Crumbling Earth Pt 2 [Yetsuna + Mika Social or JTT, PG-13]

[Yetsuna Yishnir]

(OOC: This picks up off where Curmbling Earth Pt. 1 left off. This thread starts off as a social because there are no immediate plans for combat, but may become a JTT depending on how the thread progresses)

The half moon had risen to its highest point and loomed overhead shining down just enough light to see by, but that mattered little to the shinigami. She wandered aimlessly around the seireitei, her mind repeating the words of her zanpaktou earlier. The words echoed through her mind endlessly, calling to mind questions she never would have asked herself before. What was she doing in her life? Had she even done anything with her life up until now? Did she even have a purpose to live for?

Endlessly those questions swirled around her mind, each one demanding an answer, and when she couldn't give one, that question lead into another one, and from there another. Every question piled on top of the shinigami, weighing her down, crushing her under the weight of doubt. The questions kept coming even as she pleaded for her mind to stop, to give her some reprieve from the torture, but to no avail. She tired to escape by focusing her mind on something else, anything else, so that it would stop the interrogation, but every time she tried, without fail, her mind pulled her back, like a dog on a short leash.

Her mind spun out of control with questions until it finally came upon the critical blow; Why was she a shinigami?

The question hit her harder than any enemy she had encountered to date. For nearly one hundred years she had fought as a shinigami, never stopping to think about why she did it. She knew she had joined as a method to avoid starvation as a young plus, but why did she fight others to the point of almost getting killed? What was her drive? A desire to protect the innocent? No. What about her sense of morality? no. A way to make up for her powerlessness as a child? no.

With that question she had successfully stripped herself of any remain comfort. To realize that all those fights, all that pain, all those near death experiences, they were for nothing. The realization pushed her to her braking point, with tears in her eyes she let out a loud yell of frustration and fell to her knees in the middle of the street and drove her clenched hand into the tiled ground, causing it to shatter under the force of her anguish.

Even at the end of her very being the questions still demanded answers and they hounded her incessantly. More than anything she wanted to give the question answers, not only so the torrent would cease, but so she could find something to hold onto as her world crumbled around her. She remained on the ground unable to move, all but crushed by the weight of her despair, and before long she broke once more, her frustration and anguish turning into sobs.

[Kisala Shihoin]

(If this turns into training, Training for CTP)

Kisala was on her way to the squad eleven barracks. She was not on any official business. Kisala would drop by the squad eleven barracks every now and then to hang out with her friends and rivals during her early ears of being a shinigami. Most people would think that anyone from squads two and eleven were like oil and water. The usually quiet and reserved stealth shinigami were obviously more reserved than the more loud and rambunctious shinigami of the combat squad. Kisala's own personality tended to clash with some of them, and it was those clashes that lead her into being more friendly with them later on down the line.

Kisala thought back to that time not so long ago. She was much more stubborn and head strong. She took no shit from anyone especually from men who just saw her as another pretty face, and nice chest and ass. Any kind of cat call or insult thrown her way was met with an immediate fist to the face. She would get into many fights with the seemingly opposite squad, but that's just how squad eleven seemed to roll. They got to know each other through their blades and fists. She could respect that, and came to like them more and more. Lately though her visits have been infrequent at best. Her new responsibilities of being the vice captain of squad two took up a lot of time.

She had hoped that her absence and new rank would not change the way the boy's thought about her. She doubted it. The tanned shinigami rounded a corner and saw another shinigami on the ground. Kisala's first instinct was to rush over to make sure she was ok, but she held herself back. She was a vice captain after all, and how she acted could affect others in some form or another. She then got close enough to hear her sobs. Screw my rank, she thought as she jogged over to girl. She recognized her as the fourth seat officer of squad eleven, Yetsuna. Keria didn't know her personally, but she did make sure to know the names of seated officers of all the squads.

Kisala knelt down while in motion skidding slightly on her knees. She didn't care about her uniform or her knees at this point. She put a hand on the girl's shoulder trying to comfort her without making her uncomfortable. If she knew the fourth seat better, she would have embraced her in a second, but that was not the case. "Yetsuna are you ok, what is the matter?" She asked concern prevalent in her voice. She squeezed Yetsuna's shoulder a little to get her attention, and comfort her. She really didn't know what to do. Kisala didn't really face this kind of problem in her own squad. They were too introverted for her to see it, and she didn't really have much in life experience in comforting others. "Its ok, its ok." she said gently trying to get a little more comfortable herself.

[Yetsuna Yishnir]

OOC: Due to inactivity Kisala is being dropped from the thread because I need to this be wrapped up so I can move on with with my CD. I'm going to leave his post so he can get whatever credit he deserves for it, but this thread is more or less resetting.

[MrDoctorDo]

(OoC: Whew! Sorry about the delay. Hell of a busy week. Also, this might receive a few edits as I reread it. Had to work on it after work each day; which means a lot of stopping and going...which means it might need touching up!)

Stars hanging above. Shadows crawling below. The Seireitei was such a different place in the dark. The night time seeing a whole new world unfold. The counter to the lively atmosphere that dominates sunlit days. In many ways the Soul Society reflected the living world. Except more radiant. Well, radiant in the case of the day. Reticence in the night. It was silent. Soothing. In these late hours, the dead could experience the sincere rest that is promised them.

Maybe it was something in the realm’s composition? Something in the reishi which bonded everything together, exacerbating the effects of joy and quietude. The answer was a puzzle for the scholars. As it so happens, there was a scholar available. One who could not find the rest that came easily to others. Who tossed and turned in his bed without end. A researcher from the SRDI by the name of Mika. Who decided that the cure to his sleeplessness would be outside. Fresh air would be his cure. That...and copious amounts of smoking. Really. Some powerful, damn stuff.

Grabbing his things. His coat and his pipe. Mika abandoned his quarters. Hardly getting out of his division’s barracks before his pipe flickered to life. Setting out to wandering the roads and alleyways by himself. Skulking his way through the empty streets. Enjoying the solitude that came with the dark. The emptiness of a world turned off. It was a comfort to see that he could. In a way, he envied the feeling. For him, turning off was not a choice.

His mind was a vibrant thing. Thoughts firing like a storm. Thoughts thundered against the heavens of his brain. Stimuli shot through him like bolts of lightning. Keeping him wired and alert. Driving away the tranquility of sleep. Pushing him out the door and into the night. Perhaps the storm would pass...when not confined by walls and and sheets. Perhaps not. The outcome didn’t really matter for him now. The flavored contents of his pipe already taking effect.

The young man moved slowly on his journey. He...he didn’t really have anywhere he need to be. Nowhere he wanted to go. The open breeze and hearing the nothingness of isolation was enough. So every step was sluggish. His path crooked and random. He seemed to wobble as he moved. As if driven by a beat. In truth, this was exactly it. Music was compelling his every action. From the time he took to step, to the direction it took him, to the length of the stride. Several times he would linger a moment longer. Moving his shoulders...or maybe his head. Bobbing them to some unheard tune.

The whole ordeal being very natural. Rather raw, actually. The behavior of someone who doesn’t expect to be seen. Fully confident. Without anyone to criticize. Or wear a mask for. This was his happy self. Loose. Rhythmic. The Shinigami was practically dancing along his way. Taking deep drags on his pipe; while murmuring to the lyrics of whatever it was he listened to. Heh, it can be funny. How people act when they aren’t wearing their masks. The things we feel or say or believe, only when no one is around to question us.

Mika, despite the audacity with which he usually carries himself...quite guilty of this hidden self. Choosing the night time stroll to take off the guise. Not wanting to be caught or disturbed. His train of thought held on to this belief; while not really safeguarding it. I mean. If he really wanted to avoid detection...or interaction, then he might have been more careful. Perhaps subconsciously he felt differently. After all, that happens to all of us so often. Outwardly we may seem lost, confused. We may even seem sure of ourselves. Steadfast.

But inside. Deep down. There is a different answer to which we cling to like breath. It shapes and pushes us without our admitting it. Or even realising it. The secret to enlightenment usually lies in tapping into this deeper truth. The path to which, has many avenues. Mika preferred his enlightenment to come in the embrace of strong medicines. And thus we find an answer. A likely one at least. With every puff of smoke he threw into the air; Mika uncovered a bit more of his hidden desire. With each lungful he came closer to realizing how much he hated being alone.

...and how easily subconscious pleas can be answered.

Alas. Here he was. Paused in the chorus of his stride. Starring up the cobbled street before him. A sight to see, though not enjoyable in the least. Another Shinigami out and about this evening. Or...at least he thought it was a Shinigami. The night was not especially bright. The flare of his smoking pipe glittering in his face. Given his eyes had become weary and dry in the midst of the smoke. Mika’s perspective was quite eskew. Making the huddled figure one of debatable detail. That was, until, her arm slipped into the air.

Her sleeve rolling up onto a pale wrist. Muscles bare to the little light that existed. Her clenched fist like a falling star. Plummeting to earth in a shimmer of white. Smashing upon the stone of the street. Giving Mika physical scare. The tremor beneath his feet was enough to tickle his heightened senses. The stimulation was enough to make a shiver. Loosening one of his headphones, and letting in the worldly sounds. Which...given her immense discomfort, were quite the song to hear. One vastly different that his chosen, evening playlist.

The stranger’s strength something of note. Something to warrant caution. She shattered a very dense tile with but a gesture. Though..even Mika could tell the act was well motivated. People have a wave of moving. Shinigami too. There is something in the mechanics that is uniform. Something, that as a doctor, Mika had seen countless times. Noticing it became second nature after a few decades in observation and study. Yet, what he saw was not that distinguished norm. Her body and her movements were motivated by passion. The sort of behavior unique to sapient beings. Reckless and...emotional. Though the sight was a powerful one...it lost much of its edge on a soul like Mika. The intense feelings that defined her conduct, a music he could only hear. Not feel. Forcing him to watch her kneel back into grief. A thought occurring within him…

What is her malfunction?

Not that he was one to judge. Mika certainly had his own bag of emotional defects to work through. However, he was not aware of those. Nor did he recognize them in others. So what he was really curious about, was why this young woman decided on a public street for this breakdown. Perhaps it was sudden? Unplanned and surprising. It was all of these things for him; running into her. Hmm, how powerful a crisis must be to strike so swiftly. Without any warning. Fascinating. If this woman was experiencing some sort of trauma, then this would be a great opportunity to study the effects. It is not every da-night, that such an excellent candidate is presented by chance. By his nature, he couldn’t ignore this opportunity. Even if it meant risking social interaction.

Sorrow can be...terrible. Only people who have truly experienced it can begin to understand the idea of it. Even then they can never fully describe their own struggle. The words just don’t seem to exist. The same could be said for this young lady. Whatever it was that was consuming her. Whatever inner pain produced such outer turmoil. It was only for her to know, and truly understand. Yet, an onlooker could glean some of that truth. Watching her would showcase a field of characterization.

Her identity painted in new colors. The red of flushed cheeks. The white of bared teeth...the shimmer of tears. These colors that we don’t always express. That often times are kept inside. Hidden away. Our private selves. It would seem that the night can pull the mask from everyone. Not just Mika. And what is underneath the mask, is not always happy. Unfortunate. But, maybe, her pain was ebbing? Maybe it would pass, in time? If only enough to return her senses to her. To bring her alarm...with the coming steps of another.

Mika didn’t hide himself. Not that he had any skill in such a thing to begin with. His music was still bumping. Large headphones engulfed much of his head. Far more than just his ears. Buzzing and humming with the deeper notes of the ongoing tune. His head no longer nodding to a beat. The scientist was done with his dancing, too. Makes sense, with solitude lost as it was. Instead he strolled straight up to the crouching woman. His steps falling rather heavy on the tiled roadway. Though...no longer carrying with them the pacing of rhythm. His every step preceded by something more apparent. Something she would sense long before he could move into view. A sweet, potent smell.

One that carried the bouquet of candied plums. Sugary and delicious in flavor. Fading quickly into something else. The hot and ashy fragrance of burning leaves and an open flame. Soon, the ground where she rested would be rolling with light, airy smoke. As if incense had been lit for prayer around her. And within this wispy cloud would stand her visitor. Eyes widened in curiosity. Face resting in a soft expression. Staring at her with obvious intrigue...while tattling the smallest trace of disquietude.

For in his own way, Mika was concerned about this troubled woman.

Noticing first that much of his body was hidden under a white coat. It from hung him like a drape. While very similar in general design; Mika was not wearing a captain’s haori. His was without any squad markings or broguing. The attire of SRDI members. The thinkers and the lab rats. Beneath, Mika wore the same black robes as her. Perhaps Yetsuna would feel more at ease? Certainly it must be better than some random soul. One without the shared background of Court Guard training and institutionalization? Or maybe the fact that he was a chubby fellow might help? With a soft, round face. And a pudgy belly. Mika appeared out of shape. Certainly not capable of putting up a fight. Or sprinting a mile.

Even if he didn’t have smoker’s lung. Speaking of; the cloud of smoke around him had grown much thicker. Turning into a wet residue on most everything it touched. Now that he stood still, it did nothing but gather and hang low on the ground. Unfortunately, putting it near the girl. Luckily the scent only grew more sweet in concentration. Some would call it relaxing. Like the scent of lavender. Mika would definitely call it relaxing. It chilled the ass off of him. So...call it a consolation? About the only thing sinister about the cloud would be the extra shade it threw on his face. Making it harder to see than the sunless night time already did. Yet still, Yetsuna would be able to make out his finer features. Most importantly, she would see the discoloration of a painted face.

Now. If the face paint and the enormous pipe he smoked weren’t oddity enough; Mika actions would pick up the slack. Crouching down a few feet away from her. All without a word. His small eyes spread as wide as was possible. Brown iris surrounded by pinkish hues. Almost glowing in the dark. Glaring at her like a fish might watch a hand moving outside of its tank. His expression rather blank. Thin lips turned downward in an unintentional frown. The metal of his pipe reflected shimmers of starlight. Holding it in his stained teeth, causing it to clink loud and obnoxiously on the enamel. The bowl of the tool burning with a dim blue light. A font for yet more smoke. It would seem, despite the occasional antsy twitch, that Mika was content to just sit there. Watching. Wondering if he should say anything at all. If whatever trouble she might cause him...was worth it. He had come out here to escape this exact thing. People. Their problems. Their opinions.

...their eyes all over him.

Yet here he was, most ironically, supplying another with his woes. Giving her the same reasons he had for losing sleep. Surely she wouldn’t appreciate it. Even so, a doctor’s advice is never to be taken lightly. ”You are showcasing symptoms of...emotional duress. Chemical imbalance.” Tilting his head lower, and to the left. Giving himself the angle needed to watch her chest and count he breathes. ”Is this a common episode for you?” The question rather cold in its tone. Rehearsed even. ’If it is, you should seek clinical help.” Lips closing, cheeks hollowing to take another long drag of his opium pipe. Smoke streaming from his nostrils. Away from her, so as not to block his view. ”Squad 4 can give you medicine to balance your brain’s chemistry. Make all of this stop.” Using his only hand to gesture to the shattered ground.

”If you don’t like Squad 4, then Squad 12 could fix you.” Eyes fading off into the distance. His mind having to visualize what he hoped to explain. ”We...they, could provide you with a prosthetic.” Mika’s hand rose to his head, pointing down and towards the core of it. ”Pierce the accumbens. Make the fix a more permanent one.” Clearly, this fellow was dosing something himself. The obvious answer being the pipe. Still, he didn’t slur any of his words. Nor did his head bobble in any sort of stupor. What might be affecting him was doing so in less than obvious ways. Perhaps making him a bit more bias than was appropriate. Yet another tasty heave of smoke from his lungs. ”If taking a daily dosage doesn’t fit your lifestyle, that is.”

Mika pulled back his headset. The music pouring out for Yetsuna once the ear pads fell down around his neck. The tune not likely to be her favorite. Not that he would care. Or admit it if he did. With his expression fading gently, it left behind the aloof intrigue it held before. Showing now, a genuine sign of concerned curiosity. A feeling that echoed in the warming tone of his voice. ”When did these symptoms start?”

[Yetsuna Yishnir]

The green haired shinigami remained prone on the ground, her right knuckle oozed blood which was beginning to form a pool in the now broken stone sheet. Lashing out against the stone tile in her anguish had torn a fair amount of skin away from the surface of her knuckle and had almost caused her to break it as well. Despite the damage the green haired woman had done to herself she didn't feel any of it. Her mind was to busy devouring itself to acknowledge the pain.

Tears rolled down her checks and onto the ground as the questions continued to tear at her mind. Even knocking away all of the pillars upon which her ego had stood had not satisfied the questions. They showed no pity and no remorse. The questions wanted their answers and they had made it clear they would either get them or they would break her.

All of Yetsuna's mental energy was focused on trying to fend off the onslaught of the questions. So ruthlessly brutal was the attack that she had not even realized that someone had approached her. It was not until he spoke that she had realized that there was now someone next to her, but even then, she lacked the ability to respond in any form. Emotionally she was too broken to stop the tears. Mentally she was too preoccupied trying to defend herself that she couldn't form a response. Physically she was too weak to even pull herself off the ground.

As the man spoke she could hear the faintest echos of his voice in her mind. She couldn't actually piece together anything he was saying, but she could tell he was talking. For the man's sake it was probably for the better that she couldn't understand him. In a normal day the man's comments would have just made her give him a crazy look, but her current predicment wouldn have likely ended with her lashing out at him, partially for what he said, partially as a destructive impulse from her anger.

There was a long silence, puncutated only by the occasional sob of the girl, after the stranger had fallen quiet with the asking of his final question. The silence from Yetsuna wasn't a choice, she was deperately trying to reach out for help, even from this stranger, but The questions wouldn't let her. Everytime she tried to find some string of word to actually say the questions would intervine, swallowing whatever thought she had been trying to make.

Eventually the fair skin woman would finally find some words. They weren't the word she had been trying to use and they had had nothing to do with anything the man said, but they were coherent, at least on some level. With a choked and broken voice she spoke, "The questions...The questions don't stop. Please just make them stop."

As she finished speaking she broke into full tears and truly began to cry. Both of her hands moved up to wrap themselves around her head, the right one still bleeding, dying some of her red. If something didn't happen or change quickly there was a very real chance of her mind breaking itself, and if that happened there was no guarentee that she would ever be the same...or that she might ever even recover.

[Yetsuna Yishnir]

The stone spirit stood upon the precpice that he and Yetsuna had stood only a few hours ago having their "discussion", but almost no one would be able to tell that it was the same place. The view had changed from that of a medium sized town to those of ruins; many of the buildings had fallen in on themselves as their supports gave out, the vegetation had all withered and died away and the sky above had filled over with ominous looking clouds. By all accounts it looked it Yetsuna's inner world was experiencing its own Apocalypse.

When the two of them had spoken earlier he had no intentions of inflicting such distress upon her, he had only sought to push her to make her better, but instead it seemed he had inadvertently pushed her to a breaking point. Ishio knew full well what was going on to the shinigami and he felt a mixture of both pity and regret over what he had wrought, but he chose to remain silent, partly because he didn't know what to say, partly because he still saw a chance for her growth.

If you break a bone it will heal back even stronger, the bodies natural response of saying it wouldn't be broken twice, the same idea could be applied to the mind, but with a catch; there was no guarantee the mind would heal itself. The healing of a broken bone is an automated response from the human body, something that will happen regardless of desires or situations, but the mind was different, the mind took conscious effort to fix, and, more often then not, a lot of time.

The mind also held no guarantee of repair, even with all the time and effort in the world there are just some psychological wounds to deep to heal, and those wounds left people broken. Yetsuna was beginning to run that risk herself, and Ishio knew it. If the shinigami mind broke, not only did he risk loosing his reason for being, but he also risked his very existence. He was willing to take this risk, though, because if there was one thing that he knew about it was Yetsuna.

She did not know it yet, but she her power over earth wasn't because of her patience, or her ability to take a hit, or for her grounded nature, she had it because she had will power. The problem was that she did not have a lens, a goal, to focus that ability though, and it left her without the ability to use it effectively. She had powered through fights and challenges before using almost only sheer will
power, but she had barely come out on top, if she could focus it not only would she come out on top, but she could dominate.


That was why Ishio had challenged her to find a goal, to give her something to focus that ability into, and if she could find that goal, that one thing she desired above anything and everything else, not only would she become a whole different class of warrior, but it would be the foundation for the next stage of her power.

[Mika]

(OoC: Sorry about the delay. Work is hectic these days!)


"The questions...The questions don't stop. Please, just make them stop."

With these pleas playing through his uncovered ears, Mika recoiled. Drawing back his body; while investing his mind. Eyes widen to examine Yetsuna’s tear stained face. The sight of it, mixed with her pained sobs, were enough to reach him. Through the mental delirium in which he resided. The drug addled stupor that was once his evening plans. Yetsuna’s troubles were great enough to call him back from where the stimulants had taken him. Putting focus on the lenses with which he observed her. Balancing the distortion that plagued his considerable aptitude. It would be a change quite visible on the surface. Most noticeably with the shrinking of his pupils and the smoothing of his goosebumped skin.

The researcher went quiet in his descent. No longer encouraged to speak by the medications. Left pondering the source of her frantic, senseless words. ”Questions. Curious…” The request meant little to him. Unfamiliar as he was with the girl. Left him tilting his head to simply watch her for a moment. Puzzling and twisting her words till they fit together as something more telling. Not quite getting the full story of what ailed her. Of the trial she faced. Yet...there was some hope. For what she endured. The struggle and pain of inner turmoil.

This was something Mika knew all too well. Even if he didn’t seem it. Even if his exterior painted a vastly different portrait. It was something the could relate in; once a connection was established. An effect that would have been easier had he maintained his high! The inebriated are always more open, everyone knows. Many times they are even more trusting or affectionate. All the best qualities for being supportive of others. All the things Mika normally lacked. So, until he resumes his place on the trip...Mika would need to find another way to help. One less personal, or emotionally demanding.

To her words, her request, Mika says nothing. It was clear enough that he failed to reach her with his introduction or former inquiries. This young woman was too far along in her breakdown to be talked back together. Further cries made this even more evident. Yetsuna was inconsolable. Add to the fact that Mika possesed about as much tenderness as a cactus...well, words were out. It suited him all the same. As weak as he was with sentiment, he excelled in the fiekd of medicine. Every social awkwardness a tradeoff for the secrets and delicacies of his craft. Honestly? There was no one in all the worlds more suited to tend a patient.

Even one whose ailments laid so very far outside of his realm of comfort. To mend the mind; Mika would treat her fracture psyche as a wound on the body. A deep one. Resistant and far stretching. Curable. The only real trouble that faced him? Yetsuna’s unhindered, physical health. The freedom of her body. The fact, that on a whim, she could turn. Decide that she didn’t like his treatment or perhaps his stupid face. Her reasoning wouldn’t matter if she shoved her fist through him like she did the cobbled street. A possibility that would become more likely with his every effort.

Dropping his butt onto the street; Mika took up a seat next to Yetsuna. Sitting trustingly close. Enough that his every breath covered her in a wave of sugary smoke. The pipe clenched in his teeth burning bright at the tip. Stoked more as his nerves thinned. He put himself where he would be within reach. Fair to say, it was rather obvious he intended to do so. With a flick of his wrist, the scientist exposed his hand from within his sleeve. Rolling his palm over so that it caught the moonlight. Revealing that his strange white paint extended all the way to the tips of his fingers. Despite the discoloration, his hand managed to look clean. Perhaps even sterile. Most importantly, and noticeably, a small light was blooming in his palm.

It wasn’t the reflection of the moon or stars. Not a lighter or any other device. Something dim, but growing steadily. With a bluish tint to its color. Becoming bright enough to push away the shadows around them. Possibly even enough, to attract the attention of Yetsuna’s eyes? Perhaps it would become even more intriguing when he reached towards her with it? Turning his palm so that he no longer looked as an offer. No longer was he offering her a hand to grasp. Mika was going to use whatever this conjured light was on her. Though he gave it no thought as to how his behavior appeared to he, Mika moved slowly as though he expected danger or trouble. Really, this was just him being hesitant to touch another person. It was awkward for him. Uncomfortable, even if necessary. He wondered how those caregivers over in Squad Four put up with this sort of closeness every day…

As the shimmering hand reached for her. The light bouncing off her night-clad figure. Something peculiar would be revealed. The icy looking light was anything but cold. It radiated the sort of warmth that accompanied life. Creating a soothing feeling whenever it neared. The effect was magical in nature, even if the ability was not. This was no Kidou or even Kaido. No technique that could be freely taught. It was an oddity that often times sprouted in the odd Shinigami or two. Something that was rarely seen outside the ranks of the Fourth Division. The ability to treat injuries with only a thought and a will. A simple projection of energy. A burst of stimulated reishi. It could mend almost any form of injury. Fuse bones back together. Wipe away burns. Create tissue to seal wounds and cuts. Seemingly, the perfect healing art. Far exceeding even Kaido.

Though, it was always described as a greenish glow. When used, the few times it was even possible for a Shinigami to do so, the ability always produced green light. What Mika did now...made blue. So was it the same? Yetsuna would have no real guarantee. Whatever it was, it was different. Perhaps it was something else. Something unknown. Something...far more rare. Mika knew the truth. Sadly, he was in no mindset to explain himself. Too eager to attempt his procedure. The ability being exactly the same as the one that was public knowledge. Only, this variation did not treat the body. Instead, its curative energies worked solely on the mind. One touch. That is all it should take. Into Yetsuna the blue, icy energy would flow. Purging her mind of the troubles that corrupted it so. Costing her nothing more than a minor case of..brain freeze.

Here is the tragedy of Mika’s gift. The flaw in an otherwise perfect process of recuperation. The effects of his treatment are not lasting. Not on their own, at least. While it is well documented the this method can alleviate the stress of mental illness or damage; the possibility of regression is very high. The mind is far more malleable than the rest of the body. Often times it can change and misshape itself without any evidence. Patients who are treated, but not truly cured, will find their way back to the problems they had. It is only a question of time.

That is why. Even if Yetsuna allowed Mika to lay his hand on her. To affect her with his odd ability. That she would not yet be saved. She would feel phenomenal by comparison to what she was before, but she would not be cured. To do that would require treating the source of her duress. Not just forcing the mind to be better, but guiding it to avoid breaking. She would need therapy. How much for how long really depended on her ability to recover. Sadly, Mika was not that sort of doctor. Or person, for that matter. Ah...but fate isn’t one for being slowed by the details.

Sometimes we are forced into situations beyond our comfort or scope. For Yetsuna, it was being pushed into introspection. Forced contemplation of the existential gravity of her existence. A topic few people can look into without doubt or anxiety. For Mika? Replace introspection with intimacy. Not the physical kind, of course. No. The other one. The worse variety. Emotional. Without realizing what he had invited into his life, Mika’s hurried to utilize his gifts. Fulfilled the curiosity that had itched at his brain for so long. Could he fix a broken mind as easily as a broken bone? The answer...still to come.

Concentrating as he was; Mika needed most every bit of his focus to maintain the healing power he now exercised. The lovely blue glow was not only pretty to look at, it was also hella hard to maintain. As a result, the medic’s guard would be done. His mind would roll along a single set of tracks. His heartbeat and breathing would both become fevered and intense. What did this mean for Yetsuna? Well. She would probably be creeped out. If only because this was happening in such an awkward setting. Nighttime. In solitude. During an emotional breakdown. Mmm...anyways! What was possibly more bothersome than than the intensity in which his attitude turned might have been the smoke.

See. Breathing as he was, Mika was creating quite the little cloud. Puffing like a smokestack. Churning out more and more of the sweet smelling fumes. Pouring like thick fog from behind his gritted teeth. Leaving both him and the nearby girl to bask in the growing pollution. Thankfully, there were no dangers in this smoke. Cancer was such a hard thing for Shinigami to get. But you know, there are always worse things that a few carcinogens. Especially when one is breathing the sort of chemical masterpieces of Mika’s. The scientist was very big on experimenting with all manners of substances. Having a body that far exceeds the usual healing and resistances of the normal soul; Mika had to blend exceptionally potent stuff to notice any effects. Even if he wanted something as simple as an aspirin.

Especially if he wanted something to toast him like sliced bread.

And, well. Mika didn’t wasn’t out on a walk to star gaze. What had packed his pipe this evening was quite an adventurous new attempt at…mind expansion. Heh, though “attempt” might not be the appropriate word for it anymore. Since the last few hours had been some cosmic, next level shit for Mika. The sort of head exploding sensations that left lesser men dribbling on their floors. The only reason he stayed upright was because of his sweet dance moves. All that wobbling serving a might need. However, for the crying woman...well hell, who knows how she’d turn out. In the long run that is. Side effects and addiction are variables that often defy expectations. In the meantime, there was one expectation that was more guarantee. The world around them would fall away. As if it vanished behind the screen of Mika’s tobacco smoke. And out of the dispersing smoke...

A vast countryside of barren rock and mighty cliffs. At the center, a city fallen into ruin...Yetsuna’s inner world.

”What...a mess.”, said with the most sincere tone of surprise. Coming from Mika; while he returned slowly to his feet. Shock radiating in his widened eyes. Head spinning, pulling his shoulders by the neck, to look in every direction. The scientist’s curious nature blossoming in full at this newly uncovered vista. It should seem, that he was without any idea of where he was. How he arrived there. Or what he was supposed to be seeing. For the young woman who called this place her soul, Yetsuna should know exactly where they were. She would see it all very clearly. When not blocked by Mika’s wobbly, wandering figure. See, the medic was currently strolling circles around her. Observing what he could from their position.

Just like before, the two of them were on a streetway. Unlike before, they were not in the Seireitei. Somehow they had entered her inner world. No big deal for herself, but for Mika to be here too? Clearly self aware and not some strange phantasm of her memory. Now that was the peculiar twist. An unforeseen consequence of what poured from Mika’s pipe. The effect of his powerful, unbalance concoction. Though, Mika certainly didn’t know this. To him this was all a grand delusion. An illusion conjured by the altered chemistry in his medicated mind. ”The Tenth Division has been slacking in their custodial duties.” Mika continued to yammer. Moving closer to one of the collapsed buildings that lined the road. Beginning to notice that the buildings were not identical to those of the Seireitei. That they were far more modern in concept and construction. A moment of comprehension beginning to form. ”Wait…where is this?”

So. Here we come to an important question. Would the aching Shinigami have rejected or resisted Mika’s offered help? The strangely glowing hand extended in...well, we will say sympathy. If she had rejected him, then Yetsuna would find the questions still racking her mind. The world around them would be that of a destroyed town and barren landscape. Despite being displaced from the Seireitei and dropped into her own soul, the troubles would have followed. So too...would the tears. However. It need not be this way. Not for the time being. For if she hadn’t fought the doctor. If she let him place his hand onto her. Then the inner world that reflected her soul would be much different.

Coursing through the sky would be a colorful wave of light. A blue and white aurora borealis, dancing and cutting through the apocalyptic-looking clouds. The buildings would not be ruined. Instead, their broken pieces would be held together by glowing blue light. Sealed and stuck together in a temporary stability. The whole of her inner world would seem to be recovering. Rebuilding itself. Held together by the blue lights. And the questions? They would be gone. Yetsuna would feel at peace. She would feel the same calm that she knew before the self doubt crippled her. Freeing her from her weeping. Giving her, momentary, relief from her woes. Providing her with clearness of thought to speak with Mika. To reveal the truth of where they were...and how she truly feels.

So what would it be? Tears and ruins? Reconstruction and temporary relief? Either way, they were here to stay in her mind. Locked in her inner world until, hopefully, the drugs wear off. Hopefully, long enough to put all of Yetsuna back together...in a way that is as lasting as stones. "Hey, you. Woman. Whatever your name is." Though he still grit his pipe within his teeth, there was no smoke blowing from it. A fact that wen unnoticed by the researcher at first. He was far too busy trying to make sense of the odd architecture. Not to mention, ascertaining some further discoveries about the strange lady he met in the eve'. "How are you feeling?"


(OoC: Mika was smoking a drug called, "Mind's Eye". It puts those who breathe it into a shared mental state. Or if you are alone, makes you trippy as tied together shoelaces. Anywhos. The thread will continue in Yetsuna's inner world. Living it up to you if Yetsuna accepts the temporary, mental cure that was offered. Or if you want to leave her distraught will we Bob the Builder her soul village back to perfect order.)

[Yetsuna Yishnir]

Yetsuna's face remained buried in the ground with her hands wrapped around the back of her hair. The blood coming from her right knuckles had rendered a sizable amount of her hair on the right a bright red and gave it a brighten sheen that reflected the moon light. No more did she speak, she only cried. She was out of energy to fight back against the questions, and with her inability to fight back or provide answers they had begun their end game.

Fortuitously for the green haired shinigami, and the earth spirit within her soul, the stranger seemed to be well equip to help her with the demons that now plagued her. He plopped down on the street next to her sitting close enough to her where even Yetsuna normally would have drawn the line on personal space, though no such statement was heard. The smoke from the man's pipe began to wash over her. Even in her state, in the farthest corner of her mind, she could tell how (overpoweringly) sweet the smoke was.

Yetsuna was fairly decent at reading the vibes that came off of people in most situations, and if not for her crippled state, she would have easily been able to tell the painted man was far outside his comfort zone being this close to someone else. After a moment he would produce some kind of glowing ball, holding it out as in offering for her to take it, and she might of tried if she had noticed it. Nothing he had done so far had yet caused the distraught female to remove her face from the dirt.

Then he touched her.

Yetsuna's breakdown had left her physically cold, like all of her body heat had been drained out of her, a fact reflected in her normally pale appearance taking on a almost deathly white look, not that one would really be able to tell the difference in the low light. As the stranger brought his hand closer to the green haired female she would feel the warmth the orb gave off, but would make no moves. Slowly he brought his hand closer and closer to the shinigami, wary of any retaliation she might make, but all those concerns were unfounded. Finally the orb of energy entered Yetsuna's body.

Immediately the crying ceased from her and she could feel warmth returning to her body, as well as her more natural pale "color". The questions that had been clawing at her mind were silenced in an instant, almost like they had never existed. It seemed almost surreal; just a moment ago she was on the verge of total and literal mental break down and now she felt completely fine. This seemed a little out of the ballpark even for kido. 

She began to pick herself up off the ground and began to wipe her eyes out with her right hand, which she hadn't realized was bleeding until she it felt hit her face, so then she swapped over to her left. She was about to ask the man what he had done, but he beat her to the first line and through it the question. With his question Yetsuna forgot hers in an instant. She knew where they were, mostly by instinct and slightly by recognition, but she didn't know how they were there.

They were in her inner world, some place even Yetsuna rarely ever went, but where was Ishio? The only times she visited here were through him and every time he pulled her there he was waiting to greet, or more properly chide, her, so for Ishio to be in front of her was far out of the ordinary. She began to speak, her voice obviously confused, "We're........In my inner world?". As she spoke she looked around for any sign of the earth spirit to try and see if it was him that had brought her here.

And then two things hit her at once.

The first was that if Ishio was the one that had brought her here then how the hell was the painted guy there?

The second was WHAT THE HELL WAS GOING ON HERE? Her inner world looked like... I can't even find a proper analogy here, post Apocalypse town crossed with a travel ad? There was some kind of northern lights deal making its way through the sky and dispelling some rather dark, and demonic, looking clouds. All of the buildings seemed to leaking enchantment or something as a pale blue light seeped from cracks all over the buildings. Even the vegetation gave off the same off blue light. She may not come here often, but she knew this wasn't normal.

She quickly turned to face the man and directed the latter question at him, if for no other reason then he was the only other person around to ask. Her voice was still confused, but it had now taken on an edge of concern as well, not something that people familiar with her would normally hear, "What in the hell is going on? What happened to this place?" she asked referring to the blue light that was now holding her inner world together, which then reminded her of her first question. "And what the hell did you do to me?"

At this point her mind was going a million miles a minute trying to figure out everything that was happening. She knew she was having a break down only a few moments ago, something she knew she needed to address sooner over later, but the current situation, as well as about five different emotions piling on at once, told her that it could wait until she had gained some sort of semblance of control over the situation.




 
Meanwhile, on a cliff far from where the two shinigami were stood the black clad stone spirit. He felt the presence of an intruder within his realm, but he remained motionless. The stranger posed no threat, at least not for the moment, he seemed to actually be helping Yetsuna, something he had found himself incapable of doing. He had stood by stoically before, watching her fall to pieces in hopes that she would pick herself, but by the time he realized just how serious the situation was it was too late for him to intervene.

The stranger had eased the distress that afflicted the shinigami, even if only temporarily. Now was a chance for a healing process to begin, to take root, so that the situation would not repeat itself, but neither her nor Yetsuna knew how long this magic would last, and if it broke before she was better things would escalate far faster, and possibly worse, then they had before.

Knowing all this he remained where he was. A piece of him desired to go down and help his master, to try and atone, however slightly, for the evil he and accidentally inflicted upon her, but he also worried that his presence would only serve to upset her seeing as he was the catalyst for the entire event. So for now he would do what he had always done, observe. If The Questions came back he would need to be ready to step in this time.

[Mika]

"We're...in my inner world?"

Hearing these words was bracing. Electricity flying through his nerves. Buzzing when they finally invaded his mind. The new attitude with which they were spoken, carried almost as much power as their context. Twisting where he stood. His heavy white coat giving a whirl as he turned to her. Brown eyes gleaming under the strange blue lights of the sky. Painted face brimming with enthusiastic joy. The mind behind that odd looking face fast at work. Making sense of both his circumstance and her supposition. Putting together the strange fitting pieces of this puzzle. Finding himself in a whirlwind of wonder. Bewildered by the truth of the moment. What had been accomplished without any planning. An accident that produced better results than any intentions. Somehow, Mika had pushed his way into the mind...the soul of another being. Seeing something that should in always be denied him. An inner, hidden world. Existing in a dimension beyond the physicist's measurements or reach. A strange new reality that contained only new mysteries to be discovered. A place where, for the first time since he was a child, he did not already know all there was to know.

In this alternative plane, Mika felt the same mystified curiosity that had defined his early years. Once more was the world a place of secrets to be unravelled. My. There would be no containing his excitement. Not only would it show in his wide stretched smile, but also in his erratic movements. Eyes darting to and fro. Looking and looking again at everything around him. Inquisitive with restored naivety. Like a sponge, absorbing all that presented itself. Taking in every sensation that his new existence might produce. The sights first, but then the sounds. The smells and the feel of this world. It was, overwhelming. His head would be spinning soon enough. His chest hyperventilating. His joy touching at the sublime. ”This is amazing! An inner world. The very manifestation of you soul. Your entire identity. This is you. You in full!” Still rotating in quick circles as he continued to scour the terrain and details. Mind finally slowing as he recounted the casualties that might have lead to this discovery. There was of course, the touch. The use of his innate ability to tend to the minds of others with his pure reishi. In the past, using such a talent had offered him strange feelings. Times where Mika swear that he could feel the thoughts of those he treated. As if somehow, the connection allowed him to peek or read content within their thoughts.

Oh, but nothing ever like this. Never a glimpse into the inner world...let alone actually travelling to it! Manifesting within something so deeply buried. Something had to have been different this time. A new factor. Surprisingly, it was not a sudden revelation to Mika. Even as he puffed away with his hastened breath. Creating a dense shell of following vapors. Cloaking himself with his pipe’s potent exhaust. Soon though, he would work out the math. Blinking obnoxiously as he pulled the steel tool from his teeth. Gripping it tightly, nodding his head as it became clear through the tobacco haze. ”Blend 68-S. Ha...hahaha! Phenomenal. There must be some link with the brain, and inner world. A bond between mind and soul.” Blatantly talking to himself with little care for who else might be around. Poor Yestuna, ”And...and now I know which part of the brain that is. Or at least, where it connects best in this girl.” Turning to Yetsuna. Actually looking at her with interest matching what he had for her inner world. Already considering what might need to be done to further his grasp on this revelation. What it might take from her.

This place. It was, by every definition, Yetsuna. Philosophers within the Soul Society have known of and argued the truth behind inner worlds since the beginning. Research made by the men and women who became adept at entering their own souls with ease. Only the most powerful of empaths and sensors being able to study the phenomenon that these worlds were. In all those many centuries, little progress on understanding the foundations of these worlds were made. Only very basic concepts could be formed. The ideas that were now commonplace in their more advanced thinking. Inner Worlds reside within the soul, and represent it in ways that can be perceived by the mind. That is what makes it possible for any Shinigami to actually enter the realm. That is what makes it feel physical and substantial. Yet…no one ever learned what inner worlds were made of! What was their composition? Where did they manifest? These questions couldn’t be answered with conventional methods. MRIs and CT scans never produced any data on meditating reapers. It was so frustrating. Emphasis on was.

For now Mika had found a way into the world of another. A foreign scape that did not play the same tricks his own inner realm played on his perception. He could study and dissect a truly foreign environment. Take apart the pieces and hold them to the light. As far as he was aware, this was the first time such an objective examination could take place. He, the first traveller in the identity of another person. "What in the hell is going on?”, a voice cracked in the background. Perhaps as a foreigner within her own soul, he could differentiate things better? Maybe. Just freaking maybe...Mika could see how this inner world came to be. ”What happened to this place?", yet again the voice called out. What it was made of, reishi or otherwise. Where it was located, in a section of her brain or her metaphysical soul. Or if it was in an entirely different dimension and reality than there own. Only accessible by some sort of open, internal gateway that all sentient beings possess. Maybe that was the trick to it. The part that helped describe how Yetsuna could have a body within herself. "And what the hell did you do to me?", something itching at his brain. Making him shoot a glance in the girl’s direction. Was this green haired lady really her, in another dimension with him? Or were they really inside of her, and this Yetsuna was merely a mental projection. An illusion, though a highly complex and physical one. Damn, he ...want to pick your brain apart.

Like thunder, Mika’s voice poured from the very sky. As though he were a god lingering behind the clouds.

Yeah, Mika froze. He had heard the words just as clearly as Yetsuna would have. He would be as bothered, if not more so, by the happening. ”What in the hel-” This second statement occurred like the first. A voice, tremendous in size and volume, spoke from the heavens above. The Mika that stood before her not uttering a sound. Instead, he silently jerked his attention to the sky. The reaction causing the statement to cut short before it could resolve. Leaving Mika to stare wide eyed and anxiously skyward. Giving up his scouring gaze after a few silent moments, to once more look to his host. Hoping that the female wouldn’t be as confused as he was. Also, that she wasn’t becoming defensive or aggravated at the notion he proposed. The one about “picking her brain apart”. A noticeable look of worry highlighting his features as he locked glances with her once more. A hesitant voice calling out, this time from Mika himself, ”Were you saying something before? I couldn’t hear you over...whatever that was.” His words spoken with an obviously shaken tone.

Not only was he concerned about the reprisals she might have in store, but also the source of the voice. Not only did it sound like him, but it ...spoke what I was thinking. Yeah, Mika was frowning and bug eyed now. Staring straight at Yetsuna in a weird mix of confused and scared. This embarassing turn of events being a worst case scenario for someone as insecure as Mika. I mean, for someone who values: personal space, privacy, and secrets as much as him...this is a fucking nightmare. At least...at least this time it was more expected. Mika’s only hand coming to cover his face. The painted man suddely feeling quite...vulnerable. Not really knowing what to make of it. Trying to decide if it was better to hide in silence or not. Or would...more thoughts be heard that way?

Like...if a blush could be seen underneath all that make up, ”...” Ho boy, this was going to be bad.

However! In a desperate attempt to regain his security. Mika resorted to the one trick that had always helped him through life. Lying. Lying, haaaaard. Putting on an aire of confidence and self assurance so that people don’t see the truth. Slathering on a pound of makeup to hide the ugliness beneath it. Mika quickly moving away from Yetsuna. Putting distance between him and the danger. The researcher moved back to the buildings and the flora that surrounded the street they were in. Keeping his back to her as he approached some of that strange, blue aura that grew out of most everything now. Noticing immediately the similarity this strange light held with something else he was highly familiar with. The same strange energy that allowed him to manipulate and mend the psyches of others. What was here. Holding building fragments in place. Proping up the stems of withered plants. Under a bit of examination the truth became obvious.

Or, at least, the obvious answer came to mind. Urging him to give up on hiding his shamed face. To instead examine the odd energy. To run his fingers over the pained and dying leaves of a near shrub. Noticing the energy seeping into the plant. Refreshing the life that had seemingly been sucked from it. Rejuvenating the stems and feeding the creation of new buds. This world. Everything in it. Was the reflection of her mind and soul. As such...in attempt to heal her mind woukd result in the restoration of this world. However. This particular attempt used a more personal method. Something Mika had only ever speculated about till now. An explination as to why when he used this healing power, he got veiws into the minds of his patients. Illusions he believed,of their thoughts and feelings. Now he knew the truth. They were not illusions. They were actual thoughts. Seen and felt through a powerful connection. Mika’s head turning back towards the sky as he looked to the aurora that split the clouds.

In his voice he spoke, ”I thi-I know what is causing this. The voice in the sky.” Looking to Yetsuna, then trailing his attention back to the blue light that he touched eith his hand. Hoping to draw her own focus to it too. Just in time to see him jab the tendril of cerulean light with the bit of his pipe. Driving the spiritual steel into the glow, causing it to erupt with even more illumination. A sudden shimmer that shot through all the blue that surrounded them, then tore through the lights in the sky as well. A signal. One that took only a moment before…ACK Through the thunder; Mika gripped his head and fell to the ground. Letting out a shrill cry of pain. A sudden spasm of agony that had him cringing into a little ball.curled up as he struggled to craddle his fat head in his one hand. A reeeeally pitiful sight.

Maybe Yetsuna would step in to help the poor fellow?

It would take time for the pain to pass. Some shaking and rocking was going to happen. Seems Mika’s theory was right, but he had not anticipated such an outcome. Maybe the girl could peace things together before he regained himself? Figuring out just what the hell had happened to him? If not, then he’d be more than happy to tell her. ”Tha-that is my…” Voice breaking up a bit as aftershocks of discomfort echoed through. Hand trying to reach out to point to the light once more. But not touch it. ”Mind. Linking with your own. That...power I used. The healing art.” Still having trouble forming the right words and ideas. ”It...it lets me heal you through a spiritual link. But not just spiritual. My mind actually bonds with yours, allowing me to feel around and find what is out of place. To put it back.” Getting enough of his senses back to try and sit up, Mika still felt the tingle from his earlier assault itching in the core of his head.

”Normally it happens in an instance. I don’t see or feel any more than what needs to be fixed.” Pausing. Mika looked to the pipe he used before. Laying on the cobbled street, still oozing a faint stream of smoke. ”The drug is what completed the bond. Made it much more stable. Put…me in your world.” Leaning forward, the chubby doctor tried to crawl for his smoking instrument. Not wanting to be apart from it for long. Only after getting it back would he be willing to finish his thought. ”The drug’s effects could last for hours. That is...if nothing breaks it.” Peeking over to the stretch of light he already jabbed once. Not wanting that to happen again. Yet, there was still another concern. There was no evidence to suggest that their connection was as sturdy as Mika’s high. There was only a correlation as of that moment. Not reliable enough to swear on as fact. ”We need to make the best of this while we can.” Wobbling back to his feet.

Back on feet, patting himself off a but. ”My name is Mika. I’m a medical researcher at SRDI(serdee).” It seemed out of no where, but the truth was, neither of them had been formally introduced yet. So much had happened so fast, that the typical formality was overlooked. An unthinkable happening within the Soul Societies codds and conducts. Now that they could actually take a breath. Caught up on all the insanity that had unfolded. Mika waited for her to return the polite introduction; though eager to keep jabbering. ”When I found you. You were highly distressed.” Eyes circling along the broken world around them. ”With good reason.”

Gesturing to everything with a wave of his hand. ”Before I made light of the situation. Just threw you the usual rhetoric. And a more creative solution. But I doubt you heard me.” Considering how much had changed, Mika appeared actually concerned. Or at least, interested. ”The turth is; I am a medical professional. And, I can most definitely help you with...all of this.” A little pause of contemplation, not sure how to word the next question. ”I’m even obligated by an oath to ask, again...what caused you to be like this?” Gripping his pipe tightly. Head turned to offer he the full attention she, a patient, deserved. His overall attitude shifting away from the distracted manic. Now that it was time to actually take care of someone, Mika found some calm to pin himself down. Patience enough to give Yetsuna all the time she needed...to confess what broke her.






While in the distance. Beyond the mended walls and rising cliffs. Something was stirring. A plight that had not been defeated, only deterred. Questions that still had no answers. Not abolished...only pushed to the shadows. Feeding on the fears and doubts that hide within all of our kinds. Growing in power, and size...

[Yetsuna Yishnir]

OOC: There's something coming up in the next post or two which should logically be controlled by me, but I've passed the control to Doc because he's going to do better things with it then I will.

Hearing Yetsuna's (almost instinctual) answer to the question of where they were seemed to be best thing that the stranger had heard in years. Immediately he started to go into some sort of high energy ramble. While he spoke the green haired woman looked around trying to find the world's only true denizen, but, obviously, he was no where to be seen. Once his absence had sunken in she would have her realizations and turn to address the man in a borderline mild panic as the entire situation started coming down on her head.

She went from a breakdown to feeling almost perfectly fine. She was somehow in her own soul and Ishio didn't seem to be involved and was no where to be seen. There was someone with her IN HER SOUL who had done something to her that she didn't know (not that she was really complaining about that, but still). Overall the entire situation had her feeling way more vulnerable then she was comfortable, not that that threshold was very high to begin with. The sooner she could start finding out what was happening, the sooner she might be able to get rid of that feeling She was about ask the man her questions once more, though this time loud and with a hint of annoyance as her anxiety started to change to anger. 

Then MORE weird shit happened.

Just as she finished inhaling so that she could speak a voice rang out of the sky, loud and booming, almost like a god was talking, but the voice.......belonged to the man in front of her? A this point her brain basically locked up like a set of gears with a monkey wrench lodged in them. She honestly didn't know what to do, say, or think at this point. It took her moment to "reboot" and regain the ability to respond, though before she could she was interrupted by another booming comment from the sky. And again she froze losing her train of thought.

She recovered after a moment and got ready to ask the man what the FUCKING HELL was going on. Her interest was far and away more into what had/was happening rather then what the voice had said, though if the latter had been relevant she would have guessed it was in a metaphorical sense. The man, who seemed to be as shaken and confused as she was, turned and addressed her in a voice that was almost a 180 from what it was a moment ago.

The man's tone disarmed her, even with her deteriorated state she could hear his voice shaking. Once more her train of though was lost. The woman who always had a snappy comeback couldn't seem to hold it together today, though all things considered it's hardly surprising. She paused for a moment to rummage through her thoughts for the question she had wanted to ask. And that pause was enough to let the current events continue to spiral further down the rabbit hole.

Intermittently the voice would come booming out of the sky, giving off half statements, that for better or worse, could be pieced together into a coherent thought. Yetsuna had basically given up trying to speak at this point and was instead trying to piece together what was happening mentally. It took her a good few seconds after the second wave of voices started to piece everything together, mostly because she was so overloaded and emotionally drained.

Once she put the puzzle pieces together she thought of her question again. Once the voices seemed to have stopped she tried to speak, her voice both anxious and annoyed, but also beginning to take on a tired quality to it. "What the hell is going on?" the word "hell" carrying emphasis, though not in any particular manner. The stranger spoke addressing her question as he began to roam around inspecting where he was. And then suddenly he doubled over.

The sudden cry he let out has he fell over caught Yetsuna off guard and caused her to jump slightly from the startle. She watched him writhe in pain, clutching his head, unsure of what to do. She took some cautious steps forward towards him to try and check on him, not that she would be able to tell anything, she wasn't a medic. When she was by his side she dropped to a knee and placed a hand on his shoulder and tried to roll him onto his back so she could get a good look at this head. He was grabbing it so that must be the issue right?

She saw no physical injury so she tried to ask the man what was wrong a few times, but he never responded, whatever had hit him hit him HARD. Unsure of what else to do the green haired woman began going through the last few minutes for anything that could explain what had happened to the man. Nothing that she could remember had any obvious signs that would have point to such a sudden and painful action. Unsure of what to do she just remained next to him and kept rolling over the past few minutes for anything she may have missed.

Unfortunately the her hope that she might have missed something was unfounded, nothing she could recall could explain what happened to the man. Despite this her mental search did have an unexpected result. The man writhing in pain, as cruel as it is to say, was the slowest point she had hit since the man first touched her, and her trying to figure out what had happened had allowed her to, metaphorically, breathe and process the last few minutes.

She wasn't aware of it, but the more she processed the situation the darker her mood became. The initial rush of the man's spell as well as the rush of everything that had followed up to this point, had kept her above the water emotionally. As she got the chance to process and come to grips with everything that had occurred the memory of the breakdown began to intrude. The emotions she felt...

And the questions.

Yetsuna felt a heavy, but quick, dosage of pain herself as the memory of the questions came flooding back to her. Immediately she panicked, her breathing and heart rate going though the roof, worried that the questions would seize her once more. In one might have been one of the luckiest breaks in her life the questions remained in her memories, and didn't take over once more. With a deep breath she tried to return both her heart and breathing rate to normal.

It took her a few moments to recover from her mild panic attack, returning to normal shortly after the one armed man gathered himself. The signs that she had had her own problems while he dealt with his were very subtle, a higher then normal breathing rate as well as the color having drained from her skin once more. Noticeable if one was looking, but considering he had just dealt with chances were slim he'd notice.

The man would begin to explain everything that had happened up to that point. It took him a few seconds to get traction on his own thoughts, but once he did everything came pouring out. She remained on her knee listening to the man and watching as he tried to get his pipe, an action she normally would have assisted with, but...well she didn't feel like it. Not in a cruel sense like she was getting a kick out of it, but more akin to "what does it matter?".

He continued talking once he had his pipe and she listened to him, picking herself up off the ground a moment or two after he did. He then did something something that, even in Yetsuna newly found funk, surprised her; He introduced himself. She hadn't realized that they hadn't exchanged names, everything had happened so damned fast. The look of surprise on her face lasting only a second before returning to a gloomy/blank expression.

"Yetsuna, Squad 11," she replied with a vacant voice, something the doctor might be able to pick up on if he had any social grace. Depending on his social and deducting skills he may have been able to figure out that there was something weighing the female shinigami's mind. He had managed to silence the questions and pull her back from total despair, but the memory of those events sat heavily on her mind.

Whether or not he addressed it was a little consequence for the end result would be the same when he asked the question at the heart of everything; what had happened. In the back of her mind she had been expecting to hear the question at some point, but despite this she didn't have a rehearsed answer. She looked like she was about to speak, but froze as the words eluded her. She honestly didn't know what to say. One part of it was not really wanting to talk about it another was just trying to convey accurately what had happened.

Yetsuna easily could have just said that she was having a self-esteem, crisis, but that wouldn't have done it justice. This had more to do with it then just her opinion of herself; this was something that had struck her to her core. The woman remained silent for a good while as she attempted to overcome her own uneasiness and the words. Eventually she would succeed on both fronts, but it her tone betrayed just how taxing it had been to do so.

"I......It's......" The female stumbled over her own words as she struggled to put her thoughts into words. "I don't know how to explain it," her voice was tired, sad, and resigned. "I had a realization that....took on a life of its own," she paused not sure that was what she wanted to say, but going with it for lack of anything else. "It started to tear at my mind. I couldn't escape it. It was driving me mad. Questions kept form even though i didn't want them to. They kept yelling at me, demanding that they be answered, even though I couldn't do it." The words started to fall out of the girl, and when she mentioned the questions she began to have another mild panic attack, though she wasn't ware of it.

When the woman had finished she fell onto her knees her arms hanging at her side, her breathing rapid and shallow. She looked dazed, like she was under some sort of trance. Trying to recall everything that had happened and then out it into words had been heavily taxing on the girl and the mild anxiety attack wasn't really helping. If Mika did check on her he would see that she was fine, just dazed, tired, and emotionally drained.

[Yetsuna Yishnir]

I talked to kento about getting credit for this thread because Doc has been dragged away from the forum again due to RL issues and the amount of credit tied up here is fairly large. He has okayed a mid-thread grading due to extreme circumstances.

[Zeich Yajuu]

I'm sorry, but there is nothing in this that really indicates training of any sort, and as a result, this is to be taken as a social. The only rewards for this is SKP progression.

In addition, you have been informed in the past that we will not be accepting grading requests for "partial training" or incomplete training threads. While it may be possible that there are those of us who are not aware, you have been informed of such. Please keep this in mind for the future.

[Kento Waffles]

I agree with Z's previous assessment that there's more or less no training here, and it's almost entirely social. But, in recognition of how much effort was put into the paragraphs, I'm willing to make this thread count as two of the threads required for each SKP. So, if you needed eight for the next one, this thread would reduce it to six.