[ video ] ► three

[maelstroms]

[ Sunset finds Ukitake to be settled upon a rooftop (is it one you happen to recognize, perchance?), sitting in seiza as the heat of the day wanes, brown eyes diligently overlooking the city. In light of recent events, he has forgone wearing both captain's haori and shihakusho in favor of donning a white, button-up shirt and dark dress slacks, his

Comments

[trickster_treat]

I saw it. Nooooot pretty.

[maelstroms]

I imagine that it wasn't.

[ Now, his expression flickers into something serious, dark eyebrows furrowing.

But, just to be sure - ]

Did you catch sight of the boy? Of his caretaker?

[video]

[trickster_treat]

The creepy kid? I saw him.

[smirks and buffs his nails on his shirt]

[video]

[maelstroms]

[ Head tilt, to the right. ]

You've nothing else to report?

[ He has his own thoughts on the matter, of course. A theory that, in order to have been affected as the protesters were, one must have directly laid eyes upon the child present.

Curious. ]

[Voice]

[break_onthru]

[Break's been listening to the previous discussions before venturing to add to the conversation.]

Strange, isn't it, that it seems like noooo one got a good look at what happened at that rally, Ukitake-san?

[Least of all, himself. But he heard it. And he's been playing to back to himself over the last day, as well. It reminds him of another event in his world that no one seems to have much information on, either.]

[Voice]

[maelstroms]

Strange, yes. Disturbing, as well. It as though we are intentionally being kept in the dark by forces unknown.

[ What purpose could such a video have, after all, aside from serving as a show of power? But from a child, and from his caretaker (his mother?) - it's unthinkable, to him. Utterly and completely. ]

But the same can be said for our arrival here, amongst other things.

[Voice]

[break_onthru]

Among most things, to be peeeerfectly honest, Ukitake-san.

Do you know of anyone who has spoken to these famed twins? Or anyone in their household, for that matter?

[video]

[calamitousnaiad]

[Verity frowns a little, looking thoughtful.]

It was so strange, to allow the rally to go on for days and just put it down like that.

I was there only moments before. I'd only just decided it was time to retreat because it seemed the rioters might have been catching on that I wasn't one of them. It was the oddest thing.

[video]

[maelstroms]

[ Sharing the sentiment completely, he nods, lips pressing into a thin line. ]

However glad I am that no Scorched has found a fate similar to that of the protesters, with only a single broadcast to go off of...

It was deliberate, something that we were allowed to see, for whatever reason.

[video]

[calamitousnaiad]

Yes, so it seems. It was definitely a display of power. I would go so far as to say they - whoever 'they' are - wanted us to see it for some reason.

[video]

[maelstroms]

"We'll teach the city how to play a different game."

[ He repeats the woman's phrase from the broadcast, though his tone is more contemplative than dark. ]

For better or for worse, I would like to think of it as a warning.

[Video]

[maelstroms]

Thankfully, I have not. Though, I suspect that's partially due to my avoiding the vast majority of the city's locales.

Tension like this, does not simply disappear overnight...

[ Even if the rally itself was put to an end in a manner of minutes. ]

But it seems as if the outward hostility has waned, for now.

[Video]

[maelstroms]

And I've no doubt we'll be able to, over time. If only one thing is certain, it is that change will come, and there are enough good people here, amongst both the natives and the Scorched, to influence that change for the better.

Until then, it seems the patrol and the police force will have their work cut out for them-

[ To contain the 'trouble' Rukia's spoken of, that is. ]

-as always, I will caution you to take care, Rukia.

[turquoice]

Considering that time's stopped back home while we're here, I'm not sure how much dancing he's doing.

[ He's grumpy because of the Bellatrix debacle :C ]

[maelstroms]

[ Oh, he knows. In regards to both the statement and Hitsugaya's seemingly incurable case of tsundere.

For a moment though, he falters visibly - the last he'd seen of Shunsui is something he'd rather not dwell upon. Shot in the back, because of his mistake and no other's.

Ah.

His grip on the glass of sake tightens.

Then, spoken as though he were teaching a lesson of vital importance: ] I believe it's the sentiment that counts, Hitsugaya-taichou, regardless of time or place.

And is it not true that time is frozen in different periods, for all of us? Somewhere, he is. I have faith in that.

[turquoice]

[Hitsu notices the slight changes, watching him closely out of the corner of his eye]

Either way, I'm sure he'd like the idea.

[maelstroms]

[ A nod. ]

Thank you, for saying that.