|
|
Post by kawaguchi rin on Mar 24, 2011 14:06:29 GMT
 DON'T JUDGE A THING TILL YOU KNOW WHAT'S INSIDE IT
DON'T PUSH ME - I'LL FIGHT IT
NEVER GONNA GIVE IN, NEVER GONNA GIVE IT UP, NO.
YOU CAN'T TAKE ME - I'M FREE
As a loud, rapping knock called against the wood frame of her paper door, Rin's eyes opened sharply. Rising from her futon naked, she quickly picked up her outer robes as she moved toward the door. After tying the sash around her waist with a sharp tug and grabbing the entirety of her hair into a band that she had fastened around her wrist, Rin reached out and slip the door open slightly. A low class Shinigami stood before her, obviously having been given the runt's job of playing messenger.
"Captain Tachibana of the Eleventh Division wanted me to inform you that the Lieutenant's quarters in the Division have been cleared for your use and that you may move your belongings there any time today." The young man said.
After a few seconds and Rin simply staring at him, the young shinigami's feet started to shift and he began to fidget. Waiting for his eyes to make contact with her face Rin mouthed "O.K." and shut the door before he grew even more uncomfortable.
Upon hearing the footsteps of her visitor disappear, Rin undressed once more and moved toward the simple cupboard that housed her full shinigami robes. Tying her clothing on properly this time, Rin's perfectionist attitude toward herself meant that the under and over layers hung exactly right, that her sleeves and pants had been measured exactly so that they reached the correct point on her limbs, and her sash was tied tightly and efficiently. Her tabi were immaculate and as she stood in her socks she reached for a large brush that she kept on a box beside her futon.
For the next ten minutes, Rin proceeded to attack her hair with ruthless efficiency as it always needed in the morning. The thick strands were always knotted and in a muddle upon waking up but by the time she was done they hung in a shining waterfall down her back. Brushing the locks to the back of her head she tied a thick band and piece of material around and pulled tight, restraining the waterfall into a narrower ponytail. Shorter strands of hair hung around her face in thick bangs and she secured one side behind her ear, letting the other fall loose.
Fastening on her Zanpakuto and picking up a simple canvas shoulder bag, Rin turned the room upside down in a matter of minutes, placing, into the bag, her brush, second set of robes, her small journal, a beaded bracelet that she had once stolen from a market stall and several lengths of white wrap that she would bind around her chest under her robes or round her wrists or ankles when training.
After cleaning away and folding up her futon, Rin left the room without a backward glance. All of her personal affects were inside the bag which made moving ridiculously quick and easy.
Occasionally Rin has caught glimpses inside other shinigami sleeping rooms and noted that some were like hers - sparse and bare - but others contained far more personal accessories or styles; plants, scrolls, books, clothes. Rin, on the other hand, had never felt the need to surround herself with items and baggage.
As she moved down the corridor of what would soon cease to be her home, Rin no longer noticed the way others took a half step to the side in order to create more distance between them as they passed one another. Or how some of them still stared at her - as if a constant glance would afford them a moment of speech from her. No-one in the Division had ever heard her speak. Correction, no-one had ever heard her speak, in any Division, or any District. And that wasn't likely to change any time soon. Rin wasn't even sure that she knew how to if she were told to on pain of death.
Quickly, Rin's silent tabi-ed feet led her to the quarters of Division Two's Captain.
Knocking softly, Rin waited to be let in and, upon hearing the call opened the door. Quickly she bowed very deeply and the Captain smiled at her.
Ten minutes later Rin was no longer the 4th Seat of Division Two. She had been disowned by her previous Captain and given the armband that was now proudly and securely displayed on her arm. The armband stated her new position and role as Lieutenant of Division Eleven.
Not only had Rin impressed the Captains with her skill in her Lieutenant Testing but her experience as a shinigami assassin had been considered a useful background for the Lieutenant of a Division dedicated to Offensive attack. Her quiet demeanor and apparent confidence had also been thought of as an adequate balancing weight to the current captain's hot-headed energy.
Though Rin had never before spoken with Captain Tachibana of the Eleventh, she had seen him and knew of him from what others had mentioned. He was a serious man with definite goals that he would reach were it to kill himself and those around him. He was loud and unapologetic for that loudness. Not only did he bully and push those around him to their limits he did the same on himself and it was this attitude that engendered respect from his Division. Though the man was driven and knew what he wanted when he wanted it, he had also avoided rankings for some time for reasons no-one seemed to know, and it was only after taking on the Lieutenant role that he began to like the idea and practice of command. Now the Captain the Eleventh Division was highly disciplined and flourishing but the previous Lieutenant had recently been killed in action. That was where Rin came in.
Having left Division Two's Headquarters, Rin pushed her weight down onto her newly waraji-adorned foot and sprang up into the air. Using her skill in Shunpo, Rin quickly leaped across and over buildings in moving to another section of Seireitei.
Dropping back down to the ground, her pitch black hair falling down against her back once more, Rin straightened to her full five foot eight inches and stepped forward toward the large gates that were the entrance to Division Eleven's Quarters in the city.
The two shinigami to either side of the wooden door looked at her oddly at first, until they saw the armband she wore. Upon noticing the accessory they quickly stood to attention, bowed with one hand on their weapons' hilts and she pushed the door open and stepped inside.
The courtyard in front of her was full of training shinigami, parring off with kendo swords. To avoid disturbing anyone's practice, Rin carefully walked around the edges of the yard so as not to catch anyone's eye and was greeted by the young messenger who had disturbed her sleep back at Division Two. He had obviously been assigned the task of waiting for her arrival as he stepped forward, bowed and told her to follow him.
Further around the courtyard they went and Rin watched the young men and women practicing their kendo carefully. They were all very good, but some were noticeably better than others or just better at noticing their opponent's weaknesses like Rin was. Some relied on their weapons while others used their bodies more and the sword as an accessory of extra in the fight. The second style was also favoured by their new Lieutenant. Especially as her Shikai involved her weapon leaving her for a time - her body needed to be just as much as weapon as her Zanpakuto was.
As her guide mounted a few wooden steps onto the walkway of one of the buildings, Rin followed. It wasn't until they walked a little further that her attention transferred from the trainees to the man sitting on his walkway, watching them.
Tachibana sat on the wooden slats by one of the pillars, his robes decadent around him and a handle-less cup of tea at his use. Despite him sitting down, Rin was reminded of how tall the captain was and how strong and deadly his limbs appeared, even when apparently relaxed, like now.
As he guide spoke, Rin's back straightened and her stare became confident as she was introduced.
"Captain Tachibana sir. I've brought Lieutenant Kawaguchi, as you instructed. If I may be excused, I shall now join practice."
Bowing the young man left and sprang out into the courtyard to join his companions.
Rin's point of vision focused once again in Tachibana as she stood appropriately and bowed with respect. Silently, of course.
STATUS: COMPLETED.
WORDS: 1407.
TAG: TACHIBANA KOTAROU.
MUSIC: I'M FREE - BRYAN ADAMS.
|
|
