[Bleach RP] The Storm and the Dragon.

Atshushi yawned as he walked down the streets of Seireitei, his new captain's haori tied around his left shoulder instead of actually on. He had only become captain a few weeks ago, but he already felt worn out from all the meetings and paperwork. As he made a turn he noticed someone wearing the 13th squad's captain's haori.
"Oy! Asakawa!" he called out as he began walking towards the other captain.

Akiko Asakawa, captain of the 13th Division, had been taking a leisurely walk through the streets of Seireitei as she made her way towards the 1st Division to report to the Head Captain when Atshushi had called out to her. With a blink, she turned and glanced back, her amber gaze resting on the captain of Squad 5.
"Chino," she replied politely, halting her journey to see what the fellow captain needed. She didn't really know Atshushi very well, them being part of separate divisions of the Gotei 13, but she had only been a captain a month longer than him, and so both shinigami were still learning the ins and outs of their new roles.

"Ya gotta tell me how you don't end up looking the least bit sore from standing for hours in those meetings, Asakawa-chan," he said, a big grin forming on his face as he patted the 13th Squad captain on the head, as if she were a little sister. He couldn't remember when he started treating Akiko like this if someone asked, due to them not seeing each other that much, but it didn't matter to him. Akiko was little Asakawa-chan to him, and that was it.
"I end up feeling worse than when I fought with Kenpachi to become captain," he joked, his hand going back to rest on his Zanpakuto hilts.

Despite not appreciating Atshushi patting her on the head like that, she couldn't help but crack a small smile of amusement at his words. "I suppose after a month of doing it you become almost numb to the pain," she replied with a chuckle, crossing her arms, "You'll get used to it."
Akiko paused briefly, before continuing to speak, "That reminds me. How are you handling all that paperwork?" she asked with a mischievous smile. Though she didn't know Atshushi very well, it was common knowledge among the captains that he would generally try to avoid any form of paperwork.

"Oh? Maybe we should get some chairs or something..." Atshushi sighed out. He grew pale at Akiko's mention of paperwork.
"Eh? Paperwork? Oh...um...Oh! I just remembered that I need to go to 4th squad to check up on one of my men. He got hurt by a Hollow yesterday, it'd probably do him some good to know he ain't in trouble or anything," he said, patting her on the head again before he began backing up quickly, "I'll catch ya later, Asakawa-chan!" and with that he bolted down a street.

"Sure, whatever you say Chino~," she called after him with a good-natured laugh as the 5th Division Captain disappeared off down the street. With a small shake of her head she uncrossed her arms and continued on her way towards the 1st Division barracks. Heaven forbid Atshushi ever get a lieutenant, they'd never see past the huge amounts of paperwork that would inevitably be handed down to them.

Meanwhile a young female, looking around 10 or 11 in age, was sat in a pleasant corner of the Seiretei not too far from where the two captains had been conversing. Shizu daintily sipped a small cup of tea, somewhat shaded from the rays of the autumn sun by the branches of a maple tree. Though the leaves upon the tree were all hues of red and orange, not all of them had fallen from the tree's branches.

Atshushi sighed in relief as he turned in towards the street, noticing the girl. Though he couldn't see the hole in her neck, the outfit she wore and the pieces of teeth attached to her jaw showed her as an Arrancar. The power she emitted showed her as quite a strong one at that. Again the Shinigami sighed, this time in disbelief.
He walked up to her, looking at the tree, "A beauty, ain't she? This tree was planted here over a millennium ago," he said, looking down at the girl and smiling, "Care if I join you?" he asked nonchalantly, as if the two weren't sworn enemies, a passing breeze making his haori sway.

Shizu didn't even glance up as Atshushi spoke to her, having sensed his approach. She took another small sip of her tea as the shinigami explained that the tree had been planted so long ago and asked if he could join her.
"If you like," was her simple reply, quiet and -one could describe- monotonous. Though her response was polite enough, Atshushi was still Shizu's enemy and she kept a close eye on him, finally glancing up at the captain with her bright blue eyes as if to try and judge some ulterior motive. Her eyes however, did not seem to betray anything of her own intentions.

Atshushi smiled, sitting down, "So, what brings a girl like you into Seireitei?" he asked, pouring himself a small cup of tea. He stared back at the Arrancar with half closed eyes, seeming quite relaxed despite his present company. He took a sip of the tea, instantly recognizing the taste.
"Eh? This tastes like the tea the Kuchiki Clan makes, it's impossible to get without forking out a fortune or being invited to one of their dinners!" he exclaimed, quite curious as to how she got the tea.

Shizu blinked at the shinigami captain as he asked what brought her here. For a moment she didn't reply, but rather she waited until Atshushi had poured himself some of the tea and had identified it's origins before answering with simply;
"The tea here is better."
She didn't elaborate on this statement however, leaving the 5th Division Captain in the dark as to how she had obtained the Kuchiki Clan's famous tea. In Shizu's opinion he didn't need to know anyway.

Atshushi nodded a bit, "I see, I'm unsure as to what tea is in Hueco Mundo. I've never been there, though I hear it has a beautiful night sky," he says, sipping the tea again. He thought it best that the Arrancar not elaborate on the tea either.
"Ah, sorry, my name's Atshushi Chino, though most people call me Rai cause of these two," he said, patting his Zanpakuto, "What's your name?" he asked, smiling at her.

Shizu nodded at the captain's words. Though the tea in Hueco Mundo really was crappy compared to the tea that the shinigami seemed to produce, she had to admit the sky in Hueco Mundo was prettier than the Soul Society's... well, at least in her opinion. Blinking as Atshushi introduced himself, Shizu wondered if it was wise to do the same. She figured it was at least polite to do so as he had courteously given her his.
"Shizu Sayo," she replied quietly, taking another sip of her own tea.

He nodded slightly, "Nice ta meet ya, Shizu-chan," he said, automatically giving her the same little sister treatment he gave Akiko. He stared at his cup for a second, swirling the tea about.
"Ya know, sometimes I wonder why our worlds are so different. Black and white, good and evil. Tell me, Shizu-chan, do you view your kind as evil, or mine?" he asked. It wasn't common for Atshushi to get so philosophical, but it also wasn't common that he'd be having tea with an Arrancar. He stared at her long and hard, his relaxed demeanor becoming more serious now, as if his own words struck a nerve of his own.

Taking a final 'sip' from her tea, Shizu then gently placed the now empty cup on the grass before her gaze landed on the captain sitting opposite her.
"I don't view either of us as evil, and neither of us as good," she replied, her monotonous voice not betraying any hint of emotion from her words, "Whether one becomes a hollow or moves on to Soul Society is subject to luck, and luck should not be able to define who you are. Hollows devour souls, yes, but if we did not, can you be sure that the balance of souls between the World of the Living and Soul Society would remain equal? Everyone has a role to play, whether someone views another as evil or good is subjective and irrelevant."

Atshushi gave a small chuckle, "I see, quite wise from one who appears so young," he said, setting his cup down.
"Sadly it seems our little tea party has ended, and you know as well as I that I am not allowed to let you walk free, Shizu-chan" Atshushi said, standing up. He offered his hand out to the Arrancar.
"So, shall we begin?" he asked, the smile he had now gone from his face.