Dayshift 22: Library (Evening Shift)

[high_prosecutor]

The intercom's announcement found Miles Edgeworth in a much better mood than he had been the previous shift. The conversation he'd had with the young Elven Lord Valyn had provided interesting information, even if hard to believe, and he finally felt as if he'd been useful to someone, rather than a hindrance in the setting

Comments

[qui_gonjinn]

Something was wrong.

Qui-Gon was just beginning to recognize whose handwriting belonged to who on that curious, flimsi-based bulletin board and he had most certainly recognized Renji's. From his tone, it sounded like it was urgent and he couldn't help but wonder if it had to do with the surprise appearance their captor had made in the chapel only hours before. All he knew was it still left a bad taste in his mouth.

Thanking his nurse for showing him to the library, Qui-Gon wandered down the shelves, looking for a spot that would be moderately remote and private - as private as a prison could be - where they could talk.

[stray_shinigami]

Renji was still feeling a bit off after the shift changed, but he thought it best to head to the library. He didn't trust himself to be alone with Rukia, right now. The overwhelming relief at seeing her was being slowly eroded away by the steady anger he'd been saving for himself. Everything he had done in the recent past had seemed so much less real, when he had been concentrating his energy on the single question of if Rukia was alive, rather than what it was he'd done to her.

He led the way to the library, then stalked between the shelves, looking for Qui-Gon. As he walked, he trailed his fingers along the spines of the books, skimming over the titles.

He found Qui-Gon in a relatively secluded corner. Out of habit, he grinned at the man, keeping his posture relaxed in spite of the tension that sang through him. "Jinn-san," he said. Best to get the introductions taken care of first. "This is Kuchiki Rukia. She arrived last shift... she's from my world."

[haiiro_no_chou]

Rukia followed just behind Renji as they wound their way through the maze of shelves. At least this strange place was decent enough to have a library. Rukia had spent much of her time in the real world inside Ichigo's closet reading novels and comic books. What else was a powerless Shinigami trapped in the living world to do?

Finally Renji stopped, addressing an older man. Rukia stepped forward next to Renji and studied the man as she was introduced. He had a calm, confident air about him that she found immediately likable. Rukia dipped a quick bow, saying, "It's nice to meet you sir."

[qui_gonjinn]

The corners of his mouth quirked up in a small smile. Qui-Gon bowed his head in greeting. His senses were still recovering from the meeting with Martin Landel, but he could at the very least see that Rukia had a good, strong signature in the Force, just like Renji.

"My pleasure, Rukia," he said, and gestured for them to take a seat. It was no Jedi Archive, with the comforting blue glows of the bookshelves filled with holos, but it was somewhat private and he felt a bit better discussing whatever they needed surrounded by a wall of these Earthian books - which smelled faintly musty - than out in the courtyard.

The Jedi Master rested his hands in his lap, glancing from Rukia to Renji.

"What was it you wanted to talk to me about?"

[stray_shinigami]

Renji sat, on the very edge of the chair, his back straight.

"Landel," Renji said, his smile becoming a grim line. "And that woman that was with him. I don't know if you saw her... I think she was just standing at the back of the chapel most of the time."

Instinctively, he rubbed the palms of his hands against his pants, as if he were trying to wipe dirt off.

"I've encountered serial killers that were nicer to be around. But... I managed to take a look at their spirit threads, even if it was a short one." For a moment, he had a mocking smile, his frustration at his own limitations evident. "They look human, at least. But I wanted to know what you thought. I don't know how reliable I am, any more."

[haiiro_no_chou]

Rukia turned one of the chairs so that it angled in toward the other two and sat down. She rested her hands in her lap, taking a cue from Renji and sitting straight. She didn't know where everyone stood in this place, which made her uneasy. But Jinn seemed like a man who had earned respect, and Renji was certainly behaving as though he felt the same way. For the time being Rukia decided to treat Jinn as though he were a higher ranking Shinigami. It just seemed like the sensible thing to do in the situation.

As Renji revealed the purpose of the conversation, Rukia wished she has gotten a look at this Landel. Again, she was unaware of all the facts, and she didn't like it. The best way to remedy that would be to listen, though, so she let the two talk.

[qui_gonjinn]

Martin Landel. Yes, Qui-Gon had his thoughts and theories about the man, but he had nothing strong, nothing concrete. Just a...a feeling, he supposed. Gut feelings had gotten him this far, though, so he supposed it amounted for something.

"It's what I saw - or didn't see, actually - that disturbed me," Qui-Gon said, his brow furrowed at the memory.

The sense of absence he'd felt in the staff had always bothered him, but it was Landel who had been truly disorienting. He was there, Qui-Gon's eyes could see that, but he was also not there, a void in the Force. But unlike his staff, his was actually growing. There was no sense of serenity, like a Jedi, or the violent swirls of passions and hatred he had felt in the Sith, and it was the absence of not only one, but all that was alarming

[stray_shinigami]

Renji hadn't expected that. He'd thought that Qui-Gon's abilities with this 'Force' thing would be reasonably like what the Shinigami could do. But this

[haiiro_no_chou]

Rukia's brows furrowing, she asked Qui-Gon, "What is... the Force? Is it like Kidou?" she finished, turning to Renji for assistance. It seemed that Jinn used it to sense people, but by Renji's reaction, it didn't work the same was as their Shinigami powers.

She watched Renji pace, mildly alarmed by his agitation. He had always been a man of action, not bothering to ask too many questions. But Rukia could understand his current position. When she had been deprived of her abilities, back when she had been with Ichigo, she had been forced to rely on her wits rather than her strength. She looked up when he stopped. "What?"

[qui_gonjinn]

"I can't say I'm familiar with 'kidou'," Qui-Gon admitted. Perhaps it was linked to Renji's discussion on the spirit and chains of fate, and another way of looking at the Force. He wasn't sure yet, but he knew at the very least that the word kidou didn't seem to ring any bells yet.

He wasn't particularly surprised that Renji had seen something different then he had. They came from different walks of life - so to speak - and that lent them different perspectives, which, when it came down to it, would help construct a better picture of the whole. Qui-Gon watched as Renji got up, following his movements serenely and waiting for him to speak again.

"Oh shit," said Renji.

Had he come to a conclusion? Qui-Gon was interested in hearing it and waited with Rukia for Renji to say what was on his mind.

[stray_shinigami]

He started pacing again, this time cracking his knuckles as he went. "Almost like a Hollow. Like being near one, but not quite." He looked at Qui-Gon. "Hollows are the things we hunt. What I told you about before."

He continued to pace, but he also answered Rukia's question. "From what I've talked about, with Jinn-san and Obi-Wan, sort of, maybe. Like feeling someone's reiatsu, maybe. I don't know if they do spells or not. We haven't gotten that technical." He laughed. "And I suck at that shit, anyway."

[haiiro_no_chou]

So Jinn didn't know about Kidou, that was understandable. Renji's explanation of this "Force" was somewhat lacking, but if it was like sensing reiatsu then Rukia had an idea of what the older man had been talking about. Somewhat.

So with the Force Jinn sensed nothing from Landel, while Renji perceived something akin to a Hollow when he looked. She smiled at Renji's comment about his own weak abilities in Kidou. "Yes, you do, but you make up for it in other ways, somehow."

She turned back to Jinn. "Kidou is, like Renji said, essentially a way of casting spells. We use them mostly for binding, or to harm enemies, but there are other types as well. This Force you speak of, though, is not spell-casting, is it? It's interesting that you sensed a void, a hollow in the Force, while Renji was reminded of a Hollow, a spirit who has lost its humanity." Rukia wondered what it could mean.

[qui_gonjinn]

It was almost strangely fitting that Renji had a word for something similar to Martin Landel...and that this "Hollow" almost eerily described the wound he had sensed about the man. So now those who consumed had a name, only it wasn't even a real name but simply another form of void. Qui-Gon didn't place too much stock in coincidence, though they did happen, when it came to things like this.

"It's very possible Martin Landel could be one of these Hollows," Qui-Gon conceeded. He glanced at Rukia. "My Order generally doesn't use the Force to harm others. It isn't something simply mastered to use as a tool, but instead somethin you ally your life to. Your life, essentially, is also the Force."

That was about as short an explanation he could give. While he found himself increasingly interested in the other aspects of the Force besides those favored by the Jedi, he realized that a long, drawn discussion about it was neither here nor there.

[stray_shinigami]

"Something like it," Renji said. He continued to pace as he thought, his steps slowing to an easy lope reminiscent of a caged wild cat. "Not quite a Hollow. And his spirit thread was human. Unless he's cleverly disguised." His laugh was rather self-disparaging. "Or maybe I'm blind and easy to fool. That's always a possibility."

He paced back and forth three more times before speaking again. "Now that I've looked at it, I can find it again," he said. "It's possible we could follow it to whatever rock he's hiding under." His steps sped again, the only outward sign he gave of the frustrating turn of his thoughts. "If I could concentrate long enough. If. I'm fucking useless." For a moment, he almost mentioned the nosebleed, the vertigo, the headache. But there was no point to it, and he was already angry enough a the whole situation.

[haiiro_no_chou]

Rukia nodded at Jinn's summary of his order's philosophy. The alliance with the Force he spoke of reminded her of her own alliance with her Zanpakutou. The swords were no mere weapons. She missed the comforting weight of Sode no Shirayuki at her waist.

Rukia folded her arms, distracted by Renji's constant pacing. The point of his monologue aside, he was being uncharacteristically pessimistic. Blaming himself and saying he was useless, just like Ichigo when he'd been defeated by the Arrancar. Rukia grimaced, irritated. Why was she always the one to drag people up out of their own personal holes? Not that she didn't want to help, but...

"Renji," she finally snapped. "You're going to make me dizzy from all the pacing. Calm down."

[qui_gonjinn]

Qui-Gon spoke up as well. "She's right. Please, sit down."

He frowned, feeling some of the agitation wafting off Renji's own peculiar Force signature and merging with Rukia's. It wasn't what he was used to, where he could really look at someone and see them brilliantly shining in the Force, with tendrils here and there connecting them to others and to the past, present and nebulous future. Rather like being blind-folded, except the one doing the blind-folding hadn't made sure the cloth was completely opaque