Collaboration(w/Zabel)

Interdepartmental mail was always such a treat. It started each morning of her existence marking out the working day as she sipped her tea and plotted current events and updates into the day’s itinerary. Usually these things did not pertain to her individually for over the decades she had managed to stay out of the limelight. Naturally she did not escape her duties nor did she wish to. It was just that she kept to her own research working independently rather than participating in team projects. That had radically changed, and though she still was uncertain how this new course in life was going to pan out she liked to think that it was a positive direction to take.

Seated at her desk and reading through the headings, she shifted the one from Shinsei to the top of the stack, tore open the seal, and began to read through it first. His writing instilled less confidence than his table manners, that was for sure. At least she was able to glean from the missive than he had some sense of the secrecy of their work. No doubt this was in order to stay on the down low due to certain practices they might have to employ in order to obtain test subjects required for the development of the limiter.

Igniting a bunsen burner she destroyed the letter to preserve the details of their intended meeting. The cheekily checked her itinerary cause that is what people do, right? She laughed as the schedule was quite devoid of other meetings that would take up her time. Penciling in ‘field work’, she shut her day planner and tossed it back into the drawer of her desk to continue gathering dust. Rising from her seat she went about packing a few things into her utility belt and made her way out of the building heading toward Sokyoku Hill. Fortunately she was an early riser and would still have time to make their meeting.

It took her a little bit of time to make it to the area, the Hill was just a place she tended to avoid. Perhaps it was the same for others and this is why Shinsei chose the spot knowing it would be deserted? Scanning the area mindful for this marking of the path he mentioned, she naturally heard his yelling at someone to be quiet. Frowning, she angled her path toward the sound of his voice unsure of what that could portend. Eventually she was in a position to catch sight of him and he seemed to be alone. Calling out to the man she made her approach and said, “Is everything alright Shinsei?”


Word Count: 444

Zâbel walked forward to within casual speaking distance, slipping her hands behind her back to clasp as she came to a full stop, her expression one of polite focus while she listened to Shinsei speak. She was not filled by the impression that he was off in the head despite whatever fears the man might hold. Prone to speaking to herself, for it was often the only conversation she had for days on end, she did not think badly of him for doing the same. Still, she was not prone to yelling at herself to shut up. Tilting her head to one side she wondered if perhaps the man and his Zanpakuto were not getting along so well. Such things were private, however, and she didn’t inquire into the details of that utmost of private relationships.

Her own was not the most copacetic of unions for Houwang’s sense of humor often escaped her understanding. Their exchanges often left her feeling more confused than not, when he was speaking to her at all. Fortunately he hadn’t gotten a case of the ass with her in quite a while. In fact, of late, he was more engaging than usual since she had begun training in the martial arts again. He was very physically motivated and spontaneous often chiding her for her reserved and calculating nature. As for her, she merely smiled after Shinsei replied that everything was cool and waited for him to rise to his feet and dust off his clothes.

Moving forward a couple paces, she extended her hand to take his offered one in greeting. Her delicate fingers readily encased his own in a firm handshake before releasing his again. “It is good to have this time to meet with you as well, Shinsei though I am a bit puzzled by your choice of location”, she said as she gestured round the secluded glen with her right hand. Perhaps he was the sort of person who functioned better out of doors rather than being shut up within a lab. She also wondered why he waited so late in the morning before meeting too. Hopefully it was because he had a busy schedule rather than that he was one of those who slept away the best part of the day.

How they would manage working together was of great concern. So many unknowns as yet and questions without answers and not all of them concerning her would be partner in crime. Collaborative efforts were not her forte so this was going to prove to be new territory for her. The challenge would be in her ability to be flexible and open to suggestion for she was very much aware of how rigid she could be.

Her cheeks colored slightly as she realized her comment could be mistaken for complaining. Clearing her throat she went on to say, “Do you think there could be trouble on some front with our line of investigation?” Her own foray into the field had technically been counter to the new standing order concerning the Quincy and their Hollow killing activities. Perhaps it would be safer for her not to divulge the specifics of her trip to Paris and the test subject she had encountered there. Trust. This was something she would have to explore before blindly leaving herself open to potential investigation for her failure to apprehend the man.

Word Count: 564 + 444 = 1008