Breaking through the treeline into the first clearing that put him in the First District, Kiba was hastily attempting to resolve his 'topless' situation, having already haphazardly shoved his coin pouch and kunai holster into his obi while attempting to at least slide on the sleeves of his kosode, trying all the while to keep his overgarment over his shoulder and not flying off back into the trees.

So distracted, it was hardly surprising that Kiba should have charged headlong into a sleeping cow, cursing loudly as he stumbled from the collision, dropping his overgarment with nary a second though, simply shoving his arms through the sleeves of his kosode and charging hard for the nearest fence. Where usually the obstacle would have rapidly become a non-issue, Kiba had long-since had it drilled into him not to destroy Rukon property, at least not when it could be helped, and begrudgingly he vaulted himself over-top the damned gate upon approach, swallowing air deeply as he resumed his charge toward Seireitei.

Along the pathway, he would be lead directly toward the city gate, though it was still a long ways off... but at the same time, he would be easier to spot, not that there was anything subtle about the hard-charging unstoppable force as he most fiercely pounded the ground beneath him, powerful legs straining in an attempt to outdo his limitations, to muscle along where speed and energy would falter. Naturally, this could only last so long, and even one as in-tune with his body as Kiba would come up short before too long.

A fair distance from where he'd begun, nearing the crest of a small hill along the path, Kiba finally had to stop and place his hands on his knees, sweat pouring down his person as he sucked air hungrily. A sound made Kiba force his breathing to slow, his eyes rising tot he top of the hill. Footstepts? Running? What fresh hell approached, he wondered wearily.

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Leaving the Second Division had been easy. Harupia had not sent notice to the guards at the division gates, nor did Sumie bear any outer injury to mark her as an in-care patient. Still, no amount of adrenaline was going to allow Sumie to breeze all the way from the Second Division of Seireitei to the Second District of the Rukongai, at least not quickly and in good condition. She had done well to make it out of the city and into the First District, burning off the haze of oversleep and the chemical dump in her system. Under normal circumstances, the end of her adrenaline rush would have meant a dip in energy, but by running, her body naturally released endorphins which compensated. It didn't give her any more energy, but it did keep her from being passed out on a street.

She had stopped running some time back though, her stamina having flagged, but she carried on at a brisk walk and occasional jog. Sumie's path so far had avoided any foothills in the farm country, having followed a caravan trail that merchants had made carting goods from the Rukongai to the white walled city. However, the trail took a winding approach away from the hills and Sumie didn't have the time to waste by following it. Though her muscles threatened with mutiny the next day and her heart and breathing rate were still above normal, Sumie prepared her body to sprint up the relatively short incline.

Under normal circumstances, it would have been a breeze, but Sumie felt the burn throughout her whole body as she rushed upward, though the angle was far from steep. Blood pounded in her ears as she went, nulling her sense of hearing. Her sight was far from impeded though. Her mind felt hyper aware with all that was going on and it gave the illusion of her vision being sharper than normal. It wasn't, it was simply that her focus had increased past what was typical for the Fukutaichou, which in turn made it relatively easy to spot Kiba, even in the dark, as Sumie reached the gentle apex of her climb, though her legs and lungs protested the reality.

"Ki-kiba," Sumie managed to sputter in surprise. Her form reflected his own in that she was breathing hard and sweat had visibly formed over the skin that was exposed, which wasn't much. The degree of her condition was considerably less though as Sumie had paced herself better and, with the exception of the hill, had not been running immediately prior to the encounter. There was pushing oneself to the limits and pushing oneself past the limits. Sumie and Kiba were a fairly good representation of the two respectively.

Looking up the hill, hearing his name spoken in her voice was a balm on Kiba's sore frame, a second burst of air in his lungs. Gritting his teeth, Kiba scrambled pell-mell up the hill, eyes stinging as the relief of knowing his best childhood friend was not, in fact, in any real harm filled him. His intention had been to top the hill and pull Sumie into a hug, to make certain he was not hallucinating, but as Sumie had noted, he was a man pushed beyond his limits and then some - upon cresting the hill, the Taicho simply collapsed, panting, having at least rolled onto his back to stare up into the clear night sky.

"Running.... suuuucks..." The Taicho groaned between gulps of air, finally sighing and bringing his right arm up to rest across his eyes as though to rest them, and certainly not to hide his few tears from Sumie. Deep down, he truly was a brother to the girl, and Kurisuna's threat that she had been taken to the Second Division shook him. Yet there she stood, in perfect health - or, as perfect as one could expect to be after having apparently run/trotted from Seireitei to the current location. And with Sumie's naturally sickly complexion. Whatever, she was in good shape for Sumie, and that was what mattered.

"What brings... you... here...?" Kiba eventually grumbled, sighing and dropping his arm again to his side, apparently intent to simply lie in the road under the cool night sky and recuperate. Ever excitable, ever willing to 'play', Kiba unquestionably hated running.

Able neither to speak nor respond for the emotions running through her, relief and fear and anger all in a hot cocktail of 'feel', Sumie simply sighed before collapsing onto her oafish childhood friend, delivering an admonishing thump to his chest with a balled up fist as she simply recuperated, as did Kiba, who wheezed for the strike. Time passed slowly, and when enough of it had done so, Kiba shakily rose to his feet, picked up Sumie, and in silence carried his worn out old friend back to her home before making his way to his own abode, where the Taicho would summarily crash and rest, oblivious to the worries of the world.

SPOILER: Click to show

Thread ended, points to be awarded shortly.

Kiba - 2 RP

Sumie - 1 RP