Night 38: F21-F30 Hallway
Ururu hadn't talked much during dinner. Talking to Yukito during fourth shift had made her feel a little better, and she'd eaten something, but she still wasn't happy. She wasn't crying anymore though, and that was a good thing. She had promised to meet Kurt that night, and Ururu knew it was important. She wanted Kurt to know that he was still
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Kira slowed as he finally reached the hallway and made his way down to the door where Hinamori was. At the moment, she seemed occupied, and with a woman who was heavily armed. He stood just across the hall from the door, watching them with careful eyes. Hinamori wore two blades - one on her back, one at her right hip ... for her, neither was a familiar place to find a sword. Hadn't she, like most of them, worn her blade on her left side?
He waited patiently, willing to spend the entire night just standing there in silence until she was ready. He wouldn't waste another night - not if she had something for him to do.
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Momo had caught sight of Kira and, after a few quick words to the tall pink-haired knight, approached him. Now that she was closer, it was quite clear the sword she wore on her back had been Hitsugaya's, and she stopped close to her friend.
She lightly touched his chest and sighed, wishing Kira had his uniform; she felt very odd being the only shinigami other than Ichimaru with hers. She met her friend's eyes.
"How are you doing, Kira?"
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Of course. She had gone after him, hadn't she? And now she had his sword, which could only mean that she'd seen him go down, or at the very least his body. There was no other way to have taken it, as he doubted anyone else would have found it and handed it over.
If she was grieving, she didn't show it. A pang of guilt twisted in Kira's stomach as she touched his chest.
"I'm fine. What about you?" He tried to look at her and kept his gaze as level as possible.
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She paused a moment. "If I listen hard enough, sometimes it feels like I can hear him calling me a dummy for having such thoughts. It makes it a little easier to put one foot in front of the other."
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Kira opened his mouth to try and protest, to tell her there was always the chance for her to rest, if just for one night, but he closed it just as quickly. No. She had a point, and even if he thought she was wrong, who was he to try and tell her otherwise? If it kept her sane, if it helped her ...
He just hoped that it would stay that way, and that she wouldn't fall apart one day, the strength of her mind cracking and letting her fall.
What could he say to that? What?
"I'll be nearby," he finally managed. "Whenever you need me." He was still here - that much he could continue to remind her of.
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He turned the corner to find a scene playing out between the two lieutenants. It was touching. Or would have been for nearly anyone else. Gin simply waited in the shadows, smiling quietly and waiting to be noticed. It wouldn't be long. He hadn't bothered to hide his flashlight, and wearing the familiar robes and captain's jacket made him quite difficult to miss among the gray-clad patients.
The light was held pointed downward, as was the knife in his other hand, held loosely and in a not-at-all threatening manner, though he would be ready if he needed to use it.
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She paused to get her voice under control before continuing, noticing Ichimaru's sudden presence. She pulled the other vice captain down so her next words were only for Kira's ears. "Don't do anything stupid, please. I need you, Kira, okay? I know you want to kill him, just like I do, but not yet. Leave it be for now, okay? When the time is right, we'll get him together." She gripped his shirt harder. "Promise you won't go after him alone."
Letting go of Kira, Momo turned to focus on the newly arrived shinigami. "Ichimaru," she said coldly. "I will be with you in a moment. Do stay there until Matsumoto-kun has arrived. I do not wish to keep Kira from his mission any longer than I must."
With that, she tugged Kira down the hall a bit more, closer to Signum.
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Ichimaru's arrival didn't escape his notice - not for an instant. He was glaring at the former captain even before his mind really caught up with his body. Hinamori, though, pulled him down and whispered to him. Don't kill him - don't do anything stupid - we'll get him together. Things he simultaneously didn't and did want to hear.
Kira tightened his jaw at her words, but nodded shortly before she spoke to Ichimaru and pulled him away. He kept his voice low, so quiet that even she would probably have trouble hearing him properly.
"I won't. I'll wait until you think the time is right." For him, the time was always right, but he'd seen the gleam of the knife in Ichimaru's hand. Unarmed as he was, he would be useless in battle.
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It was impossible to miss the malicious glares passed in his direction, but Gin only smiled his mischievous smile in return. While he might not be able to hear what they were saying, he was not stupid enough not to have a very good guess as to what it might be. Despite her words on the bulletin, Hinamori's actions might be another thing entirely. Even if they thought themselves to be on higher moral ground, he knew just how easily one could fall.
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"Thank you," Momo whispered the Kira, having barely caught his words. Now halfway between Signum and Ichimaru, the small shinigami stopped and let got of Kira. She pulled the sword at her hip free from her sash and held it out to him. "My sword is now yours, Kira. Unlike the others, this one was not created by the Cooking Club, but found within this place. It's been through a lot since Signum-kun and I won it from a night creature."
She sighed heavily. "I will wield this," she said, touching the green strap across her chest.
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"Thank you." Now ... now he stood a chance. "What do you want me to do?"
What would she send him to do, and who with? Kira cast a glance back at Ichimaru, and then at the woman she had been speaking with. There weren't very many people just hanging around and waiting, like he had been. Maybe others would arrive. Regardless, whatever she asked of him, he would do. Anything ... or almost anything.
He tightened his fingers around the sword's sheathe. She would wield Captain Hitsugaya's sword. It stung to see that she had to - somewhere deep inside, even as he knew that was probably what she would have preferred. It stung because the Captain was dead, and had left her behind to try and fight this place off. Because she had probably seen him fall.
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He would hold his silence for a little longer though, difficult as it was to keep from teasing either of the shinigami.
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She wanted him to gather poisonous plants? He wasn't worried about the team he was on, but why would they need poison? An important mission, with no details she was willing to give him. Kira fought with himself for a moment before nodding at her and placing the map in his pocket.
Why she wanted poison, he wouldn't know. But he trusted her.
"Be careful," he said to her, wanting to reach out and put his hand on her shoulder but keeping it in his pocket instead. "Don't get hurt any more than you already are." A sliver of worry slipped into his tone as he spoke. If she was hurt again, he didn't know what he would do.
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Unfortunately, it looked like he wasn't getting any closer to getting moving on his own mission for this evening. Rangiku hadn't shown up yet and if this little love fest didn't end soon, he was going to be stuck here all night.
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With that, she glanced back at Signum to check on the knight before turning toward Ichimaru to keep the traitor cleanly in her vision. This was the first time she'd talked to Ichimaru in person since she'd lost sight in her left eye. She prepared herself for one of many possible comments from the man.
Where was Rangiku?
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