Post by Nagato Ishikawa on May 30, 2017 18:56:58 GMT -5
The Shinigami squinted blearily up at the rising sun as he strode across the Seireitei’s courtyard. At this time in the morning there were only a handful of people out and about attending to their duties, the hour being too early for those off-duty to have yet arisen. Nagato himself hadn’t even been to sleep yet having just returned from an assignment hours earlier. Upon his return to the Second Barracks the unseated officer had been surprised to find a message left for him from one of his only real friends. Zâbel Kohara, Research Officer of the Fourth, had asked to meet with him.
The area she’d picked was one of the training areas not belonging to any particular division which hinted towards why she wanted to see him. It was strange however, Nagato had known her for decades and the idea she would call him for something like combat training was unusual. Nagato hoped everything was well. The man had considered begging off and rescheduling. He and his partner had just returned from reports of criminal activity in the outer Rukongai. They had eventually found a small group who were attempting to cultivate Spiritual Powers in an attempt to better aid their illegal activities. Most of the group had been harmless but there had been a small number that could have evolved into a serious threat. Still as much of a potential danger as they were the Rukongai District residents had been little match for two fully trained Shinigami. Nagato and his partner Yuudai had terminated the threat before it could flourish. Without the leadership the rest of the thugs had dispersed back to their pointless lives. Still it had been a 2 week mission and he had gotten little sleep. But Zâbel was the Fourth Division member who’d volunteered to help him with his Shikai research all those years ago. Without her he may never have discovered the truth behind Kako to Mirai. He owed her too much to turn her request down.
He’d paused after reading her message to first ask Yuudai to report to their superiors on his behalf. The other Shinigami had been his partner since his days as a recruit in the Sixth and now they’d both moved on into the Sixth, after the dissolution of their old Division, where they had continued to take missions together. After that he’d run off to the barracks to change out of the Shihakushō he despised. He’d changed into the loose grey pants and top he was wearing now with a pair of combat boots which had his knife shaped Zanpakutō strapped to it. Grabbing a duffel bag filled with his usual training weapons, just in case training was why she’d called him and he’d immediately set off to the training grounds.
His boots clicked off the pavement beneath his feet as he passed a pair of burly patrolling Shinigami, probably Fifth Division if the size of them or the scruffiness of their uniform was anything to go by. As usual the passersby averted their gaze from Nagato’s cold blue eyes. It was something he simply took as standard nowadays. Once upon a time it had made him feel a little...disappointed. When Shinigami passed other Shinigami in the Seireitei usually pleasantries were exchanged, a pleasant smile or a casual nod. Since his days as a student Nagato had rarely been on the receiving end of such gestures nor had he ever given them. He had wondered was there some deficiency within himself that caused others to find him repugnant at even a casual glance. He’d gotten over it. Nagato didn’t need such friendliness from others. He simply needed the cooperation of his fellow Reapers. Everything else was a waste of time.
Passing two guards he entered the training grounds proper. Even this early he could distantly hear the clang of steel against steel however the majority of the fields were empty. Even during the afternoon and evening this place wasn’t fully utilised. The majority of Shinigami preferred to stick to their own Division’s facilities but even at that it was practically desolate. Nagato had to wonder when the Gotei had first formed, when these areas had been constructed had there simply been more Soul Reapers? He could imagine it being true. In the last few years there had been more catastrophic events than in the rest of the Soul Society’s entire history.
Finally reaching the location specified in the message Nagato dropped the duffel bag on the ground. Casting his gaze around he saw that the place Zâbel had chosen was particularly out of the way. Trees surrounded part of the field obscuring it from the view of anyone else who might be out training at this time in the morning.
Folding his arms he simply waited for his friend.
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WC: 803
Total WC: 803
The area she’d picked was one of the training areas not belonging to any particular division which hinted towards why she wanted to see him. It was strange however, Nagato had known her for decades and the idea she would call him for something like combat training was unusual. Nagato hoped everything was well. The man had considered begging off and rescheduling. He and his partner had just returned from reports of criminal activity in the outer Rukongai. They had eventually found a small group who were attempting to cultivate Spiritual Powers in an attempt to better aid their illegal activities. Most of the group had been harmless but there had been a small number that could have evolved into a serious threat. Still as much of a potential danger as they were the Rukongai District residents had been little match for two fully trained Shinigami. Nagato and his partner Yuudai had terminated the threat before it could flourish. Without the leadership the rest of the thugs had dispersed back to their pointless lives. Still it had been a 2 week mission and he had gotten little sleep. But Zâbel was the Fourth Division member who’d volunteered to help him with his Shikai research all those years ago. Without her he may never have discovered the truth behind Kako to Mirai. He owed her too much to turn her request down.
He’d paused after reading her message to first ask Yuudai to report to their superiors on his behalf. The other Shinigami had been his partner since his days as a recruit in the Sixth and now they’d both moved on into the Sixth, after the dissolution of their old Division, where they had continued to take missions together. After that he’d run off to the barracks to change out of the Shihakushō he despised. He’d changed into the loose grey pants and top he was wearing now with a pair of combat boots which had his knife shaped Zanpakutō strapped to it. Grabbing a duffel bag filled with his usual training weapons, just in case training was why she’d called him and he’d immediately set off to the training grounds.
His boots clicked off the pavement beneath his feet as he passed a pair of burly patrolling Shinigami, probably Fifth Division if the size of them or the scruffiness of their uniform was anything to go by. As usual the passersby averted their gaze from Nagato’s cold blue eyes. It was something he simply took as standard nowadays. Once upon a time it had made him feel a little...disappointed. When Shinigami passed other Shinigami in the Seireitei usually pleasantries were exchanged, a pleasant smile or a casual nod. Since his days as a student Nagato had rarely been on the receiving end of such gestures nor had he ever given them. He had wondered was there some deficiency within himself that caused others to find him repugnant at even a casual glance. He’d gotten over it. Nagato didn’t need such friendliness from others. He simply needed the cooperation of his fellow Reapers. Everything else was a waste of time.
Passing two guards he entered the training grounds proper. Even this early he could distantly hear the clang of steel against steel however the majority of the fields were empty. Even during the afternoon and evening this place wasn’t fully utilised. The majority of Shinigami preferred to stick to their own Division’s facilities but even at that it was practically desolate. Nagato had to wonder when the Gotei had first formed, when these areas had been constructed had there simply been more Soul Reapers? He could imagine it being true. In the last few years there had been more catastrophic events than in the rest of the Soul Society’s entire history.
Finally reaching the location specified in the message Nagato dropped the duffel bag on the ground. Casting his gaze around he saw that the place Zâbel had chosen was particularly out of the way. Trees surrounded part of the field obscuring it from the view of anyone else who might be out training at this time in the morning.
Folding his arms he simply waited for his friend.
-----------------------------------
WC: 803
Total WC: 803