Practical Exam (Iroka) [JT]

[Aramis Tezuka]

Every shape had a hole for it, and every individual had their niche. Aramis liked to believe he'd found his own in the twelfth division, but had no inherent animosity to any other division, save the Seventh, and even then, his contention with the 7th was for professional differences, not personal. The Seventh was the Division Aramis most bumped up against, due to the 12th's tendency for.... less morally scrupulous experiments, and thus he often saw the Seventh as an obstruction to be navigated. That did not mean he did not think the 7th had no place in the Seireitei, that they were not correct on occasion, or even any sense of dismissiveness of their officers. They had different priorities and different niches that clashed. That was all.

The Fourth was no different. There was value in the division (quite a lot in fact, in Aramis's opinion) and he considered the Fourth one of the more valuable divisions for purposes of the 12th. Afterall, while there was some connection between the two divisions as the 12th worked with the Fourth to pioneer new and more effective medical techniques, the Fourth was also responsible for saving the lives of many of Aramis's officers. As such, Aramis held considerable respect for the Division, even if he was disappointed that it had taken such a promising Shinigami from his own.

"Unfortunate. But seem to have found purpose there." Aramis determined, accepting Iroka's answer with no further contention. "Proven intellect today. Not stupid. Skilled in field." He added. "Shinigami blind to possibilities. See non-conformity as undesirable. Unusual traits seen problematic. Mistaken."

This still left Aramis and Iroka in a precarious situation regarding her status as a Vizard. In the closest thing to actual emotion Aramis had shown in the entire affair, the Captain closed his eyes, as if in contemplation of Iroka's answer. So the answer was clearly "someone", or possibly multiple "someone's". At the very least, more than 0. Aramis was not the only person that knew Iroka's condition. That didn't necessarily mean that it was someone within Soul Society. But, he suspected, it was very likely at least.

"Protecting those who know. Admirable. Optimism that loyalty returned. Disastrous if not." He mused, still with his eyes closed. He seemed to settle on a response, before opening his eyes. "Will not ask for names. How many?" He decided. A more vague response that perhaps Iroka would feel more comfortable with answering. "All who know within Seireitei? Or some outside Seireitei?" He inquired further.

"Do not wish to execute duty. Proven ability as officer of Soul Society. Proven ability for research and understanding of Vizard. Possibility to assist condition. Problem. Leadership stubborn. Traditional. Causes problems if secret emerges. More problems if Seireitei leadership learns I know. May seem responsible for hazards. Must consider before acting." He responded to Iroka, attempting to pressure the woman for at least something he could use. The number of people who knew, and how many of them were within Soul Society was somewhat meager information, but information that Aramis expected he could narrow down, given some time.

[Munemasa Iroka]

If anything, 'non-conformity' defined Iroka. And although others might have come to the conclusion that people found non-conforming individuals problematic, Iroka had never really connected the dots until now. Some things, which many seemed to have difficulty grasping, were quite obvious to her, and others, which seemed clear to everyone else, she could not discern. That explained why she had very few friends. Her best friend was an oddball, too. It made perfect sense.

It was a bit encouraging to Iroka that Aramis considered her desire to protect those who knew her secret to be admirable. She was also aware that if somehow they shared her secret, the results would be cataclysmic. But she trusted Fuuko to keep her secrets till the end, even as she would keep Fuuko's. As for Kimyou, although Iroka was convinced that her parent desired her well-being (even if they had disturbing ways of attempting to secure this), she knew that Kimyou would be even less willing than Fuuko to share this secret, as Kimyou was the architect of Iroka's condition, and would thus be damned if they exposed it. So far, those were the only two who knew, apart from the 12th Division Captain.

Still, Iroka did not think it wise to let Aramis know of this. Simply because she was not sure of how much she could trust the man. On the one hand, Iroka felt that despite his cold, apparently unfeeling nature, he did have some form of consideration for others. On the other hand, he was still a stranger. And she had been told by Kimyou to be wary of whom she trusted; she was quite prone to seeing the good in others and being too trusting. She could not be careless with a situation such as this.

In any case, the Captain seemed to settle for finding out the number of people that knew of her condition. Iroka was not forthcoming. "How many?" he asked. "Yes," she answered. A confusticating response, as the answer had absolutely nothing to do with the question asked. His further questions about the locations of those who knew were met with a tight-lipped silence, Iroka simply bearing a slightly strained smile on her face. But she did not say anything in answer.

Although Aramis was trying to pressure Iroka, she was a surprisingly stubborn girl, for someone as gentle as she was. "If my secret somehow gets exposed, I will take full responsibility. We're the only two here, so the leadership does not have to know. Nobody will know of your involvement in this, unless you somehow reveal it, but I'm certain you're too smart to do so. And if there's any hint that you may have known, someone as smart as yourself would surely not be in the realm of incredulity of you had suspicions. You could always say that you didn't want to confront me with a suspicion you had not yet founded beyond doubt.

So, please, Kusamura-sama. Please let me keep my secrets. The less you know, the less culpable you will be. Besides, if you knew about who else was aware of my condition, I suspect that, even if it wasn't your intention, some unfair disadvantage will arise from a one-sided awareness of the situation." Obviously, she was choosing her words carefully, careful to not even reveal whether it was a single person, or multiple. "I'll try to be of good behavior, I promise! I won't cause trouble."

Hands clasped together, with a pleading expression on her face, Iroka was equal parts pitiable and comical.

Aramis Tezuka

[Aramis Tezuka]

Aramis gave Iroka a long look as she stated her answer to his question. "Understand, will be looking into matter. Attempting to determine who is aware." He warned. "Advisement. In future, if asked, provide believable but incorrect number. False information harder to determine than none." He suggested. Yes, Aramis was indeed attempting to coach Iroka on how to better lie to hide her secret. After-all.... it was his secret now as well.

"You will not advise others I am aware. Including those already aware." He added. That was a command. Even if others knew Iroka was a Vizard (or at least a budding one), he was not interested in others knowing he also knew. As Iroka herself said. It was more secure that way. The hypocrisy was not lost on Aramis, but he managed to justify it to himself that he was in a much more precarious position than most, not only as a Captain of the Gotei 13, but also one of a particular nature in which the punishments for his involvement were far more grave than others. Nobody was immortal. Everyone died eventually. Whether a Shinigami lived ten millennia or a human lived thirty years, everyone met the reaper at some point.

Aramis had to find an escape from his curse before that happened. If he was executed, he failed. If he was imprisoned, he would lack the means to research a cure, and fail. If he was forced to flee Soul Society, he'd lose its protection, and its resources, and his failure would, while not completely be beyond salvation, certainly be set back considerably at least if not severely impeded. If another Shinigami was found out, execution would return them to the Soul Cycle. Exile would still allow a life in the Human World. Imprisonment, while not ideal, would eventually see them return to the Soul Cycle eventually.

Such assurances did not exist for Aramis who only saw hellfire in his future every single night, and his dismal, panicked quest to avert that fate that awaited him he knew not how many years ahead. No.... It may be hypocritical, and it may be unfair for Aramis to know Iroka's friends, but they not know him, but Aramis could not allow himself to be fair. Too much was at stake for him.

Which brought him to this moment, watching Iroka's face closely for any obvious signs of deceit. Signs he did not see. That did not mean she wasn't lying-- Aramis himself was too accomplished a liar to be so naive. But she was not visibly showing it. And he certainly acknowledged she would try to keep her secret as best she could. There was little benefit to selling him out if she was caught... "Am placing considerable trust in you, Officer Munemasa of the Fourth." Aramis stated, finally, in a tone that was more rigid and iron than his previous monotone statements. "Request that you assist in research of your condition. Complete confidentiality assured, even from own division. Secret will be maintained. Will contact with further details at later point." He finally said, and, confirming once more than his injuries were fully healed, stood back up.

Aramis walked over to Hitode's body, and stooped to lift it with some minor effort. "Mod soul research largely considered finished but some value still possible. Also must bring back evidence to doctor reason for Hollow reiatsu from attentive division officers." He stated to Iroka. "Enlightening experience working with you. Appreciate opportunity, despite risk."

[Munemasa Iroka]

For a moment, Iroka held the Captain's stare, her eyes never breaking from his, although she fidgeted and her smile became more strained. Finally, he let up, stating that he would investigate who was aware of her secret. And then he added pointers on how to better lie. Iroka was normally not very good at lying. It wasn't as though she was incapable of such a feat, but she preferred to be honest if she could. Still, Aramis' advice was something she could work with.

And then came the command to not reveal the Captain's awareness of her plight. "Yes sir!" Iroka said enthusiastically, her back unconsciously snapping ramrod straight in attention. Her dramatic response was to Aramis' commanding tone; Iroka was still somewhat afraid of people in positions higher than she was. It was not as though she even had plans to reveal Aramis' knowledge of her situation, anyway. The idea, as far as she could afford, was to make sure that if her secret became public, she alone would bear the consequences of that. It was her responsibility, after all.

Iroka knew Aramis was studying her intently, though she was not sure why. Iroka squirmed a bit more under his gaze. "Perhaps he's trying to see whether Vizard characteristics can be discerned from observation of my features," she thought quietly. "I certainly hope he can't see anything." She had no idea that he was scrutinizing her for signs of falsehood, but the Captain need not have worried. Iroka's word was worth ten times her weight in gold.

Finally, satisfied with whatever he had been searching for, Aramis announced that he was trusting her to be as discrete as he would be, regarding the situation. He was not going to attempt to execute her! Instead, he hoped she would assist in researching her Hollowfication. The ginger-haired girl's eyes widened in a mixed expression of relief and glee, as she sprang to her feet, shortly after he did. "Kusamura-sama! Arigato gozaimasu♥!!!" Iroka nearly screamed, forgetting herself and throwing herself at the Captain to hug him in gratitude.

Whether he warded her off or not, a moment would pass before Iroka realized how untoward she was behaving. Springing away from the Captain as though he had suddenly gained four hundred degrees in temperature, the 4th Division Shinigami blushed furiously as she bowed to him repeatedly. "Gomen nasai, Kusamura-sama!" she said hurriedly. "And thank you again, a million times. Please feel free to ignore me now."

As Aramis retrieved the Mod Soul's corpse, Iroka tilted her head slightly in thought. "Would it be preposterous if we told the brass that Hitode-san had a Hollow minion?" she asked. "Since Hollows vanish when Konsō is performed, would they otherwise be able to track that falsehood? It isn't improbable for a weak Hollow to make some form of symbiotic relationship with a stronger being, is it?" There was a pause, and then she hung her head in shame. "Oh dear, I'm really becoming a big liar, aren't I?"

Aramis Tezuka

[Aramis Tezuka]

Aramis wasn't surprised at Iroka's relief. But he should have seen the glomp coming, and stiffened right up at the physical contact. "Please cease physical contact." Aramis requested of Iroka. He was not a touchy person. Iroka would be able to feel that beneath the shihakusho and captain's haori, Aramis was thin as a rail, and his left arm felt..... weird. Almost like it wasn't flesh and blood under there. Oh well. Probably just the chains that were up his sleeve there right? That was clearly all that it was. Definitely. Best not to ask too many questions about that.

Aramis contemplated Iroka's statement. Small incongruencies in their story could easily be explained away by Iroka taking a hard knock during the fight, but the broad strokes needed to be the same. "Accurate. Will work on cover story before return. Get story understood between us. No inconsistencies if questions asked." He agreed. As for her comment about becoming a liar though? Aramis tweaked his head slightly to the the left.

"Have been liar since you knew about Inner Hollow. Lie of omission. Still a lie. Not coming forward with information. Dishonest. Correct choice. But dishonest. Must be liar to survive. Higher you rise, further to fall." He warned. "Will arrange to help cover secret in future. Will keep watch for potential breaches. Address in advance." Aramis added, assuring Iroka he would keep her secret thoroughly and act to keep it safe from others as well.

"Now. To work on cover story...."

[Leonie Dallmann]

2720 TP for both participants for 272 paragraphs, and the x2 reward~!