blow, whether it was verbal or physical. Possibly. Maybe they'd all get lucky and Kurisuna would be in a more favorable mood. Sumie managed to stop a grim grin from crossing her face as she reached with her right hand to procure disinfectant and bandages.

It reached her ears not as a murmur, but as the thunderclap of insanity, striking her for the second time in a single afternoon. Her mind reeled, and her body lost all sense of impending motion, petrified from scanning that portion of the room; it had been but a voice, she had heard it velvet smooth, and that implicated a person, unbidden in her office.

She cast a side-long glance for the cactus to confirm—oh, god, there was a person there—that the noise hadn’t been some sordid trick of the mind. A twist of the neck revealed the girl's exposed legs, as well as a crescent of facial features and long, spindly threads of silvery-white hair. Unseated. White hair.

A scream belted out her lips as she recoiled, hitting the wall with an open-palm slap. She'd known about Chie; Malik had brought her up several times in the past year alone. She was a member of her division, and Kurisuna recognized her clear as day, curled up behind the spine-bearing plant. ''What is she doing here?!''

What a pointless question. Sumie had told her. She just couldn't wrap her head around it.

Too many Tanaka for one day.

Her dream was slipping away from her, darkening as if black were consuming the scenery from the edges, blotting everything out as it spread. She was so very close to waking up, but the scream that came crashing into her eardrums jolted her awake before she could awaken on her own.

With a sudden lurch upward, Chie's eyes flew open, slightly glazed as she peered about the room. Her arm came up to wipe away the spittle from the corner of her mouth, dabbing away the moisture with the sleeve of her uniform. Where was she? For a moment, she thought she had nodded off in the library, again. But, had that been the case, a scream would have been most out of place.

That was what woke her up, wasn't it? She thought on it for a moment, her memory fuzzy. As her senses became more acute, post nap haze, she took notice of two other people in the room. She also noticed this was most certainly not the library.

Where was she? Oh...now she remembered...

Face contorting to absolute horror, Chie sat up properly, pushing away so that she could bow properly. Hands splayed upon the floor, she bent down, nose touching the ground. Her hair pooled around her small figure, her hood fallen off onto her shoulders.

"Forgive me, Taicho-sama, Fukutaicho-sama!" came the timid squeak, rushed with urgency as brave as she could muster.

Ah...I wonder what she'll do to me

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Sumie's face twisted into a grimace as Kurisuna's scream breached the air. Even if she didn't always act the part of a woman, the captain certainly managed to reach the shrill tone only obtainable by those of a female persuasion. Still, Sumie continued on with retrieving basic first aid supplies from the false cabinet before shutting the sliding door and depositing the items on the desk; bandages and disinfectant, ice would have to come later. Her movements were slow and methodical even as Chie awoke and begged for forgiveness. It was as if Sumie was grasping at what she could to maintain a sense of calm in the situation; pulling pieces of torn parchment mentally back in place. There was an image to uphold, Sumie just had to remember how to do it.

"Well," Sumie said in reply to Kurisuna's question as the Fukutaichou turned to face the scene once Chie's plea fell into silence. "It appears she's groveling, so I guess that means she's finished cleaning and can leave." Sumie was an amiable person, but under such stress with one event right after the other, even she struggled to keep her voice lighthearted; there was a tone of panic and even exhaustion that tried to creep in, but for now, Sumie's temperance held. Despite they genial manner in which she did manage to speak, the words that came from Sumie were orders to both unseated and taichou in a passive manner; a heavy hint if one would take it as such, that Chie should take the chance to leave and Kurisuna should let her. Unfortunately, intentions and wishes were not always translated well from in between the lines of spoken words.

She felt strangely conscious of the afternoon rays burning hotly against her flesh as the girl emerged from her rest and pitched, pleading for a swift dismissal. They obstructed her perception of pallid skin warming red-pink from what she would've surmised a combination of embarrassment and indignation. Kurisuna was not a fan of the unexpected when she was not the one channeling its potency; she shied away from the sun, not very plant-like, her panicked, laborious breaths settling as she forayed cautiously into a state that was as close to calm as she could get.

''... Yes.'' She turned to look upon the Soutaichou's daughter, a grim scowl furrowing her brow, fingers curled around a skull that seemed to swell and contract against the palm of her hand, throbbing unpleasantly to the accelerated cadence of her heart. ''Your father has just been escorted to the 2nd division. He's sustained... debilitating injuries.'' A slip of the lips, and she smiled a hideous contrast before both ends sunk again with a sigh, as if realizing how inappropriate it was to express any magnitude of joy. ''You ought to visit him.''

Yes, let Malik decide on what to tell her. He could tell Chie, could tell everyone else the truth, and she wouldn't care in the slightest so long as he did it elsewhere. Granted, there was also the wound across her arm to consider: it was clear that she had been involved.

Still in her bent over position, Chie's face was hidden from sight, thus concealing her reaction to her father's injury. This was one of the rare moments where she hadn't bothered to hide the emotions playing on her face, and had Sumie or her Taicho seen it, they would have perhaps caught a brief glimpse into Chie's true self.

Be that as it may, Chie sat up, eyes lowered as she faced her Taicho and Fukutaicho. Her face was its usual timid, blank self.

"If my Taicho-sama wishes me to go, I shall. I do not profess a need to visit the Soutaicho, however. I am sure the 2nd division is taking adequate care of him."

Though her tone was kind and gentle, it had an odd formality to it. One would expect a child to be more concerned with the well being of her father. Perhaps it was Chie's propriety that kept her in check, or perhaps it was a series of events throughout her life that led her to indifference. It was hard to tell at the moment.

Raising her eyes, she looked at her leader. Her lips turned to a frown of worry, "I am more concerned with your injury, Taicho-sama... I shall dismiss myself from your presence, if I may be so bold. Unless, of course, I can assist or aid you in some way, but I am sure the Fukutaicho is much more capable of attending to you in your need."

So, the Soutaicho was injured and Kurisuna also had an injury? If the two were linked, Chie didn't bother to ask. It wasn't her business, after all. She doubted there would be any advantage, especially at the moment, to seek any further information on the matter.

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The world had been around for a long time as far as investigations on behalf of the Shinigami had been able to prove and over the course of time, evidence had pointed to an enlightening fact that certain animals might have existed before that did not exist now. They had gone extinct, or so research had said. Sumie often wonder what befell those animals, but she had never been present for the beginning of an extinction; today, it was quite possible she could see the beginning of the end for the Tanaka species.

Granted, that would be bad. Bad on many levels in fact. Sumie worked very hard to keep Kurisuna out of prison and the mental ward as it was and whether people liked it or not, Malik was the Soutaichou; replacing a captain, much less the Soutaichou, didn't seem like it'd be an easy thing. Nor did explaining that no, in fact, they hadn't seen Chie for days and perhaps she wandered off into the Rukongai and met some grizzly end, but she certainly hadn't shown up for work. This time, Sumie did sigh. People didn't make her job easy, so she decided to once more, take the blunt route.

"I think it would be best if you went to visit your father, Chie-chan." Like with all females younger than she and in an inferior rank, Sumie dressed Chie as such, despite what most people might do in regards to her father's station, but Chie was not her father. "Falling asleep on the job, in the captain's office, with one of her personal books doesn't usually make Saikokui-taichou very happy. Taking a free pardon here would be wise." Though Sumie was addressing just Chie now, her eyes fell upon Kurisuna, watching the woman for any movements that lent themselves to a long day of paperwork for Sumie; still a crinkle in her brow had formed from assessing the value of Chie's words. She was odd, at best. Sumie preferred people like Gensou and Genjitsu; relatively easy to read and to deal with. Perhaps that's why she had truly pushed their promotions through.

Although she'd chosen to wait until Sumie had finished speaking, Kurisuna soon lifted her hand to still the Fukutaichou's voice as she appraised the girl through darkly narrowed pools of auburn. She'd made an effort, she had, but sedation was a poor behavioral motivator next to the stronger emotions of mania; all Chie had done was detach herself from her father’s condition and express concern over her wound, as if the function of parent had been relegated from him. The Tanaka's refusal to join Malik left a sour note in the Captain's mouth, which was not attributable to the distinct lack of departure from Chie's part.

''Whether or not the 2nd division is operating satisfactorily is none of my concern. Tanaka-Soutaichou, so easily broken, bid for what he got.'' There was no concealing the venom in her voice as she thought back to the spar, recollecting how he'd all but slipped and flung himself sideways, how he'd kicked at her shin as if to fend off the blade when it instead served to expose his leg. Images blazed across her mind, flashing in quick succession until, finally, the ghostly reconstruction began to fade with each transitory frame.

The tell-tale twitches, the sharpness of her movements and the aberrance of everything else, all indicated restraint; anything nonviolent would beat the alternative as she walked up to Chie and motioned for her to stand. ''Consider it an order. Takaka-Soutaichou is expecting me, but you'll go in my stead. Assess his injuries. Don't bother pretending as if I actually wanted to come.'' Her arm whipped out, gesturing for the door. ''Go!''

Chie's gazed flicked from Sumie, then back to Kurisuna as each addressed her in turn. So rare that she interacted with either, and it turned unpleasant rather quickly. How foolish she had been to steal a moment's rest with a book. Had she not gauged her energy levels accurately? Ah, but all was not lost, she could suppose.

Yet again, she was afforded a rare chance to witness something of particular interest. Luckily, it costed her nothing, other than a forced visit.

Standing, she took her instructions unfazed, bowing in a quick, but deep fashion.

"Yes ma'am."

Of course, using that opportunity, she picked up the book she had so greedily wished to read. Before she left, she returned the item to its home, neatly returning it to the precise location from which she had retrieved it. Every book had its place, just like every cog had its function to turn the big machine. Was that not all that she was?

Reaching the door, she bowed once more before shutting it behind her, giving each woman a timid, apologetic look before retreating out of sight and out of mind.
(Exit)

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The entirety of Sumie's body felt like compressed springs. Muscles twitched involuntarily as Sumie's gaze followed Kurisuna equally twitchy prowl all the way to Chie, giving the Fukutaichou a view of both women. The loose fabric of her uniform did wonders to conceal these minor spasms brought about by the tension of a prepared body, ready to flit in and out of the danger zone if need be. Fortunately it was not necessary, despite the malice with which Kurisuna spoke.

This was a scene that was likely to imprint in perfection upon Sumie's unique type of memory. Not the sounds, smells, or feeling of stress and fabric imparting their touches across her body, but the imagery; it was handy in her line of work, even if names and dates that she heard slipped her mind more often than not. It would also allow Sumie to reflect on the entirety of the encounter after she watched Chie bow the first and second time. It was after the latter that Sumie's brow quirked and she turned back to Kurisuna.

"Did you notice anything odd," Sumie asked the other woman. Perhaps it was just Sumie's habit of peeling away layers to her interactions with people because of her line of work; the third division was tasked with information and investigation after all, and as Fukutaichou, Sumie was among the best and most experienced, but Sumie felt there had been a noticeable shift in the unseated's demeanor. She had displayed a meek groveling initially, but after Kurisuna had snapped at her and ordered her out of the room, she took it with an almost cold tolerance. Indifference perhaps, but she was not ill effected by the words. Sumie had expected watery eyes at the least from the way the captain had spoken to her, but there was nothing. Until the second bow. Apology was written on her face then, but now Sumie was unsure.

Even as she waited for a reply from Kurisuna, Sumie motioned for the captain to sit in her chair and proceeded to reach for the supplies she had retrieved. Her actions were almost mechanical, as if she was just going through the motions and in a sense, she was. Pictures clipped through her head at the speed of thought where whole sentences could fly by before words could be spoken. Not just of the encounter with Chie, but the incident with her father, or what Sumie had managed to catch of it, was also still fresh in her mind. It was much like a large knot that Sumie felt compelled to untangle. It was another side-effect of the job to be sure, though Sumie had a naturally curious personality. She was also a slow and steady type with these things though.

Watching with ever-mounting disdain as the girl hit the shelves—she touched her possessions again—to replace the novel instead of leaving outright per her orders, Kurisuna growled deep in her throat at the timid look cast her way. Chie had been uncharacteristically collected for a girl she knew to be meek by Malik's admission; the curious shift from intrinsic to synthetic hadn't slipped past the fissures of her deteriorating mind, but she was too irate, so overstimulated and in need of emotional catharsis that it was not her place to care.

Still, Sumie needed answering. Her tongue rolled in her mouth, trying to find the proper sequence of words that would not have her sounding so belligerent to her own Fukutaichou. ''Two personalities,'' she set on telling her lamely. ''A poorly represented alter, considering the transition. She was just dissociative: especially in regard to her father.'' Dissociation as a mechanism, not a condition. She spoke her inference shakily, but omitted the suggestive breaks peppered across her speech. Anyone could tell that was as far as she wanted to discuss Chie, or any of the Tanaka, for that matter.

As Kurisuna padded back to the chair, she struck the underside of her desk with a repressed grunt. The impact jarred her knee, and the bureau screeched to an oblique angle. She'd temporarily lost her grip on the framework she was accustomed to, but pain was as good a replacement as any. ''I hate children,'' she told Sumie. Whined, almost, since some of her anger had drained from her person in that split-second collision.

Finally, Kurisuna took her seat, and spread out her arm to present the wound. She turned the rest of her away, features set in the grudging pinch of a petulant child. Another sigh, this time deeper, rolled past the woman's lips as she closed pale fingers around the layered fabric of haori and shihakushou. Her knee hurt more than her arm did.

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Sumie wouldn't have gone as far as saying that Chie had two personalities, though what Kurisuna followed up with stated similarly to Sumie's unvoiced opinion. A facade at best, but it had confirmed that the meeting had been odd. It was all Sumie needed to go forward with an investigation. If something was off in their division, Sumie needed to know about it. Information was both the best weapon and the best defense. If she remembered correctly, Chie had gone on something akin to sick leave for ten years. Perhaps the best place to start would be with the captain of the Second Division.

Sumie wanted to ask Kurisuna her opinion on the matter, but the latter made it clear that she wanted nothing further to do with the topic, at least for now. So Sumie busied herself with disinfecting the presented injury on the wrist which Kurisuna extended across the desk after sitting. All was silent for a moment as Sumie worked. Finally she reached for the bandages and began to wrap the wound. Silence had never been Sumie's strong point though, so she said, lacking all the tentativeness that another might have, "Did you read the files on the Tenba siblings?"

Sumie had recently suggested the two be promoted to fill certain spots that required more responsibility than that of lower ranks. Though Sumie handled the majority of business within the Third Division if Kurisuna did not take it upon herself to do so, the Fukutaichou was not above delegating less key tasks. Still, whether they knew it or not, both brother and sister were still in an evaluation period. With Kurisuna in the shape she was, Sumie couldn't allow less than prime functioning across the rest of the division. If people had to be demoted for inadequate performances, they would be by her own hand, but she still wanted to see if the captain had developed any opinion of the pair yet.

With Sumie committed to the task of swathing her damaged arm in fresh bandages, Kurisuna sat there, wordless and simmering to a low boil. She found that calm, much as she'd learned to appreciate it, would do nothing to soothe her nerves. Temporary reprieve to most, it felt denunciating in the Lieutenant's company, and if she couldn't look at her then, she surely couldn't now; Kurisuna knew she'd done nothing but make the artist's professional life that much more difficult in the past hour alone. As much as she hoped that Sumie would not resent her for it, she couldn't decide whether to label the silence as personal or impersonal.

When the Fukutaichou finally spoke, though, Kurisuna turned her head to meet her. No longer possessed by the aftermath of her spar and the complications that had succeeded it, her expression was not so scrunched anymore; it had softened a shade or two. She could've almost passed for the woman she'd been a millennium ago. That look was reserved for Sumie. ''I… skimmed over the bare bones.'' For anyone who knew her, this was a pretty solid 'no.' Mind, to Kurisuna's credit, she could at least pick them out from a crowd if prompted; all other aspects of their individualities, however, were unknown to the Captain of the 3rd.

''I'll read them tonight.'' Sleep was a luxury she caught so little of. ''What else? You know of the upcoming assembly.''

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Sumie's fingers maneuvered the bandages into a neat binding across Kurisuna's wrist with a sense of seasoned ease. She was by no means a medic nor had the deft quickness that even most of the novices had, but Sumie had wrapped her fair share of injuries, whether it be related to Kurisuna or Kiba, on herself or on others including the two taichou. Practiced or not, Sumie still took great care as she tied the fabric off in a small neat knot.

"Business as usual," Sumie replied to Kurisuna's question when she had finished. What remained of the basic first aid treatment was gathered back up in Sumie's arms and she made her way to the false cabinet as she continued answering. "Aside from earlier, any and all incidents that might be brought up have been recorded and filed away for your viewing pleasure... in the folders I had Gen-chan take earlier. Also, all of the Third Division's monthly expenses, resource usage, requisitions, and case reports have been included just in case anyone asks. Even if they never do." Yes, in addition to unfinished paperwork from both the Third Division and Fourth Division, Sumie had brought with her the monthly records for any meeting that might be held for Kurisuna to review. Things had been quiet as of late, however. Except for Kiba's entrance.

"I'll add today's estimated expenses to the list then forward them to you when I return to my own office," Sumie added as she slid the panel door shut and turned to walk back to Kurisuna's desk. "How's your knee feeling?" The Fukutaicho craned her head slightly, trying to view the knee obscured by the desk. The knee worried her more than the minor laceration on Kurisuna's wrist, but she would have to send for ice. It had been easier to take care of the cut first. "If you find yourself limping tomorrow, you should probably visit the Second Division just in case. I need to talk to Hitoshi-taichou soon regardless. I can make the appointment for you."

Blanched fabric dressed over the self-inflicted cut, Kurisuna gave a mechanical flex of her limb. It was tight, but not enough to go numb. Already, she could feel the pressure alleviate the pain, though she would've rather had it crushed back into her arm. The bandages could be tinkered with after Sumie had left, and she knew they'd suppressed the bleeding entirely; there was no wearing them for prolonged periods of time, and she preferred to let cuts breathe. There was humor in watching her body try to keep up with the punishment it was subjected to. Turns out it kept pace quite well, stubbornly coping with even the relentless drain of insomnia. Of course, she was not indefatigable.

'Business as usual' elicited yet another sigh. The long list of elements she would ideally have to review, numbers nobody ever asked for outside of the assembly, daunted her conviction to so much as look at the siblings' files and soured the half-hearted smile on her face. After Kiba's devastating entrance, she could easily imagine Malik inquiring about such things as expenses. This was, at the very least, a place to start, for she doubted her ability to retain all the information presented to her in this short a time.

''Better than Malik's leg, I reckon,'' she replied spitefully in regard to the Soutaichou. The venom in her voice, however, had subsided, leaving her with something of a callous monotone. She would walk with a gait unhampered by any such injury. There was no limping from the pain, as if it were a handicap.

What Sumie followed up with piqued her interest more so. ''That will not be necessary. What has you paying Hitoshi-Taichou a visit?''

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Sumie counted back the time as best she could. Seireitei was large, though the divisions were set up in a manner that allowed for easy communication via runners or hell butterflies from the first. Still, Malik had been injured and even with the aid of the two unseated members that Sumie sent with him, it was unlikely that he had yet to reach the Second Division during the time that Sumie and Kurisuna had been in the office. However, once he did, the injury on his leg would be quickly taken care of. Bar life threatening wounds on another patient, being Soutaichou tended to mean that his treatment took priority.

Regardless of her personal reflections on the matter, Sumie didn't mention the fact that soon Malik's leg would be as good as before. She firmly believed that Kurisuna required the small victory in wounding the man and to the Fukutaichou, it was disturbing and just another reason for Sumie to try and gloss the whole situation over. Chie had not made that easy with her unexpected appearance in the office with a less than desirable circumstance, but Kurisuna made it no easier either. Still, she was in a better mood than before. Sumie would simply have to read lightly, which meant not revealing that her meeting with Harupia had to do with the current taboo Tanakas; Chie in particular.

"A lunch date," came the reply. "I haven't seen the Taichou in a long time and I'd like to get to know him better. He seems like a pleasant guy and a welcome break from my usual outings with Kiba." Now Sumie was known for being a social person and her reasoning was true even if not the full story, so there was no effort or need in controlling her voice. It came out as naturally as if there had been no ulterior motive of investigation. Yet if one looked beyond the obvious truth that it was common for Sumie to spend time socializing, the facts of the matter were there and depending on how paranoid or suspicious one was, and how well they knew of the situation at hand, the conclusion of Sumie's true goal could be reached.

Of course, said goal could only be accomplished after Sumie took care of the remaining issues from Kurisuna's own lunch date. She would have to bring the division out of lockdown soon to avoid outside suspicion. Then she would forward Kurisuna the files she might need for any upcoming meeting after adding in the day's expenses. Finally, once she was done with that, she would send a runner to Harupia. The note in itself would be as simple as the explanation she gave Kurisuna. Sumie would simply ask him to join her for lunch the following day.

To get any of that done, however, she would have to leave Kurisuna's presence. "Are you going to be okay alone," Sumie questioned the Taichou. Where her voice had been in its usual amiable tone when Sumie had replied to the question, now it took on a concerned inflection and her features softened as she looked at Kurisuna from across the desk, where Sumie had positioned herself after returning the items to the cabinet and answering the inquiry. Unlike the suspicion that Chie elicited, Kurisuna's bizarre actions always got the same response from her Lieutenant. Decades, if not centuries, of companionship and the shared traumatic experience of the death of Kurisuna's twins had seen to that much. If Sumie had a limit to her concern and care for the woman, it had not shown yet, though she herself showed signs of wear. The tired lines under her eyes were only the visible part. There were days when even Sumie had trouble mustering up her usual chatty energy.

Sumie's motive was sound, but the Taichou's brow nonetheless canted. Hadn't the Lieutenant said that she needed to see him? She knew Harupia to be receptive, and would certainly not blame the woman for seeking his benign companionship over the rowdiness of Kiba's (or her own), but what about this social rendezvous was so pressing? Kurisuna developed a theory, her mind toiling under a delusion that did not implicate Chie in the slightest. Could this be about her? Sumie had made an art of probing others for information without their realizing it; would she employ this talent, or take a more direct approach?

It occurred to Kurisuna that she was banking on the usage of a single word, and that as much as it was in her nature to be apprehensive, she could trust Sumie. Of this, there should be no question. She had to believe any info withheld from her was suppressed for the sake of her well-being; to entertain otherwise felt treacherous, in light of all that the artist had done for her. What, then, had her so consumed by doubt?

Her heart sank deeper when the Fukutaichou spoke again. Fighting a pained frown, as well as the urge to tell her no, she decided it best to free Sumie for whatever duties awaited her consideration. Kurisuna could not hold the woman indefinitely. She did not like this ugliness hovering about her own person. ''Don't worry about me. I won't do anything out of bounds. I promise.'' This, of course, implied a greater mastery of the self than she wielded, for control was something she was significantly better at exerting over others.

And then it became so difficult, so overwhelmingly demanding. Every fiber steeled to combat the sorrow expanding from her chest, so she would not display a shred to Sumie. It was imperative that she see none of it.

''... Thank you.'' To her credit, she kept her voice from wavering. Did not avert her gaze. Felt ready, eager almost, to see Sumie go so soon. But not because she would be glad.

[bgcolor=555555]

There was something akin to a flood of relief through Sumie's body at Kurisuna's response. The weight which had sought to overwhelm her in a flood of negative oppression was gone for Kurisuna almost seemed normal. Almost. It was better than nothing, though in itself it was bittersweet for Sumie to think that the Taichou would never be the beacon of maternal warmth that she had once been. Sumie had to find solace in hoping that simply, another incident wouldn't occur that day.

Sumie awarded Kurisuna's control with a warm smile. "You're welcome. I'll have those files sent to you then and I'll stop by before heading out for the night." Sumie didn't say goodbye as she left, stepping through the threshold after sliding the door open and disappearing around the frame as Chie had done previously, simply because it wouldn't be goodbye. She would check on Kurisuna later that evening as she had promised and did every night, then she would tell the captain that she would see her in the morning. Sumie never said goodbye to Kurisuna. It didn't seem proper and she was unsure of how the woman would react to something typically so common.

[exit]

She bade Sumie adieu through a self-conscious, yet pleasant smile. Watched her almost doe-eyed as she navigated the tranquil waters of her office to the screen and turned, lean musculature shifting like tectonic plates beneath the lithospheric pastel-pink of her skin. Coiling like some concentric serpent poised to strike, in a fashion that could've easily betrayed predatory intent up close, they waited until Sumie slid the door shut, paused a few moments more to ensure she'd gotten out of range just so, and… released.

Her arm swept across the counter in a broad arc, catching the bottled ink, a potted plant. Black sunk richly through the boards, and fertile soil spilled in a disjointed effort to unsettle the ticking metronome. Left, right, the weight swayed inharmoniously under ever-decreasing strokes. She gave a low, keening cry, elbow propped up, forehead to the palm of hand. Her eyes watered, unhampered by the drain of self-control, and shed tears down the dainty conduits of her face. Then, as her cries mounted, the pendulum stopped.

It struck her, swift. Like an arrow to the heart. A paroxysm of agony she was just faintly familiar with. Once, centuries ago, she had felt it magnified a hundredfold. Now, the memory eluded her recollection, but her body remembered. It could cope with this, this worthless surge of emotion in comparison. But only just. Matter fought to stay ahead of the psychotic mind so responsible for the destruction wrought upon it.

She was unraveling, lending to heaving spasms, her brows knit and her teeth gritted defiantly. She gazed wide-eyed at a specific spot on her desk and clutched her sides, suppressing a wail that emerged in broken, discordant 'ah' sounds. What have you done to me. It pained her to leave things unresolved, hovering on the cusp. This was Malik's fault, him and his children. She played back his defeat and the flair with which he'd seen himself off. You would do this. You would.

A darkness broke over her unusually ruddy face. I need to apologize to her, Malik had said. How had she acquired such special treatment to begin with?

''I don't have to take this,'' she all but snarled, her internal narrative spilling. Kurisuna could write her own sequence of events. She loosened some to right her bearings, scanning her desk for ink and paper, and then recalled the earlier flourish of her arm. That was fine. She could extricate the supplies from a drawer besides the bureau.

So she sat, pouring her fantasies into the pages, placated by each perverse detail. Kurisuna laughed. That, too, was warped from her outburst, but she did not care. All that mattered was tidying up before Sumie's nightly visit. Even the files could wait.

[end]

Thread Rewards:

Kurisuna - 11 RP (10RP+1QP)

Chie - 5 RP

Sumie - 9 RP

Points added, thread locked.