Three days after the attack on Seireitei, shortly before noon...

Yoshiya stood  in the remains of a field, one of the ones that had been occupied by warring forces but a few days ago. Where had once been growing crops, now lay nothing but mud. "All sides fought for their lives. No, can I say that? I still have no idea what caused the Hollows to attack that day."

Outside the boundaries of the field lay rows of freshly dug graves. Some had laid flowers by these mounds. Though some had not been identified. Some could not be identified.

He was working at a field close to the gate. That way he could see Harupia come out when it was time for their meeting. "Looks like we will go hungry this winter."

Indeed, with such widespread crop destruction, even with attempts to replant, it was likely that both the Rukons and the Shinigami they fed would have less food these months.

The future was bleak.

The Rukon, Yoshiya Watson, would soon see a shinigami exiting the large, white gates of Seireitei indeed. However, it wouldn't be the specific so called 'god' that he was expecting, but rather another individual that he had been acquainted with more than once in the past. Well, if he could remember him that is, knowing the Rukon's tendency for periodic loses of memory. Who knew how much he could've remembered from their last meeting in that river, though he would probably do remember the incident, as it was not too long ago. Practically yesterday, or maybe the day before yesterday. The last few days were a blur of work, work and more work. The fact that the Fourth Division was left leaderless so suddenly didn't help things either.

A respectably tall stature, though not overly so. Generally well-kept and fair skin, a lean musculature, pure-black clothing, long and flowing black hair and, last but not least, sharp onyx eyes. Aoyama Ryōichi was exiting the gates in full gear and uniform, as today's outing had nothing to do with being on a break, or getting a specific mission. Rather, it was a simple task bestowed upon him due to the recent, and dire, circumstances that had befallen the Soul Society. As such, it was only natural that more members of the more battle-oriented Divisions be given patrolling duties around the walls and generally the First District of the Rukongai. The shinigami had not taken their failure at properly protecting their charges well, so all of the dark-clothed armsmen (and women) had extra work, as well as motivation to instill into said work.

The Hollow attack had left many homeless, many dead and even more visibly shaken due to trauma and loss, both psychological as well as physical, in all shapes and forms. While not having taken part in the front-lines due to lack of speed in the spread of information, as well as having been tasked to the walls like many others from his Division, he knew at least that much. Soon after he was dismissed, he had rushed over to his parents' estate in order to see if they had survived. Albeit terribly upset, the young swordsman was glad to find his blood-relatives to be physically unharmed. It was a great relief, though he dreaded what could happen if such an event were to take place again.

For the moment however, such thoughts had to be pushed aside. He had a task to perform, and that was the patrol the area close to the gates, as well as oversee the restoration of the farms that the Rukons were struggling with. Crops were a thing that every non-Hollow required, regardless of the faction they swore allegiance to, and so Seireitei was also very concerned about restoring the land to its previous and fertile glory. The last thing anyone required or wished for right now was starvation and, as an aftereffect, disease.

His head was down in the dirt, a rake in hand, tilling the ground to be ready for seeding. The mud was fresh and turned up. That was one good thing. It was easy to work with. It churned up like butter, full of dead plants, aborted seedlings, never to grow and feed the people of the two worlds.

His rake hit something hard. "Another rock?" Yoshiya looked to a pile of small stones, where the grit and rock from the battle had been piled up. They would probably end up paving some path somewhere. It wasn't his business anyway. He turned his staff over to use the shovel head to dig it out.

It wasn't a rock.

He raised his head from the dirt.

"Hey boys, we've got another stiff!" His declaration wasn't the most reverent to the deceased, but at this time he honestly couldn't care. They were all worn out.

Yoshiya dug around the rotting corpse, as others came around him. Some to help, some just to observe, to fulfil their morbid curiosity. By chance his eyes met those of Ryōichi. He raised his brow in greeting, before returning back to unearth more of the body.

He sighed lightly as he slowly made his rounds, fighting off his boredom with, well, more boredom as well as discipline, for he had nothing else to fight it with. Now, he knew the importance of patrolling, especially at these times. An attack had taken place so recently, and at a terrible cost for both the Shinigami as well as the Rukons, though more so for the Rukons of course. Being behind walls might have its disadvantages when it comes to room for housing and crop growing, but when it came to defense, it was a gift from the heavens. Many times along his life he had wondered how much they would be able to accomplish if a great wall would just surround the entirety of Seireitei as well as all of the Districts. But that was just a dream, a little thought his mind would sometimes occupy itself with when he had spare time.

Of course, that still didn't stop walking back and forth along a prearranged path any less dull than it already was. It wore one's mind very quickly, a fact that could be downright disastrous in case of a sudden attack. Fortunately for him, he had the required discipline to not let his mind wander off during his time of duty.

His head would snap towards the source of the sound, near-instantly realizing what the Rukon was referring to. Quite a tasteless and rather disrespectful way of addressing the broken body of yet another poor soul, but the Shinigami knew just what physical -and spiritual- exhaustion could do to a person's way of speech. This was not the first cadaver the Rukon had come across, that much was certain. He was probably sick of digging up corpses already, and who would blame him? Ryōichi would not, that was for certain.

He sighed sadly to himself, and started to walk towards the group of people. While not exactly part of his ordinary duties, he should at least go and see if the cadaver in question belonged to a Shinigami or a Rukon. Well, if telling was even possible, as a matter of fact. Still, if it was possible to identify it as the body of a person who lived within the walls, he should know in order to inform those who guarded the walls. A message would have to be sent, the body recovered, possibly identified, and so on.

The small huddle gained a ring of armour. Blunt wooden rods appeared between them, a hazard to any attacker. The poles began to move erratically, not in rhythm to each other, but in an oddly circular motion. Each rod was attached to a bent piece of metal, and each piece of metal worked, removing the earth from the corpse, revealing it back to the light, light it had not seen for three days.

The form of the creature was animalistic. Though the flesh had torn from the point where it had been discovered, fully revealed more information was clear. It had a dull, purple furry coat on it, though what may have been magnificent in its life was ruined and bloody in its death. The shape of a large panther-like Hollow lay in the centre of the crowd.

When the cadaver was free, the group broke apart, save for two men. The two lifted the body up and walked, irreverently carrying the lifeless bag of flesh to the edge of the field. As they left the crowd dispersed to where they had come from, returning to their tasks. All that was left there was Yoshiya, for he was where he was supposed to be.

The Rukon looked at the Shinigami in front of him, and uttered nothing but three words. "Good day, officer."

He turned his head back down, tilling the ground again. The event that had occurred less than a minute ago had inevitably caused him more work, the soil having been ruined by the feet and shovels of a dozen of his colleagues.

A few meters away a soft thump was heard, as the body was unceremoniously dumped outside of the field.

He was ready for the gruesome sight that was just about to be shown. He could even see the future events that would unfold just in front of his eyes. He would liken it to a movie, if they had movies that is. Kind of hard make a comparison between two things, when one of the two doesn't even exist as some sort of abstract concept or idea. So he would just use 'seeing it flash before my eyes like a really quick theatrical play'. Yes, a tragedy, for sure. The body would be unearthed, identified, taken away and buried (again) by the relatives amongst all the others. The husband or wife would weep, as well as the parents and children. That is, if what they were about to pull out of the rubble was not a child's body that is. He could only hope that it wouldn't be, but still, the situation would undoubtedly be tragic.

And then he realized that the carcass did not belong to a woman, a man, or a child. Not to an elderly, not to an infant. As a matter of fact, what was pulled out of the mixture of debris and rocks was no person, and some would argue that it couldn't be called an animal. A Hollow, a mindless all-consuming beast by some, a complete monster and freak of nature, a living blight upon the scarred surface of the land.

"...This....is not as sad as I thought it would be." he said slowly, his tone not helping the people around him realize whether he was addressing them, or if he was just talking to himself. Either way, he was honestly voicing out his current thoughts. The body of a hollow....it wasn't a sad thing to come across, really. Or at least he had yet to meet someone who would be sad over a Hollow's death. Which probably had to do with the fact that he had yet to meet a Hollow who would honestly try and make you feel sad about its death (or so he thought). If anything, many would find the sight of the broken and rotting carnivore to be a morbidly satisfying sight.

To stare deep into the preserving mud, to till the soil. To find death in the ground which would create life...

Yoshiya was lost in his labours, finding rehabilitation in the solitude and monotony of his labours. At work he could lose himself in the job at hand, the repetitive tilling of the earth. Back in focus, he spoke to Ryōichi, though his face remained faced towards the expanse of mud.

"Excuse me, Aoyama-san, but would you move out of the way?" His words carried an air of politeness, of expectancy, that he believed that the Shinigami would move, he just needed informed that he was in the way. Until he did, Yoshiya's rake moved closer and closer towards the policeman's foot with every stroke.

"All this death is pretty sad, I suppose," he said with a sigh, not raising his head from the ground. "Though we don't have time to grieve. We have to replant seeds, and quickly too. We're probably already looking at a reduced harvest, and a hungry winter."

Soil ran between the forks of his rake.

"Still, it could have been worse. Most of the damage was to the forests of the second, which we can recover before we have a wood shortage. The other issue is the number of people killed and injured. We don't have time to properly bury the dead ourselves. Any Rukon Citizens and Shinigami who have the potential for identification are separated from the Hollow though though. They're left until someone does claim them. The others are just burned."

He released himself from his labours for a moment to straighten up himself and stretch.

"Still, does it matter really, in the end?" He released himself from his stretch. "We all die in the end. We're born, we die and are soon forgotten. What does it matter, if it is by old age, by Hollow, by bandit, by disease, by famine? We all end up dead."

He would take a good number of steps away from the Rukon, as well as the carcass of the Hollow, making way as he was asked to do so. Then he would just give the bearded and older male a cool look, replying in his usual neutral tone,

"I disagree with what you say, but I highly doubt that you are in the mood for discussing philosophy. And neither do I have the time. I will be patrolling around this general area, as we don't want any sudden attacks. If you need help with everything, just call." he said, standing there for a few seconds in order to give the Rukon time to say anything else that was in his mind.

Yoshiya let out a small chuckle. "I wouldn't mind having a discourse on matters philosophical though, like you, I don't have the time." The robed Rukon let out a sigh. "It's all for the best I suppose. I'm already having enough problems with my illness these days...."

"Farewell, Officer, and may your patrols be safe and uneventful."

And so Yoshiya returned to the earth, lost in infinite ages of soil, awaiting his meeting with the Taicho.

"Maybe later, when both of us have time to spend, relax, and think. Not certain of how much time it will be until then however.... We will just have to see. Farewell, Rukon-san, may we meet again under happier circumstances." he said, giving the older man a respectful bow before turning around and walking away from the fields. He had work to do.

[EXIT]

Time… that was something Harupia was somewhat lacking as of late. Even after the successful defense from the Hollow attack, there was much work to be done. Making sure everyone was recovering well, filling out all the paper work… and finding the minimal amount of time to rest in between all that. In the hassle of his work he found himself not being able to do everything he wanted to help with, as he didn’t join the Rukon citizen in delivering the last message of Brain to the 3rd Division. He wanted to make sure both the male and the letter were safe, but he simply couldn’t leave some of the patients. Still, he was sure both Mai and Aya lead him safely to his destination…though he didn’t see them either since the meeting in Aya’s home, except for quickly passing each other as they worked in the Division.

Things seemed to be calming down now though…so now he could keep another of his appointments. Though he was running a bit late. Harupia passed through the gate, hoping to meet with the Rukongai citizen which enquired about the girl. He hoped the man wasn’t waiting to long for him. He really wanted to see the whole thing go through, give it some closer. As he moved he saw the destroyed crops and the few graves freshly dug for those passed…indeed, it was not looking all that well.

Finally, he saw the somewhat familiar visage of a red hairdo male, parting ways with a patrolling Shinigami. With a small, soft smile, he approached the male and spoke “Yoshiya-san I presume? My apologies for keeping you waiting here” bowing towards the men lightly as he spoke on “As you might imagine, this was a rather busy time for me and my men. Luckily it’s all sorting out now… Any lives that were possible to save have been taken care of… I do hope you went through the attack unscathed? If need be, there is always room in the 2nd Division if you need any medical aid” he concluded, smiling at him a bit brighter. Perhaps offering aid was not the best conversations tarter, but he still was in a somewhat vigilant state. You never knew when your abilities would be needed next.

And so walked off Ryōichi, leaving Yoshiya alone, but just for a time.

"He is an affable chap, for a Shinigami," thought Yoshiya to himself. Since meeting him a few days prior, he had looked at his journals and read his scribbles from the event. Thank goodness he got SOME information down before he took another turn.

But that was soon made way for another Shinigami, splendid in his captain's gear, for Harupia had approached Yoshiya, offering greetings. He met his bow.

"It is an honour, Soutaichou Harupia, to meet with you. Your apology has been accepted, I can only imagine that half the Gotei must be in turmoil after the recent days." They had a division without Taichou or Fukutaichou. It was known to Yoshiya, if not to his sister. Gossip was faster, though admittedly less accurate, than even the first division, dedicated to the conveyance of information. "I do thank you for your concern, though thankfully I was relatively unscathed, suffering only minor scrapes, at least from the conflict... But I suppose I am to be counted among the fortunate, still possessing my life, without disability from the event." "And what a pathetic life that is..."

"However, like you, we are very busy here. Would you care to accompany me outside the field? I should desire not to obstruct my colleagues during their labours."

Yoshiya gestured towards a gate at this interval, inviting the Taichou to a slightly quieter spot. He was unsure why his vocabulary had moved into full swing. Perhaps it was the mention of philosophical discourse that had triggered such a reaction inside him.

Well, the start of the conversation was pretty good all things considered. Yoshiya was showing understanding at the inner turmoil going around in the city...then again, he could only imagine it wasn’t that better outside the walls. Most likely not as bright either. As Yoshiya suggested they walk to a more secluded place, he would say " I don’t mind a bit of a calmer place to talk but... can we wait for a short moment. A member of my Division wanted to join me in this conversation. I know I didn’t mention it in the letter, but she... was there when we tended to Sui. It was a tough trial for her... and I think that her being here would help her cope a bit with it. At least, I hope so..."

His smile turning a bit more somber then before as he thought about that day, before carrying on "I’m glad to see you are fine. It was quite a sudden mess that happened...on more than one front apparently. The Hollow attacked deeper within the Rukongai districts as well, am I right?" he asked, wanting to stall the conversation about the main reason they met here till Mai would arrive. He still wasn’t quite sure how she would fit in... but if anything, she needed some closure when it came to this incident that he did.

She woke with a start, moments before their faces would have made contact; she did not know this man populating her dreams as of late, but he had made himself known the day her father had arrived, covered in burns. Mai sighed uncomfortably from the chair she'd fallen asleep in at his bedside, slowly straightening her back until it touched the back of the chair, and lifted herself from the edge of the hospital bed. She was careful to not move too fast, lest she jar her back or further disrupt her sleeping father -- the velocity her head had snapped up had scooted the chair back several centimeters, which had no doubt also given her father a good shake; he was still bandaged from his recent fight from the invasion, and while she had willingly removed herself from his primary care, she could not let sleeping dogs lie and peeked at his chart to keep herself informed of his condition: healing well, still painful, but healing. Likely to never heal fully.

She sat slouched in the dark for a moment, using it as a shield to let her body adjust from one now-painful position to erect posture she always carried herself. Before fully stretching, Mai rubbed her eyes with the heel of her hands, massaging feeling back into her cheeks, before drawing her fingers along the contours of her lower lids to remove all evidence of her softly crying herself to sleep the night before in a very unladylike fashion; oh, how glad she was no one was around to see her, Tanaka Mai, behave like a child in the early morning. She rose from the chair afterward and hobbled to the dark curtain drawn across the window, wincing as the painful tingling in her left foot alerted her to the unhappy fact that it had fallen asleep. Timidly, she pulled the curtain open to peek outside, innards relaxing as it was not quite dawn outside.

Quietly, she gathered the few belongings in the room with her, and with one last glance at her sleeping father, exited the room. She stole down the hallway in silence, unseen as far as she could tell, and soon made her way out of the Division and toward home; it was uncommon for her to spend even one night away from the comforts of her own home, let alone three; her lupine companion fared fine on his own, she didn't worry on him, but her needs and expectations were high, and the worry she felt for her father far outweighed these. She had fallen asleep at his bedside these last three nights, unwilling to stay alone, even with the wolf keeping watch over her at night.

The young wolf, Fenris, was beside himself to see her walk up the path to the gate in the growing light, tail waving from side-to-side and grinning his wolfish, happy grin, baring his canines as he danced around her in pure delight. He refused to let her leave alone, blocking her path with his gangly bulk and even going so far as to take her hand in his mouth -- gently, of course, to make her stay. When she refused, he sat on her feet, all ninety-some pounds, and refused, in turn, to move despite her firmness. When she relented, so too did he, and he led her to the gate, looking over his gangly frame to make sure she followed.

It was still early enough in the morning that she had nothing to do. Her one plan for the day, having been granted some leave due to her circumstances, was to meet Harupia for an encounter with a man who claimed to know Sui, the girl who had faded from existence in front of her very eyes; she was still upset over it, the wounds she'd endured as a child reopening with a violent pang, and though she had some network of acquaintances to lean upon, the healing of that wound was slow to close. Brain's death three days ago had ripped the sutures of time open, though that pain was far from the agony she felt inside when she saw her father's burnt body.

Her life was in shambles.

Topping it off, she was having dreams of a slender, kingly man in the fashion that she should be dreaming of Harupia; it was no longer an infatuation, she realized, as those passed with time. No, this had gotten stronger, it was more. Convoluted, maybe, but more. She opened the gate, taking the pup with her, and began to walk, to mull things over. Clear her head.

Mai took the wolf with her, thinking she had a choice in the matter, and soon the pair found themselves walking along the outside edge of the wall, where the battle hadn't really altered things. She estimated him to be about six months old, from what little she'd garnered about canine growth. He was lanky, all leg, easily able to stand beside her and have her hand rest comfortably on his back. Excitedly, he led the way, sniffing this way and that, his sable (she thought) colored tail pointing in opposition, as though it was confused. The sun rose as they walked, gradually inching from predawn to daylight.

As the noon hour approached, the time it took her to make the trek to where she was supposed to meet Harupia, Mai found herself holding back. The pup regarded her with his green eyes, turning around from his position at head of the pack, and walked back to her to nose her along. He was smart, she conceded, and with a heavy sigh, continued onward, dread building in her heart. There was an ominous scent on the wind, from the dead though that didn't bother her, or Fenris, but it did seem stronger in this area. This was, unfortunately, where she was supposed to be, and like it or not, she was already here. Hopefully, the smell wouldn't make her any more nauseous than she felt. "Stay close," she murmured to the wolf at her side, who willingly obliged. Together, they stepped forward and onto the main pathway from just outside the gate, and walked toward the specified field Harupia had mentioned, hand resting on the fuzzy shoulder beside her.



[three crashes later, post is finally up yaaaay~]

Yoshiya bowed once again towards the Taichou.

"Of course, Taichou Harupia. Though...if it is acceptable to you, I have another matter I wish to discuss whilst we wait."

The old man sighed. He had a millennium of independence behind him, and another half of that of this. This infernal disease which plagued every moment of his life, causing him to wretch and fall. To torture his mind with dark shadows and wipe it of experiences. Thankfully his landlord was understanding when he forgot to pay his rent. He was a decent man, he supposed, as was his father before him. But to seek help after so long? He barely trusted his fellow man when shifting lumber across the Rukongai and he had known many of his fellow laborers for centuries. Yet here he was, about to throw himself at the mercy of a man he barely knew. It was somewhat humiliating for him, but he was a desperate man.

"Here it goes..." "Taichou Harupia, I am unaware if you did any research into me these past few days" "Though I suppose he would have enough on his plate" "but I am an ex-Shinigami. In 1037nw I resigned due to health issues which had plagued me the past five centuries, and still do to this day."

The elderly Rukon poked at the ground with his staff, gazing despondently at nothing in particular.

"The symptoms are triggered by intense emotion. By feeling and caring for others. I cannot form relationships with others, otherwise I fall desperately ill. Details should be in my personal file, if you still keep records from that far back." "If my sister has any influence they will..." "Recently I have become rather fond of a certain person, and they are fond of I. I have been using somewhat... uncivilized methods to hold back the sickness, but they are neither dignified, nor reliable in terms of effectiveness..."

The man rolled up his left sleeve. Upon it were numerous cuts and scars, some fresher than others. Each bore testament to his pain and anguish, of a bodged attempt to restrain his inner demons from manifesting infront of Kurai. They ran along his flesh, a rough patchwork of self inflicted injuries.

"I tel her that I cut myself during work. A believable story in this profession, but she still worries about me. I'd rather not have to hurt her like this. I'd rather not have to do this to myself. A millennium ago Shinigami medics were unable to help me." It would have been incorrect to refer to the second division, as much of his treatment predated the formation of the Gotei 5. "I was wondering, if possible, if you could trouble yourself to help me."

He was scared. He didn't show it, but he was scared. Scared of relying on another and even, to some degree, of loosing his sickness. It was part of him, a penance to his failure to maintain unity between the peoples of Seiretei. What would he be like without it? It had hounded him for nearly all of his life...

A noise reached his ears and he tensed slightly, shaking his arm so his sleeve fell back down to cover his wounds. It was an instinctive reaction to him. His hand clasped slightly tighter of his staff as he searched for the source of the noise, trying to confirm his suspicions. Yoshiya really did not like dogs....

Haru nodded as the man decided to touch on another topic, coming to a halt as they moved away from the gate slightly. He didn’t want to go too far off, as he still believe Mai would be joining them soon. But they were far enough that they wouldn’t bother any of the Shinigami or Rukongai people coming to do their work... at least he hoped so.

Haru remained silent as the man spoke, reveling what trouble him for the past hundreds of years. A disease...curious. He remember reading about the male, but only briefly. It was more out of curiosity, during their meeting in the past, in Winter, with the little girl flinging her snowballs at the elderly Rukon...but now he felt like he needed to read into them much more, since the description he gave now was...vague if anything. Falling ill due to intense emotion...that sounded in a death sentence where every-day you could encounter a flesh eating monster. Especially if you were living in the open without proper pro..

As Yoshiya showed him the wounds he inflicted upon himself, Harupia was snapped back into the situation. Not that he was totally absent minded, he heard what the man said. Just...the last few incidents were showing him more and more how senseless this split was in the first place. Just thinking of the lives lost behind the walls... and for how long the Shinigami did so little...but that wasn’t something he could fix right now. Here, he could at least try. As he finished his story he would start by saying "Well, as a doctor I can’t say I approve of the methods you were using Yoshiya-san... though I can understand you wouldn’t go to such extremes if you felt you had any other option. To be quite honest, I refrained from reading any reports on your person, at least in depth. I was aware you were once part of the Gotei...but I simply rather to get to know people personally...or at least via text written by them rather than someone else" he said with a light chuckle.

He would then carry on "As I said before, my Division is always willing to help those who are ill. Regardless weather the wounds are fresh from the battlefield, or sealed away over centuries... I will need to learn about the nature of what ails you, both from older records and preferably from yourself...but I can promise I will do all in my power to help" he concluded, nodding his head, a bright, determined look in his eye. A small step, but in the right direction. Helping a former Shinigami who choose to live in the Rukongai...perhaps due to the inability of the medics. Whatever the case was, he wanted to help...though he suspected it was that type of wound one couldn’t simply heal via Chiduyo.

He noticed his companion tense suddenly, wondering if he said something wrong...but then he heard the barking as well, growing in volume somewhat. Turning around, he couldn’t help but smile at the view. He wasn’t aware Mai had an animal. A canine no less. With a smile, he would rise his hand in a wave, becoming her to come to them, before turning to Yoshiya as he said "There she is. A young doctor, but she show's much promise. I have grown quite fond of her... erm, assistance over the past months" he said with a small stutter, a bite of the tongue as it were. That came out of...well, he knew where exactly...still, it wasn’t something to discourse about. At least not now. He would then wrap up saying "Now, if you wish to discuss you ailment in a more private setting, I’ll be sure to reserve time for a private consultation. Preferably as soon as possible. As good of a healer as I am, I can only do so much with my hands in an empty field" chuckling at the end of the sentence. A simple joke...yet, somewhat a true comment of his limitations... there was little he could do to save Sui...at least he could make sure she had a proper farewell.

"Hush, you buffoon," Mai chided softly, tapping the shoulder of her companion to catch his attention from whatever it was that had stolen his brain from his, well, brain. Once he quieted down, she ruffled his ears -- more for her sake than his -- and approached the pair after Harupia had waved to her. She came to a stop slightly behind Harupia, feeling underdressed in her simple clothes; in retrospect, she should have donned her uniform, but she was too distracted from her mental olympics to even consider the implications. Instead, her black tunic and hakama would have to do. At least she had the red ribbon tying her hair back. That signified her station as relating to the Second Division, even if she wasn't in uniform.

"Hitoshi-sama," she murmured, offering a bow from a bend at the waist. "Watson-sama." She offered the same bow to the Rukon man Harupia had mentioned a few days prior, when informing her of the meeting, ignorant of the fact that this was their second meeting. Years ago, when she had tried to run off into the woods, she encountered a red bearded man who had made her cry. She had not gathered his name, nor did her father, and the memory was soon forgotten in the wash of childhood development and other, far more important things a girl should focus on. Fenris stood by her side, unusually still. He nosed her hand until it rested on top of his unruly head, either as though he was requesting an introduction, or some sort of comfort. He had never met new people, especially ones so near to the scent of death. The one closest to him, close enough that he could take a few steps to greet properly, smelled like Mai often did, though Fenris-wolf did nothing but sniff the air cautiously.

Her complexion had cleared somewhat during the walk, the redness from her tears lessening and some color coming back into her pallid cheeks. Still, she had dark circles under her eyes, no doubt from the nights at her father's bedside, and an overall saturation of exhaustion mixed with the terror of being truly alone for the first time in her life was evident in her eyes. Her frame bore further evidence that all she had received was bad news on top of terrible news, in addition to the natural unease one unused to battle felt some time after combat. And really, the negatives she had experience far outweighed the good in the last several days; a generous meal and a warm, welcoming smile did not hold a candle to her problems, unfortunately, though she was terribly appreciative of the gestures. 

He had an exit. Finally. A release from all this pain that was not the blade of a knife. Maybe he could actually live a normal life for once...but...did he want it? He was still misanthropic, unless the Taichou was considering brainwashing Yoshiya. Hopefully it wouldn't come to that....but what had happened to Sui? He would soon find out. It was evident that Harupia was hiding something, even if it was just his relationship with his underling.

"Thank-you very much, Taichou Harupia. Though I expect you are still rather busy after the recent attack. I have suffered from this for centuries. What is a few more weeks? And of course, I would not expect you to be able to fix me right here and now." He let out a slight chuckle. He was a whirlwind of emotions. "Calm yourself Yoshiya, don't take ill now..." "I don't agree with my methods either," a pang of regret was audible on his voice. "though, if possible could you heal my arms? I'm sorry to impose further..."

Yoshiya had not looked up yet to see young Mai approaching, but there she was. He was aware of a presence there, a presence that made him wish he had been more observant for a few feet away stood a large mutt. It took every inch of his perseverance not to leap backwards at the sight of the hound.

He met her bow, not returning greetings as he had not been introduced to her, not yet knowing her name.

Haru smiled still as Mai finnaly aproched them, though it was hiding a bit of concern for the young Tanaka. He could see that she was not in the best shape of her life, if only looking at her tired looking eyes. There was something shaky about her whole body, though he couldt blame her. They ale have been through a lot lately. His muscles ached him a bit as well, thouh now in passing mostly. As he mused about the walefare of his pupil, he returned her bow while saying "Ive taken the liberty of telling her about you name, Yoshiya-san. Allow me to introduce, Tanaka Mai, 20th Seated Member of my Disivion. and her furry companion as it seems" he said, movig a bit closer to the dog and gelty petting it on the head. All things considerd, he looked like a nice pet.

Turning back to Watson he said " The faster I can assist you Yoshiya-san, the sooner you and the one you care about might enjoy some more peace in you lives. And healing the arms should not pose much of a problem...though perhaps we could find a bit of a better spot, now that were all assembled here" he concluded, leading the group a bit further away from the fields, to perhaps find a speck of fresher air a bit furthr away from the fields. As they wlaked, he guessed it was as good of a time as ever to start the conversation they came here to ahve, as he asked "Now, Yoshiya-san... did you happen to perhpas come in contact with the man who came for Sui on that winter day? That is the only relative of her's I have any knowaldge off..."

After the introductions were made -- Mai introducing Fenris to Harupia, whom he had seemed to take a liking to -- and the party moved down to a less-imposing part of the field which they stood, Mai remained silent. She followed Harupia closely, lest she catch herself in a rut and lose her balance and then fall in her weariness. She stopped half a step behind her Taichou, per her station as his "underling" though she remained in full view of Yoshiya; he would be able to read her weariness and all that it entailed, especially if he were keen to gauge her reaction to whatever was being said. The wolf stood beside her, responding to the Rukon man's unease with equal consideration: his fluffy ears were half-cocked back, head jutted forward and slightly lowered than his usual form, and tail half-erect behind him. He stayed still, keeping an eye on his master, and the man who was fearful. The wolf would do nothing unless provoked, however.

As the two men talked, Mai watched them, waiting for her turn to speak, and express her condolences on the man's loss. She had been wounded a great deal when the pair had lost Sui on the table, and while it had lessened over the months, the death of Brain in similar fashion had rent it anew. She was adamant about coming along today, despite the lack of propriety she currently embodied, and greatly felt that it would help her speed along the process of her lengthy and uneven recovery. The girl was patient, however anxious she appeared to be, and would do this.

He was able to put a name to the face. Mai Tanaka. Though he should have recognised her, given her hair. He tried not to reveal that they had met before, many many moons ago when Mai was still a child. He bowed again upon introduction.

"It is an honour to make your acquaintance, Tanaka-san. May I query though, are you at all related to the Soutaichou?" He already knew the answer to this question. He had also heard tale of Chie disappearing off into the Wastes...

Perhaps she already knew. The Rukon had fought beside Malik during the recent invasion by the Hollows. Whilst he had been self-absorbed during the battle, Yoshiya had observed him becoming immolated, now that he thought about it. Poor girl, and still having to work. Though Yoshiya did not comment on her obvious fatigue, out of politeness.

He rose and turned to address Harupia.

"That winter day? I'm afraid that I have no idea what you are talking about. Do you mean when all the children turned to monsters? I do not recall seeing her on that day, though that was after I left her in your care... I apologise, but my illness comes with memory loss. Please forgive me."

He gave another bow in apology.

"If you don't mind me asking though, what took her from us?" He pondered from a bit. "I suppose she was in a bad way when I left her with Harupia." He still wanted to hear the story from his lips.

But a thought struck his mind! Yggdrasil! How could he forget about her!? She was probably sleeping at this time, and he was downwind of the dog, but would the beast worry his cat? That would not be good.

He mentally readied himself to defend his front-left pouch...

News is like information, best to get it as soon as possible, Nero recalled his mother's words wisely, which is why he was currently out and about, searching for information and whispers. This was actually part of his routine after a delivery run in order to see where the work was outside of his family. Though his uncles and cousins were a source of good work, it was not steady and usually was for his uncle's smith shop.

As much as he loved the man, Nero was ambitious and preferred new and surprising jobs in comparison to the monotonous deliveries that came with transporting finished orders. His wallet and heart had no qualms with doing runs for family, it was simply in a youth's nature to expand the horizons, especially for a courier like Nero.

There was also another side to searching out the news and word of mouth; keeping up to date with current events. And given the atmosphere as well as the condition of the land as he moved about, The Hazard desired to know what happened recently during his last delivery run.

With that in mind, Nero had little trouble searching the fields, stopping short of the current one before the courier. His mismatched eyes swept across the field, noting the workers before landing on the standing trio. Calculations flashed like lightning as he took in their appearance, cautiously approaching them with head tilted, noting their garb. One was more than likely a Rukon resident like himself judging by appearance overall, and a distinct lack of the shihakushō that Shinigami wore as well as no blade to indicate a zanpakuto.

The other two drew his attention, both Shinigami as he noted the shihakushō as well as zanpakuto. Chances of these two beings impostors are extremely low, make that struck by natural lighting unlikely, He thought when seeing the Hairo of a taichou, the Nibantaichou to be precise. Information flooded his mind, recalling lessons and teachings smoothly as his lips parted.

"The medical division, bad news more than likely," he murmured, observing the trio carefully, approaching in a manner so it would seem like he was only approaching out of curiosity. Which was true- and a natural need to know what kind of matter was involved.

Chances of the matter involved life and death as well as current events? Nero scoffed at the thought; he wasn't going to make a loser's bet against himself.

The dog looked like quite a delightful companion…though it did seem to feel a bit more dejected once they started to move on. Perhaps it was sensing its owners exhaustion and it was weighing it down as well. Or perhaps it was a bit reserved to strangers…though it seemed quite happy as he petted him. Still, other the dog everything was going somewhat smooth. He stayed quite for the most part as Jeff spoke, first to Mai, and then to him. He nodded as he mentioned memory problems while saying “Understandable, no need to apologize. Though the information is a bit…worrying. As trivial as it may sound, memory loss is a rather bad sign conserving whatever illness your suffering from…”. Though he still knew little, what the heard suggested some kind of brain damage… yet, the man was still functioning rather well to have any serious injury there… this would need some time to decipher.

He would then say “What I meant was a normal winter day, no…strange, otherworldly occurrences there. I was passing through the Rukongai, and the girl was just being a kid. Throwing around snowballs and the like. I do recall you weren’t all too pleased by her antics” he chuckled, remembering the lighthearted moment. But then came the actual question about what happened to Sui after the attack of the rabid corpse. With a sigh, he would start saying “That is somewhat of a long story…and one which sadly we couldn’t determine all the details about…” but then stopped, as he noticed there was another individual approaching them. One he never saw before. He guessed they wandered far enough to now encounter more citizens of the Rukongai then Shinigami. Still, with a polite smile Haru addressed the man saying “Good day sir. Anything we could help you with?” He didn’t want to start the story with too many spectators around. He trusted that Yoshiya would be collected enough not to jump to some weird conclusions…or at least not be violent about it. As much as he wanted to believe otherwise, his few years in these lands learned him you never could quite know what to expect from the Rukongai folk.

Mai visibly stiffened at the man's question. Even now, despite all the reparations the pair had gone through, the youngest Tanaka still felt a flea in the man's shadow -- still, she was not her own. Perhaps she was just too tired, too weary to even attempt to maintain a facade of amiability, or just annoyed enough by the man's faux humility, but her icy tone conveyed her mood perfectly: "We are not so many to be considered common." Endangered, more like-- with Chie having vanished into mere nothingness, Mai had become the sole heir. There were only two of the Tanaka left, the line ended with her generation. Even more bad thoughts to dwell on in these troubling times.

Warily, her weary eyes flicked toward Harupia, a faint hint of apology flitting across them before her gaze shifted back to the man who had offended her. It was stony, a clear hint to not press the matter further. Her life was her own, regardless of the title her surname bestowed upon her; she hadn't done half the things she did as an adolescent because she wasn't trying to embody the Tanaka spirit. She had done them to be considered a separate entity entirely. Her posture remained on the defensive, shoulders rolling back slightly to become square with her hips, back straightening to her full height which naturally echoed Harupia's, though both were a good deal shorter than Yoshiya.

Her demeanor did not shift as quickly as it should have from defensive to normal, though as the man spoke, it did lesson. She was listening to what he said with a trained ear, trying to weasel out what little information she could without directly interfering. The two appeared to have met before, sometime in the past, though the Rukon appeared to have forgotten that due to his...illness? That, along with the mention of healing and arms as she had arrived made some sense to the tired girl, though whatever had happened in the past was still a mystery to her. What they, Harupia and Yoshiya, needed to do was have a sit-down and a lengthy discussion about the man's past. From what she could gather, just by being an observer in the situation, that something had happened, that it had affected him and someone he cared about...enough to perhaps damage himself?, and that it had caused him to forget things at times. Whatever it was, it piqued her curiosity, and as much as she did not want to, in her current state, help with something when she was needed elsewhere, she would help. If anything, it would keep her mind off the sadness that affected her so.

The wolf at Mai's side, insofar friendly, mirrored her responses. He was a pack animal, the beta, and as his master's body shifted into that defensive, angered woman stance, his lanky frame seemed to bulk up; along his spine, hackles rose, the thick hair stiffening and spreading and giving him the appearance of a lion's mane. His ears cocked themselves forward as his weight followed suit, body curling slightly as to put himself in front of Mai, ready to defend her if something, however unlikely, should happen. This response netted one in turn down the line whether or not it was realized by the man, who had shifted enough to prepare for something...though for what, the wolf wasn't sure. He was too distracted with the sudden appearance of another; he quickly turned about, startling Mai at his side, and regarded the newcomer with wariness bordering on disdain. Meeting a new person was one thing for the poor beast, but three at once seemed...problematic.

Mai turned around after her wolf, following his gaze toward the newcomer. As much as she did not want to be around any more people, she was selfishly thankful for the delay in retelling the death of Sui. Her hand once again found the scruff of her companion and moved to stroke the beast, using the firmness of her hand to quell the growth of new anxiety and to remind him that he was supposed to be staying at her side. Still, her eyes closed as she sighed inwardly at the beast's gruff half-bark warned the newcomer that he was being watched by something that did not want him there...if only for his sneakiness. 

When it rains, it pours.

His question had irked young Mai, though he suspected that a level of her hostility was due to recent stress. She did look haggard. Though her sudden bout of hostility was mirrored by Fenris, already a point of discomfort for Yoshiya, putting him on edge. The arrival of a new being did not help matters. He was an unknown factor in this, though so was everyone else, to be fair.

Yoshiya did not answer Taichou Hitoshi. He made no comment, not to him, nor to Tanaka-san. Not a word left his lips. He simply moved backwards and off to his right so he could observe the other four. One other benefit was that he was now further away from the dog, though not so far to be of much practical benefit.

He still didn't recognise the kid. For all he knew he could be a plain-clothes Shinigami. Which begged the question, why had they sent a plain-clothes operative to this meeting?

Nero blinked, noting the animal that he missed before; an obvious companion to the young woman and not a friendly one either. It wasn't unexpected either considering that he didn't know the animal and vice versa and he was far more concerned with the conversation and the bits and pieces that he had just picked up. There wasn't much to go on and assumptions were akin to estimations; in the end, they could not really do much for him and were not the best values to use in an equation.

He did however, smile awkwardly at the three pairs of eyes focused on him. Smooth, and you without any means of defense or running beyond hauling my butt away... he thought and held both hands up in the universal sign for peace and innocence.

Well, peace anyway- The Hazard was more mischief than innocence.

"Just looking for news, that's all Nibantaichou-san," he replied with a friendly smile as formulas and equations flashed through the young scholar's mind. "I'm not intruding on anything private I hope," Nero added, an odd truth in fact.

Odd in the sense that a private discussion would be best taken in a secure location but it never hurt to have all the bases covered. After all, not all equations dealt with obvious values and numbers; real life was the same way.

Hmm...things were not off to a good start. Though that could be expected...even if it was a harmless question, it still could strike a chord. The Tanaka Family was not that big after all. Though, as far as he knew, Mai's relating with her family was...somewhat complicated. She watched over her father for days now...but their conversations often time were heated to say the least. Sometimes it reminded him of his own younger years... of course, he couldn’t be sure of the nature of their relationship. Still, butting heads with you elders was just a part of life he guessed...whether the head-butting was actually good for you or not was a whole other issue.

As Mai gazed at him with a slightly apologetic glance, his face shifted a bit into a more impassive one. He could understand why she was offended, but he didn’t really think there was any ill will intentioned in what Yoshiya said. So he was simply saddened that they got of the wrong foot. Though really, it wasn’t surprising all of them had a bit of a short fuse. They were tired, went through harrowing days, and well...sadly the general relationship between he Rukon and the Shinigami was a bit strained. He really wished he could try and say something to ease the situation up bit...but that was when the other person came.

It wasn’t anyone from his Division for sure, nor any Shinigami he ever saw. And judging by the fact they were closer to the Rukongai, it was probably a dweller. Still, is presence why not really harmful was...awkward. He had no idea who this was. Yoshiya at least recalled who Sui was, and without the men who took care of there that day, was the closest thing to a acquaintance she had in his mind. He wasn’t to keen on discussing her fate with someone who was a complete stranger to the topic. Especially not someone looking for "news". As much as he liked a good conversation, he wasn’t here to gossip today.

Still, no need to be rude. With a soft sigh, Harupia would say "Well, that is not entirely my call... but I think the mutual agreement here was that we were seeking to discuss in a more closed circle... just my luck it would seem. Any other day and I would be quite delighted to share some news from the city with you" he chuckled a bit after saying that, wanting to unload the pressure a bit, before saying "But right now, we were indeed seeking a more closed off conversation. Just looking for a nice quite spot to have one, hehe"

Today was not a good day for the Tanaka. The walk had cleared her mind some, but not enough as she very nearly bit the head of the man who thought himself important enough to ask questions that were unrelated to their discussion and also found anger swelling in her chest at the approach of some kid from the path; they had moved away from the central thoroughfare, after all, well out of anyone's way, though apparently not so far off to be considered private...were none of the Rukon citizen's respectful in regards to privacy? At least the Watson had an appropriate reaction to the size of her dog, the other one either hadn't seemed to notice or didn't appear to care.

Irritated, she sighed, stepping back half a step to turn and look around, unaware of how suspicious it seemed. This was not that kind of rendezvous, however; it wasn't any sort of clandestine meeting where treasonous thoughts were to be had, if one excepted the wolf which desperately wanted to sniff at the bearded man's pouch or charge at the approaching stranger. It was simply a private exchange held off the beaten path. Mai's anger invaded her careful mask, threatening to send it shattering to the ground without notice. Still, it was easier to be angry, especially at the situation, than it was to allow herself to recall the emotions that she felt when Sui passed.

Lips pressed together in a thin line, she kept her tongue it check; better to not act more irritated than she already had, especially since her previous statement had elicited a change in Harupia's demeanor...it was both unprofessional and rude of her to behave in such fashion, despite the lowness of her seat. She would wait, eyes on Harupia and occasionally the boy, until the situation was somewhat resolved; the bearded man had slunk back a fair bit, and she would have too, but that was the price she had to pay to stay in her taichou's good graces. At least the wolf was quiet and mostly still.

They matched, movement for movement, a waltz of suspicion and stress. Both Yoshiya and Mai moved in unison, to gain a better view, though Mai's dainty half step was far less than Yoshiya's great stride.

He could sense it, the animosity radiating from the young Shinigami. Tension was rising, and Yoshiya quivered. Panic was rising, and his face turned slightly paler.

He knew what it was, and he didn't like it. Stress was overcoming him. If the Taichou did not calm the situation then he may have first hand evidence of Yoshiya's symptoms.

Figures and values flashed through the mind as Nero considered the man's words and inwardly frowned. He was beyond suspicious now considering the whispers he had heard while snooping for news; something terrible had occurred but he had yet to actually find out what exactly from anyone. Not for a lack of trying either, only a lack of time and convenience; catching news as a courier was no easy task.

Considering he is in charge of medical, the most likely possibilities are life or death, Nero guessed, given that there was little other logical reason for the Nibantaichou to be there. At least, the formulas led to that conclusion but he could not be certain.

"Actually, I wish to know what has happened in the Rukongai, I'm not about to pry into what happens within the ivory walls," he remarked, tucking both hands away into little slit pockets in his pants. "Privacy is understandable but I would recommend a little less, open venue," he advised cautiously, glancing around.

"Privacy is a bit defeated when your talking in an open field, in my opinion anyway," he added with a shrug, already tapping the first kanji on his ring, unlocking the blank entry to record the response.