The Young & The New

[Tsukuyomi Kawada]

Sitting at the booth in the back of the restaurant often frequented by shinigami that wanted some sweets, was the Vice Captain of Division Eleven. A weary, dead look to his eyes and face was all anyone would see beyond his usual long black hair and uniform. The only thing of note about him was usually how young he was for his rank, his family name and the fact that many had started to view him as a “squishy boy” he didn’t get what that meant particularly, but he could tell some of the girls were interested in him now.

He didn’t have any interest himself though for a few reasons. The first of which was he couldn’t tell if they were only interested in him for his rank or surname. Second was where had all the positive attention been when he was blind and just a bit younger. No he didn’t need any involvement with females, at least not at the moment. At the moment along with the last year corresponding with it, he had been drained by the duty of running Division Eleven. He wasn’t the Captain. He didn’t believe he was anywhere near strong enough to attempt claiming that position nor had he obtained bankai, yet all the same because the previous Captain was no longer around he as Vice Captain was responsible for everything. During a war there was a lot to be responsible for.

He couldn’t stand to be inside of the Eleventh’s barracks another day nor have the prying eyes of his grandfather over his shoulder. So he had come to this place in search of a place to breathe. He enjoyed sweets, many believed because he was still young, but regardless he hadn’t yet chosen what to order. Perhaps some ice cream or chocolate. Something to boost his mood, that he could enjoy, savor and then miss later. Perhaps he should have just ran off to the woods or snuck into a different Division barracks to grab a few hours of sleep. He was so in debt to his body for even still letting him remain conscious, yet all the same he really couldn’t get the weight off his shoulders that was starting to look a little too heavy for the young shinigami.

[Amara Tamagawa]

"Lieutenant." A cheery voice slipped between the murmuring of the rest of the crowd. She had turned some heads during her approach with her poorly regulated spiritual pressure but the Captain of Squad 10 was otherwise unassuming. Quickly earning a reputation for preferring to be treated informally, Amara Tamagawa wasn't very imposing except for her aura so things were just simpler this way. She stuck out like a sore thumb with her height and striking blonde hair; there was no need to call even more attention to herself.

"Honestly you look as if you're half-tempted to order everything on their menu." She cracked a soft smile to try and disarm the surprise of her visit. Several people seated nearby looked on at her, at them, and returned to mind their own business with only minimal sidelong glances. "Mind if I join you?  I'm famished."

Amara cared about the answer and the Lieutenant's opinion, she just...didn't wait and slipped into the booth opposite the fellow officer. For one brief moment her aura flashed and cascaded over the booth with a soft luminescent twinkle and then it subsided once more, a glittered and fitful glimpse of her own perspective.  The Captain didn't acknowledge it, merely putitng her elbows on the table and crossing her arms.


"Glad to see there is at least one more commanding officer who can acknowledge a sweet tooth out there."  She eyed him up and down, taking a measure of the young man.

[Tsukuyomi Kawada]

Tsukuyomi & Amara

His head rising up from the slumped over position Tsukuyomi instinctively reacted to his title being shouted out from across the restaurant. He wasn’t really friends with anyone anymore so who could it be beyond a subordinate. When he looked around he didn’t see any if division Eleven yet instead saw the new famous face of the Captain to Division Ten. Tsukuyomi hadn’t yet met her in person but had seen her post before over the few years he’d been active as a shinigami. It was easy to remember all the gawking eyes that most men gave her from simply existing. Tsukuyomi on the other hand nodded his head in respect for her new position. He hadn’t expected her to rush in over and sit across from him though much was a surprise.

"Honestly you look as if you're half-tempted to order everything on their menu."

Tsukuyomi was taken off guard for a moment, unsure if she was teasing him or if he had actually looked as such while he had been reviewing the menu. “I’ve tried most things already, today though I’m probably just going to order my favorite.” Well this was unusual to the point that the young man actually caught himself making nice conversation. He wasn’t going to just tell her to leave though so he could drown in his stress. “Congratulations on your promotion Captain Tamagawa. As a present for your appointment order whatever you wish and I’ll cover it.”

"Glad to see there is at least one more commanding officer who can acknowledge a sweet tooth out there."

Tsukuyomi grinned knowing full well that there was another besides the both of them. “Well truthfully I never really knew until about two years ago that I enjoyed sweets. If you want to order everything off the menu I suggest having a day with Captain Shihoin. She’ll eat anything sweet or meat related faster than anyone else I’ve seen.” Tsukuyomi wasn’t normally someone to mention others or talk about them beyond reports, but he had fond memories of his former Captain and still believed they were in good ground together. “Do you like peanut butter because the little hollow ice cream is wonderful.”

[Amara Tamagawa]

"While it would surely be entertaining to see Captain Shihoin destroy the menu here in record time, I like to take my time eating even when I'm hungry. And especially with dessert." She laid her palms flat on the table between them as she smile softly. Aside from the personnelo f her division, and after thinking about it for a few moments, this officer was the first to actually congratulate her on her promotion. Plenty of people had acknowledged it but there was a subtle and devious deviation to the language used.

'Ah yes, I had heard about your promotion'

'Deserved I'm sure'

'I knew they'd fill it soon'

And other non-commital and distant commends that befitted pragmatic if not cynical souls who had seen many rise and many fall before Captain Tamagawa had her turn.

"And thank you. I appreciate the gesture. So much so that I'll leave the choice to your discerning palate, while adding that yes, yes I do enjoy peanut butter. I really only had two things in the entire world of dessert: raisins, and marmalade." And she offered a somber, affirmative nod.

The Captain continued after but a moment's pause.  "So, needed a break from stuffy meeting halls?  It's okay if you don't want to answer, I'm the one who is interrupting after all."  She unrolled a napkin from the dispenser and unraveled it to maximum surface area, separating the sheets in some sort of fidgeting or ritual or both, while she waited for his response.

[Tsukuyomi Kawada]

“I can’t say I don’t understand what it’s like to go from having such a limited pallet, to suddenly having such a wide option. Before I became a shinigami there wasn’t much to eat beyond scraps and anything that I managed to steal or grow myself. I don’t think I could go back to that now that I’ve tasted peanut butter though.” Tsukuyomi hadn’t even realized it himself, but the usual stoic look along with the bleak expression of exhaustion were overcast by genuine enjoyment. It wasn’t often he could talk to someone without rank dictating his manner. Captain Tamagawa seemed much like Captain Shihoin though having no love for the formal and thus Tsukuyomi was simply going to do his best to speak to her without bondage.

“There’s no issue with you being here, you likely need a moment to catch your breath more so than me. I may be doing the job of a Captain at the moment, but you’ve just been made one which comes with more than just paperwork. Honestly, I don’t believe I’m ready for what I’m doing currently and sometimes wish I could have stayed at a lower ranking just a bit longer. That or someone would magically appear who could take over. Either way I’m glad that the Division opposite my own has a Captain once again. Now Soul Society will be better suited to attacks. If you need any help though don’t hesitate to ask Division Eleven.”

Tsukuyomi knew of a few different repeated attacks against Soul Society that had been happening on a repetitive basis. Lately or at least in the last year there had been a single Hell spawn that attacked twice. The first time Tsukuyomi himself had held the damned soul back yet couldn't defeat him and eventually had been defeated. The other that didn't belong to one of the factions that Soul Society was in open war against were some sort of beasts that had been attacking the Rukongai for the last year, constantly getting closer and closer and although there was research into them Tsukuyomi couldn't help, but feel like they were being underestimated.