The world of the dead is divided in two.
On one side, there is the Shinigami; the death gods...
On one side, there is the Shinigami; the death gods...
A Two-Faced Soul [Bleach Visored Quest]
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Welcome to A Two-Faced Soul. Using the setting of Bleach and inspired by @Maugan Ra's We Stand in Awe and Omicron's Now You Feel Like Number None, this Quest follows the adventures of an explicitly non-canon Visored in the setting of Bleach. As the events of Hollowification and the creation of the Visored take place nearly a hundred years prior to canon, I will be exploring facets of the setting that might not otherwise be explored.
In the interests of full disclosure, I will note that I have only watched to the end of Soul Society in Bleach. While I have spent some time watching Youtube clips and reading through the wiki to gain a broader understanding of the setting, there will be gaps in my knowledge reflecting that.
Although this quest is narratively driven (there will be no dice rolls made through the duration of the quest), Maugan Ra has graciously allowed me to borrow the EXP ranking system he has refined during the running of We Stand In Awe. This ranking system looks like this:
In the interests of full disclosure, I will note that I have only watched to the end of Soul Society in Bleach. While I have spent some time watching Youtube clips and reading through the wiki to gain a broader understanding of the setting, there will be gaps in my knowledge reflecting that.
Although this quest is narratively driven (there will be no dice rolls made through the duration of the quest), Maugan Ra has graciously allowed me to borrow the EXP ranking system he has refined during the running of We Stand In Awe. This ranking system looks like this:
- Incapable - Not technically a level as such, this will only show up on a character sheet in the rare event that some circumstance makes it utterly impossible for you to learn or use a particular skill.
- Untrained - This represents the baseline, what you can accomplish without any focused training.
- Student (100xp) - Having received some basic training in the skill in question, you have started down the long road to mastery. Acquiring this level almost always requires that someone specifically educate you in the skill in question, though future improvements can be attained through solo practice.
- Adept (200xp) - You have supplemented your initial lessons with hard-won experience, and can now employ the skill with considerable confidence. This level is considered 'average' for an unranked shinigami.
- Skilled (400xp) - Your proficiency with the skill is worthy of note, even among the ranks of the Gotei 13. Seated officers will virtually always have at least one skill at this rank, increasing as they climb in status.
- Veteran (800xp) - Tales of your prowess have begun circulating among the upper echelons of the Gotei, and many watch your progress with some interest.
- Master (1600xp) - You are truly a force to be reckoned with, and others will seek you out for advice and guidance in improving their own skills to a similar level. Most Captains have this rank in their basic foundational techniques, and it is on the strength of such mastery that their reputation is forged.
- Champion (2400xp) - Your skill is awe-inspiring, capable of sweeping aside those of lesser worth with minimal effort. Most Captains hold this rank in their areas of individual focus.
- Legendary (3200xp) - You have reached the absolute pinnacle of what is possible for this skill, and any future improvements will be of the tiniest increment at best. Perhaps one person in all of the Soul Society has this rank for any given skill.
Update 1
- Location
- Australia
You wake up in a house that is not your own.
Your head pounds as you attempt to sit up. Wincing, you touch your hand to your head, automatically categorizing your symptoms- migraine; moderate nausea; fiery sensations and weakness in limbs. Most likely mild reiryoku burnout.
Collapsing back down once again, you close your eyes briefly, trying to remember what had happened this time. You had- you had been in the sixty-second Southern district of the Rukongai. A very nice man named Shinji had generously offered to let you sleep in his room if you would slay a Hollow that had been terrorizing the district recently. And… the Shinigami had arrived. You had been forced to run.
Abruptly, a voice intrudes on your thoughts. "Hello?"
You stiffen at the sound, then warily turn your head to view whoever had spoken. It is a small child, no more than eight years of age, if you had to guess. He's grinning toothily at you, displaying three missing teeth.
"... Hello," you reply eventually. "Who are you?"
"I'm Arashi!" he exclaims eagerly, puffing up his chest. The movement draws his stained robes against his chest. It might have looked heroic on someone twenty years his senior and thrice his weight. "Who're you?" You open your mouth to respond, but his mouth is already running again, five steps ahead of you. "Oh, oh, Mommy asked me to get her when you wake up, hold on!"
"Wait-" you call, but the child doesn't even hesitate before turning on his feet and running down the hall. You can only let out a forlorn sigh as the child's feet slaps on the stone floor of the house.
With nobody to interrupt you this time, you turn your thoughts back to your current predicament.
Reiryoku burnout is not uncommon amongst Shinigami, though usually less so once a given Shinigami has graduated from the Academy. It usually takes a significant level of exertion to push oneself to the level of reiryoku burnout.
In your defence, at least, you had been fleeing for your life from a group of Shinigami. Perhaps you had pushed yourself too far, but minor reiryoku burnout is far preferable to being dead.
You move gingerly as you sit up this time, taking care not to push your burning limbs too hard. Small lances of burning pain shoot through your wrist and shoulders as you move, but you move slowly and cautiously, and the pain is tolerable. After a moment, it fades, and you're able to sit up completely.
Now that you're sitting up, you're able to turn your head to more properly survey the room.
It's… very run-down, is the first though that comes into your head. The house still has furniture, but it's only roughly carved, and looks as though it has not seen maintenance in several years; the wardrobe's door hangs loose from the top, and several drawers are missing from the dressers. The floor is made of solid stone, uncarpeted, as though the house had simply been built atop it and a floor had never been built. A chill wind blows through several holes in the walls and roof, through which you can smell the scent of sour sweat.
You are not too far into the Rukongai, then. The sixtieth district, at most; more likely the fifty-seven, or even the fifty-sixth.
A woman enters the room then, her face drawn and tired. Behind her, little Arashi's feet pound on the stone floor, and he peeks around his mother's dress as he lets out a shrill giggle.
"... Hello," you say quietly.
Her mouth draws tight, but she steps into the room, dragging Arashi with her and pressing him close against her leg. "Good morning," she greets you evenly. "My name is Yui. Who are you?"
You turn on the bed to face her fully, a grunt escaping you as your stomach protests the moment. A moment passes as you recover, then you offer her a wan smile. "I am Shiho," you reply in turn. "How did I get here?"
The smell of rice and curry wafts through the room, ticking at your nose as the woman replies. Her voice is terse, though not unwelcoming. "I found you lying in the woods." She looks over you, her mouth twisted into a frown as she takes in your robes. Thankfully, she doesn't mention them, or demand an explanation, and instead settles back on your face after the moment of examination. "I have rice cooking. Would you like something to eat?"
Thoughts race through your head. You are quite hungry, and you suspect that if the Shinigami were here, Yui would not be so eager to help you. And you really are hungry. "... I would like that." You give her your best attempt at a charming smile.
"Very well." She nods sharply. "Arashi, please help our guest to her feet."
Arashi nods eagerly, rushing over to try and help you up with his little hands. He's surprisingly strong, for a child, but he's still not very helpful. You wince several times as his hands dig into your hips, sending a burning pain through you; but eventually you manage to make your way to your feet, albeit only with a hiss of pain.
Once you're up, he nods sharply and takes your hand, attempting to pull you over to where his mother is standing. You stumble along beside him, trying to ignore the little pinpricks of pain your movements send through you, until finally he slows down, giving you a puzzled look. You give him a pained smile and continue following him.
Ahead of you, Yui turns and begins moving through the dilapidated house. "We don't have much, but we make do with what we have," she calls back. "I hope you like chicken curry."
Beside you, Arashi crosses his eyes and sticks out his tongue. "Blech," he groans. "Chicken." Then he turns towards you and gives you a conspiratorial smile. "I don't like chicken," he whispers. "Do you like chicken?"
You don't, not particularly. You're more a fan of fish, when you have to eat meat. You are not planning to tell that to an impressionable child, however. "Of course," you reply, giving him a surprised look. "Chicken is delicious, and very good for you."
"Hm," he grunts, pouting a little. "Well, I don't like it."
The movement is oddly adorable. You pat him on the head, giving him a small smile.
Finally, the three of you arrive in a small, ramshackle kitchen. Most of the metallic pots and pans in here are rusted, and you can see burn marks along the wooden countertop, but the place is tidy and cleared of any mess. A small stove sits tucked away into a corner, a pile of wood next to it.
"Please sit." Yui moves over to the stove, pulling open a cupboard resting above it with a loud, creaky groan to reveal a small pile of wooden bowls. She efficiently doles up the rice and curry into three of the bowls, then passes the biggest portion to Arashi, and the second biggest portion to you, before finally kneeling at the table with the two of you. The bowl is rough, but thankfully the spoon lying in front of you on the table is not.
The room is quiet for a few moments, filled only with the sounds of eating and Arashi's occasional sounds of disgust. The curry is not particularly well-cooked, but you make sure to eat it all anyway.
Finally, the three of you finish, Arashi wiping off his mouth on his shirt and letting out a loud yawn. Yui gives him a disapproving look, then gives a little sigh and shakes her head. "Go wash up," she murmurs to him. "You're filthy."
He gives her an angry look, but climbs to his feet anyway. "Well, maybe if you didn't cook chicken I could eat it properly!" he yells as he stalks away, evidently heading towards the washroom by Yui's lack of concern.
The woman gives you a patient smile, then stands, collecting each of your three bowls. You attempt to stand to help her, but she merely pushes you back down, giving you another patient smile. "Let me do this," she says, voice pitched softly. "You are a guest here. You do not need to help me wash the dishes."
You subside, selfishly grateful that you won't be forced to endure the pain of climbing to your feet. But thoughts crowd your head after a moment, and you can't help but let your thoughts wander.
The last thing you remember, you had been pushing yourself harder than you had in years as you had fled from the Shinigami that had been hunting you. Your limbs had been aching, your spirit burning- yes; you can see that you'd pushed yourself too far, in hindsight. You remember- you remember the fear flowing through you, the anger and pain; you remember reaching for your mask-
Your mask! Panic rushes through you, and you hurriedly pat down at your robes, regardless of Yui's presence. For a heart-stopping moment, you can't feel anything- and then you feel it, tucked tightly within your chest bindings. You stop for only a brief moment to make sure the other woman is not looking before you reach into your robes and pull it out.
Only when your gaze falls upon it does your heart calm a little, stop racing.
This thing is the cause of so many of your troubles, but you cannot imagine going without it. It- it is the only thing that has saved your life, so many times.
[] Appearance. What does your mask look like?
[] Theme. Describe, in general terms, what your mask does. [Note that the GM will be interpreting this to provide general abilities for your Hollow form.]
"It was lying beside you," Yui murmurs. You flinch, instinctively tugging the mask back down beneath the table and into your lap. She gives you an amused smile. "You were barely conscious, but you still remembered to put it away inside your robes."
You nod cautiously. "It's… a valuable heirloom," you hedge. "Thank you for keeping it safe."
"Of course." She nods, although she clearly does not believe you. "I couldn't find any injuries, but you seem to be feeling better now."
Again, you nod. "I should be back on my feet within the next two days," you reply. "I can leave then, if you need me to."
There's silence for a few moments, broken only by the sound of splashing in the washroom and the sounds of birds outside. Then she sighs. "We have little food," she replies. Her facial expression doesn't change, but you can see sadness flickering through her aura as she replies, the first visible sign of strong emotion in her since you woke. "But you will not need to leave quite that soon. You can stay here for a week, if you would like. That should not strain us too much."
Licking your lips, you consider it. It's a tempting offer- food and warmth, a place to recover as you heal. And whatever you had told Yui, you are not going to recover completely for weeks- not effectively enough to flee should the Shinigami come again, at least. But they are obviously not in a place to help you- you can see how bare their counters and cupboards are from here.
If you are to stay here, you are not going to be able to rest easily unless you can offer her something in recompense- money, or food, or something along these lines. In the Rukongai, nobody can afford to spare anything for long- and yet, the Rukongai is the only place for you to hide. It's a tradition you've become used to, over these last few years.
But what can you offer her in turn?
[] Although it shames you, you have- at times- been forced to turn to work as a mercenary to earn coin enough to repay those who have helped you.
- [] There are always Hollows that need hunting. Although such work is risky, as the Shinigami are near universally called to come end such beasts as they appear, if you can find someone early enough to offer your aid, you should be able to convince them to hire you to end such a beast- assuming, of course, that you can kill a Hollow in your weakened state. And that you can kill it before the Shinigami arrive.
- [] While you hold strong dislike for work that requires you to kill living souls, you have made exceptions before for those who have turned to banditry. Killing a soul with your zanpakuto does not kill them, after all- it merely pushes them back into the cycle of reincarnation, whereupon they are reborn anew. It still troubles you, however- and even mercenaries might be dangerous to you, weakened as you are.
[] You have acted as a healer before; you could do so again. It shames you to turn your arts to healing for money, but- at least the money is going directly to support another.
- [] There is a man that has been injured recently; the leader of a group of bandits in the region, although his group has not been active in some months. It turns your stomach to heal those who would prey on others, but the rewards are lucrative; lucrative enough to repay Yui and Arashi many times over for their assistance, and perhaps keep some for yourself besides. And perhaps you could learn why they have not been active.
[] You could simply act as a labourer or a storeperson. Although you would have to wait several days for your body to restore itself enough to allow you to act, you are skilled enough in Reinforcement to act as a labourer for any who might seek one. It is drudge work, but you will remain close enough to your saviours to thank them properly for their efforts in saving you, and perhaps learn more about them in turn.
Your head pounds as you attempt to sit up. Wincing, you touch your hand to your head, automatically categorizing your symptoms- migraine; moderate nausea; fiery sensations and weakness in limbs. Most likely mild reiryoku burnout.
Collapsing back down once again, you close your eyes briefly, trying to remember what had happened this time. You had- you had been in the sixty-second Southern district of the Rukongai. A very nice man named Shinji had generously offered to let you sleep in his room if you would slay a Hollow that had been terrorizing the district recently. And… the Shinigami had arrived. You had been forced to run.
Abruptly, a voice intrudes on your thoughts. "Hello?"
You stiffen at the sound, then warily turn your head to view whoever had spoken. It is a small child, no more than eight years of age, if you had to guess. He's grinning toothily at you, displaying three missing teeth.
"... Hello," you reply eventually. "Who are you?"
"I'm Arashi!" he exclaims eagerly, puffing up his chest. The movement draws his stained robes against his chest. It might have looked heroic on someone twenty years his senior and thrice his weight. "Who're you?" You open your mouth to respond, but his mouth is already running again, five steps ahead of you. "Oh, oh, Mommy asked me to get her when you wake up, hold on!"
"Wait-" you call, but the child doesn't even hesitate before turning on his feet and running down the hall. You can only let out a forlorn sigh as the child's feet slaps on the stone floor of the house.
With nobody to interrupt you this time, you turn your thoughts back to your current predicament.
Reiryoku burnout is not uncommon amongst Shinigami, though usually less so once a given Shinigami has graduated from the Academy. It usually takes a significant level of exertion to push oneself to the level of reiryoku burnout.
In your defence, at least, you had been fleeing for your life from a group of Shinigami. Perhaps you had pushed yourself too far, but minor reiryoku burnout is far preferable to being dead.
You move gingerly as you sit up this time, taking care not to push your burning limbs too hard. Small lances of burning pain shoot through your wrist and shoulders as you move, but you move slowly and cautiously, and the pain is tolerable. After a moment, it fades, and you're able to sit up completely.
Now that you're sitting up, you're able to turn your head to more properly survey the room.
It's… very run-down, is the first though that comes into your head. The house still has furniture, but it's only roughly carved, and looks as though it has not seen maintenance in several years; the wardrobe's door hangs loose from the top, and several drawers are missing from the dressers. The floor is made of solid stone, uncarpeted, as though the house had simply been built atop it and a floor had never been built. A chill wind blows through several holes in the walls and roof, through which you can smell the scent of sour sweat.
You are not too far into the Rukongai, then. The sixtieth district, at most; more likely the fifty-seven, or even the fifty-sixth.
A woman enters the room then, her face drawn and tired. Behind her, little Arashi's feet pound on the stone floor, and he peeks around his mother's dress as he lets out a shrill giggle.
"... Hello," you say quietly.
Her mouth draws tight, but she steps into the room, dragging Arashi with her and pressing him close against her leg. "Good morning," she greets you evenly. "My name is Yui. Who are you?"
You turn on the bed to face her fully, a grunt escaping you as your stomach protests the moment. A moment passes as you recover, then you offer her a wan smile. "I am Shiho," you reply in turn. "How did I get here?"
The smell of rice and curry wafts through the room, ticking at your nose as the woman replies. Her voice is terse, though not unwelcoming. "I found you lying in the woods." She looks over you, her mouth twisted into a frown as she takes in your robes. Thankfully, she doesn't mention them, or demand an explanation, and instead settles back on your face after the moment of examination. "I have rice cooking. Would you like something to eat?"
Thoughts race through your head. You are quite hungry, and you suspect that if the Shinigami were here, Yui would not be so eager to help you. And you really are hungry. "... I would like that." You give her your best attempt at a charming smile.
"Very well." She nods sharply. "Arashi, please help our guest to her feet."
Arashi nods eagerly, rushing over to try and help you up with his little hands. He's surprisingly strong, for a child, but he's still not very helpful. You wince several times as his hands dig into your hips, sending a burning pain through you; but eventually you manage to make your way to your feet, albeit only with a hiss of pain.
Once you're up, he nods sharply and takes your hand, attempting to pull you over to where his mother is standing. You stumble along beside him, trying to ignore the little pinpricks of pain your movements send through you, until finally he slows down, giving you a puzzled look. You give him a pained smile and continue following him.
Ahead of you, Yui turns and begins moving through the dilapidated house. "We don't have much, but we make do with what we have," she calls back. "I hope you like chicken curry."
Beside you, Arashi crosses his eyes and sticks out his tongue. "Blech," he groans. "Chicken." Then he turns towards you and gives you a conspiratorial smile. "I don't like chicken," he whispers. "Do you like chicken?"
You don't, not particularly. You're more a fan of fish, when you have to eat meat. You are not planning to tell that to an impressionable child, however. "Of course," you reply, giving him a surprised look. "Chicken is delicious, and very good for you."
"Hm," he grunts, pouting a little. "Well, I don't like it."
The movement is oddly adorable. You pat him on the head, giving him a small smile.
Finally, the three of you arrive in a small, ramshackle kitchen. Most of the metallic pots and pans in here are rusted, and you can see burn marks along the wooden countertop, but the place is tidy and cleared of any mess. A small stove sits tucked away into a corner, a pile of wood next to it.
"Please sit." Yui moves over to the stove, pulling open a cupboard resting above it with a loud, creaky groan to reveal a small pile of wooden bowls. She efficiently doles up the rice and curry into three of the bowls, then passes the biggest portion to Arashi, and the second biggest portion to you, before finally kneeling at the table with the two of you. The bowl is rough, but thankfully the spoon lying in front of you on the table is not.
The room is quiet for a few moments, filled only with the sounds of eating and Arashi's occasional sounds of disgust. The curry is not particularly well-cooked, but you make sure to eat it all anyway.
Finally, the three of you finish, Arashi wiping off his mouth on his shirt and letting out a loud yawn. Yui gives him a disapproving look, then gives a little sigh and shakes her head. "Go wash up," she murmurs to him. "You're filthy."
He gives her an angry look, but climbs to his feet anyway. "Well, maybe if you didn't cook chicken I could eat it properly!" he yells as he stalks away, evidently heading towards the washroom by Yui's lack of concern.
The woman gives you a patient smile, then stands, collecting each of your three bowls. You attempt to stand to help her, but she merely pushes you back down, giving you another patient smile. "Let me do this," she says, voice pitched softly. "You are a guest here. You do not need to help me wash the dishes."
You subside, selfishly grateful that you won't be forced to endure the pain of climbing to your feet. But thoughts crowd your head after a moment, and you can't help but let your thoughts wander.
The last thing you remember, you had been pushing yourself harder than you had in years as you had fled from the Shinigami that had been hunting you. Your limbs had been aching, your spirit burning- yes; you can see that you'd pushed yourself too far, in hindsight. You remember- you remember the fear flowing through you, the anger and pain; you remember reaching for your mask-
Your mask! Panic rushes through you, and you hurriedly pat down at your robes, regardless of Yui's presence. For a heart-stopping moment, you can't feel anything- and then you feel it, tucked tightly within your chest bindings. You stop for only a brief moment to make sure the other woman is not looking before you reach into your robes and pull it out.
Only when your gaze falls upon it does your heart calm a little, stop racing.
This thing is the cause of so many of your troubles, but you cannot imagine going without it. It- it is the only thing that has saved your life, so many times.
[] Appearance. What does your mask look like?
[] Theme. Describe, in general terms, what your mask does. [Note that the GM will be interpreting this to provide general abilities for your Hollow form.]
"It was lying beside you," Yui murmurs. You flinch, instinctively tugging the mask back down beneath the table and into your lap. She gives you an amused smile. "You were barely conscious, but you still remembered to put it away inside your robes."
You nod cautiously. "It's… a valuable heirloom," you hedge. "Thank you for keeping it safe."
"Of course." She nods, although she clearly does not believe you. "I couldn't find any injuries, but you seem to be feeling better now."
Again, you nod. "I should be back on my feet within the next two days," you reply. "I can leave then, if you need me to."
There's silence for a few moments, broken only by the sound of splashing in the washroom and the sounds of birds outside. Then she sighs. "We have little food," she replies. Her facial expression doesn't change, but you can see sadness flickering through her aura as she replies, the first visible sign of strong emotion in her since you woke. "But you will not need to leave quite that soon. You can stay here for a week, if you would like. That should not strain us too much."
Licking your lips, you consider it. It's a tempting offer- food and warmth, a place to recover as you heal. And whatever you had told Yui, you are not going to recover completely for weeks- not effectively enough to flee should the Shinigami come again, at least. But they are obviously not in a place to help you- you can see how bare their counters and cupboards are from here.
If you are to stay here, you are not going to be able to rest easily unless you can offer her something in recompense- money, or food, or something along these lines. In the Rukongai, nobody can afford to spare anything for long- and yet, the Rukongai is the only place for you to hide. It's a tradition you've become used to, over these last few years.
But what can you offer her in turn?
[] Although it shames you, you have- at times- been forced to turn to work as a mercenary to earn coin enough to repay those who have helped you.
- [] There are always Hollows that need hunting. Although such work is risky, as the Shinigami are near universally called to come end such beasts as they appear, if you can find someone early enough to offer your aid, you should be able to convince them to hire you to end such a beast- assuming, of course, that you can kill a Hollow in your weakened state. And that you can kill it before the Shinigami arrive.
- [] While you hold strong dislike for work that requires you to kill living souls, you have made exceptions before for those who have turned to banditry. Killing a soul with your zanpakuto does not kill them, after all- it merely pushes them back into the cycle of reincarnation, whereupon they are reborn anew. It still troubles you, however- and even mercenaries might be dangerous to you, weakened as you are.
[] You have acted as a healer before; you could do so again. It shames you to turn your arts to healing for money, but- at least the money is going directly to support another.
- [] There is a man that has been injured recently; the leader of a group of bandits in the region, although his group has not been active in some months. It turns your stomach to heal those who would prey on others, but the rewards are lucrative; lucrative enough to repay Yui and Arashi many times over for their assistance, and perhaps keep some for yourself besides. And perhaps you could learn why they have not been active.
[] You could simply act as a labourer or a storeperson. Although you would have to wait several days for your body to restore itself enough to allow you to act, you are skilled enough in Reinforcement to act as a labourer for any who might seek one. It is drudge work, but you will remain close enough to your saviours to thank them properly for their efforts in saving you, and perhaps learn more about them in turn.
Update 2
- Location
- Australia
"I would appreciate that." You give her a strained smile, trying to convey your genuine appreciation of your kindness despite the misgivings rising in you. She won't come to harm by harbouring you, but you dislike involving others in your affairs. "Thank you for your graciousness."
She gives you a small smile, the kind that flickers mirthlessly over her face before it disappears, so quick you wonder if she had actually smiled at all, or if you had merely imagined it. "Not at all," she returns calmly. "It is only my duty as a hostess."
Your own smile falls off as you nod, although she has already turned back to the sink. "Nevertheless, I appreciate the sentiment," you reply. "I will endeavour not to prove myself too much of a burden on your hospitality."
Of course, that is much easier said than done. If you were at your peak, you could have simply avoided her, if not offered your own help in tending to her daily chores and the maintenance of her house. As it is, however, your joints protest even as you shift nervously from side to side, and you can only subside. You cannot help like this, though you do want to.
It seems you are not subtle enough in your desires, however, as eventually Yui turns to you with a shrewd look. "Arashi!" she calls out, voice echoing powerfully through the house. "Have you finished bathing yet?" Then she turns to you with an apologetic look and speaks in a softer tone. "I am sorry to bother you with this, but would you mind terribly if I asked you to look over Arashi for a while? I am afraid he has a terrible habit of getting underfoot while I clean."
A loud humming comes from the bathroom, but you ignore it and smile at Yui. "Of course," you say warmly. "I would be happy to."
And truly, you would. You have always been good with children; they are flighty and temperamental creatures, but they are not half as stubborn as adults are. It takes little effort to convince him to help you to your feet, once he returns from the bathroom, and little more to aid you to your bedroom.
Once you are there, you pat the bed beside you, offering him a gentle smile. He kicks up beside you, giving you a wide-eyed look. The faint but discernable scent of bath-salts emanates from him- a cheaper alternative to soap, out here. It is unpleasant, but you do not let your nose wrinkle. He smiles up at you as he kicks his legs at the bed.
For a moment, you think. You have not entertained a child in some time- few people are so willing to leave their child alone with a Shinigami, and fewer times still have you been in a position to accept an offer to spend time with them. You have almost forgotten the process.
You settle on something simple. "Would you like to hear a story, Arashi?" you ask quietly.
He blinks up at you, then scoots a little further back on the bed, the movement bouncing you a little. His mouth parts in awe. "Like- like a shinigami story?" he asks, almost reverentially.
Your chest aches softly at that. "If you would like," you reply, your tone warm now, welcoming. "Tell me, little one. Have you heard the story of the first blade of the Shinigami?"
He shakes his head, his eyes somehow even wider now, as though the confirmation of your Shinigami status has conferred you some great authority in his eyes. "No!" he says energetically, shaking his head. "Tell me tell me tell me?!"
A huff of laughter escapes you as you settle back, leaning your weight across the bed. Arashi lies back with you, his eyes locked reverentially onto yours. "Very well," you reply softly. "It starts with a man called Oetsu Nimaiya. He was a brave man, and loyal…"
There are few tales amongst the Shinigami that are suitable for retelling to children. Even this one, you have to sanitize of some details; you leave out the sacrificial element of the creation of the blades, for instance, the tale of how ten thousand men sacrificed their souls to the forging of the blades, that the wielders of those blades might save ten million more. You fail to mention also the bloody death of the man at the hands of the Quincy, that no more blades might be forged in service of their enemies.
Even so, it is a long tale. By the time you draw to a close, explaining to him how each Zanpakuto was given to one of ten thousand Shinigami with which to form their soul-bond, his breaths are coming slowly, and your own eyes are beginning to close, tiredness hanging heavy from them.
… Sleep would not be so bad. It has been some time since you have rested well.
Recovering from reiryoku burnout is a simple process, but it's not a particularly quick one.
Were you back in Seireitei, you would have been back on your feet within the day. Stabilizing another's reiatsu with your own is a risky technique; the healers risk experiencing reiatsu burnout of their own if they offer enough to a patient, and if care is not taken, the patient's spirit may reject the foreign reiatsu. Those healers in the 4th Division are, however, very skilled at their job.
Indeed, were you in their care, you would not have been down for long. But on your own, recovery is a slow and inefficient process as you wait for your damaged spirit to heal and reiatsu to begin flowing through you once more.
Luckily, you have no need to use your reiatsu right now. If you did, you would have had to be particularly cautious, lest you risk pushing yourself even further into the process of spiritual burnout. Physical exertion alone will not risk that.
It just hurts.
Still, you have practice enough not to show the pain your movements cause you as you limp into the tavern the next day. Your weakness has faded some now, allowing you to walk further than the distance between your bedroom and the kitchen without needing aid; although, you muse to yourself with a rueful grimace, perhaps it has not faded quite far enough for you to have walked from Yui's house to the local tavern.
Either way, the damage is done. You move silently to an unoccupied table near the centre of the room, from which you can survey the rest of the occupants of the room, and open your senses.
There are many ways to make money in the outer districts of the Rukongai, but very few of them are both lucrative and legal. You sought such work for the first few months you had found yourself exiled out here, but after spending weeks searching with only minimal work coming your way, you had been forced to accept that you would not be making enough money to repay those who aid you by taking on the usual legal methods.
That is fine; you do, after all, have skills that are not usually found in the Rukongai, and while you dislike forcing people to trade money for healing, it is better than the alternatives. However, you have to be subtle about it. If word spreads- and it will- then inevitably, the attention of Shinigami will be caught. They will track down the spiritual healer, if only to recruit them for the Academy; and you will be forced to leave without repaying your benefactors regardless.
So over the years, you have learned to be subtle about it. Rather than asking around, you head to the taverns- places where people go not only to socialize, but also to drink away their sorrows. There, people will always spill their stories to those with sympathetic ears; their drinking companions, or barmen with more time than customers, or fellow half-deaf drunks. Stories of sick children, or injured masters, or wasting illnesses spreading through the cracks of the Rukongai.
If you were only looking for money for yourself, you wouldn't be doing this- you are a Shinigami, and while you do need to find sustenance, you are no stranger to hunting through the woods for roots and fungi to prepare for eat. But you are not looking for money for yourself; you have been offered a kindness by Yui and Arashi, and so you will repay it in kind.
It is only right to repay a kindness in kind, after all.
So you listen to the tales of woe spread through the tavern. And there are many of them. Life in the Rukongai is not a pleasant thing. Off to your side, a man tells a sympathetic barmaid of his suspicion that his wife is cheating on him with his father; behind you, a man cries into his flagon of drink, words occasionally intelligible enough for you to hear cries for a lost son; and at the table beside your own, a woman rasps words of her assault to a man bearing a wicked blade in his belt.
You make note of some of the tales. Perhaps, if you have time, you can lend what aid you can to some of these people. Your presence need not be entirely a negative for them.
It takes a distressingly long time for someone to speak of something that catches your attention. Dozens of stories of poverty, misery and starvation pass you by before, finally, you hear something that draws your interest proper.
"... still can't find a healer for him," a man is murmuring. Using a signal for a barmaid as an excuse, you half-turn your head so you can look at the table the voice emanated from. There are two men sitting there, both with sunken faces and wicked eyes, although that is where their similarities lie. "After the business with that bitch, he's refused to let anyone besides me in."
The second man, a man with a bulbous nose and a jagged scar across his eyes, grins widely, revealing a golden tooth set in place of a frontal incisor. You shudder at the sight of the dirt accruing beneath his nails. "And what do you expect me to do about it?" he asks, a cruel lilt to his voice. "I have already offered you the use of a valued healer without expectation of payment. Is that not enough for the crew of the great Kaito?" His voice turns mocking at the last words, and his smirk only grows wider.
The first man shudders a little. His clothes hang loosely around his shoulders and chest, as though he has lost a lot of weight recently, and his eyes are bruised, as though he has not slept in days. Still, when he responds, his words are emphatic, if quiet. "We've defended you before," he says, ice undercutting his words. "When Haruto and his pigs knocked on your door, we helped you. Are you saying you won't return the favour in kind, Genjiro?"
Humour washes off Genjiro's face at that. He scowls at the other man, a thunderous expression. "That was a very long time ago, Daiki," he says. His voice is quiet now, almost scarily so. "I have helped you many time since. Don't think you can hold that over me now. I have told you before- I will help you, if you can offer payment. I know the bandit has the money to pay me, if he wants healing."
You turn your head away quickly before either of them can look over. Behind you, you hear the sound of a wooden chair scraping against stone, then a loud clunk as someone presses a flagon down heavily to the surface of the table. You draw in on yourself as Genjiro passes you by, his body reeking of a heavy soap and sour aftershave, before finally half-twisting yourself to look back at Daiki, who is currently glaring at the table in frustration.
An opportunity, then. An injured bandit, with gold enough to make his wealth worth seeking; and a loyal underling, alone and seeking a healer. You feel vaguely guilty for considering taking advantage of their wealth, but, should there be anyone worth taking money from in this district, surely a bandit would be they.
The question is, how to go about it?
When should you approach him?
[] Approach Daiki now. He is frustrated and hot-headed now; you will not find a better time for beginning negotiations than when he has already opened himself and found himself rejected. Of course, this also brings with it risk- your spiritual veins still burn, and with his vulnerability comes frustration. You must take care.
[] Follow him stealthily, and find their hideout. Return on the morrow, when you have further healed and prepared. Of course, you risk the bandits finding another healer in the time you are gone- and even should they not, you risk further complications in their patient, which could complicate your efforts at healing him. And while you will heal some, you will not be at full capability- just immensely less likely to burn yourself out.
When you approach him, how will you present yourself?
[] Approach him as a Shinigami. Your blade confers upon you status, and your status conveys power; although your status is false, your power is not. By approaching him with your blade evident, he will be put on the back foot. However, approaching him now is risky; should you be required to heal today, you will be risking further burnout unless you can somehow fool him until you have recovered more. Still; no mere bandit will risk the wrath of a Shinigami. You will be safe, this way.
- [] Approach him aggressively. You are a Shinigami, and while you have little desire to harm him, he will readily believe that you will if you do not get your way. Demand payment in gold for your services; he will bend before you, and offer you what you will. You will win no friends this way, however.
- [] Approach him cautiously. You are a Shinigami, but not all legends of your kind portray you as forces of destruction. By portraying yourself as a wandering soul, you might earn modest payment- enough to assuage your conscience over Yui's hospitality, but only that, and barely at so. Still, you are much less likely to anger these people this way.
[] Approach him as a wandering healer. By hiding your blade within the folds of your dress, it will be a simple matter to offer your assistance as a wandering healer. Payment will be but modest, of course, and it conveys upon you the risk of assault should you anger them- but you will not be expected to risk your delicate reiryoku.
She gives you a small smile, the kind that flickers mirthlessly over her face before it disappears, so quick you wonder if she had actually smiled at all, or if you had merely imagined it. "Not at all," she returns calmly. "It is only my duty as a hostess."
Your own smile falls off as you nod, although she has already turned back to the sink. "Nevertheless, I appreciate the sentiment," you reply. "I will endeavour not to prove myself too much of a burden on your hospitality."
Of course, that is much easier said than done. If you were at your peak, you could have simply avoided her, if not offered your own help in tending to her daily chores and the maintenance of her house. As it is, however, your joints protest even as you shift nervously from side to side, and you can only subside. You cannot help like this, though you do want to.
It seems you are not subtle enough in your desires, however, as eventually Yui turns to you with a shrewd look. "Arashi!" she calls out, voice echoing powerfully through the house. "Have you finished bathing yet?" Then she turns to you with an apologetic look and speaks in a softer tone. "I am sorry to bother you with this, but would you mind terribly if I asked you to look over Arashi for a while? I am afraid he has a terrible habit of getting underfoot while I clean."
A loud humming comes from the bathroom, but you ignore it and smile at Yui. "Of course," you say warmly. "I would be happy to."
And truly, you would. You have always been good with children; they are flighty and temperamental creatures, but they are not half as stubborn as adults are. It takes little effort to convince him to help you to your feet, once he returns from the bathroom, and little more to aid you to your bedroom.
Once you are there, you pat the bed beside you, offering him a gentle smile. He kicks up beside you, giving you a wide-eyed look. The faint but discernable scent of bath-salts emanates from him- a cheaper alternative to soap, out here. It is unpleasant, but you do not let your nose wrinkle. He smiles up at you as he kicks his legs at the bed.
For a moment, you think. You have not entertained a child in some time- few people are so willing to leave their child alone with a Shinigami, and fewer times still have you been in a position to accept an offer to spend time with them. You have almost forgotten the process.
You settle on something simple. "Would you like to hear a story, Arashi?" you ask quietly.
He blinks up at you, then scoots a little further back on the bed, the movement bouncing you a little. His mouth parts in awe. "Like- like a shinigami story?" he asks, almost reverentially.
Your chest aches softly at that. "If you would like," you reply, your tone warm now, welcoming. "Tell me, little one. Have you heard the story of the first blade of the Shinigami?"
He shakes his head, his eyes somehow even wider now, as though the confirmation of your Shinigami status has conferred you some great authority in his eyes. "No!" he says energetically, shaking his head. "Tell me tell me tell me?!"
A huff of laughter escapes you as you settle back, leaning your weight across the bed. Arashi lies back with you, his eyes locked reverentially onto yours. "Very well," you reply softly. "It starts with a man called Oetsu Nimaiya. He was a brave man, and loyal…"
There are few tales amongst the Shinigami that are suitable for retelling to children. Even this one, you have to sanitize of some details; you leave out the sacrificial element of the creation of the blades, for instance, the tale of how ten thousand men sacrificed their souls to the forging of the blades, that the wielders of those blades might save ten million more. You fail to mention also the bloody death of the man at the hands of the Quincy, that no more blades might be forged in service of their enemies.
Even so, it is a long tale. By the time you draw to a close, explaining to him how each Zanpakuto was given to one of ten thousand Shinigami with which to form their soul-bond, his breaths are coming slowly, and your own eyes are beginning to close, tiredness hanging heavy from them.
… Sleep would not be so bad. It has been some time since you have rested well.
Recovering from reiryoku burnout is a simple process, but it's not a particularly quick one.
Were you back in Seireitei, you would have been back on your feet within the day. Stabilizing another's reiatsu with your own is a risky technique; the healers risk experiencing reiatsu burnout of their own if they offer enough to a patient, and if care is not taken, the patient's spirit may reject the foreign reiatsu. Those healers in the 4th Division are, however, very skilled at their job.
Indeed, were you in their care, you would not have been down for long. But on your own, recovery is a slow and inefficient process as you wait for your damaged spirit to heal and reiatsu to begin flowing through you once more.
Luckily, you have no need to use your reiatsu right now. If you did, you would have had to be particularly cautious, lest you risk pushing yourself even further into the process of spiritual burnout. Physical exertion alone will not risk that.
It just hurts.
Still, you have practice enough not to show the pain your movements cause you as you limp into the tavern the next day. Your weakness has faded some now, allowing you to walk further than the distance between your bedroom and the kitchen without needing aid; although, you muse to yourself with a rueful grimace, perhaps it has not faded quite far enough for you to have walked from Yui's house to the local tavern.
Either way, the damage is done. You move silently to an unoccupied table near the centre of the room, from which you can survey the rest of the occupants of the room, and open your senses.
There are many ways to make money in the outer districts of the Rukongai, but very few of them are both lucrative and legal. You sought such work for the first few months you had found yourself exiled out here, but after spending weeks searching with only minimal work coming your way, you had been forced to accept that you would not be making enough money to repay those who aid you by taking on the usual legal methods.
That is fine; you do, after all, have skills that are not usually found in the Rukongai, and while you dislike forcing people to trade money for healing, it is better than the alternatives. However, you have to be subtle about it. If word spreads- and it will- then inevitably, the attention of Shinigami will be caught. They will track down the spiritual healer, if only to recruit them for the Academy; and you will be forced to leave without repaying your benefactors regardless.
So over the years, you have learned to be subtle about it. Rather than asking around, you head to the taverns- places where people go not only to socialize, but also to drink away their sorrows. There, people will always spill their stories to those with sympathetic ears; their drinking companions, or barmen with more time than customers, or fellow half-deaf drunks. Stories of sick children, or injured masters, or wasting illnesses spreading through the cracks of the Rukongai.
If you were only looking for money for yourself, you wouldn't be doing this- you are a Shinigami, and while you do need to find sustenance, you are no stranger to hunting through the woods for roots and fungi to prepare for eat. But you are not looking for money for yourself; you have been offered a kindness by Yui and Arashi, and so you will repay it in kind.
It is only right to repay a kindness in kind, after all.
So you listen to the tales of woe spread through the tavern. And there are many of them. Life in the Rukongai is not a pleasant thing. Off to your side, a man tells a sympathetic barmaid of his suspicion that his wife is cheating on him with his father; behind you, a man cries into his flagon of drink, words occasionally intelligible enough for you to hear cries for a lost son; and at the table beside your own, a woman rasps words of her assault to a man bearing a wicked blade in his belt.
You make note of some of the tales. Perhaps, if you have time, you can lend what aid you can to some of these people. Your presence need not be entirely a negative for them.
It takes a distressingly long time for someone to speak of something that catches your attention. Dozens of stories of poverty, misery and starvation pass you by before, finally, you hear something that draws your interest proper.
"... still can't find a healer for him," a man is murmuring. Using a signal for a barmaid as an excuse, you half-turn your head so you can look at the table the voice emanated from. There are two men sitting there, both with sunken faces and wicked eyes, although that is where their similarities lie. "After the business with that bitch, he's refused to let anyone besides me in."
The second man, a man with a bulbous nose and a jagged scar across his eyes, grins widely, revealing a golden tooth set in place of a frontal incisor. You shudder at the sight of the dirt accruing beneath his nails. "And what do you expect me to do about it?" he asks, a cruel lilt to his voice. "I have already offered you the use of a valued healer without expectation of payment. Is that not enough for the crew of the great Kaito?" His voice turns mocking at the last words, and his smirk only grows wider.
The first man shudders a little. His clothes hang loosely around his shoulders and chest, as though he has lost a lot of weight recently, and his eyes are bruised, as though he has not slept in days. Still, when he responds, his words are emphatic, if quiet. "We've defended you before," he says, ice undercutting his words. "When Haruto and his pigs knocked on your door, we helped you. Are you saying you won't return the favour in kind, Genjiro?"
Humour washes off Genjiro's face at that. He scowls at the other man, a thunderous expression. "That was a very long time ago, Daiki," he says. His voice is quiet now, almost scarily so. "I have helped you many time since. Don't think you can hold that over me now. I have told you before- I will help you, if you can offer payment. I know the bandit has the money to pay me, if he wants healing."
You turn your head away quickly before either of them can look over. Behind you, you hear the sound of a wooden chair scraping against stone, then a loud clunk as someone presses a flagon down heavily to the surface of the table. You draw in on yourself as Genjiro passes you by, his body reeking of a heavy soap and sour aftershave, before finally half-twisting yourself to look back at Daiki, who is currently glaring at the table in frustration.
An opportunity, then. An injured bandit, with gold enough to make his wealth worth seeking; and a loyal underling, alone and seeking a healer. You feel vaguely guilty for considering taking advantage of their wealth, but, should there be anyone worth taking money from in this district, surely a bandit would be they.
The question is, how to go about it?
When should you approach him?
[] Approach Daiki now. He is frustrated and hot-headed now; you will not find a better time for beginning negotiations than when he has already opened himself and found himself rejected. Of course, this also brings with it risk- your spiritual veins still burn, and with his vulnerability comes frustration. You must take care.
[] Follow him stealthily, and find their hideout. Return on the morrow, when you have further healed and prepared. Of course, you risk the bandits finding another healer in the time you are gone- and even should they not, you risk further complications in their patient, which could complicate your efforts at healing him. And while you will heal some, you will not be at full capability- just immensely less likely to burn yourself out.
When you approach him, how will you present yourself?
[] Approach him as a Shinigami. Your blade confers upon you status, and your status conveys power; although your status is false, your power is not. By approaching him with your blade evident, he will be put on the back foot. However, approaching him now is risky; should you be required to heal today, you will be risking further burnout unless you can somehow fool him until you have recovered more. Still; no mere bandit will risk the wrath of a Shinigami. You will be safe, this way.
- [] Approach him aggressively. You are a Shinigami, and while you have little desire to harm him, he will readily believe that you will if you do not get your way. Demand payment in gold for your services; he will bend before you, and offer you what you will. You will win no friends this way, however.
- [] Approach him cautiously. You are a Shinigami, but not all legends of your kind portray you as forces of destruction. By portraying yourself as a wandering soul, you might earn modest payment- enough to assuage your conscience over Yui's hospitality, but only that, and barely at so. Still, you are much less likely to anger these people this way.
[] Approach him as a wandering healer. By hiding your blade within the folds of your dress, it will be a simple matter to offer your assistance as a wandering healer. Payment will be but modest, of course, and it conveys upon you the risk of assault should you anger them- but you will not be expected to risk your delicate reiryoku.
Update 3
- Location
- Australia
You settle back into your chair, turning away from Daiki once again. Briefly, you consider heading over to him now and introducing yourself to him now, but it would most probably be a foolish decision.
You're still balancing on the edge of reiatsu burnout, after all. It's not so painful any more that you require the aid of a child to sit up, but if you miscalculate and something goes wrong, you won't be able to do much like this. If the situation turned violent, you'd be risking your reiatsu just to take down a group of thugs.
Still, a little part of you- a part you try not to acknowledge much- mourns the lost opportunity. Freshly stung by Genjiro's refusal to help, you're sure that it would have been much easier to secure enough gold to repay Yui for her kindness in saving you.
Instead, you sit at your table, silently nursing a flagon of mead that is still nearly full, for a full three hours more as Daiki sinks further into his drink.
You appraise him some as he does, although you try not to be so blatant as to turn your head to survey him as you did before. There is much you can learn about a man when he is intoxicated, when a man lets down his barriers and says what is on his mind. You have to be careful with what opinions you form, of course; the behaviour of a drunk is not necessarily representative of their behaviour when they are sober. But it can be indicative.
He seems to be… not so bad as one might expect from a bandit, you conclude after a long while. He is rude and overbearing, offering not so much as a smile to any who approach him, but despite his surly demeanour and the five flagons of drink he downs during that hour-and-some you watch him through, he does nothing to distress the other customers. Indeed, when a barmaid moves to collect his cups, he does not react beyond moving his elbows to accomodate her- you can count at least four men within the bar that take the opportunity to grope the poor woman when she does the same for them.
If anything, he seems depressed. Understandable, considering. You're not sure how much of that is the drink talking, though.
It is well over an hour after noon when he finally moves to stand, pushing the two empty flagons remaining in front of him to the middle of the table and unwrapping his cloak from where it has grown tangled around his chair. He passes by your table as he heads out, a dark frown on his face. The smell of drink wafts from him, lingering for long seconds after he passes.
You wait for him to leave the tavern, and several seconds afterwards, before you stand and move to follow him. You're not worried about losing him- the districts out here aren't built with houses packed against each other, for fear of fire spreading and burning the homes of thousands.
Moving stealthily is a skill you have little experience in, but you have a solid grasp of the fundamentals. All Shinigami are required to take lessons in it while at the Academy, and while you did not pursue the arts after graduation, neither did you receive a failing grade.
You hang back, lurking well over a hundred feet behind the bandit at all times. Your cloak is distinctive, and there is little you can do about that short taking it off entirely, but you can remove your wimple easily enough. He catches sight of you three times as he moves through the Rukongai, but you keep your pace deliberately casual and your sight turned away from him, and he seems not to notice you.
It becomes much more difficult once he passes through the maze of buildings within the Rukongai and makes his way into the forest. Out here, you cannot rely on the presence of others to obfuscate your own, nor can you rely on the low murmur of noise that suffuses a communal area to drown the sound of your own movements.
Thankfully, Daiki seems either too drunk or too unstable in his footing to make his way easily through the forest. You take advantage of his noisy and stumbling path through the forest to mask the sound of your own movements, hanging well back and darting from tree to tree so he doesn't see you when he looks back.
It is not a large forest- not as large as some you have seen while visiting the living world, at least- but it is large enough that the man wanders through for over forty minutes, seeming to be searching for something. All signs of civilization have ceased, this far in; the low hubbub of murmuring voices and constant movement has faded, the smell of sweat and waste and rich perfumes has gone, replaced by the earthy smell of fresh dirt and rotting leaves.
At last, he alights upon something. His footsteps become surer here, his pose more confident as he strides deeper into the forest.
It is not at all difficult to tell what he has found, when you can make your way to where he was standing. There is a rough-hewn path in the foliage, marred and trampled by the footsteps of dozen to present something akin to a natural road.
From here, it is almost pitifully easy to follow him. Daiki's newfound surety leads him to check back less often, affording you greater time to flit from tree to tree behind him. There's enough bushes and wide trees around that the risk of him seeing you is really rather negligible, although you still take every effort to hide yourself from him regardless.
You hear the sounds of civilization before you see them. A muffled cough from up high is the first thing that alerts you to the presence of others, although it's far enough off that you still press forwards. Eventually, the trees start to thin, and more noises become evident. The hubbub of people talking; the snap and crackling of a large fire, a thin plume of white smoke rising through the air like a guilty admission of their presence; even the occasional squawk of a captive chicken.
You slow, even though Daiki does not, and move more cautiously now. There are sentries in the trees above, and guards wielding what look like crossbows atop a large wooden wall, but your cloak is designed in part to hide your presence, and they are not looking for you. Still, you don't draw too close to them, stopping hundreds of feet from where the sounds are emanating from.
This, then, would be your goal; their camp.
By your estimate, there are two dozen or so people within the camp, and definitely no more than thirty. None of those you can see are wielding anything special, only steel blades and crossbows; were you at full power, you have little doubt that you could render all of them unconscious without sustaining any substantial damage, as scattered and ill-prepared as they are.
At your current reiatsu levels, however, such a camp could pose a significant threat to you.
You frown. You are going to have to approach this differently.
Come the next day, you are glad to not find yourself quite so frustratingly sore. The pain has eased, although not faded completely; the burning in your spirit has almost completely faded, and you can feel your reiatsu lurking at the edge of your senses, waiting patiently for the chance to fill you with cool power once more.
You have different things to think about, though.
It requires a lot of thinking and careful coordination on your part to come up with a workable plan on how to introduce yourself to Daiki. If you had approached him yesterday, it would have been a simple matter- you would have seemed rude for eavesdropping, but no doubt the chance to have hired a healer would have overcome your seeming rudeness.
Today, you have to take a different tack.
You have dressed as a wandering healer, an outfit that is not unfamiliar to you. Your zanpakuto hangs at your side, but within a set of plain brown robes. Your wimple is similarly folded up and placed within a pocket, an all too recognisable sign of yours. A momentary feeling of despondency washes over you, quickly fought back.
Your plan is simple. There are recognisable signs of a healer; a small belt at your side contains a variety of tinctures and ointments in distinctive coloured vials, one of the few things you make sure to stash within your regular robes. Ideally, you would bring with you a medic's pouch, a plain brown bag with sprigs of rosemary around, but you lost yours in your flight from the Shinigami.
It's a relatively simple plan. If Daiki is looking for a healer, then he will surely visit an apothecary on his way to the tavern, if only for the chance that the apothecary might have something that will help his leader today.
And luckily enough, you have not miscalculated. A tight knot in your gut unravels slightly as the door to the apothecary's store opens after some half an hour spent within, browsing the herb selection and discussing the merits of mint tea as a herbal remedy with the store owner.
As planned, Daiki will approach Shiho with an offer of gainful employment. Shiho knows this full well, and intends to accept the offer.
However, Shiho has made one small miscalculation; Daiki will not make the offer to someone he has not first scouted out. As such, Daiki plans to make the offer to her over lunch in the tavern, should her responses to his questions prove positive- as they will.
This provides Shiho with an unforeseen opportunity, however- the chance to question Daiki in turn, and learn more information about the men you will be temporarily working with, the situation they have found themselves in, and perhaps more useful information on the district of the Rukongai Shiho has found herself in.
[] Pick 3 of the following conversational tacks Shiho will pursue while talking to Daiki.
- [] Ask about the job. How was Kaito injured, exactly, and what are his symptoms? The standard question one might expect, although it does risk making you look incompetent to Daiki, depending on how much he knows of the art of healing. You might learn more about what led him to be injured, however.
- [] Ask about where you will be required to work. You might learn more about the bandit camp; but more relevantly you will learn what security measures Daiki will take while you are there to ensure your silence and compliance.
- [] Angle the conversation towards Daiki. Try and get a sense of him as a person; what motivates him, his general personality, and his likes and dislikes. You get the feeling you are going to be going to him to act as a liaison a lot soon.
- [] Angle the conversation towards Kaito. Try and get a sense of what Kaito is like, and what you have gotten yourself into by agreeing to heal him. You are fairly certain you will be interacting with him a lot if he is conscious, so it would be good to know what kind of person he is.
- [] Angle the conversation towards the District you are in. Try and learn more about it- who the people you should avoid are, and where you might go if you need something. You don't plan to be here overly long, but it is always good to know more about a place you may need to flee from.
- [] Have Daiki turn the tables, and attempt to learn more about Shiho as a person. Shiho will attempt to deflect, of course, and will revert to a prepared false identity; but she will be struck, and will reflect some. A characterisation opportunity, and perhaps the revelation of some of Shiho's backstory.
You're still balancing on the edge of reiatsu burnout, after all. It's not so painful any more that you require the aid of a child to sit up, but if you miscalculate and something goes wrong, you won't be able to do much like this. If the situation turned violent, you'd be risking your reiatsu just to take down a group of thugs.
Still, a little part of you- a part you try not to acknowledge much- mourns the lost opportunity. Freshly stung by Genjiro's refusal to help, you're sure that it would have been much easier to secure enough gold to repay Yui for her kindness in saving you.
Instead, you sit at your table, silently nursing a flagon of mead that is still nearly full, for a full three hours more as Daiki sinks further into his drink.
You appraise him some as he does, although you try not to be so blatant as to turn your head to survey him as you did before. There is much you can learn about a man when he is intoxicated, when a man lets down his barriers and says what is on his mind. You have to be careful with what opinions you form, of course; the behaviour of a drunk is not necessarily representative of their behaviour when they are sober. But it can be indicative.
He seems to be… not so bad as one might expect from a bandit, you conclude after a long while. He is rude and overbearing, offering not so much as a smile to any who approach him, but despite his surly demeanour and the five flagons of drink he downs during that hour-and-some you watch him through, he does nothing to distress the other customers. Indeed, when a barmaid moves to collect his cups, he does not react beyond moving his elbows to accomodate her- you can count at least four men within the bar that take the opportunity to grope the poor woman when she does the same for them.
If anything, he seems depressed. Understandable, considering. You're not sure how much of that is the drink talking, though.
It is well over an hour after noon when he finally moves to stand, pushing the two empty flagons remaining in front of him to the middle of the table and unwrapping his cloak from where it has grown tangled around his chair. He passes by your table as he heads out, a dark frown on his face. The smell of drink wafts from him, lingering for long seconds after he passes.
You wait for him to leave the tavern, and several seconds afterwards, before you stand and move to follow him. You're not worried about losing him- the districts out here aren't built with houses packed against each other, for fear of fire spreading and burning the homes of thousands.
Moving stealthily is a skill you have little experience in, but you have a solid grasp of the fundamentals. All Shinigami are required to take lessons in it while at the Academy, and while you did not pursue the arts after graduation, neither did you receive a failing grade.
You hang back, lurking well over a hundred feet behind the bandit at all times. Your cloak is distinctive, and there is little you can do about that short taking it off entirely, but you can remove your wimple easily enough. He catches sight of you three times as he moves through the Rukongai, but you keep your pace deliberately casual and your sight turned away from him, and he seems not to notice you.
It becomes much more difficult once he passes through the maze of buildings within the Rukongai and makes his way into the forest. Out here, you cannot rely on the presence of others to obfuscate your own, nor can you rely on the low murmur of noise that suffuses a communal area to drown the sound of your own movements.
Thankfully, Daiki seems either too drunk or too unstable in his footing to make his way easily through the forest. You take advantage of his noisy and stumbling path through the forest to mask the sound of your own movements, hanging well back and darting from tree to tree so he doesn't see you when he looks back.
It is not a large forest- not as large as some you have seen while visiting the living world, at least- but it is large enough that the man wanders through for over forty minutes, seeming to be searching for something. All signs of civilization have ceased, this far in; the low hubbub of murmuring voices and constant movement has faded, the smell of sweat and waste and rich perfumes has gone, replaced by the earthy smell of fresh dirt and rotting leaves.
At last, he alights upon something. His footsteps become surer here, his pose more confident as he strides deeper into the forest.
It is not at all difficult to tell what he has found, when you can make your way to where he was standing. There is a rough-hewn path in the foliage, marred and trampled by the footsteps of dozen to present something akin to a natural road.
From here, it is almost pitifully easy to follow him. Daiki's newfound surety leads him to check back less often, affording you greater time to flit from tree to tree behind him. There's enough bushes and wide trees around that the risk of him seeing you is really rather negligible, although you still take every effort to hide yourself from him regardless.
You hear the sounds of civilization before you see them. A muffled cough from up high is the first thing that alerts you to the presence of others, although it's far enough off that you still press forwards. Eventually, the trees start to thin, and more noises become evident. The hubbub of people talking; the snap and crackling of a large fire, a thin plume of white smoke rising through the air like a guilty admission of their presence; even the occasional squawk of a captive chicken.
You slow, even though Daiki does not, and move more cautiously now. There are sentries in the trees above, and guards wielding what look like crossbows atop a large wooden wall, but your cloak is designed in part to hide your presence, and they are not looking for you. Still, you don't draw too close to them, stopping hundreds of feet from where the sounds are emanating from.
This, then, would be your goal; their camp.
By your estimate, there are two dozen or so people within the camp, and definitely no more than thirty. None of those you can see are wielding anything special, only steel blades and crossbows; were you at full power, you have little doubt that you could render all of them unconscious without sustaining any substantial damage, as scattered and ill-prepared as they are.
At your current reiatsu levels, however, such a camp could pose a significant threat to you.
You frown. You are going to have to approach this differently.
Come the next day, you are glad to not find yourself quite so frustratingly sore. The pain has eased, although not faded completely; the burning in your spirit has almost completely faded, and you can feel your reiatsu lurking at the edge of your senses, waiting patiently for the chance to fill you with cool power once more.
You have different things to think about, though.
It requires a lot of thinking and careful coordination on your part to come up with a workable plan on how to introduce yourself to Daiki. If you had approached him yesterday, it would have been a simple matter- you would have seemed rude for eavesdropping, but no doubt the chance to have hired a healer would have overcome your seeming rudeness.
Today, you have to take a different tack.
You have dressed as a wandering healer, an outfit that is not unfamiliar to you. Your zanpakuto hangs at your side, but within a set of plain brown robes. Your wimple is similarly folded up and placed within a pocket, an all too recognisable sign of yours. A momentary feeling of despondency washes over you, quickly fought back.
Your plan is simple. There are recognisable signs of a healer; a small belt at your side contains a variety of tinctures and ointments in distinctive coloured vials, one of the few things you make sure to stash within your regular robes. Ideally, you would bring with you a medic's pouch, a plain brown bag with sprigs of rosemary around, but you lost yours in your flight from the Shinigami.
It's a relatively simple plan. If Daiki is looking for a healer, then he will surely visit an apothecary on his way to the tavern, if only for the chance that the apothecary might have something that will help his leader today.
And luckily enough, you have not miscalculated. A tight knot in your gut unravels slightly as the door to the apothecary's store opens after some half an hour spent within, browsing the herb selection and discussing the merits of mint tea as a herbal remedy with the store owner.
As planned, Daiki will approach Shiho with an offer of gainful employment. Shiho knows this full well, and intends to accept the offer.
However, Shiho has made one small miscalculation; Daiki will not make the offer to someone he has not first scouted out. As such, Daiki plans to make the offer to her over lunch in the tavern, should her responses to his questions prove positive- as they will.
This provides Shiho with an unforeseen opportunity, however- the chance to question Daiki in turn, and learn more information about the men you will be temporarily working with, the situation they have found themselves in, and perhaps more useful information on the district of the Rukongai Shiho has found herself in.
[] Pick 3 of the following conversational tacks Shiho will pursue while talking to Daiki.
- [] Ask about the job. How was Kaito injured, exactly, and what are his symptoms? The standard question one might expect, although it does risk making you look incompetent to Daiki, depending on how much he knows of the art of healing. You might learn more about what led him to be injured, however.
- [] Ask about where you will be required to work. You might learn more about the bandit camp; but more relevantly you will learn what security measures Daiki will take while you are there to ensure your silence and compliance.
- [] Angle the conversation towards Daiki. Try and get a sense of him as a person; what motivates him, his general personality, and his likes and dislikes. You get the feeling you are going to be going to him to act as a liaison a lot soon.
- [] Angle the conversation towards Kaito. Try and get a sense of what Kaito is like, and what you have gotten yourself into by agreeing to heal him. You are fairly certain you will be interacting with him a lot if he is conscious, so it would be good to know what kind of person he is.
- [] Angle the conversation towards the District you are in. Try and learn more about it- who the people you should avoid are, and where you might go if you need something. You don't plan to be here overly long, but it is always good to know more about a place you may need to flee from.
- [] Have Daiki turn the tables, and attempt to learn more about Shiho as a person. Shiho will attempt to deflect, of course, and will revert to a prepared false identity; but she will be struck, and will reflect some. A characterisation opportunity, and perhaps the revelation of some of Shiho's backstory.