Post by Ishikawa Seiji on Nov 7, 2021 15:39:19 GMT -5
Sure he knew he'd been quite lucky.
Well no, luck wasn't the right word. Fortunate perhaps was better, should it have been anyone from the 2nd Division or the sixth, he had no doubt that he wouldn't been escorted or unceremoniously dragged back to the Seiretei like it or not. Even if he had permission to leave, to head home, he doubted anyone would listen until he was back within the academy's walls and by then it would've been far too late to go back. Leaving it at least another year before he would get the chance, that simply wasn't an option, not any more. He'd been indignant enough the first time the headmaster had refused his request, fueled by grief only to be denied had hurt and he'd spent quite some time that day slicing up wood with his asauchi with perhaps far more force than was ever needed to do so. It was better than dunking a mixture of feathers and glue atop the headmaster's door, less likely to get him into a world of trouble too, so he kept quiet. At least until this year.
He could only quietly seethe for so long.
And so he had done so a second time, better grades and more experience helped he supposed along with one of his few instructors that thought him to be telling the truth about his request, rather than doing so simply to skip classes for quite a while. Or worse, not return at all and simply have stolen an asauchi and left at the first sign of escape. Fools. It was rather useful that everyone else would be away at the same time and beyond that, he didn't exactly have anywhere else to wander off to during their small break between intensive classes. Sneaking into the human world again wasn't an option for good reason, better to stay away from there for quite some time. So he had ended up here, much to the upset of a few and in turn, found this young woman again. Though he couldn't be sure on age, basing it off of appearance had done him no good, her manner of speaking told him she was likely at least a little bit younger. So he'd humor her, as a silent thanks for not yanking him back to the Seiretei on sight.
"Well I'd ratha be found out here than dead in some alley, but I'll take yer surprise as a good thing, seein' as yer not attackin' me." A morbid reply really, but after what little she had seen hours prior, he did wonder if she might try. Or just completely knock him out to get a few answers. Good to know there were others that bent the rules a little, information that he could and would certainly use as his time as a mere student was gradually coming to an end. Not long now, it barely felt like any time at all, after all, what was five years to a soul of over four centuries? Nothing really. In-eloquent she seemed to be, but he wouldn't fault her for that, he was hardly the perfect picture of nicety and certainly not one of the greatest way of speaking either. He could, he'd listened to it enough from the older women who thought themselves nobility in these parts, he simply chose not to. More comfortable that way, even if it was likely he'd be asked to tone it down once he graduated, always trying to wipe traces away of those who were strays from the individuals. Not knowing what critical knowledge they may have. Their loss, his gain, he supposed.
It was such a train of thought, that lead him to snorting quietly when the Shinigami mentioned these little rumors. There was only one inn within the 64th and he'd been inside many a time, though never to stay overnight, not as a proper guest. But such a dark memory was pushed aside in favor of what he knew of the place, plenty and that such rumors were not mere fiction at all. Only when he realized that she may have heard him, did he decide to speak up. "I ain' meanin' ta sound rude or nothin', but those rumors ain' wrong at all. He does, I've met a few of 'em, decent folk long as ya don' try an' cheat 'em. Guy could do worse ya know, let's whatever happen in that place, jus' how things work 'round here is all. Ain't nothing ya Shinigami gotta be worryin' 'bout, they won' bother none o' ya." For once, he was actually telling the complete truth. Some of the thieves and other criminals did frequent the place, just as those women did, and they weren't bad people. Just did what they had to do in order to survive, just as he did, that was the law out here. Simple as that.
His tone held a considering nature to it, thinking on the whole subject even as he explained it. Passing the young woman by and stepping closer to the freezing water of the lake. Still, he wasn't worried about it and that showed as he shrugged out the last part of his reply. No use trying to brute force and change it, other Shinigami had tried and it never ended well for those that came all the way out here. It would take gradual change, not brutes charging in with swords or magic demanding answers. No one sold others out here, not unless they wanted a quick death the following night. Only as he sunk down towards the shoreline did he realize that stating what he knew, might cause her to worry. Well, if they were trained Shinigami with some kind of common sense, they'd be fine. No one around here wanted to disturb those in black robes, safer for everyone involved. Eh, they'd be fine.
Gesturing as he had to the fire he had lit before kneeling down, the young student knew it was the only other light source for quite some distance, save for the moonlight. And that would not help anyone keep warm. "Considerin' I made it, damn well should do." He murmured as his hands worked in familiar motions. The blade may be different, longer and sharper, but the movements were the same as the first time he'd done this when Shin had showed him how. A day he'd gotten a few cuts over, but now it was like second nature. While he heard footsteps growing gradually fainter, he paid it no mind as he worked and it only took a few passes back and forth with the cloth to double check that it was actually as clean as it was going to get, before he sheathed the blade once more. Getting to his feet caused a lighter shiver and he soon turned to quicken his pace back home, passing by as expected, the young woman by.
Nice to see she wasn't unreasonable in refusing an offer, even if it wasn't an obvious one.
It took about five minutes of walking before they reached his small shack and the fire before it, though at a safe enough distance that the place wouldn't catch on fire. The sound of crackling embers and distant rushing of waves a soothing mixture. Little else surrounded them, the start of a small forest further in the distance, leading back into the district proper but beyond that - he was alone out here. Just as he preferred it, less people to try and sneak out here in the middle of the night to steal his stuff. The shack itself, while standing and made entirely of wood, could barely be considered a home. A ramshackle door and window were present yes, but the space was barely 5 foot at the maximum, and that was being generous from the outside. Still it had what he needed and that was all that mattered, excess space just meant more room for the cold to seep in during the winter. The singular door leading inside only slightly ajar as they reached his destination. "If ya wanna stay after an' keep warm fer a while, knock yerself out, jus' put the fire out when yer done 'kay? Don' want no animals comin' 'round here overnight." Better to be a little cold, then attract unwanted attention. He hoped she would understand that for his own safety, if nothing else. "Ya wanna ask somethin', jus' shout, I'll hear ya." Never let it be said that he didn't at least attempt to be courteous to those that stayed within his space, no matter how briefly it was, even if moments later he did leave the young woman in peace as soft steps led him into the darkness of his former home and out of sight.