Give Me A Sign [Closed/Zabel]

Late afternoon shadows cast themselves over the winding maze of the Seireitei and once again, Reika found herself lost. This place really was a maze, or as Zenji had put it ‘all willy nilly’ and it certainly didn’t seem to get any better as the young shinigami kept exploring all the ends and outs. Whoever was in charge of building this chaotic mess could have at least put up some signs!

“GAH!” Reika shouted, fuming with frustration, her guttural cry echoing off the walls of the empty path. “Just give me a break!”

The young lady had had enough of these tall walls. Maybe it was time to break out of the winding walls. Looking up at the walls, a small smile pressed to her lips. With closed eyes, Reika focused her reishi into her legs, squatting down before leaping high into the air, landing on the wall with a small grunt.

“Ha ha!” A small victory was to be had as vantage point gained nearly showed her all the buildings close by… and even higher looming walls in the distance. “Ah, geez. Here I thought I’d gotten above them all. Clicking her tongue, she folded her arms just below her chest, raising her right hand to her chin, stroking it in thought with her right index finger and thumb as she slowly surveyed the surrounding buildings.

One of them stood out to Reika, another large compound that dominated the landscape - when there isn’t a large wall looming before you that is. This had to be another division and just the target that the young shinigami was looking for. Lightfoot steps padded atop the wall as the young shinigami ran towards the unknown division, jumping from buildings and walls as she got ever closer.

“Almost there!” Reika cheered to herself as she leaped to the last wall that surrounded the division’s headquarters. Her left foot landed heavily on the wall and promptly slid forward as momentum propelled her forward. What she didn’t see was a loose bit of rocky debris on the wall and it carried her straight to the ground of the 4th division. Reika hit the ground with a solid thud on her back where she laid in groaning in a daze. “Ow…”

”No Doula”, Zâbel told the floating construct at her side before breaking into a trot toward the woman on the ground, ”Shinigami are not supposed to rain down from the skies”. This one had obviously fallen from the wall, but why she might have been on the wall was not so obvious to tell.

The floating lab assistant, for Zâbel had created the robot to be her aide, trailed along behind the Shinigami of the Fourth Division. Something was probably off with Doula’s visual sensors and she would have to run some diagnostics later. What was of greater concern at the moment was if the stranger had taken any injury and what she was doing up on the wall in the first place.

Hearing her groans as she drew near, the diminutive woman dressed in her work clothes knelt at the redhead’s side and peered at her face seeking to make eye contact. ”Are you alright, Miss?”, she asked in order to provoke a response. She did appear to be a bit dazed so reaching out she snapped her fingers in front of her face to draw her attention and held up one finger. ”How many fingers am I holding up”, she quizzed the woman hoping to see how her pupils reacted as she changed focus.

The researcher had been testing out new visual sensors that she had installed in Doula this morning and had taken her out into the grounds of the compound to see how they performed in a less clinical environment. So in a sense it was fortunate the woman had chosen to fall at precisely the moment she had, or Zâbel may have not detected a flaw with the system nearly so soon.  

Peering into her features she tried to recall if she had ever seen the woman before but her recollections came up blank. Just in case, she thought to caution her, ”Don’t try to move just yet until we can tell if you might have broken something or not.”

Pain, that’s all she felt was pain as the gravity of the situation slowly dawned upon a shinigami who friction had forsaken. Heavy eyes slowly opened as a muffled voice spoke somewhere around Reika, followed by several dull thuds. “Wah?” The world seemed to be spinning like a bad night with one too many drinks as a faint ringing played a horrible melody in her ears. What in the world had happened?

Dazed eyes slightly focused on some woman asking her about how many fingers she was holding up. “St-stop moving your hand and I'll tell you.” A weary voice replied. What the hell had happened? The world seemed to be moving at a faster speed than Reika could comprehend as she slowly got her bearings.

One moment she was in the air and the next thing she knew was she was on the ground, head pounding, body aching. “Ugh.” She murmured weakly as she slowly pushed herself to sit up despite what the stranger had said. A slightly trembling right hand reached to the back of her head, wincing as she found an egg-sized lump throbbing in pain. Reika’s hand shot away from the stop, whimpering in pain. “I don’t know what happened, but I can favor a good guess that it involved gravity.”

Weak laughter left Rukia as her unfocused eyes looked at the burly woman. “I guess I’ve fallen for you.” The world seemed to be graying at the edge of her vision.

Something seemed to catch her gaze out of the corner of her eyes. Some strange figure that couldn’t be made out from a lawn ornament or some other oddity. Maybe that fall caused her to hit the ground harder than originally thought. Squinting her eyes didn’t seem to help at all to try and focus. “I think I hit harder than I thought. I think I’m see-.”

Reika stopped talking as the world became pure white. Her body felt relaxed as the world went black and then, she went down onto her back. It seemed she had passed out from the injury incurred.

Zâbel clicked her tongue and sighed, shaking her head a bit. She could tell that the woman had definitely dazed herself. Naturally she didn’t listen to her instruction about lying still and, as the woman went ahead and struggled into a sitting position, she fully expected her to just topple on over again. Observing her as she moved she quickly began downscaling in her mind how severe the woman’s injuries actually were.

She could sit up so no paralysis, at least from the waste up. Her arms seemed to function fairly well too, though that didn’t mean she might not have a hairline fracture someplace. Zâbel winced a bit with the woman as she reached back to discover just how sensitive her skull was to the touch. At any rate the fallen woman did seem to have some sense of humor and when she was done with her observations on gravity she said, ”Yeah, you definitely exceeded the angle of repose.”

Her little euphemism, however, only garnered the clipped response of ”Right”. She was not so much paying attention to the dialogue but rather the way her eyes looked, nodding when she seemed to still have some peripheral vision, even if it may have been a bit blurred. Following her line of sight to that of the floating lab assistant, Zâbel did have to concede the point was not strictly conclusive for it may have just been Doula’s foreignness rather than a flaw in her vision which produced the confusion.

She turned her eyes back to the woman just in time to see her pass out and nodded her head before saying, ”Yeah, that’s definitely a concussion.” So much for asking if she felt any pain in other locations such as her spine or legs. No matter; Zâbel would just tend to this without her patient’s input.

Focusing her Reiatsu, the pale green light of Kaidō bathed her hands while she moved them in the air over the prone woman’s body. For the most part, Zâbel was relieved to learn, her injuries would not require extensive treatment. She began with her head, stimulating Reiatsu restoration in order to prevent swelling within the cranium and once she was satisfied with the results moved on down to her spine.

It was bruised a bit swollen so she focused her energies here as well to prevent complications in her lower limbs. While Zâbel didn’t know what actually caused the woman’s fall she didn’t need a drop foot to keep tripping her up. At the bare minimum, having your legs fall asleep on you was a major deterrent to unhindered ambulation.

Leaning back she motioned for Doula to come forward and collect the woman from the pavement into her dangling appendages and grinned as she watched the robot fumble around trying to compensate for the faulty visual sensors. ”She really does look weird”, the Shinigami thought, ”kind of like a giant floating jellyfish.” Rising to her own feet once the robot has secured her charge, she escorted both robot and patient into Division Headquarters and headed for her research lab. No sense leaving her lying out on the lawn once it was safe to relocate.

Zâbel’s lab was meticulous as one might expect in a research facility but there was also a section that was walled off to serve as a break room. In her case it was a couch to crash on when she had reagents to add to ongoing experiments at timed intervals all through the night. It was here that Doula lay the woman down, extracting the coil of her limbs from round her body as she positioned her upon the cushions.

”Thank you Doula. Go to your station and power down now. That will be all for now.”, she directed the assistant. It would be no fun cleaning up broken glass in the lab because of the robot’s inability to properly perceive her environment. ”Additionally, she mused as she looked at the resting woman on the couch, she probably will not find the sight of Doula all that soothing when she first wakes up.”

Thump. Thump. Thump.

There was a throbbing in Reika’s head. Oh, make it stop. The young shinigami lay on the couch, unmoving as slowly the sensation of her body began to overwhelm her mind. The dull ache caused the youth to wince - it felt as if she’d exerted herself to the full extent that her body could take and now she was paying the price.

Slowly opening her eyes, blinding light hit her full force, causing her to raise her right hand over her eyes. Looking around, nothing made any sense. A daze seemed to hang over her as she tried to remember what in the world had happened. Originally she was heading to a divisional headquarters on the walls, now she was in… a science fiction film? It looked like a lab

With a groan, Reika slowly pushed herself up into a sitting position, finally getting her feet on the ground despite her body protesting the entire time. The throbbing in her head got worse as she set up; did she hit her head? Reika reached back to the point of pain and yelped at the touch. “Ow!” She said with a grimace. The world seemed to hang in a haze as if she were missing a piece of the puzzle.

There was no use to sit around and wonder. Wherever she was, someone had to bring her there, and hopefully they had the answers to her questions.

With swaying legs, Reika forced herself to her feet, even as the world seemed to spin. Uneasy legs propelled her forward as she tried to get her bearings. “Hello.” She cried out tentatively. “Is anyone there?” The pounding in her head seemed to get worse with every step. Damn, I really did it this time, didn’t I.

After watching the woman for a bit, Zâbel left the partitioned lounge and went out into the laboratory. Doula had put herself away as requested, which entailed resting her core processing unit on a shelf, letting her snake-like appendages dangle to the floor, and put herself into sleep mode. The head, for want of a better word, did not roll off onto the floor for the shelf was beveled to fit the round metal ball to perfection.

She had proceeded to open the processor and take out the visual sensor and had just placed them upon her workbench at the back of the lab when she heard the woman calling out. Although it interrupted her task it had been the best time to do so before she started running her diagnostics. ”I’m over here”, she called out as she set the tiny allen wrench down on the bench and proceeded to walk toward the woman.

Between the workbench in the back and the lounge were several counters that made up three isles in the floor space. Each were set up with different apparatus, while some were purely preparatory in nature having scales and pipette for measuring, others were more for digesting down reagents, extracting compounds from solutions. Along the left side wall was a small office area with a computer on the counter and a high backed chair on wheels that had a white lab coat draped over the back. Stepping round the aisle of counters, the woman could see she was dressed in a grey tank top, a utility belt fastened round her waist, and charcoal skirt with white tabi and zori. She didn’t wear a lab coat, typically, while working on Doula because she didn’t want to get the jacket dirty with oil and then contaminate some chemical reaction she was creating. Besides, grease was terrible to get out of white cloth.

Her patient, up and about already, looked to be a bit unstable on her feet so she pulled the chair in front of the computer desk to the front of the room with her. ”You might wish to sit down and take things slow. Seriously. Last time I suggested that you not move, you did anyway and ended up passing out. I don’t think another knock on the head would do you much good today.” She pushed the chair slightly forward to emphasize her words and added, ”My name is Zâbel Hatayama. And you are?”

As Reika called out, a woman answered in return. It was as if an apparition appeared between all the equipment and sent her heart racing. Had this been this been the person that brought her there? This person didn’t seem like the type to be in a place like this, the garb she wore seemed more akin to a mechanic. Not exactly the picture of the stereotype of someone who worked in a lab like this.

Reika took the chair without question, the world was still swirling about her as thoughts ran wild. What in the hell had happened to her to end up feeling like this - to be in this place. Through the fog of thought, Zabel spoke of the ‘last time’ and ‘another knock on the head’, none of which made any sense to Reika. She had never met this woman before.

Furrowing her brow, Reika rested her head in the palm of her left hand as she tried her hardest to think. “I’m sorry. I don’t remember meeting you, let alone you speaking to me.” Her thoughts were muddled as a dull throbbing racked her mind.

“I’m Reika and I don’t know how I got here. Since you seem to know more than me… can you help me out?” She closed her eyes, the light was killing her splitting headache. “I don’t remember anything outside of heading toward an unknown division compound. Now I’m here with a killer headache.”

If Zabel had helped her get here, maybe there was a good chance she could inform Reika as to what exactly happened. At this point though, she’d just accept medicine for the splitting headache that raged like a storm. “Where the hell am I?”

Watching carefully it was obvious by the woman’s facial expressions and her hand motions as she sank into the seat, that her impromptu patient’s head was hurting. Sure enough as the plethora of questions came forth, her suspicions were confirmed causing Zâbel to smile slightly. ”I’m not surprised that you don’t remember. It was after you fell off the wall and I came to your aid. You were awake for a bit but passed out soon after trying to sit upright.”, and that was about as close to saying I told you so that she would get. The information had been delivered and didn’t require attitude too.

Clearing her throat, she moved closer to the woman’s side and continued to address her concerns. ”Let me start by saying it is good to meet you, though naturally the circumstances could have been more pleasant. As I was saying”, she paused taking in the pinched expression on the woman’s face. ”As I said, you fell off the wall. I healed what injuries I thought needed the most attention and then my lab assistant carried you here to my research facility inside the Fourth”, she concluded.

As to the request for aid, she turned her attention to the woman’s pain. A soft green glow began to bathe her hands once more as she prepared a Kaido to alleviate her pain. ”I don’t have any medicine for your head but I can use a spell to ease your pain if that is alright?”, she inquired. Assuming permission was given she would move her hands to either side of Raika’s head and seek to end her headache once and for all.

Once she was through with the treatment, she let her own curiosity bleed forth a bit to ask, ”So how did you manage to fall off the wall in the first place?” The question was more than just idle curiosity for she seemed to have a bit of a memory lapse and that might ease in time or could indicate a much deeper problem.

Reika didn’t say a word as Zabel talked. She could vaguely remember running along the walls and jumping to random buildings to get to the divisional compound. Apparently it had been the fourth that she was heading to. She furrowed her brow as she struggled to remember. The young shinigami had managed to land on the wall and after that, it was all a blank.

What Zabel was saying seemed to make sense to Reika, but the pieces couldn’t be put together in the fog that she had.from the fall. Even as she remained silent while Zabel healed her, Reika tried to remember. Slowly the strain on her head began to fade as she opened her eyes and looked to Zabel.

“Thank you.” She muttered as the pain she had completely dissipated

This woman, Zabel, had gone out of her way to help her in her time of need. This was rare, outside of her family. Out in the districts, most people seemed to look out for themselves unless there was something in it for them. Reika felt tears well up in her eyes as she quickly covered her face and sniffled. Zabel was so kind to her without even knowing who she was.

“Thank you so much” She sniffled again. “I really appreciate it.”

She did. It really touched her heart. “I’m sorry to cause you such trouble. I just ran to the closest division for a tour and ended up causing you all this trouble. I’m so sorry!”

The young shinigami felt nothing but regret for causing this problem. She just wasn’t used to such kindness from strangers, let alone from people in the Gotei. The stories about the Gotei and all their own priorities didn’t seem to fit this at all. It was just out of the ordinary for her. “I greatly appreciate you.”

Zâbel was stunned. She had never seen a Death God cry, hadn’t really known that it was possible. That was mostly because she hadn’t thought about it since privacy was a very desired state, but seeing this waif’s eyes actually well up with tears caused her to nip at her lower lip in consternation. It wasn’t so much that tears were foreign to the old soul or caused her great discomfort. It was just so out of place inside Seireitei. Tears were for the Rukongai, mostly among those who had lived less years than herself. After so long, even those tears were few and far between.

Her left hand came up to cup her chin lightly in her palm, forefinger riding aslant her upper lip, as she amended her thoughts. The death of Zenji’s father had brought tears. That sobered her quick enough, causing her to lower her hand to rest upon her hip and her lips to thin into a straight line. Naturally she nodded and said, ”You’re welcome”, as Reika tried to convey her thanks. It was what anyone would have done. It’s not like you ignore casualties when they drop out of the sky not 10 yards from your feet.

For the most part her thoughts centered on the woman’s tone, her words, and on alert for signs of dizziness or confusion. That Reika didn’t directly answer her question concerning the details of her fall was of no great concern for she was exhibiting signs of emotional trauma over being a bother. This too was behavior she’s seen in the Rukongai and it came from many sources, fear, self-worth issues; the list was endless. It didn’t necessitate a lapse in memory of the actual incident, but left open the possibility her emotions were preventing her from giving it good focus. Usually it was best not to press a person and it left time for the body’s Reiatsu to heal itself, such things would pass.

Zâbel was more than aware that her knowledge of psychology was cursory and if need be she could suggest a thorough examination with the Third Division. At the very least she would do no harm by pressing the woman for details on her fall. Instead she focused on other aspects of her words to steer the youth away from such volatile subjects. ”You said you were looking to tour a division?”, she asked. The information prompted her to ask, ”How long have you been out of the Academy?” In truth she wondered how long she had been within the walled city for there was much about her that didn’t seem adapted to her new life at all. The elder Shinigami was more than familiar with the downside of transitioning from beyond the walls.

Reika sniffled lightly, wiping away her tears with her hands as Zabel asked her questions. “Yes, ma’am. I’ve only been out of the academy for a few days now and I wasn’t exactly chosen for a division by anyone. So I’ve been hoping to find the right fit for myself by getting a tour of each of them."

The sting of embarrassment rose to her cheeks. She had let the act of kind affect when her guard was down. Maybe it was the head injury? No. It was hard to say as she looked to Zabel, a stranger that had shown her the first true kindness besides Zenji. Everyone else seemed to be wrapped up in their own little worlds. Life in these walls, it was as if they were all caged animals and it was frustrating.

Reika attempted to stand, stumbling right back into the chair as she made an indignant grunt as she felt shame for being in such a state. She clenched her fists in frustration, “I’m sorry for burdening you like this. I’m sure there are plenty of more important things to be done than babysitting a child.”

Damn it!

“I shouldn’t have taken the walls like that.” She cursed.

Nodding thoughtfully as she listened to her suspicions being confirmed, Zâbel continued making her observations of Reika.  That the young woman felt embarrassment was more than obvious, as evidenced by the coloring of her cheeks, and the researcher was not much compelled to do anything about that. Falling did tend to make a person feel like a fool. It was promising that she seemed to recall more of the incident than before and would probably not have any lasting deficits in her memory; probably, time would tell. However, it was the repetition of being a burden to which she did take exception.

Once Reika had ceased her lamentations, the elder Shinigami folded her arms across her chest and pursed her lips before speaking her mind, ”Are you then? A child, I mean.” Pausing just long enough to ensure she had the attention of her patient, she continued on with her inquiry, ”Or rather, might you be new and taking some time to settle in properly to your new role in Seireitei?” Letting her arms swing down, she patted the sides of her skirt and sighed. ”It doesn’t matter which it is, not to me. Being of aid to either a child or a newcomer is not something I would even call a burden.”

Zâbel walked over to her work bench and picked up the small allen wrench once more, fiddling with the visual sensor. With her eyes on her work she said softly, ”While I appreciate that you are grateful for the assistance, I don’t require you to grovel and apologize for your very existence.” A Hatayama she might be, even though from the branch family, but even her cousin Zenji didn’t flout his status by standing on ceremony that came with nobility. She lifted her eyes even as she waved her hand through the air and said, ”It’s off putting and a burden I don’t care to endure.” Expecting the youth to burst into tears at any moment, she reflected upon her tone and sighed.

”It’s embarrassing to me, to be thanked for doing my job”, she began but stopped and lay her hand down on the workbench with a slight slap. Zâbel wasn’t prone to making apologies and would rather just move on and be done. She had made her observation and found it valid. What she could do, was make an offer and perhaps ease the situation past this bit of awkwardness. ”I find myself in need of a walk. How about I give you a tour of the fourth and you can just ask me about the division while you explore some? I think you have a good idea in visiting each of the divisions, see what might suit you best before making any choices. It is good to be well informed.” Doula would just have to wait.

Zabel didn’t mince her words, cutting through Reika’s emotional state. It was more than sobering - like a mother scolding her child. Sitting in silence, she found herself fidgeting with her thumbs together in her lap as the older shinigami moved back to her workbench.

Evidently Reika’s youth and heritage were showing. How easy was it for Zabel to be able to pick up on cues that weren’t meant to be shown. An overwhelming unease fell over the redhead as Zabel continued to speak. All Reika was trying to do was thank someone for their help in her time of need, yet this woman didn’t want any of it - this was only her job. Maybe, just maybe, this was all the result of lifelong service in the Gotei. That notion was hard to confirm. There was far little time spent in the military to make such a call, but Reika could tell that this woman had found her place in this new world and seemed firmly settled into the role.

Note to self: Don’t thank her again.

The silence was palpable as Reika sat there, trying to remember the fall and failing. There was no need to sit and think about it. Wounds healed, headache gone, it was time to get going and hopefully find someone to give her a quick tour of the division before she hit the road for some needed R & R. As quickly as she stood, Zabel was wanting a walk - willing to give a tour of the place.

Convenient.

The redhead gave Zabel a nod. “I’d greatly appreciate it. This time I won’t get injured.” A faint smile pressed to her lips as she stood up. Still a bit hazy, the young shinigami moved close to the workbench, ready to go.

Watching as Reika took to her feet and neared the bench, Zâbel noted she seemed a bit more steady on her feet. ”Well then, I will try not to lead us down the path of destruction”, she chuckled softly. Although she didn’t sound like an infomercial for some online college, for her voice was more animated than that, she did rattle off a fair imitation of one.

”Here in the Fourth Division, we are comprised of Shinigami who dedicate their efforts toward innovative technologies that will aid us in the fight toward keeping the balance. Our team of brilliant scientists here in Research and Development have been making advances throughout the ages and have made available for use such things as Jigokuchō (地獄蝶, Hell Butterfly). You may have had to tend these delicate creations in your days during the academy?”

The question was totally rhetorical and she didn’t pause to await a reply. She did, however, actually pull a Vanna White by extending her arm toward Doula on the wall. ”Here is but one example of my personal contributions, a computerized lab and field assistant. Currently I am upgrading its visual sensor, or I would activate it so you might see a small demonstration of its capabilities. Suffice it to say its appendages are quite flexible and rated to carry weights much larger than what we can do with our own strength. Doula was the one who carried you here from the courtyard.” She didn’t mention its computing nor storage capacities, that it was computerized was indication enough that it performed more than just manual labor.

She did pause to inquire, ”Have you any interest in science? Maybe you have an analytical side just dying to break free?” She grinned finding that unlikely. The Academy actually tipped the fourth off whenever they had a young recruit with great intellectual promise and until today she had never heard the name Reika. They would have been grooming her to join the Fourth long before graduation if that had been the case.

However, genius was not the only quality that R&D found to be of value. ”Or maybe you are interested in history and have a desire to go researching back through the archives looking for forgotten lore? There are still many abilities from the past that have been lost to time and have as yet to be replicated.”

The young shinigami couldn’t help but stare at the woman as her tone seemed to suddenly shift. It was as if she were like those vendors out in the Rukon District trying to sell her a ‘once in a lifetime’ deal. Well, at least it was better enthusiasm than the other divisions so far.

Robots that were lab assistants, science, analytics, and so much more. It was all so dizzying to even try to think about herself in such a field. She didn’t have the flair or want to explore such fields. Sure, all the gizmos and gadgets were wonderful to use in everyday life and out in the field, however, being able to create them or bring them to life were two completely different things.

I’m out of my depth here.

Reika could help but dip her head and slump her shoulders. There was no way she’d be able to even contribute to this division. She’d be a waste on their resources. Leveling her head and squaring her shoulders, the redhead gave a meek laugh.

“Yeah… Not gonna lie. I’m probably not the right fit for this division.” Her right hand gently rubbed the side of her face in discomfort. “I can barely find my way around the Gotei, let alone look over some plans to build something.” Reika gently tapped the guard on her zanpakuto. “I’m better at using this.”

It was a bit rough to admit it, even with ego aside. There were other things that seemed more important than dedicating time to research and advancing their technology. After all, who would protect the souls in the districts or out in the world of the living? The people seemed more important. That didn’t matter right now, she couldn’t do much until she found her place in the Gotei - as Zabel did.

“Not that what you’re doing is any less important. It’s amazing to see that you’ve built such a machine! I could hardly fathom doing such a thing on my own.” And it was impressive in its own right.

Oh, yeah. Saved it. Reika flashed Zabel a small smile.

As thrilling as Zâbel found all this to be, she was well aware when someone wasn’t interested in the same things as herself. True, she could be a bit obtuse about certain subtleties but the young woman’s slumped posture and weak laughter weren’t what qualified as subtle enough for the elder Shinigami to miss. Her confessions only served to verify the impression. It was interesting to her, however, that Reika appeared to think that this lack of interest might be of some offense.  Maybe it was the raising of her eyebrows which caused her eyes to look round in surprise and the drumming of her fingers at her tool belt that prompted a quick affirmation of Zâbel’s important work. The woman dismissed that as totally inconclusive and assumptive.

The tip of her tongue darted out swiftly to wet her lips as her arms folded across her chest. Then her left index finger lifted to tap lightly at her chin before saying, ”You know all the work within the Division is not just for geeks.” she said drawing out the words as she let her burgeoning thoughts take life slowly. She laughed softly in a self deprecating manner, ”It’s just my favorite part but hardly the kind of thing that gets done in a vacuum.”

Turning her back to the workbench after Reika complimented her work she said, ”Thank you”, though in truth it was more reflexive than anything.

Already she was much more focused on informing Reika about all the wonder that was the Fourth. ”There is field observation and procurement. Taking new innovations out and using them in real time assignments.” She moved toward the door and said, ”For instance, would you be interested in testing out new and improved models of Gikon or perhaps the latest in Gigai?”

Just when she was about to open the door, her hand already extended toward the knob to give it a turn, it was the woman who did an about face instead. ”Wait...do you mean that you keep getting lost”, she asked as though Reika’s comment had just penetrated her own compelling thoughts. She blinked and shook her head, her arm stretched toward the youth and motioning with her hand towards herself. ”Let me see your Denreishinki”, she requested while still waving at herself, ”you know, your Soul Pager.”

Zabel was right. Reika didn’t know everything that encompassed the Fourth, nor all the activities are done in the wayside. Instead, she was basing it off of all that she had heard and what she had seen. It was time to stop trying to base things she only saw on the surface. A nasty habit for sure, but one that was hard to break when you grew up in the Rukon Districts. There you had to take everything with a grain of salt - you never knew who was trying to swindle you.

The young shinigami started to follow Zabel to the door as she asked about trying out some new gadgets. A small pit started to form in her stomach. Was this woman trying to make her a guinea pig for little science projects? That unease was quickly put to rest as Zabel suddenly turned her attention to the comment she had made about getting lost.

“This?” Reika queried as she pulled a small phone looking device from her pocket.

She hadn’t messed with it much as there was no need. No one had needed her, nor had any information been sent to it. Basically it was a useless hunk of junk that took up space in her pocket. What in the world could Zabel want with it?

“I highly doubt it could be useful for helping me get around. It’s more of a paperweight for me than anything else.” She said with a laugh.

Zâbel missed Reika’s misgivings over her field testing talk, but it would have confused her anyway. What right minded Shinigami would not wish to be in on innovations and advancing the technology and safety of the Gotei? In light of that, what were a few Reiatsu samples and biopsies?

Nodding when Reika handed over the Denreishinki, she looked up at the youth’s comments a bit perplexed. ”Did they seriously not teach you how to use this device in the Academy?” She frowned considering Zenji’s growing disillusionment in the capabilities of leadership these days. Perhaps he was not as far off the mark as she first assumed him to be?

Without waiting for an answer, she cued up the device and then pivoted to the side so Reika could see what she was doing. ”See here?”, she pointed to the map icon on the menu before touching her fingertip to the screen. ”Navigation is one of the crucial programs in this device. Sure, there is the standard Hollow detection to help you during the hunt, but here are many other mapping applications you can access. See this world? That naturally is for the land of the living, and this Chappy one?”, she asked pointing to the bunny head with long ears. ”That is for Seireitei. Of course you can change your icons from the list of standard ones or download custom ones to suit your preferences.”

She touched the Chappy and the map opened up on the screen. ”See, you can activate tracking as well, though…”, she began to explain but then paused to swipe through a few menus, ”Ah, I see. That extension will have to be downloaded, but you can have real time positioning of where you are in the city to help you navigate.” Handing the device back she was a bit disgruntled. That should have been standard start up for the Denreishinki. Clearly the Academy was going to shit. What good was all their work in the R&D if they didn’t bother to equip these graduates with the technology? She had to wonder, though, where the fault lay. Was it the Academy or perhaps the seated Shinigami within the Fourth itself that had dropped the ball? The thought was unsettling at best and she pushed it aside for now.

Zabel’s question about being taught did strike a particular nerve. Now it wasn’t the fact that it wasn’t taught, per se, it was probably more than likely Reika didn’t pay attention during that segment in class. Daydreaming was a rather bad habit that was hard to shake, especially during classes that were rather boring. Internally, she kicked herself.

“Eh, might have been more on my end.”

Leaning in close to Zabel, Reika watched as the woman worked her ‘magic’ on the device, showing her the different functions with ease. All of it was rather simple, a few touches, and swipes were all that was needed. So simple even a child could do it! How annoying, a device such as she considered nothing more than a paperweight had the ability to ease a lot of her problems. The past few days could have been so much easier if she had actually played around with the damn thing!

“Amazing!” Reika said, taking back the device, fiddling with it. “If I had paid a bit more attention or actually messed around with the thing, I could have been moving around without any issues.” A soft sigh left her. “I’m rather disappointed in myself.”

Who wouldn’t be? The young shinigami got caught red-handed for not paying attention and now she was paying the price in embarrassment for something that any law ranking shinigami should know. “Sorry. You shouldn’t have had to teach me that.” Deft hands slipped the Denreishinki back into the pocket of the shinigami’s uniform. “Forgive my ignorance.” She said, giving a slight bow.

“Moving along… how about the rest of that tour before I make an even bigger fool of myself?” She gestured to the door.

She was quite pleased to see how easily the young woman caught on to the functions and was confident, especially after hearing her comments, that she would indeed explore and figure out just what it could do.  Once again, however, she was apologizing and this just caused Zâbel to shake her head. ”You know I have to agree with you on one thing; I shouldn’t have to have taught you that”, she began before making her point. ”It is the job of your teacher to make sure you learn and understand every aspect of the training. I feel that some these days are more focused on generating numbers than doing their job and making sure new graduates can actually survive in the conditions they will be working.”

She motioned her over to the computer desk and said, ”Let me see about installing that location app for you.” She took a seat in the office chair, one of those high back stools that reached up to the counter so she could either stand and work or be comfortably seated, and then she began hooking up a cable in anticipation of plugging into Reika’s device and updating her system with the latest in tracking technology.

”I get you may not wish to join R&D, but what do you think you might be suited for? You mentioned skill with your Zanpakutō, yes?” She wondered if that not only included fighting techniques but had she already managed a bond with her spirit?

It was hardly the sort of thing one asked another, being vulgar and basically a private matter between a Shinigami and their Zanpakutō, but the thought of one so fresh from the Academy achieving what she herself had as yet to do was more than depressing. Zâbel knew she had issues. Things she was just not willing to look at about herself, like why did she sometimes write in Sanskrit of all things? But fear did seem to take hold of her. A healthy respect for dangers untold. The bulk of her existence had been trying not to get killed in the Rukongai. She didn’t know why she was so stubbornly getting in her own way like that. Coward, the thought echoed in her mind. Pure cowardice.

Zabel cut it close with her comment. It really shouldn’t have been her that taught Reika the simplest of things when it came to technology, But there was no fault in the teaching, was there? Sitting in the classes at that academy, Reika couldn’t help but daydream of wonderful things. From slaying great hollows to being the hero of the Soul Society. Sure, the lecture could have been more engaging, but the wandering mind of the daydreaming couldn’t be bothered to pay attention.

Alas, the academy could definitely improve for the freer spirits that came to improve their standings in society. They could engage the students in one on ones to help them improve. There were countless classes that Reika could remember that she was nothing more than a number. But there were more, like Zanjustsu, where she was actually engaged by the teacher because they saw promise within her.

The redhead sighed, handing Zabel her Denreishinki, watching her hook it up to the computer. “Mostly combat. While I have been able to communicate with my blade. I’ve heard whispers in the back of my mind. It’s like it’s there, but I’m unable to hear what’s being said. It’s rather unsettling.” The hair on the back of Reika’s neck stood on end at the mere thought of the fleeting whispers heard on the wind.

“But, yes. I’ve been rather effective at Zanjutsu to the point that I was singled out by the instructors at the academy for personal training.” She sighed thinking about it. They saw the potential to the point that they didn’t help her with her weaker subject, kido, and kept focusing on zanjutsu. “Someday soon, I hope to reach that breaking point - to be actually able to speak to my blade.” She chuckled. “Even if it drives me crazy.”

Whether it be as something simple as mediation or the life or death situation against an enemy, she would try her hardest to be able to speak to her sword’s spirit and hopefully be able to achieve shikai.

All of this was a long term goal though. Reika hoped to be firmly seated in a division before this happened so she could focus and improve her skills to become a seated officer. All a dream, but she couldn’t help but dream. Just as Zabel had found herself home without strife, so hoped Reika, that she would do the same.

“What comes shall come. I can’t afford the mistakes in between.” She said with a small smile. “Again, I thank you for the help on my path to glory.” It was a genuine phrase. Any and all help were more than welcomed as Reika found her place in this strange society.

Jealousy? Yes, she had to admit to herself. What she wouldn’t give to be able to even hear a faint echo of a word from her Zanpakutō, but in all these years not so much as a peep. Reika still wet behind the ears and far more advanced than herself in that regard was ample reason to envy. It wasn’t something she allowed herself to wallow in, however, for she knew it was her own fault. Fear is what she had been told. The implications were hard to bear for what did she have to fear? Apparently, she had herself to fear for it was just an aspect of her inner being that was locked away from her reach. Had her former life been that horrible that even now she had to keep it chained and muted deep in her soul rather than to face herself? It could wait, that much she knew. Now was not the time.

”My advice to you is go where your heart leads. Do what you love. Everything else will fall into place once you permit yourself that freedom”, she replied. Oh yes, sage words indeed from Soul Society’s biggest hypocrite.

Clearing her throat she turned the topic to something she could feel right about. ”As for mistakes, consider them your personal teacher. The ability to identify what is wrong pushes you toward finding solutions. I would say that as a person grows, they cannot afford a life without mistakes.” Then she laughed and went about unhooking the device once the new program had been installed. ”Also, it is worth mentioning that no one can stand people who are perfect. Don’t you find that to be true?”, she inquired and handed the Denreishinki back to its owner.

She sighed looking the woman over with a thoughtful gaze. ”Have you a chance to tour the fifth yet?” They were big time swordy swordy types over there and that hardly required analytical skill sets. After all, there was nothing to prevent a person from learning everything they wished to despite the division in which they chose to serve.

Zabel’s words did ring true. Reika’s goal was to join the division that spoke true to her goals: to master kido and protect her home. Where that lie though was nothing but a mystery. After only visiting one division, it was hard to say where she was supposed to be in this society known as the Gotei. It was nothing more than a jumbled mess of emotions.

“I’ll try.” She replied in a somber tone.

If Zabel’s words were true, she’d be a master in no time. There had been nothing but mistakes after mistakes as she tried to find her place in the shinigami. Despite her thrill at joining and hoping to make a change, the doldrums of learning seemed to be putting her at a slight disadvantage. This was, of course, being righted with everyday activities. That was still tedious and wonderful but filled the young shinigami with self-doubt.

“I’m nowhere near perfect.” Reika chuckled to Zabel’s question. “I couldn’t find my way around the Gotei until you showed me how. Let alone when I was growing up. I’ll never be perfect, and that’s what drives me forward. I just hope to find my place in this society and make my parents proud.”

It was the question about the Fifth Division that caused her to shake her head. “No. Afraid not. It’s on my list of places to visit.” She said with a slight smile. “You’re the second place I’ve visited. I stopped by the first and had a tour by a noble guy.” What was his name? Reika thought for a moment. “Ah, yes. Zenji Hatayama, he gave me the tour and said he’d help train me in Kido.”

All were hopes and dreams at this point. There was so much to be done - Reika still carried on. She wasn’t like Zabel, already having a place in this world, standing without worry as she carried on her duties. No, Reika was adrift in the wind. Carried by the never-ending current. “I certainly hope to find my place as you have.”

The elder Shinigami knew how hard the adjustment from one’s prior life to that within the walls of Soul Society could be. Though Reika still spoke in apologetic terms Zâbel did not draw attention to this again. The point had been made and she knew it was up to each person to work of self development and if the two were to compare those aspects of themselves, Zâbel felt she would have come up on the short end of the stick.

Her main goal had been to follow the rules of her newly adopted family and learn what she could to make herself a valuable asset. Her inner reflections had not borne the sort of fruit that was intended, however, and instead of dealing with her shadow self and incorporating those strengths into her tool kit, she had focused on efficiency and the scientific method. Analytical processes had not included feelings nor delving into her inner world despite her repeated routine of meditation and attempts to bond with her Zanpakutō.

”Mastery does not come without hard work. If that were true no one would have to train. You will learn your way around in no time. I am confident this will be true.”, she replied before steering the conversation back toward the tour. ”In the meantime, since you are here, I suggest taking a look around the division even if you feel this will not be the one you choose. All the divisions work in concert in a variety of ways so this will not be wasted knowledge.” Opening the door at last, she would lead the woman through the halls indicating where different aspects of the division conducted their work.

There were labs set aside for research. There were buildings in which technological advances were put into production. There were labs that dedicated their space to controlled testing of these innovations and into the testing fields she led their tour at last. For the most part, however, she did not explain what these Shinigami were working upon and at no point did they enter areas that would be considered classified. It was only when they came to the end of the tour that she brought up the name Reika had dropped earlier, that of her cousin Zenji.

Standing near the gates to the main compound of the division, she broached the topic at last. This more from a desire to bolster her earlier point about doing what she loved than it was to name drop or boast of her family. ”Let me say once more that it is normal to take time to make these decisions but that you can’t go wrong if you let those things that inspire passion inside you take the lead. For instance, your interest in Kido. Zenji is actually my cousin, so it is likely that if you take up his offer and come round the family estate for training we shall meet again. I wish you luck in finding your niche, just let it come to you. You will know when you find it.”

Oh, yes. Mastery doesn’t come without hard work and the trials that befall each individual that tries them. Such tried and true words that could be hammered into any mindless dolt. That's what happened in Academy at least - it seemed like every day the instructors were telling the students that. It was rather annoying. Reika knew that she had to keep at it if she was to get anywhere as a Shinigami. Even with Zabel’s kind words to her, the young shinigami’s self-doubt still ate away at her.

“Right.” She said hesitantly.

Reika followed Zabel’s lead, entering into the unknown that was the 4th Division. All she knew about the place was that they did research and built their little gadgets that helped the Shinigami out in the field and in day-to-day life. Seeing those within the Division was something completely different then what you heard from rumors and random earshots. They all seemed to be toiling away, attempting to get their bits and bobs working behind their closed doors.

There had to be more than this. Surely Zabel was just letting her see the surface, there had to be some cutting edge, top-secret goodies being hidden behind closed doors, and sealed away in some vault with countless amounts of red tape. Still, the young shinigami remained quiet, nothing besides her imagination seemed to provoke any thought or feeling about the division. It all seemed kind of feckless to her.

The little tour seemed to end rather quickly, which Reika found herself thankful. She was definitely out of her element in the drudgery of mindless research and components. Still, the young shinigami counted her blessings. Zabel had taken time out of her day to not only look after when she took a nasty fall, but also lead her through the 4th Division.

As the redhead was about to bow and thank Zabel for the tour, the 4th Division Shinigami gave her kind words about her indecisiveness and spoke of Zenji. She couldn’t help but raise her eyebrows in surprise. So it seemed nobles dotted the Soul Society here and there - like you couldn’t escape their presence. Reika gave a small smile and nodded.

“Well, I hope to see you again. Maybe in a more relaxed environment… without injuries this time.” She gave a small bow to Zabel. “Thank you for the tour. I really appreciate it.” Reika turned to the gates and gave a small wave. “Until we meet again, Zabel.” She said cheerfully before quickly exiting the 4th.

[Exit]