Old Friends [Closed/Hanabi]

Sunshine filtered through the clouds, bathing the cobble stones in a brilliant golden hue. Hanabi was here on a job, but she couldn't help but appreciate the beauty of this particular section of the Rukongai. Would that she could have grown up somewhere like this, maybe things would have turned out differently. Maybe she wouldn't be wandering aimlessly on the barest hint of a rumor that she had only overheard because some of her subordinates liked to gossip during their lunch break.

It was the sort of information she would normally ignore, a bit of fancy and woolgathering, shared only because they had run out of other interesting tidbits to talk about. Hanabi didn't really approve of gossip, at least not in the workplace, but she didn't have the heart to censure her people for something so human and sociable. She wanted them to feel comfortable working for her, and if that meant listening to mundane bits of clear delusion it was a price she was willing to pay. So long as it didn't interfere with their work, and luckily Hanabi had been able to handpick her work partners and it had resulted in a truly ingenious group of kidou experts.

None of that explained why she had ended the day early, rushing back to her personal rooms to double check the book Kiriko had left behind for some vague reference that surely was just coincidence. And yet, even with her certainty that this was a fools errand, a waste of time, Hanabi found herself wandering a nearby district of the Rukongai searching for a phantom. It wasn't even her phantom, but a lingering presence in Kiriko's mind. Enough of one that the woman had written a whole chapter on the other Shinigami, long after she had apparently disappeared to parts unknown. The rumors were vast, that the Golden King had his hand in her disappearance, that she had finally rebelled and run off, wandering back to wherever it was she had hidden before. Hanabi had tracked each idea down, one by one, trying to piece together an idea of who this girl even was. A Shinigami who had left no traces after her departure beyond that one oddly forlorn chapter in Kiriko's book.

Her wandering hadn't gotten her very far. It was impossible to use a tracking spell when she had no trace of reiatsu to follow. Worse, no one in the neighborhood seemed inclined to give her any tips on recent sitings. Despite her knowing that there must have been some – it took a lot to get the rumor of a blond haired girl with a red scarf running around the Rukongai to filter all the way to Seireitei.

Trying to pull upon some of her earlier training, Hanabi had initiated a grid search protocol, but with just one body it was slow going indeed. Walking up and down the twisting alleys, she often found herself turned irreversibly around, unsure of where she had started or where to go next.

It was sheer luck then, or maybe cosmic fate, that had her choosing a random turn and finding herself face to face with precisely the phantom she had been looking for. Blinking a few times, perched between movement and perfect stillness, Hanabi assessed the moment. Short female. Long blond hair. Red scarf. Murky but powerful aura She didn't look like a ghost, and the faint tremors of her hidden reiatsu felt solid and heavy.

The girl... woman? Spun on one heel, a long finger jabbed in Hanabi's face as she spluttered out a demand that broke off half-way. Hanabi looked down at the finger, taking a cautious step backward and wondering if maybe this was a ghost, an angry insane ghost, and not truly the person she had been looking for. If it was a vengeful spirit, she didn't want to be the one to upset it further... And she really didn't need any curses when she had just finally managed to break free from Kiriko's long reach.

“Uhm, I apologize for bothering you. You wouldn't happen to be Kachekiwa Lessa-san, would you?” Or the ghost of her. Oh Soul King, what if she was wandering around the Rukongai looking for whoever killed her?

WC: 706 | GP: 14 | Total GP: 14

Lessa's finger fell remarkably fast as she stared at the girl before her. There were some noticeable differences here and there, she noticed that the more she stared wide-eyed at the one before her. The biggest difference though were those eyes of her, very red, and quite different from the black eyes Kiriko had possessed. Not to mention this girl didn't have that dumb bun Kiriko had, but in all other ways? This was Kiriko Chinda. "I...I..." she stammered, still staring and trying to find words for just whatever it was she was feeling right now. Lessa couldn't even put words to it. Shock? Awe?

No, neither of those two things. Honestly? It felt like she had gotten hit by a freight train and visited by a vision of someone from the past. Ever since hearing about what had happened, how Kiriko had seemingly just vanished from the Soul Society, Lessa had been wondering just what things would have been like had she not ran away and hidden herself again. Lessa began to reach out to the girl, just to make sure she was real, that she wasn't imagining this, before she pulled her hand back, putting it to her side as she tried to control herself. This whole time, she had felt positive she was completely alone in Soul Society, with no one she had once knew existing in it any longer.

And yet, here Kiriko stood, proving that wrong.

It didn't matter to Lessa that her reiatsu seemed different compared to that of the Kiriko she had once knew, or that the girl didn't look exactly like her, or that Kiriko was even questioning who she was. It had been so long since they had last seen each other, why wouldn't she question that? That was how Lessa found herself eagerly nodding, the facade of an ordinary citizen of the Rukongai rapidly cracking as a bright smile wormed its way onto her face. ""I'm Lessa! Yeah. You don't even need to ask," if she had any less control of herself, she might be bouncing on her feet right now from excitement.

You make me sick.

Shut it Kaiya. Lessa retorted childishly to the Inner Hollow, not in the mood for any of her condescending attitude right now. Not when she had finally stumbled across someone that knew her from the past. Despite her actions from earlier, Lessa once again raised her hand, gently taking a hold of the girl's clothes just to reassure herself she was real. ""S-Sorry. Just..this is..a-amazing. I can't believe it," she shook her head, wondering what the odds were of them just running across each other. Then again, Kiriko had seemed to be approaching this district and had been moving methodically, so...maybe Lessa had just gotten sloppy? The blonde frowned slightly at that thought, wondering if she ought to wander around the various districts more, before focusing all her attention back on Kiriko.

...What should they do or say now, though?

This was a momentous occasion, a momentous meeting, and yet the shock of it all had sent any idea of what else she could say spiraling down the drain. There was plenty she could say. What had happened since she had left? Where had Kiriko vanished to? What had it been like being Captain Commander, even briefly? Those questions all flashed through her mind, then another, more painful one too.

Did she dislike her for just up and vanishing?

Honestly, that thought made Lessa pause in her thoughts and seriously consider it. Truthfully, she couldn't blame Kiriko if she did hate her for that. After all, friends weren't supposed to just leave each other, a fact she ought to have known all too well. But after everything that had happened, she had needed time away. And not just a short few months off from doing anything, but a long time away. Unfortunately, she had spent much, much too long being away than she would have liked, but at least this woman was still here. This link to her past. Heck, she might even know what had happened to Kyousuke and all of the others! One thing at a time, though.

""You have no idea just how happy I am to see you again, Kiriko." she said to the other, barely restrained cheer clear in her voice. Heck, Lessa hadn't even noticed she was STILL holding onto the sleeve of Kiriko's clothing.

Ah...old friends. It's certainly good to reunite with them, isn't it Lessa? Kaminari spoke deep in her mind, and she had to agree. It definitely was.

The more she stared at the girl the more she became certain that it was an apparition and not in fact a soul. Oh, sure, everyone said ghosts weren't real. The Academy came right out and berated any backwoods student who dared to say otherwise. But Hanabi couldn't shake the old stories, the feeling of an otherworldly chill that went up her spine as the little girl reached out for her. Fingers grasping at the air as if she was trying to clutch at Hanabi's heart.

She really wanted to step away, dart back, pull up a barrier, anything to put some distance between the two of them. But those eyes, so big and wide, full of the deepest wonder, they kept her pinned to the spot. Could a ghost look like that? With the sun glistening in the self-proclaimed Lessa's hair, a braid of golden cream, and those long lashes fluttering against her cheeks, Hanabi wasn't sure what to think anymore.

And then the girl-ghost-creature finally grabbed her, tiny fingers curling into her sleeve with a vice-like grip. The back of Lessa's hand brushed Hanabi's arm, and it felt so solid, so real. Hanabi knew she should feel something, looking back at this person who reacted so strongly to just seeing her. But there was nothing there, an empty slate in her mind. For all that the stranger seemed overcome by Hanabi's presence she herself could barely rustle up a sense of pervading unease. Those eager words, spilled from the heart, made her feel even worse. Like a voyeur, someone watching a secret moment between friends, when in truth she was nothing more than the worst of strangers.

“I...” Hanabi couldn't bear the hope in those eyes any longer, and she jerked her head away. Staring up, to the side, anywhere to not meet that expectant look. And then she flinched, withdrawing into herself at the name, the name that followed her no matter how hard she tried to pull the skin of Enyo Hanabi over her monster's bones. Dully she tugged her sleeve free, one hand reaching out to loosen Lessa's grip. Her fingers were cold, and she let the other girl's hand drop free, afraid to sear that eager touch.

Pain stabbed at her chest, constricting so tightly that she forgot how to breath. Hanabi had spent so long hating Kiriko, and then desperately trying to pretend she was over it all, that she had never considered there would be people in this world who actually cared for the woman. In her mind, all the times she tried to build Kiriko up, give her excuses, they were fake bandaids meant to gloss over deeper wounds. And yet this girl, Kachekiwa Lessa, she latched onto the memory of Kiriko as if it had actually meant something to her. As if Kiriko had been someone worthwhile enough to try to keep.

“I'm not... I'm not Kiriko,” it didn't even feel like a lie, not anymore, but somehow saying this all to Lessa's face made her feel incredibly guilty. It wasn't even as if she had been the one to choose her fate, to shuck the old identity for that of Hanabi's, but even so the ruse felt old, like ill-fitting clothes at an important date. “My name is Enyo Hanabi,”

WC: 551 | GP: 11 | Total GP: 25

“I'm not... I'm not Kiriko,”

How? How could that be at all? Lessa stared dumbly up at the other girl, her hand hanging limply at her side as she tried to process that information. Lessa almost didn't even hear the other's name through the confusion she was undergoing right then. But she looked just like her! There was no way an appearance like this was just coincidence, and yet Kiriko wasn't the type to pull a stunt like this. If this was really Kiriko, then she'd have said so and that would be that. What could the possible reason be for this, though? As far as Lessa could think of, there really was none at all. It defied all logical sense, but the one in front of her wasn't Kiriko, and yet at the same time, had to be her.

Who else could she be?

"Ah..." she mumbled, staring at the other for a few more seconds before letting her gaze drift downward, eyeing the ground. So, that was just fantastic, she still was really alone after all with no one who knew her. And not only that, she had just made a fool of herself in front of this...stranger. That was going to be an odd thing to get used to, trying to not think of the one before her as Kiriko, but instead as Hanabi. Still though, that did beg the question, didn't it? If this wasn't Kiriko, then what the hell was with this meeting? It couldn't just be coincidence too that the both of them had ended up in the right place at the right time. This Hanabi had come to this district for some reason or another, and Lessa couldn't help but be curious about it.

...Hm. As strange as it was, maybe Kiriko just had a twin? That no one had ever mentioned or seen until recently? Yeah...that was probably not it, she realized that. After wracking her brain for a little while though, that was all she was able to come up with to justify this. "S-Sorry, then. You...probably hear this a lot, but you look almost exactly like her. Well, except the eyes," she commented, looking up from the ground to eye Hanabi again. Despite how dejected she was now, the smile from earlier gone after hearing her news, said smile was back right then and there. Not in full force yet, it was still small, but it was there. "I'd say I prefer your eyes over hers. Hers were pretty boring looking," she quipped, hoping a tiny little joke like that might be able to break the awkward tension that was sure to settle over the two of them soon.

The blonde straightened up a bit, trying to recover the dignity she had thrown out the window when she had thought this girl was Kiriko. Now that she thought about it, the personality didn't really fit Kiriko either, did it? She was never so...well, timid? Another sign that, as impossible as it seemed to Lessa, the one before her was telling the complete truth. "I...met her a long time ago now, it feels like. Didn't talk to her a ton, but she was a friend," the tiny Vaizard commented, unable to stop her curiosity from asking the next question.

"But...if you aren't her, how come you seemed so surprised when I thought you were here? And...how come you were already asking my name before I even gave it?"

The silence that descended was painfully embarrassing, both girls looking anywhere but at each other as Hanabi fidgeted with the sword at her side. Running calloused fingers down the ornate handle, she readjusted Hinata-shishou to a more comfortable position as her mind raced. Now that she had found the mysterious Lessa, she wasn't really sure what to do. Mostly Hanabi had come here out of a sense of obligation, a need to seek out these little signs and prove to herself that she was more committed than Kiriko had been. But in the past her quests had never revealed the actual person she was looking for, or if they had it was someone she already knew. A higher up in the Gotei, or a comrade from her training. There had always been previous footing to stand on, nothing like this.

The girl who had to be Lessa, who admitted as much herself, seemed just as confused as Hanabi. She continued to stare, but this time, it was the searching sharp-eyed look of an investigator. Slowly, bit by bit, Hanabi could see the moment when the other girl separated her form from that of the remembered Kiriko. It started with her eyes, sliding out along her plumper cheeks, the way that she moved, her hesitant stance. Under such a stringent inspection Hanabi straightened tall, falling into parade rest rather naturally.

In return, she studied this other girl. A lost soul, an ex-Shinigami. How could someone like this be hiding so close to Seireitei and yet not have been found yet? It wasn't even as if Hanabi herself was particularly skilled in tracking people down. Was she just lucky? Or had Lessa allowed herself to be found today, lulled in by the vague similarities in Hanabi's reiatsu to that of Kiriko's?

Smiling wanly, at the comment on her eyes, she lifted one hand to sweep a strand of hair back behind her ear. Her fingers passed before her eyes, momentarily cutting off all vision, and she sighed when recalling just how illusory this difference was. It wasn't like Hanabi's eyes were really red, or at least, she was pretty sure they were still black under the illusion. But maybe Hinata-shishou's spell could change reality just as easily as her fluttering moods shifted from solid to flowing? Despite not being true, the observation gave her heart, one tiny distinction that kept her removed from her previous self.

“Yes, her eyes were very hard...” Hanabi agreed, trying to find some sort of connection to latch onto. For all that the two of them had known the same person, it felt as if Lessa was talking about a dream. A mirage, or a puppet-woman, for how could anyone call Kiriko the monster a friend of all things?

Uncomfortable as this scene had become, Hanabi couldn't draw away. Something dull and ragged within her called out for this sort of story. Even if it was fake, half-remembered fantasy, it was nice to hear of a different sort of Kiriko. One who might even have considered another Shinigami her equal, who would have yearned for Lessa's company when the woman disappeared. She wanted that Kiriko to be true, to be the real one, if only because it would mean things could be different for herself.

“Uhm,” caught flat-footed by that astute comment, Hanabi cursed herself for forgetting that this shorter girl was actually a fully trained Shinigami many centuries older and more experienced than herself. Kiriko's training had taught her how to lie, mostly, but there was something about that expectant look that made it even harder to consider doing so. Wrapping her hands around her midsection, fingers pressed hard against her hips, Hanabi decided to take a risk and speak as close to the truth as she could manage.

“Kiriko... Kiriko told me about you, before she left. That you two had been close. And, uh, how she met you through her old Captain. I... I studied under her, for a bit, and when I heard the rumor, about a girl who looked like you in the Rukongai... Well, I wanted to see if it was true. And also, that is, I wanted to see the person that someone like Kiriko called a friend...” Her grip turned knuckle-white, reluctant aversion coating her throat black. It wasn't precisely true, in all senses, but it could have been. And it was close enough, close enough that she hoped Lessa wouldn't realize the truth. Had this woman been close enough to Kiriko to pick up on the other things that were similar about them? Most everyone in the Gotei today, they all knew the older version, the monster, but back in the day Kiriko had been different. Hiding it better, maybe. And that memory, of a less violent Kiriko, a less overtly paranoid one, that was the sort of thing Hanabi wanted to avoid.

WC: 815 | GP: 16 | Total GP: 41

Lessa just nodded at the comment, not too sure what else to say about Kiriko. This conversation was already awkward enough, but could she really be blamed for that? Anyone would mistake this girl for Kiriko, at least at first glance. The more she spent time in her presence, though, the more Lessa became convinced she was telling the truth. Those eyes, the way she held herself in a way Kiriko never did, those were the two telltale signs to Lessa that she truly had been mistaken and this wasn't some trick. Kiriko would never be so...timid, nor would she be caught so off guard. Lessa was sure that if this was Kiriko, the woman would have mustered up enough force of will to stifle any amount of shock she had.

This girl's emotions were clear as day to Lessa. How confused she seemed to be, and how unsure she was too about what to do now. Funny that, considering she was the one who had seemingly sought her out. Had she really not thought that far ahead about this? The blonde kept her thoughts to herself for the moment, showing a rare moment of patience for her as she just waited for the other to begin to speak.

When she did...Lessa wasn't quite sure what to think. It wasn't that her story was unbelievable, it was the fact that it was obvious something was missing from it. Hanabi had such a resemblance to Kiriko that there had to be some sort of relationship there, but what was it? Lessa considered asking about it, just for a moment, before dismissing that thought. If the opportunity came up? She would ask, but it was very clear to her right now that, for whatever reason, Hanabi didn't want to share why she looked that way. Besides that, she hadn't seemed too surprised to be recognized as Kiriko, either, telling Lessa she had to get that a lot.

It had to suck to be recognized as some sort of phantom that had long left the Soul Society.

"I can tell you're hiding something...but the way I figure it, if you're hiding it, it has to be for a good reason, Hanabi. So I'll wait and if you ever want to tell me the whole story, I'll listen," the girl stated, offering a slight smile to the taller girl, figuring she ought to reassure her first. There was no need for her to be all...panicky during this little talk, like she seemed to be; Lessa's eyes cast a glance towards Kiriko's hands at that thought before looking back to the girl herself. "That said, you basically just sought me ought 'cause I was Kiriko's old friend, huh? Seems like sort of a small reason to go looking for me, but hey. I've gone looking for people on less than that before, so...whatever," she waved a hand flippantly.

"Although...now that you mention it. Now that you have met me, what do you think of me, then? Am I good enough for your standards?" now that the initial awkwardness of the situation had worn off, it was easy enough for her to begin to joke again. Maybe that would get her to stop being so tense...a trait that reminded her uncomfortably of Kiriko, actually. From what Lessa could remember, that woman tended to be a little tense as well.

Of course, not tense enough to decline Lessa when she had practically barged in there and demanded to talk to her. A tiny little smirk was on her face for a moment as she remembered how they had met before she let the thought drop and focused on the now. "Actually...I'm curious. You said 'someone like Kiriko', but what did you mean by that? Did she change or something since the last time I talked to her? It'd make sense...for her to have become Captain Commander, I wouldn't be surprised if she became a little different."

It didn't feel wholly safe, nothing ever could anymore, but Lessa's quiet acceptance of her secrets allowed Hanabi the space to breathe. It was a weakness of hers, that she so easily trusted. Certainly Lessa had information over Hanabi's head now, an easy access to blackmail, but the young Shinigami was not as jaded as her counterpart and couldn't find it within herself to suspect foul play of this other girl. No, not when she had been friends with Chinda Kiriko, a feat perhaps only two or three people could claim in all of this dimension. Maybe all the worlds combined.

“Thank you,” it was a quiet admittance that yes, this situation was weird and uncomfortable, but she still appreciate the other's easy faith. Was this what had drawn Kiriko to Lessa? Had this been the only Shinigami who didn't judge her? Or ask for more than she could give? Looking back, shaped by their shared personalities, Hanabi could see how that would have appealed to a younger Kiriko. Maybe it had been enough, to create a bond. She herself felt the pull. Never before had someone mentioned the whole Kiriko thing and then... just sort of... not gotten upset about it. It wasn't like Lessa didn't care, but it didn't taint her view of Hanabi or stop her from seeing the two as separate beings. For all Minamoto-taichou's strength and wisdom, he hadn't been able to stop from comparing her to her predecessor. Even not knowing, he couldn't stop himself. Lessa though, she let it go, as if Hanabi really could be her own person. Not just the shadow of a monster.

Smiling, a bit ruefully, Hanabi relaxed just enough to shake out her wrists before her fingers cramped in place. She tried to breathe deeply, attempting to let the nerves wash away, and while the jokes and easy turn of the conversation helped, Hanabi was still waiting for the other shoe to drop. When it came, she was no better prepared than before, and she spent a moment rocking back on her heels and sucking on her lower lip while she thought.

“I don't know... Um, what was she like when you knew her?” Something brittle entered the conversation, her voice smooth and level but undercut by a yawning need. It wasn't like the old Kiriko could have been anything but a monster, but this was a glimpse at this world's version of herself that Hanabi had never been afforded. Someone who had known that Kiriko, and not hated her.

“I think she must have changed over time, though... Because there are still stories. Of when she was just the Lieutenant of the Second. People say that she was good at it. That the job fit her. No one, no one really said that about her later work.” Stumbling over numb lips, Hanabi paused. She felt dry, like a flower parched of all water, waiting, just waiting, for some sort of excuse. For the hint of a reason, a justification, in Kiriko's history. Some hope to cling to.

It wasn't right. But she wanted to know what Lessa saw in her old friend. And why no one else had ever seen it. Could even Kiriko, a consummate liar to be sure, have fooled someone as astute as Lessa? Had she been acting since the very beginning? Or was there a pearl of truth to the relationship, a seed, tiny as could be? Had Kiriko cared about this other Shinigami? Beyond her uses as a pawn or a tool in her little games?

And more importantly, if she had cared, would that change anything that had happened afterward? To Hanabi?

WC: 611 | GP: 12 | Total GP: 53

"Hey, no problem. No need for the thanks, we are friends," Lessa said with a shrug, pausing at that as she frowned, apparently thinking it over. Friends, huh? It was strange how easily she was able to call Hanabi that, despite the fact that they hardly knew each other. Perhaps the fact that she so resembled Kiriko was still getting to Lessa? Causing her to be just a little bit biased...that was probably it, she had to concede that much. Still, best to confirm it. "We are friends, right? I mean, don't wanna overstep any boundaries here or nothing..." she trailed off weakly.

Even now, she wasn't the best at social situations, even with her trying her best at them. Even with a woman who she considered to be a sort of friend...some things would never change, would they? Hell...when she'd been trying to figure out Kiriko and possibly befriend her, she was positive she had misstepped here and there, particularly during their first interaction. She almost winced as she remembered that, how loud and rude and...abrasive she was.

Well, you're still two out of three of those...

Which ones? she retorted to Kaminari, resisting the urge to grumble when he didn't respond, leaving her to wonder at his words. Probably loud and abrasive, if she had to guess...she had been doing her best to be more polite to people, but there was no telling how that was turning out without meeting those she'd known before.

Ha, fat chance of that happening.

"And yeah...guess she was pretty good at being Lieutenant, but ah...later work? Sorry, you have me lost there. I don't really know what she did after the Lieutenant stuff other than somehow become Captain Commander, say these 'Vaizard' things would work with Soul Society, then she vanished somewhere," she sighed, shaking her head. "At least, that's what I heard,"

The Vaizard wished that were not the case, though. To think Kiriko too had vanished to nowhere...to be honest, it was pretty strange to her, now that she thought about it. Tova, Kyousuke, and Kiriko all were gone without a trace. Tova and Kiriko were, obviously, close to Kyousuke, so perhaps something had happened regarding him that had prompted their disappearance?

It was stupid to speculate, though, when she knew literally nothing about the circumstances, and likely never would. Not unless she got to where they were and demanded they tell her themselves what happened.

"Anyway, you wanted to know what she was like, right? Well to be honest...she was sort of an ass,"

Lessa admitted with a small little giggle, glad she could be honest about someone about this. Most of what she knew she never got the chance to share, with anybody, so this was..nice. Lessa vaguely recalled that this could be considered gossip, back from the few times she had participated in, but wow, it certainly had been a while since she actually did something so mundane.

"Very strict, the type of woman to go straight to business. At least, that's what I thought at first. Then she actually started being sort of...nice? It was weird, seeing the sudden change. I think I rubbed off on her too, actually. She had her moments where she got to be as blunt as I was...but even when she was being nice she was being scary," the blonde informed the other, sighing as she thought back to their conversation.

"Honestly, we had a lot of stuff in common, the difference was I didn't really bottle up how I felt, and Kiriko sorta did. Plus, we both didn't really know how to make friends, but we definitely tried with each other. So, honestly? To sum up your question, she was very strict and reserved, but very nice and pleasant if you made the effort to actually talk to her," the girl paused, considering something.

"Say, if you were so close to her that you'd seek ME out, of all people, how come you're asking this? Did she...really change that much?"