A small yawn breaks the silence. No one had said a word; everyone was still trying to make sense of what they had just witnessed. And the little girl cradled in Sosuke's arms completely unfazed about the situation. Her only concern rested in a strangers arms. She had not taken her tired eyes of him since they left. Resting her head on Sosuke's shoulder she continues to watch her unconscious best friend. Sosuke looks down at her then over to his captain who takes his attention forward again. Captain Muguruma steps closer to the squad five Captain.
"Well?"
Shinji looks over to Kensei "well what?"
"What are you thinking?"
Shinji takes in a deep breath.
"What the hell, that's what I'm thinking."
"Yeah, same"
"It takes some Shinigami years of training to learn their Zanpakuto's name and I'm expected to believe that, that little girl already knows hers? And that he's a man slash flying bird? What the hell?"
"I know. First things first we have to get the boy to the fourth division," says Kensei.
Shinji nods "Then we'll take the girl to head Captain Yamamoto."
That causes Kensei to knit his brows together.
"You think that's a good idea?"
"What do you mean?" Asks Shinji.
Kensei looks over his shoulder at Rin, then back at Shinji. "Old man will probably scare her."
"I don't care," Shinji says annoyed.
"She's just a kid Shinji, look at her. She looks like she's been through enough. Let's try and make this as easy as possible for her. I don't think immediately taking her to the head captain will do that."
Shinji looks back at Rin's small form. She looked drained and the anguish evident in her eyes was enough to make his heart clench.
"Tsh alright what do suggest we do?" Shinji asks rolling his eyes forward again.
"She seems to have taken a liking to your lieutenant, let him talk to her. Get as much information as we can, present it to the head Captain then let him decide the next step."
"Fine."
As soon as they enter the Seireitei Shinji turns to the Shinigami holding Shuhei.
"Take him to squad four they'll know what to do." Then turns to Sosuke.
"Let's go to my office"
Rin immediately tenses up when she sees Shuhei being taken away.
"Wai... No! Whea ah yu goen wit Suuhei!?"
"It's alright. I told you we are going to get him help."
"I wanna go wit Suuhei, peez put me down. I need to go wit Suuhei." She says trying to free herself from Sosuke's hold.
"Rin, Rin. Can you please listen to me?" He says calmly as he readjusts his grip on her.
She turns her alarmed blue eyes to Sosuke "I wanna go wit Suuhei" she says panicked.
"Yes I know, but first we need to go have a talk and in the meantime your friend will receive the help he needs. If we go with him we will just be in the way and he won't receive proper care. You don't want that do you?"
She blinks a few times before looking over to Shuhei for a few moments.
"No, I want him to get beta" she says softly.
"Good, that is very caring of you. Now say goodbye to him for now and when we get the okay I'll take you to see him."
"You pomise?"
"Yes I promise." He says stepping closer to the man holding Shuhei. Rin leans as close as she can to Shuhei. Placing her hand on top of his head she says.
"Goodbye Suuhei wake ap so I can see yu lata okay?"
She waits for a moment hoping for an answer, when she doesn't receive one she merely nods.
"Okay I lobe yu, bye."
Once in Shinji's office Sosuke goes over to the couch and sits Rin down. Shinji steps closer to Sosuke.
"You know what you need to ask her?"
"Yes Sir."
"Good."
"Rin I need to ask you some questions, is that alright with you?" He asks taking a seat next to her. Rin looks over to Shinji and Kensei who both are leaning against a desk. Then turns back to Sosuke and shrugs her answer. He smiles down at her.
"Okay. So Kazava, he is not your friend correct?"
Rin quickly shakes her head.
"No, Kazava is bad."
"Why?"
"I don't kno."
"What did Kazava do to make you say he is bad?"
"Oh, when Suuhei fist sleep because of dha bad kids Kazava come and took us away. Den Kazava say I can't wake Suuhei ap, den he was mean to Suuhei and make him cwy den I tell Kazava to go away cuz he is not nice! Den a big monsta come and got Suuhei! Kazava come back again too and he say he can help Suuhei if I say his weal name, but I didn't know his weal name! he say if I don't say his weal name I will neva see Suuhei again! So I tink so mush and I kno his weal name and I say it den the big mosta disapead and Suuhei fall fom weally high and now he won't wake ap again... it's Kazava's fault."
"And you are sure Kazava is his real name?"
"Yeah"
"How are you sure?"
Rin blinks her big blue eyes a few times; looking away from Sosuke she instead takes her attention down to her hands.
"I don't kno..." She mumbles more to herself. Sosuke could see the trouble this was causing her. He takes one of her small hands in his and gives it a gentle squeeze. This causes her to look up at him again.
"Please Rin continue; just tell me how you think you know. Can you do that?"
She blankly stares at him before nodding. Sosuke kindly smiles down at her.
"Thank you"
After a few moments of silence she continues.
"Kazava wouldn't tell me his weal name, I call him Tashi befo... He aways tell me let it come to me... When Suuhei need help he say that he only help him if I say his weal name. I didn't want anyting to happen to Suuhei... he is my bestes fiend eva... Nobody eva wanna be my fiend befo Suuhei, I was aways alone and sad den Suuhei come and safe me... So I tink so, so mush like Kazava tell me... Den when I look at him... Is like he tell me, but he didn't tell me, I hea his name in ma head."
"I see, good... Rin, why did you call him Tashi before?"
"Cuz he always tashing ma head! I wake ap he tash ma head, he tell me I need to leahn his weal name he tash ma head, I gonna eat and he wanna tash ma head. Aways!"
"Okay." He says amused, clearing his throat he continues.
"Rin who are the bad kids?"
This causes her to tense up again, she looks down at her and Sosuke's conjoined hands before continuing.
"When Suuhei and I went esplowing dey get me and they wea being bad to me Suuhei twy to help me but dey stat huting him too… I close my eyes and tell dem to stop huting him! When I open ma eyes again dey all sleepen."
"How many kids were there, One?" He asks holding one finger up.
Rin shakes her head no.
"Two?"
Rin shakes her head again.
"Three?"
Rin nods. Sosuke looks over to his Captain. Shinji nods, they got their answer.
"Then Kazava came?"
Another nod.
"Is that the first time you had seen him?"
"Yeah."
"Thank you Rin, that's all." Shinji pushes himself away from his desk.
"I'm going to go let the head captain know about our little friend, I guess just watch her."
"Yes sir."
Rin watches Shinji and Kensei leave the room. Once the door is closed she turns back to Sosuke.
"Can I go see Suuhei now?"
"Someone will come and let us know when we can go see him."
"Oh" she says with a pout.
"In the mean time you should eat something and get some rest. Is there something in particular you'd like?"
Rin shakes her head "I wanna wai fo Suuhei."
"You'll get to see him but that might take a while"
She shrugs
"Suuhei he is your best friend right?"
"Oh yes my vewy bestes fiend."
"And you are his best friend right?"
She nods enthusiastically "he say he lobs me."
"I figured." He says with a polite smile. "So don't you think he would want his best friend who he loves to be well fed and rested?"
She shrugs her answer again.
"I think he would and I think you know he would want that too. Come, let's go get you something to eat." He says extending his arms out.
"Okay." She answers reaching out for him. Once in his grasp he heads towards the door.
"And after you eat you need to get some rest you look exhausted."
"Den I go see Suuhei?"
"Yes."
Squad One Barracks:
"Is this some kind of joke!?" Head Captain Yamamoto angrily asks Shinji and Kensei after they explained the situation with Rin and Kazava.
"No head Captain, unfortunately it's not." Answers Shinji.
"Well if it's not then where is this child?"
"With Sosuke."
That causes a dissatisfied groan to leave the head Captain.
"Why didn't you bring her to me immediately like I instructed?"
Shinji looks over to Kensei urging him to answer.
"Head captain it's just..." Kensei trails off trying to find the correct words to use. "She's so small and... Well... She... You... Might... Ah..."
"I might what?"
"I think what Captain Muguruma is trying to say is that well Sir you are rather intimidating. And you might frighten her." Captain Ukitake says stepping forward into the conversation. He had sat quietly to the side taking everything in and now felt it was time to step in.
"This child is the one supposedly responsible for the death of three children and you are defending her?" Head Captain questions Captain Muguruma.
"Head Captain it's not her... The incident with the three children was an accident. Her release of spiritual pressure was out of pure fear for the safety of her friend, she didn't mean to do it. Actually I don't even think she knows what's going on, it's her Zanpakuto. He manipulated the situation, her emotions to get her to call out his name. She doesn't seem to know or even care about who he is. She only sees his actions and character and to her he's bad. It's her Zanpakuto that we need to be careful with."
Complete silence takes over the room, everyone waiting for the head Captain's response. What would he do with her?
"I would like to see her." Captain Ukitake says breaking the silence, all eyes shift to him. "Talk to her, see if she is up for having a chat with us. Children love me I'll make her feel safe. We'll be back Captain." he says quickly giving the head Captain no time for a rebuttal.
Sosuke turns around when he hears the door open behind him. He sees his Captain and Captain Muguruma are now accompanied by Captain Ukitake. All three men take their attention down to Rin who sleeps peacefully cradled in Sosuke's arms.
"She fell asleep. I fed her and on our way back she just feel asleep. I was about to put her down." Sosuke explains. Shinji gives Sosuke a lazy smirk.
"Congratulations Sosuke, it's a girl" he says teasingly.
"Oh um. Thank you Sir."
"She's adorable." Jushiro says stepping closer to them. "I'll let head captain know. We'll talk tomorrow. This little one needs to rest." Jushiro says gently brushing Rin's hair to the side.
"But we certainly can't leave her here on her own." He adds with concern.
"Well I still have work to do here. I can watch over her tonight." Says Sosuke.
"Perfect, see you in the morning." and turns to leave
"Yes Sir."
"Alright you're in charge of her. Have fun." Says Shinji.
"Goodnight Captain."
Sosuke stands in the middle of the now empty room staring at the door before looking down at Rin. He curiously looks at her for a while before smirking.
I apologize if some characters seem a bit OOC I'm trying to keep everyone as in character as possible 😁