Waaah!! It's finally Izuru-chan's turn!
"Hmm..." Yuka placed her hand to her chin, obviously focusing on something. "...I don't understand why he always looks so sad. Though I hope to find out soon, it's really quite intriguing."
Anything else you'd like to add before we get started?
"Well, he seems like a kind soul, and very soft spoken. I wonder if his personality matches his disposition...And...um...oh, I can't seem to remember what else I was going to say..."
Good enough. Let's get this story rollin'!
"In a magical place far, far away
A place called the Seireitei
The first part of her mission had been fulfilled
But the maidens journey wasn't done still
The next heart to heal seemed distant and cold
Though she knew to help she would have to stay bold
She would help carefully lest he brake
Showing him not every smile is truly fake..."
Smiling softly at her new lieutenant, Yuka placed a hand on his shoulder. "Hello, Izuru-kun. My name is Sawamura Yuka, it's a pleasure to officially meet you." The calm smile covering her features seemed to sooth the nervous, young shinigami.
"Good morning, Sawamura-taichō. It is an honor to meet you." Even as he spoke to her, his gaze remained low. Nervously, he motioned his hand toward the division entrance. "If you'd like, perhaps, I can show you to your room..."
"Thank you, Izuru-kun, I'd rather enjoy that. Even after several weeks in the ninth division I still couldn't remember my way around for the life of me." The captain chuckled, following the blond through the maze of corridors and rooms. Her focus faltered a bit as she scanned along the walls and the floors, they seemed to be covered with dust and cobwebs. It was almost as if no one actually used these halls. She hadn't really thought much of it at first, but now there was a curiousness tugging in the back of her mind...
Stopping carefully at the captain's quarters, Izuru slid open the door. "You'll be staying...here...T-taichō?!" He called rushing back through the corridors to find his lost captain. The soft, but firm voice of the new silver haired captain echoed through the halls, a sound of reproving ringing in his ears. Stepping into the large courtyard, he took notice of just how strong the small captain actually could be.
Without even raising her voice she had the four shinigami that were being reproved were looking ready to run away. "...things to be so dirty? Wouldn't you like to just how strong, and intelligent, and cleanly this division truly is? Though I may be the new captain of this division I expect you to treat me with as much respect as you would have the former. And I also expect you to respect your fukutaichō, as well as each other. My sights are set high for this division, and I will see it come to pass."
"Y-yes, taichō." The four bowed their heads, looking at each other nervously from the corners of their eyes. "We're sorry, taichō..."
"Alright, you're all dismissed." Watching the four scamper off, hopefully to inform the other members of the expectations of their new captain, Yuka sighed heavily.
Izuru watched carefully as his new captain ran her hands through her hair, pulling it back into a messy bun. His breath caught in his throat, with a few of her silky strands of hair slightly covering her face, her eyes squinting in the bright sunlight, she almost looked like him... "Taichō..." He whispered.
The warm sunlight caressing the blond lieutenants face awoke him from his deep slumber. Lazily blinking his eyes to clear his vision he noticed a large blur directly in front of his face. He sat upright in his chair, rubbing his eyes as the blanket slid off from around his shoulders. He then looked down at the small note and cool cup of tea on his desk. "What the..."
Dear Izuru-kun,
I hope you slept well, even though there was really no need for you to push yourself that hard. I very dearly appreciate all the help you've put into this division, and your general presence brings a smile to my face. But, I digress...I've completed all the paperwork, and sent it off. There's a cup of tea on the desk there for you, though by the time you awaken I can only assume that's it's become quite cold...Oh, right, well I know there was an essential point to this letter...What was it...Hmm, well, I can't seem to remember it for the life of me. Ah well, I'm sure it'll come to me soon enough.
Sincerely,
Yuka
Setting the small piece of paper to the side, he smiled faintly. His former captain never would have done anything so thoughtful, in fact, he probably would have dumped some extra paperwork on him and made up some sort of ridiculous excuse for why he couldn't fill it out himself. It was so refreshing to have a supportive, intelligent, and kind captain. "Thank you, taichō." Izuru said to himself, taking a sip of the ice cold tea.
"You're quite welcome, Izuru-kun." The silver haired captain smiled, seeming to appear out of nowhere.
He choked a bit on the tea he was sipping when she appeared, accidentally dropping his cup as he coughed. "Tai-taichō!!"
Quickly, she grabbed the dropped cup before it could hit the ground, or even spill a drop of it. "Oh, forgive me, I didn't realize I would startle you so." Softly patting him on the back, she set the cup back onto the desk. "I was just coming back because I remembered what I had originally forgotten."
"What...do you...mean." The lieutenant asked confusedly, patting his own chest to stop his coughing fit.
"In my note," she began, taking a seat on the chair in front of his desk, "I mentioned that I was going to inform you of something. I just remembered what it was. I was going to let you have today off."
"A...a day off?" Blinking stupidly, the blond found he could do nothing more than stare.
She nodded, smiling sincerely at him and placing her hands in her lap. "I just wanted to show you how much I truly appreciate all the work you've put into helping this division. And it seems, as you can tell from your pleasant awakening, you obviously have been working so hard it's affecting your sleeping patterns. So, please, take the day off, and do as you wish."
Bowing respectfully, Izuru shook his head. "Thank you for the offer, taichō, but I really couldn't."
"Please, Izuru-kun, I feel rather terrible about working you so hard." The silver haired shinigami pressed, batting her eyelashes innocently. "Would you please take a break, for me?"
Watching her expression carefully, he sighed. "...Alright, Sawamura-taichō..." He couldn't resist smiling back, as a kind smile returned to her features.
The blond lieutenant paced nervously back and forth. A feeling of uncomfort spread through his veins like wildfire, a general feeling of anxiousness gnawing at the back of his mind. Only moments ago he'd been talking, and even laughing, with his captain as they walked along the rooftops of their division. He couldn't help but admire her as she continued on about the stars, and the meanings of the positions of those celestial bodies. But then, she placed her hand to her chest, her eyes widening as she fell off of the roof. Izuru had been quick though, and caught her before any harm could actually come to her.
"Taichō..." A heavy sigh escaped his lips as he sat down on one of the chairs in the waiting room. If anyone could help Yuka now, it had to be Retsu. But he still couldn't seem to rid himself of the tension he was feeling.
"Izuru-kun, you're so jumpy. I know that most tell you to be on your guard, but that doesn't mean you can't relax a bit." She smiled at him, rolling on her back and staring lazily at the sky. "Instead of just worrying, why not try taking a moment to stare at the sky? Or, perhaps, just close your eyes, take a deep breath, and then let it all out? Or, perhaps, you can find your own way to relax?"
Remembering what his captain had told him, he turned his head toward the window and looked out at the sky. In his mind just kept watching her fall over and over again, the stars shining brightly as she did. And that only seemed to make him feel worse.
He then let his eyes slide shut, sucking in a deep breath. All the concerns and worries for his captain filled his mind for a moment as he held in that single breath. Exhaling softly, he felt all those concerns flow out with that breath. "Is it really as easy as that?" He mused silently. At that moment all his worry, all that tension, it all felt like a distant memory.
A hand on his shoulder nearly caused him to jump out of his skin. "Kira-fukutaichō," Isane called, "Sawamura-taichō has been stabilized. She's currently sleeping, and Unohana-taichō would like to keep her here overnight for observation. Though you may go in and visit her now."
"Th-thank you, Kotetsu-fukutaichō." He said, bowing respectfully.
"No thanks should be given to me, it was all my taichō." She said, turning to walk away. "And be sure to get some rest, you seem to be in need of it."
Nodding quickly, he rushed out of the waiting room. There she was, just laying on the bed, her silver hair flared out around her, almost glowing in the light of the moon. "Taichō..." He whispered, walking over to her bed and taking her hand in his.
"She will need to rest here for several days." Retsu spoke up, startling the young lieutenant. Gracefully gliding to the bed, she moved a stray strand of hair out of the third division captains face. "Though I can assure you she will be fine."
He turned to the healer, swallowing the large lump in his throat. "Thank you, Unohana-taichō...Um..."
Sensing the younger shinigami's hesitation, she turned to him. "Yes, Kira-fukutaichō?"
Averting his eyes to the ground, he sighed heavily. "D-do you know what's wrong with Sawamura-taichō...?"
The fourth division captain watched Yuka shift uncomfortably in her sleep. Her eyes softened, knowing the concern Izuru held for his captain. "I'm sorry, but Sawamura-taichō has requested to have all of her health information kept privet."
"Oh..." Taking a seat in the chair next to the bed, stared sadly at his captain. "Th-thank you, Unohana-taichō."
She kindly placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "Hold strong, Kira-fukutaichō, that's what she'd want."
He heard the door close lightly, and took a moment to think about what Retsu had said. That is what she'd want...
A comfortable light spread through the open window of the third division captains office, warming the skin that was exposed to it. Yuka almost seemed to purr as she stretched out lazily in the sunlight. She'd just been released from the fourth division as Retsu had deemed her healthy enough, and had come back to a completely perfect third division. The paperwork had been finished, the members were orderly and working on their own things, not to mention that the entire division itself was spotless. "Izuru-kun..."
"Yes, taichō?" The blond lieutenant smiled, walking into the room and taking a seat in the chair on the other side of her desk.
"I just have to say, you've done a spectacular job heading this division while I was gone." She smiled, sitting up and looking at her young lieutenant. "Perhaps you've learned all I had to teach you."
Izuru's features fell slightly. "I don't think that I could...I still don't understand why people hide behind their masks..."
Appearing behind him, she placed her hands around his shoulders in a light hug. His natural reaction was to stiffen considerably, but for some reason, when it was Yuka, he didn't feel so strange. "People hide their emotions for different reasons. Some hide behind masks because they feel emotion makes them weak. Others hide to keep their true intentions unknown." She took notice of the depressed expression that crossed his features. "But there are even some who hide their true feelings to help the ones they care for."
Blue eyes widened in realization; he finally understood. In a split second, he turned around and pulled his captain down into a passionate kiss, his courage finally blossoming. "I finally see. I understand what you mean, and what you had to teach me...Thank you, taichō. Thank you so much...."
She could feel herself giving into him, her eyes slid shut as she felt his hands softly caressing her sides. The soft lips of the lieutenant moved lower, his hands slowly removing the offending clothing on his captain. The two tumbled onto the floor as he pushed her lightly on her back, moving to remove the rest of her uniform. "I'm happy for you...Izuru..."
"Again, Sawamura-taichō?" Yamamoto asked, eying the young captain sitting across the desk from him.
She nodded, smiling softly. "Kira Izuru has learned as much as I can teach him, he will be a fine head for his division. Now, Hinamori Momo seems to be in dire need of a leader."
The elderly shinigami sighed, placing his head in his hand. "Your request is accepted. I am hoping to see improvement in that division as well."
"Thank you very much, soutaichō, I will do my best. Things will be ready for the war..." Yuka bowed, rising to her feet and leaving the large office.
"In a magical place far, far away
A place called the Seireitei
The second heart was healed
Only the last one remained
Though the last seemed the most torn apart
The maiden would find a way to heal that heart
Her pain was building deep in her soul
The end of her story close to being told..."
Next comes the dreaded "Momo Chapter"...
"I think that she's a misguided, innocent young girl who had her heart ripped out of her chest and has still not accepted the truth. She's nothing more than confused." Yuka frowned.
Alright, I'll get through it somehow...