[the seireitei]

[yanagiissui]

It's been hectic lately. Issui's glad it's time for lunch and that Shinobu's back from her assignment. It's a relief to get out of her squad even for a little while. Issui shuffles along towards the Eleventh Division and hopes no one between there and here remembers she's in 13. She's going to be answering enough questions over lunch without stopping to please gossipmongers on the way.

Even with the distance between the two divisions, Issui travels this path often enough that it doesn't take her long. She doesn't even get much of a response from the men out in the training yard, which she has to walk around to get to the offices. Hopefully Shinobu is actually done enough with her post-mission paperwork load to leave. Maybe she should have brought takeout instead. Hmm.

On her way in, she passes... what was his name? One of the tenth seats, she thinks. He stammers a greeting at her and she nods. He's always struck her as a little weird. She knocks on the door, but enters without waiting. Issui shuffles to Shinobu's desk and bows deeply. Almost too deeply, actually. Don't overbalance and fall, Yanagi. That's ridiculous. "Good afternoon, Akiyama," she says gravely. "I hope you're well today."

Comments

[akiyamashinobu]

Shinobu's assignment ended just in time for some ridiculous scandal or other. Did a noble do something? Does she care? By the time she actually gets wind of any interesting details, she's too buried in paperwork to do anything about it. Ugh. She'll find out once she escapes office-work Hell.

She's managed to finish up the necessary red tape - and fended off another squad member's attempts to foist their paperwork onto her - by the time she hears a knock on the door. There's no need to answer it; a moment later, Issui lets herself in, as usual. The over-the-top grim formality of Issui's greeting earns a small, quiet snort.

"Afternoon, Yanagi," Shinobu bows in response, though considerably shallower, before straightening up and squaring her shoulders. The formalities more or less end abruptly there - Shinobu immediately rounds her desk. It's only a matter of time before someone else tries to get her to shoulder their work, now that she's done with hers for the day, after all. "Let's get outta here. We have things to discuss."

[yanagiissui]

Issui adopts a very mournful expression as Shinobu actually drags her out of the room. "Ah, Shinobu," she says as she's pulled along, "Don't worry, I watered your plants while you were gone." She waits a beat while they pass a couple of men she doesn't recognize. "I even sang to them like you asked." She slouches even lower than usual and opens her eyes wide.

"Oh, good afternoon third seat Madarame," Issui says politely as Shinobu drags her around a corner. They actually have to slow down, as he's lounging somewhat in the way. Now the question is, will he let them pass? ...Probably not without comment.

[akiyamashinobu]

"All of them?" Shinobu frowns dubiously, marching both of them forward. "Even the cactus?"

The unseated officers they pass don't get a second look from her - she can't even recall their names - but she doesn't get much of a chance to ask any questions once the two men are out of earshot. Their way is blocked by none other than the cueball 3rd seat. Napping, apparently.

"Couldn't find a better place than this, Ikkaku?" Shinobu sighs loudly. "Get outta the way."

...Madarame responds by propping his leg up to block her. "That's no way to talk to your superior officer." He lounges a little less - like he needed that formal greeting to puff him up any more, ugh - and nods in Issui's direction. "Maybe she can give you tips on manners."

Shinobu actually groans and knocks his leg down with her foot. "Manners, really. From the man dozing off in the hallway."

Madarame doesn't seem the least bit bothered by that, or the kicking. Instead, he's squinting up at Issui curiously. "Hey, you're in 13, right? Same squad as the Kuchiki that got arrested?"

[yanagiissui]

Issui tilts her head at Ikkaku's comment about manners. But because she's her, it ends up as more of a strange list to the side. "Of course," she says solemnly. "I would be honored to assist Akiyama in any way I can."

It's hard not to react to Shinobu kicking him, but Issui has practice. Instead of snorting or laughing she just stares, wide-eyed. She blinks finally and looks back to Ikkaku. She had hoped to get out of here without answering any questions like this, but really. She knew better. Smothering a sigh she says, "Yes. I'm in the Thirteenth with Rukia."

[madarameikkaku]

"Good, because she could use some etiquette lessons." And then Ikkaku oozes down into even more of a sprawl across their path more or less out of spite; he ends up at least partially atop Akiyama's feet. Dignity? What dignity? This is the man who has several Lucky Dances prepared for special occasions.

Akiyama tries to shove Ikkaku away, to little avail. "Get off my feet, shithead."

"That's 'get off my feet, Third Seat Shithead'," He corrects before moving on. Yanagi's answer is... not quite what he was going for. He narrows his eyes more. "What'd she do? Yachiru told me she stole 40 pies or something, but that doesn't sound legitimate."

[yanagiissui]

Issui squints slightly as she looks down at Madarame. Since she's behind Shinobu she is fortunately out of the path of his sprawling. "I don't know, sir." She tilts her head the other way, complete with awkward lurching. "You've already heard more than I have."

Which is even true. It's also true that she probably wouldn't share any details even if she had them. Issui doesn't know Kuchiki well, but she's always been polite and easy to work with. That's good enough for her where her squad mates are concerned.

[akiyamashinobu]

Madarame looks distinctly disappointed at the general lack of details on the Kuchiki scandal. Shinobu would be, too.... but that would just fuel the Third Seat further.

"Fine," He relents, after a moment, folding his arms across his chest and actually moves so that they can pass. "You can go to lunch, Akiyama. But don't be late coming back - you're still on duty."

"Sure, sure," Shinobu replies with a dismissive wave, taking the moment to drag Issui along with her, past Madarame.

She doesn't bother to talk again until Ikkaku is well out of earshot. "Did you really not hear anything?"

[yanagiissui]

Issui lets Shinobu drag her along, even going slightly boneless as she's dragged past Madarame. She almost catches his hand with her foot, not that he's likely to notice. There's also a close call where she almost trips-- she'd really rather not fall and drag Shinobu down with her. Fortunately, she recovers well enough to just trip awkwardly and flail a little.

"Not much," she replies finally. "There are a lot of rumors going around, but none of them sound likely to me. The only thing anyone can agree on is that Kuchiki is apparently facing a death sentence." Issui shrugs. She can't imagine Rukia doing anything to deserve that, but this is the Soul Society. The standards here are... strange.

[akiyamashinobu]

"Execute a noble? A Kuchiki?Yeah, I think Madarame's pie stealing sounds more realistic." Shinobu scoffs louder than she meant to, crossing her arms over her chest. "Weird that you don't know much. You'd think that her squad would at least get some wind of what's going on."

[yanagiissui]

Issui snorts. "I agree." She folds her arms behind her back and keeps even with Shinobu. "Captain Ukitake has been ill recently," she adds after a moment. "That's probably why we haven't heard anything."

She's actually not even sure if he knows what happened. The third seats are... very protective. Issui wouldn't put it past them to keep news from him if they thought it would make him sicker.

[abarairenji]

Renji hasn't had a whole lot of time to think since getting back from the human world. Paperwork, so much paperwork, and that's without running back and forth to the holding cells or fielding questions about what happened and is happening. Mostly, he just wants a nap. Maybe some lunch.

And as the former is mostly still out of the question (napping? not on Byakuya's watch, even if Renji is off duty) so Renji settles on getting out of the barracks long enough to get some food. Think over things.

He's distracted enough that he doesn't notice that other people are headed his way until he almost barrels right into them. Yanagi and Akiyama. He has to very quickly steady himself to keep from smacking into poor Yanagi. "Uhhh, afternoon," He blinks at the two women, bewildered; recognizing them doesn't make it any less awkward.

[yanagiissui]

Issui isn't paying as much attention to her surroundings as she really should be. One of the hazards of hanging around Shinobu. She realizes almost too late that someone else isn't paying much attention either, and is headed straight for her. He stops just in time that she gets an eyeful of chest instead of smashing face-first into it. Which is good, because that is a lot of visible chest.

...That's Renji Abarai. She's staring at Renji. Oh. Um. Issui blinks rapidly, then shuffles back a step or two. And she's slouching enough that that almost overbalances her. "Um. Good afternoon, Lieutenant Abarai," she says as she tries not to wobble too much.

[akiyamashinobu]

Shinobu, however, is alert enough to not only realize someone is headed their way - but who. That's a lieutenant, and Lieutenant Abarai, at that. It takes effort to remain straight-faced and not let on that she's noticed anything, but the payoff is worth it.

Issui almost walks straight into Abarai.

"Afternoon, Lieutenant Abarai." Truthfully, even Shinobu has to take a moment when she realizes what Abarai's version of casual clothes is - who wears that? Why is he wearing that? She struggles not to elbow Issui or laugh a lot. Instead, she does the smallest of bows. "That's a nice kimono, sir. Don't you think so, Issui?"

[yanagiissui]

"I, um. Yes?" Well that's not what she meant to say. Issui feels her face heat. Great. She's going to kill Shinobu. And then she's going to... kill her again maybe.

She shifts awkwardly. Could the earth possibly just open up underneath her? No? Well. She glances down toward the ground-- oh, that's a mistake. That's a surprising amount of leg. She'll just... look elsewhere. Maybe at his hair. Her face is probably about that color by now anyway.

[abarairenji]

Renji arches a brow, regarding both women curiously. Are they up to something? He can't quite tell. Akiyama is... Akiyama; he didn't get to know her very well before he left 11, but he learned enough to be suspect. Yanagi he knows less of, but she is Akiyama's friend. And apparently flustered at the sight of a Lieutenant. "...Thank you," He manages, after a moment.

After a couple seconds later, something dawns on Renji. "Yanagi, I've heard Captain Ukitake has been, uh..." He trails off, awkwardly. "Sick again. Has any news gotten through? I don't even know if his 3rd seats delivered my reports or not."

[yanagiissui]

Issui straightens slightly. "No sir, we haven't heard anything." She makes a small sound somewhere between a scoff and a sigh. "I suspect they thought it was too much for Captain Ukitake to hear during one of his episodes, and that it would be rude to tell the rest of us anything before the captain." She shifts a little and her shoulder pops. Oh good. That's not weird at all.

"All we've been hearing are the same rumors everyone else has," she adds after a moment. "If there's anything you can tell me, sir, I'll make sure the rest of the squad actually hears it." She really doesn't like the third seats. This latest failure to do their actual jobs is just more annoying than usual.

[abarairenji]

Renji glances briefly to Akiyama, who merely shrugs in response. As if she'd know any better. He frowns slightly, sighing, "I should have figured."

He barely notices the shoulder popping, really; he's already headed back towards distracted woolgathering while he tries to figure out the most coherent way to say what he means to say. It's difficult. "Rukia's being detained in the Squad 6 barracks until further notice. As of now, Captain Kuchiki's reporting to the Central 46 in regards to her sentencing. I don't know what it is they're planning on handing down, but execution has been mentioned." He furrows his brows, frowning in a very lopsided way. "Seems mostly like that's putting on a big show about it, making noise about that. Execution? For her crimes? Ridiculous."

Akiyama just snorts loudly. Charming.

[yanagiissui]

Issui tilts her head, listening intently. "From what I've heard, I agree," she says after a moment. "Execution would be excessive for anyone, but a noble?" She scoffs. "I can't imagine them deciding to execute a Kuchiki." Especially not when her brother's in there reporting to them. Even taking his notorious aloofness into account, nobles are all about family. Can't marry Rukia off to another family some day if she's dead, after all.

As she files this new information away to consider and relay later, Issui realizes... she's been staring. Well. She's been making proper eye contact while Renji talked, but now she's staring. Um. At least she was looking at his face and not anywhere else? She feels her face heat again.

[abarairenji]

"All the same, Captain Ukitake needs to know about this. Delicate health or not." Renji does feel ever so slightly bad about that, for the briefest of moments. Ukitake's been at this a long time though. He'll deal with it. "Having her Captain informed and involved would probably help."

Yanagi's slowly turning colors again. Renji shifts awkwardly. Even off-duty, he's still a lieutenant, he supposes. Even if now is not one of the times he'd like to make people uncomfortable with that particular rank.

"Is it true they actually sent you and Captain Kuchiki to apprehend her?" Akiyama pipes up after a very long moment, and Renji's honestly glad for it. He guesses Yanagi will likely be, too.

Renji finds himself struggling not to shrug. "Yeah. Who else would they have sent?"

[yanagiissui]

"Yes, sir. I agree. I'll make sure he does." Even if she has to awkwardly barge in on the Captain's resting. The third seats certainly do that often enough.

Shinobu's question surprises her. She actually hadn't heard about even that. "Wow," she mutters, glancing over at Shinobu, "you really are more informed than my squad." She may have to hurt Kotetsu and Kotsubaki.

She squints at her friend. Stop looking smug. Issui already knows she's going to be getting shit for this forever.

[akiyamashinobu]

Shinobu shrugs at both Issui and Abarai. "What? It's about the only thing 11th Squad heard right." Unsurprisingly, really. That a Captain and his Lieutenant went out in the human world is something the people in Squad 11 would most definitely want to know. The details after that, though... Well, pies.

Shinobu's briefly distracted from her growing smugness by Lieutenant Abarai suddenly glancing at them both rather quizzically. "Where were you two going?"

[yanagiissui]

Issui turns back to Renji. "Oh. We were on our way to lunch, sir." Why is he asking...? Oh wait. Of course. "But maybe I should head back to my squad immediately to let everyone know what's going on." Since the third seats aren't planning on filling anyone in.

She probably won't be able to make it there and back before Shinobu's lunch break is over, but that's okay. They can reschedule. Issui turns to her to say as much. Wait. "What?" Shinobu is giving her a look, and she's not sure why.

[akiyamashinobu]

Where the hell does she think she's going? Shinobu squints at Issui, though she refrains from outright blurting that out. "I'm sure it can wait a little bit longer. What do you think, Lieutenant?"

Abarai glances between the two of them for a brief moment before scratching the back of his neck. "I, uh... I suppose so."

It's right about then an idea hits her. Issui can get mad at her about it and/or thank her later, for now, she just barrels on ahead with it. "Were you also going to lunch? You could join us."

There's a brief, awkward pause, and Shinobu almost feels a little bad - almost - until Abarai finally answers. "I was. If I'm not interrupting anything... sure."

He sounds a little dubious, and looks even moreso. Shinobu grins and waves that off. "No, no, it's fine." He pauses briefly, flicking her gaze over to Issui. "Right?"

[yanagiissui]

Issui almost goes on ahead anyway-- it is important information-- but then Shinobu goes and invites Renji to lunch. Well. She manages not to squint or glare at her friend this time, but it's tough. And a good thing, because Renji... actually accepts?

She blinks. "Of course," she says before she has a chance to get tangled up in her own awkwardness. "The more the merrier, right?" Don't overdo it, Yanagi. ...She's pretty sure people do actually say that in real life, though. Pretty sure.

[abarairenji]

Renji is still suspicious that these two are possibly, maybe up to something, and that is mostly Akiyama's fault. How very pleased she seems about this doesn't dispel this hunch of his any. At least going to lunch means he can keep an eye on both of them. ...And also, getting lunch, because he is kinda hungry. Two birds with one stone, so to speak.

He's not sure how to answer Yanagi, though. "Suppose so," He shrugs, glancing between her and Akiyama - who still looks like she's trying something, there. "Alright, lead the way. Before Ikkaku or someone else hounds me for gossip."