tampered | Log; Ongoing

Log; Ongoing

When; April 14th, evening
Rating; PG?
Characters; Isane {

revelations9x6}
Summary; Isane heads to Xulchilbara's residence to see Rangiku.
Log;

Isane was most assuredly not happy.

She had gotten directions to the residence of the Red God, had come, as requested. But not for Him. She came for Rangiku.

No matter how vehemently she disagreed with her friend's decisions, (and oh did she disagree. Quite vehemently.), Isane had never been one to be very vocal about her opinions when her opinions were in dissent, and she didn't like offending friends. She had trouble making them, she was a little shy sometimes, and...

What a stupid thing to be thinking about. The vice could have hit herself. No, what she was not happy about now was her sword. Now that she was here... she looked up at the manor and gulped. The Red God... he terrified her, she would admit that. He intimidated her, and he'd... demanded she leave her blade. Gaze worried, Isane looked down at Itegumo, thumb running lightly along the hilt. She'd never been apart from him, really. She was prone to carrying it around the 4th division even during peacetime.

But... the shinigami shook her head, bracing to her full height, a tad intimidating of one for a woman, and exhaled slowly.

Then she hunched her shoulders back down and tentatively knocked on the door.

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It was quite rare that Xulchilbara himself ever greeted visitors in person, but He was taking no chances that the shinigami would try to keep her sword were He not there to see it personally discarded.

As with any predator, the Red God could move in silence, and undetectable when necessary, and so he kept himself wrapped in darkness. It was a useful skill, and one He was growing dependent on without immortality as a shield.
For all intents and purposes, He was invisible in the darkened entry way, but the meager light the door admitted as it swung open ( seemingly on it's own) chased those shadows back a bit.

Measuring blood red eyes took stock of the shinigami in the entrance way, and ever calculating with the strangle hold He exerted over His essence, the God-turned-mortal released the grip He held on it, to gauge her reaction.

Waves of that unidentifiable sensation that hovered somewhere between pain and pleasure lapped at the young woman, pawed and played with her curiously.

Only a few feet away, and with his head cocked to the side, those flame wreathed eyes regarded Isane, while the smile that tugged at the corners of his lips complimented the deeper cruelty those wrong eyes held in their burning depths.

His razor edged voice came from nowhere, and everywhere, but still held the cool, cultured lilt He preferred to keep.

" Your weapon, please...."

A white cloth was set out, neatly, on the sideboard waiting for her to comply.

Isane had been expecting a somewhat civil reception. Maybe the door would be opened and someone, maybe him, maybe not, would say "good evening", or "come in", or even not say anything at all, that would have been perfectly fine.

But no.

The hairs on the back of her neck had prickled at the feeling of power, it felt different than reiatsu, far more invasive, personal, but it was likened to the feeling in Central 46, of seeing Aizen's true self and that power leaking from him that was oppresive to her.

This was like some horror film from the human world, stupid creepy things and-

Isane jumped a little at the voice, hands flying to her blade, which she clutched at her chest, eyes glancing about before they settled uneasily on the flaming orbs in the shadows.

She tried to relax. Not working...

"Your weapon, please" He repeated, an edge coloring the bland neutrality of that cutting sound.

It was rather interesting how these shinigami could sense Him far better than most mortals with a touch of 'the sight', and a perverse sort of fun to know that while He was cloaked, she could still see His eyes.

In all other respects, this form was flawless in it's reproduction of humanity....save His eyes. They were always the give away that He was something darker...something other.

Inwardly He was glad to have met her in person. She was too jumpy to handle one or more of the servants greeting her, no matter how their silent speech was quiet and polite.

"..." The vice captain squared her shoulders, momentarily rising to full height. ... She didn't like him. Not one bit. Not with those flame-wreathed eyes and that power that whispered to her of evil things, of horrors... not to mention that she'd already been on the other side of the battlefield, healing those injured fighting him and those whose souls he'd ripped apart. And as a being made of only soul, corporal body dead hundreds of years, the violation of a soul was a travesty she could not begin to mend.

Isane looked down at her blade. Itegumo was protesting in her ears, hell, she was protesting, agreeing with him. She didn't trust Xulchilbara one bit, not as far as she could throw him, and... she didn't think she could throw him very far. She turned her back to him and stood in front of the white cloth.

Hesitation.

Teeth bit into her bottom lip as she gently, reverently, laid her zanpakutou down, tucking the hilt in neatly, and kept one hand on the sheathe, trying to ignore Itegumo's pleas.

"Where is she?" Isane asked, voice hard.

A sigh and as an allowance toward this one's paranoia, He did not so much step from the shadows, but more the shadows melted away around him to show a lean youngish man with pale skin, raven's wing hair, to match the eyes that moved, changed, leapt and danced as darkly lit fire.

A robe of odd design cloaked Him from it's high collar, to it's tailored lines that hugged the chest, then dropped in straight folds of light-absorbing fabric draped him from hip to floor, then pooled behind him in a black so dense, it seemed to absorb light. A line of crimson buttons trailed from the high collar across His shoulder, adding a touch of color, and complimenting those wrong eyes.

Hands tucked demurely in His sleeves, He inclined His head to Isane just enough to mark the gesture as a bow.
" She is in the master suite....I am afraid I must touch you-" He held up His gloved index and middle finger to display that He would do no more than a single touch,"- in order for you to be capable of seeing the entrance."

A single black brow raised at Isane, for He was fully aware she was nervous enough. " Will you permit me to do this?"

Her grip on her sword tightened and her chin tilted upward in the slightest physical indication of defiance.

She didn't like this. Didn't like Him. Didn't like this situation. Didn't like Rangiku with him. Didn't like... a lot of things.

Certaintly didn't like the idea of him touching her.

Isane had a feeling, looking at those eyes, that man, thing, whatver he was, that she wouldn't be sleeping tonight. ... Not with those eyes.

"Fine." She eventually got out, anchoring against Itegumo, who was, for all purpose, a part of her, intrinsic to her very being.

He did not miss her hand tightening on her weapon, but a flare of burning eyes was all the indication He gave.

A step, another, and the God reached out slowly, as one would with a skittish animal, to barely brush her forehead with index and middle finger.
A pinpoint lash of more concentrated sensation, the same pleasure-pain that rolled off of Him in near-tangible waves flicked from that single point.

Quick as a pinprick it came and went, and He hastily stepped back out of her reach, in case she got too jumpy and made to lunge for him.

bare feet whispered across the stone floor as He retreated to stand at the mouth of a hallway cloaked in blackness.
Solicitously, He held out a gloved hand to indicate she follow.

"This way. Keep to the path, there are things here that you will not wish to see." He warned, His voice still carefully neutral; a simple statement of fact.
Wane light shone from lanterns hung periodically along the arch of the hall, and without waiting to see if she would follow, Xulchilbara descended the steps in silence.

Down, and down the stairs led, until it was quite obvious the destination was beneath the manor proper.
Down and down....and of a sudden, a bare outline of a doorway appeared on the right ( though had Isane not been shown, it would have appeared as nothing more than a bit of wall)

He glanced once at Isane, feeling distinctly uncomfortable with allowing someone so hostile toward Him into His inner sanctum, but nevertheless removed His a glove.
Silently, He placed His bare palm against the rock, and the stone seemed to sigh as it moved inward, and then swung open on massive steel hinges.

The door swung open of it's own accord onto a well appointed room.
Windowless, and dimly lit by a pair of antique hurricane lamps, and the modest fire glowing in the elevated hearth at the center of the room, the meager light caste more shadows than it illuminated.
An elegantly comfortable pair of red-leathered wooden chairs set at angles about a modest rolltop desk against the far right wall. The desk holds the lamp, but also an eclectic array of objects, among them anything from gleaming fletchettes, to photos of Alessa, Henry, and others from within the city.

Where Isane to look down, she would see that between the doorway, and the edge of the rich carpet, there was a smearing splash of crimson, with strange runic marks wiped into the thick fluid.
To look beyond, this circle curved off into the shadows the lamp could not touch, but came around again to be easily inferred as completely connected.

Xulchilbara waved her on.
"You must cross the circle of your own free will." He informer her, wondering if she would note the change in how intense His essence would become once He too stepped within it.

The sound of someone coming didn't cause Rangiku to turn like it had the first few times. She'd grown accustomed to the comings and goings of the quiet servants attending her needs, as well as the frequent visits from Xulchibara. Her laptop lay, lit up and obviously on the citywide network, at the topmost of the large bed, close to the pillows. She, however, wasn't looking at it.

Blonde hair spread around her head as she lay, flopped on her back on top of the bed. Her new companion was perched on her chest, looking for all the world like they were having a conversation. A tiny smile, something rare these days, hovered on her paler than usual lips.

Already, her body was showing obvious signs of her pregnancy, but nothing too worrisome beyond the pallid cast to her skin and dull shine of her hair.

If anyone looked too closely, they would see that the light had dimmed a little in her usually expressive eyes. A side effect of losing her partner.

The kitten mewled and started, looking up at the open door. It was then that Rangiku turned her attention to her company. Carefully, she extended her waning power and felt the now familiar presence of Xulchibara... and another familiar power.

"... Isane?"

Another thing Isane did not like. That... circle. Thing.

She eyes it cautiously. One thing the Academy had taught her was to beware of strange powers. One thing experience had taughter was to to beware of strange, red, runic powers.

She'd had a couple encounters with such things in the human world, and they had been most disconcerting.

However, the vice was saved by the sound of her name, as she turned towards the voice, still staying clear of the circle.

"Rangiku?

Brushing past Isane in a whisper of dense velvet, Xulchilbara entered, and went to Rangiku's side.

A soft brush from gloved fingers against her cheek, and He leaned over to kiss her forehead. After a moment, He offerred Ran a near-doting smile, then straightened to cast a look at Isane; daring her to say something.

Rangiku didn't exactly smile back up at Him, but it was apparent that she was comfortable around him. With a sound of protest from the kitten, she carefully sat up, remembering that sudden movement set off one of two reactions in her system.

Hunger or nausea. Sometimes both.

With a sigh, she settled her gaze on the door and waited, knowing Isane. "There's nothing in here to harm you, Isane..."

Isane shuffled awkwardly, looking away with a blush. She had never really liked publis displays of affection, they mader her nervous and awkward. Such things... were private, in her mind. And shouldn't be done in public, well, she was something of a prude, but...

Steeling herself, hands naturally trying to find something at her waist to grip and instead settling on her medical bag, the shinigami stepped over the circle, eyes closed with a shudder at the off feeling.

Didn't like that, either, no.

Walking lightly, carefully, the vice poked her head into the bedroom and smiled timidly at Rangiku, blatantly ignoring Xulchilbara.

"... Hey, Rangiku.

With a snort, Rangiku tilted her head and crossed her arms. "He won't bite you and you know I won't. Come on in..." She knew Isane well enough to know that this... the whole situation would make her uncomfortable, and that was why Ran was trying to hard to act something like her usual self, even if she didn't geel anything like that.

Without moving a lot, she found a better spot on the bed and was glad the chain didn't rattle. She could just imagine Isane's reaction if she knew ran was chained there...

"It's... good to see you. I've missed you."

This time, the smile was slighter, but just as real as before.

She slipped in, shoulders hunched to minimize her height, as usual, taking a look about.

"Ah... nice..." Isane commented idly on the furnishings and the like before looking at Rangiku herself. She did look a little under the weather, but then again, she was pregnant and didn't... feel... right-

Her thoughts concerning reiatsu were suddenly, horrifically, and startilingly derailed, however, at the sigh of a metal cuff around her fellow's ankle.

"RANGIKU-" Isane immediately stiffened and shot an accusing glare at Xulchilbara, looking between the male and the chain and Rangiku with severe shock on her features.

'The male' in question had since taken a seat in one of the chairs by the desk, and now reclined like some huge hunting cat.
Feet stretched before Him and crossed at the ankles, chin resting on one gloved fist

On the desk there is a clear bottle with clear fluid, and a single glass, near the God's hand, and without glancing at the two, he leans back, and takes a small sip from the clear liquid, just as Isane's exclamation brought a flicker of mischief to those ever-burning eyes.

Replacing the glass, He cocked His head to the side, and regarded the outraged shinigami.

"What did you expect? She would not listen to the warnings from myself, nor friends, nor even arrancar, and decided to take a stroll, at night, when as you so eloquently put it; the arrancar have declared open season on shinigami."

A dark challenge still lingered in the wreathes of fire in His eyes, and the hollows of His expression.

" I told her if she was intent on suicide, I would restrain her from doing so." He shrugged, nonchalantly, " She did not believe me."

Isane struggled for words.

They varied from rather silly and childish insults to rather mean, or, at least, mean for her words. But in the end she could only gape at the very idea she was being rather obviously confronted with, and stood several moments in shocked silence, body stiff all over in indignation.

Finally, she moved, but it was only to move to stand by the bed in the way that her back was to the Red God, addressing Rangiku.

"How are you feeling." She managed to get out, shoulders hunched even more predominantly than before.

A little of the temper she still had made itself known in a flare of her now unpredictible reiatsu, matched with a put-upon sigh. "Stop it. Both of you." Her eyes met Isane's, silently pleading for something. Maybe not understanding, but acceptance at the very least.

The flash of power a moment earlier left Rangiku with a shake in her hand and a mild wave of weakness, but she remained sitting as straight as she could. Pride could be an amazing source of energy at times.

"Hungry and sick... the circumstances have changed some. I told you that this wasn't like other pregnancies... even for shinigami." A flicker of hunger pulled a rumble from her stomach at just that moment, as if to accent Ran's words.

"It's been accelerated and will be over in about two months."

Isane's brow furrowed.

"Two months- How?" She murmured, setting her bag down and trying to ignore the fact that THERE WAS A CHAIN.

"Rangiku, did you-" The vice froze as she began to unzip the medical bag, a sudden thought having passed through her brain.

"Did you make a deal with the deities?!" Her voice rose alarmingly high at the very thought, drawing back to the strange feel of her friend's reiatsu, so weak, so fluctuating, and then-

"Where's Haineko?" She didn't see the blade anywhere, knew Rangiku was very close with her, wouldn't...

... No. No way...

Rangiku's so carefully held posture slumped a little as the smile drained from her face. A still too fresh wound pulled open, setting her soul to bleed again. All she could manage to do was shake her head as her eyes sagged closed.

He let out a heavy sigh, at the mention of Haineko.
He hadn't wanted that...for Ran o give up so vital a piece of herself.

" I would like to point out, again, that such a trade was not in anyones best interest." Xulchilbara interjected with a pointed flare of irritation.

Isane stiffened again, shoulders rising. She pursed her lips and whirled about to face to Red God, small braids whipping about her face, hands in fists at her side.

"I don't care what you think, be quiet!" She snapped, whirling back around to Rangiku, her face immediately softening into a look of sadness, shoulders lowering again.

"Rangiku..." Isane murmured, reaching for her friend's hand, confused, sad, sympathetic, so many emotions. "... Why?"

She felt His irritation as keenly as the touch on her hand. "I made a deal with the deities to shorten the pregnancy so we would be protected. He gave His immortality to bring us back.. at least until the baby is born. That left us vulnerable..."

She knew He would be furious with her for telling what He'd done, but she trusted Isane as much as she trusted her captain.

"Someone else made His own deal.... mine changed it. I'll find a way to get her back.... "

Her confusion and confliction was easy to see on her face, Isane had never been good at hiding her emotions. She shot a look between the man behind her and Rangiku, mouth open and struggling for words.

"Rangiku, why-" She spluttered, "How-" Her gaze fell in consternation to the child visible in her friend's belly, brow furrowing.

"You could have just gone full term-" She didn't give a flip about the Red God, except hated him. "Haineko, she- you-"

"No, I couldn't have gone full term. I put everyone here in this home at risk by being here in this state. I won't have them come to harm because of me." Her voice was steel; her vice's voice, before it softened again.

"She told me it was alright, Isane... She knew what it meant and told me to do it..."

Dull blue eyes opened, but they didn't look at anyone or anything. "My reiatsu is what's fueling the rapid growth. That's why I'm so weak. I... can't even do the simplest of kidou right now. If I try, it makes me ill or flat out faint, and I've never been one for that, not even when I've been injured. You know that."

Isane's gaze fell and she looked away, busying herself with her medical bag, hands steady as she rustled about, looking for something.

"Everyone's doing okay." She abruptly changed the subject.

"Momo's awake, and she's not being bothered by those horrible nightmares that nasty guy was affecting her with." She came up with a bottle of pills, unscrewing the cap.

"I got Nemu all healed up, her hand may be a little stiff, it was badly crushed, but it should still work." The vice fumbled, almost dropping the bottle in her clumsiness.

Yet another tactic she knew. She did the same thing when the situation warranted it.

"That's good... as long as she's getting to rest she needs. I'm sure taichou can convince her if you can't." A brief flash of her wicked humor could be seen in the slight grin. Harassing her taichou and Momo about each other was one of her favorite pastimes.

The news on Nemu, however, was a bit more sobering. "Have you sent her to check with someone else about it? I know healing that deeply can be difficult..." Her own hand reached up to steady Isane's before the bottle could drop.

"We're all strong. We'll all be fine. You, too."

"Ah, yeah, Hitsugaya-taichou can, I'm sure." Isane didn't like to comment on relationships, really, because she never liked commenting on her own, either.

"I told her too, but I don't know if she really will, even though Hitsugaya-taichou said she had to." Isane shurgged a little bit, nodding and opening the bottle smoothly this time. "I think she likes the idea of it, really, I don't know that's such a stupid thought of me-"

The vice came out with one small pill, stamped with the 4th division's flower, and handed it over, set the rest of the bottle on the bed for her to keep.

"For the nausea." Isane explained. "And... ah, but there's nothing wrong with me, Rangiku."

Ran took the pill gratefully, then leveled a gaze on her friend. "I didn't say there was anything wrong, but I know what it took for you to come here, and how nervous you still are... that's what I meant."

The little ball of fur next to her mewled again, peering up at them both, then over at the Red God before bumbling over to the edge of the bed. Without a thought, she scooped up the kitten and propped her up on her shoulder.

"... I came for you." Isane murmured, blatantly ignoring the other precense in the room. She felt naked with Itegumo, knowing Itegumo was there but not being able to feel him, touch him, reassure herself. Unbidden her hand kept touching her waist.

"I'll come whenever you need something." She reassured. But she had to admit to a severe discomfort, after all... she could barely even think at the moment, her brain was fuzzy with trying to wrap her mind around the knowledge that Rangiku had... given up Haineko, her reiatsu... so much.

Her eyes hadn't missed the way her hands kept plucking around her waist... looking for the partner that wasn't there. At least she could go back to hers. Another wave of grief rolled over Ran, but she smiled her polite smile and dipped her head to hide it.

"So what are your orders, then? It better not be complete bed rest because you know how likely I am to follow that." Bed rest, no, but she knew she was weak enough to keep her in the manor house, and maybe outside if she felt like it.

Nothing strenuous, for sure.

"If you didn't have a chain on-" Isane grumbled, nearly turned around to glare. "I would say take a walk every day, but since that seems out of the question, walk about the room, if you can." There were a few muttered grumbles under her breath, several of which sounded like curse words as she rummaged about in her bag, talking out several more bottles and placing them beside the other.

"Vitamins." She counted them off. "Twice a day." Her fingers tapped the caps. "For joint pains. As needed. For reiatsu control, once a day." The vice rattled the last bottle. "If contractions start and I'm not here, this will delay them until I can get here."

... That was about it, she thought.

She carefully noted each and every thing Isane told her, used to being under her or Unohana-taichou's care for many years. The thought of taking so much medicine didn't thrill her, but she knew she had to do it.

"We'll see about getting the chain taken care of," she murmured, shooting a look at the other occupant of the room, "so I can get some exercise." On impulse, she leaned closer and hugged her friend, which ended up with the kitten being nose to nose with Isane.

"Isane, I'm really alright here... I'm taken care of and it really is the safest place for me right now... please, believe me," was whispered, softly, to her friend.

Isane stiffened at first, she was never quite prepared for such things, though she liked them. After a breif moment she returned the embrace, leaning over abit to minimize the difference in height instinctively.

"... I'm worried, Rangiku." She murmured, one hand patting softly the long blonde tresses. "For you."

It was something she'd been looking for. She allowed herself to sag against her friend, knowing her strength wasn't something she had to hold onto. "He won't hurt me. I know He won't..."

After that moment of weakness, she cleared her throat softly and sat back up, untangling her arms from around her friend and making a point to sit back up as straight as she could.

"We'll be alright."

Isane tried not to look too worried.

"Ah..." She murmured, hands awkwardly twining and untwining, twisting, clasping. "I'm sure you'll be okay." She reaffirmed, shuffling about.

"... I'll come whenever you ask for me."

She knew when Isane had had as much as she could handle, too. Again, years spent working near her and such. "I'll call for you if I need to... you could bring Kiyone next time, if you wanted." This was said loudly enough for Xulchibara to hear, just in case He thought she'd remined locked away from her friends.

"Mmm, I think she'd like that." Isane began to rezip her bag, tidying her supplies back up. "I'll ask her to come."

Ran stood, the kitten still perched on her shoulder, this time not bothering to hide the sound of the chain binding her. "Good. I think I'd like some company sometimes, when I'm feeling a bit better."

She knew her time with her friend was almost at a close, but she kept the frown from her face.

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Log; Ongoing

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