☆ 001 [video]

[i_love_taiyaki]

[The feed is an EXTREME CLOSE-UP on Renji's eye as he peers into the lens, then pulls the device back and tilts it on its side. It's pretty obvious he doesn't really know what he's doing with this technology nonsense. He definitely looks a bit worse for wear--he's bleeding visibly and appears to have scorch marks all over his face and upper torso

Comments

1/2

[xnoble_reasonx]

[Byakuya plays the things on the Forge while he works, as ignoring anything that doesn't seem worthy of his time has caused him unnecessary trouble.

He hardly pays attention to the video. That is, until he hears the voice to accompany it. His brush strokes stop and he frowns at the Forge for a moment.]

[ video ]

[xnoble_reasonx]

[It's over as quickly as it struck, setting the brush aside and lifting the Forge to respond.]

Renji. [The look he receives makes it clear he must stop and listen. His captain's patience has been pushed to its limits as of late.]

[video forever]

[i_love_taiyaki]

[Looooong pause goes here. WTF, Byakuya wasn't supposed to be in Hueco Mundo. What is this, I don't even.]

T-taichou? [Headscratch; this can't be happening.] Okay, now I know I'm just bein' fucked with.

[xnoble_reasonx]

[That vulgar language. Even a year among the common man hasn't broken his distaste of it. He has not missed it.]

Your wounds came from battle in Hueco Mundo? [It doesn't sound like a question, but it is.]

[i_love_taiyaki]

[.......Wait. Maybe it really is Byakuya. Nobody can mimic his deadpan that way.]

Uh... [Awkward now, for some reason. He didn't exactly want his captain to see him in this sort of condition.] Y-yeah. Me an' Ishida were fighting one of Aizen's goons. He gave us a run for our money.

[xnoble_reasonx]

No one else had arrived? [He simply has to make sure. Renji might have overlooked that face, even though his surprise at his response is probably enough for him to know that his timeline differs from the others.]

[i_love_taiyaki]

[Blink.] N-no? I mean, no, sir, we weren't expecting reinforcements; it was just me an' Quincy McFancypants.

[xnoble_reasonx]

I see. [He doesn't know what he expected. It didn't matter--Rukia had been after the battles and no one had suffered anything more than scrapes and bruises compared to what could have happened.]

That is all I needed.

Have you any questions? [After all, it is his duty as Renji's captain.]

[i_love_taiyaki]

I was given some information that seems to answer a lot of the questions I was pondering, so I think I'm good for the time being. 'Ppreciate it, though.

[Pause--oh!]

Actually, one question: How long have you been here?

[He doesn't want to bring up OH HEY HEARD YOUR DEAD WIFE AIN'T SO DEAD, despite being REALLY curious to know how the boss is dealing with this...]

[xnoble_reasonx]

[It's not really an intrusive question, but he does regard the Forge carefully. It's not really relevant, is it?]

Why do you wish to know that, Renji?

[i_love_taiyaki]

Just wondering if you'd been here a while or if you were kinda new to the neighborhood too, sir.

[Well, it's not exactly a lie...]

[xnoble_reasonx]

Is that so? [Not really convinced, but he won't get an answer. Of that, he is sure. So he goes back to his work. Someone needs to.]

I arrived one year ago today. [Yes, he actually counted. Maybe that's why he's still here?]

[i_love_taiyaki]

A year today? That's kind of a weird coincidence, that I'd show up the same day you did a year later.

[So it's probably a given he's run into Hisana. Okay, that's all he really needed to know. He just didn't want to bring it up accidentally sometime if he didn't know yet, so for now he'll just let the subject go.]

I'll uh... let you get back to your work, then, sir. I'm still not really sure exactly what to expect from this place, but you know if you need me all you gotta do's holler.

[xnoble_reasonx]

... See that your wounds are tended to and avoid Aizen Sosuke. Those are your only orders.

1/2

[i_love_taiyaki]

[SAKLDJFHLSDF]

W-wait, did you say--?

[Wait, hold on, there's got to be a way to... ah... Okay, there.]

[video/private]

[i_love_taiyaki]

Did you say Aizen's here?