The Sibling Runaway

Tsubine was among the last to leave the Captain's meeting. Although there were a couple of scornful looks, there were still plenty of congratulations from the gathered Captains and Lieutenants. But there was one person he still needed to see. Tsubine made his way back to Lilith's home where he and Eira had been living. He expected to surprise his sister with his appointment as Captain of the Eleventh Division. However, he was greeted with and empty home and a note. Tsubine searched all of Lilith's house for his sister. He then searched the grounds adjoining. Nothing. He then made his way to the Senkaimon. They claimed a Shinigami had gone through during the ceremony.

Tsubine asked where. They didn't know. With a growl of frustration, he ran back to the First Division, where he slammed the door open to Lilith's office. "Eira's missing. I think she's in the World of the Living. I need to borrow Genpaku." He spoke with a tone that said this wasn't a request, but a warning that his first duty was starting.

There wasn't much in this world that startled Lilith, but when you're asleep at your desk, head hung back, and legs up... someone busting suddenly through your door might be the exception. The bang ripped her from her sleep, and her attempts to compose herself in a professional manner brought her to the floor and her office chair on its side. She slowly raised her head up over the desk, glaring at Tsubine. "And you're sure she's missing, how?" she said, grumbling in annoyance.

Tsubine pulled out the note. Normally, he would have made a joke about how she had fallen. He didn't have the time to make a joke. "She left this note. I found it when I got back to your place. She said she's leaving and not to look for her. I looked around your place and she wasn't there. I checked with the folks at the Senkaimon. They said they let a Shinigami through a few hours ago. The description matches Eira." Tsubine never stopped fidgeting. He wanted to spring out the door. "If she's there, I need the person best versed in the World of the Living, and that's Genpaku."

Lilith raised an eyebrow and stood up, walking around her desk to lean against the other side. "Why? What are you trying to do, Tsubine? She leaves a note, telling you she's leaving and then not to look for her, so your first idea is to completely disrespect her wishes and hunt her down? She's not 'missing.' She ran away, and can you blame her? She's been miserable ever since you brought her to my house. Whatever is going on between you two, she's obviously done with it. Why don't you back off your sister and give her a chance to live her own life? You don't own her, and you need to stop acting like you do."

Tsubine grew furious as Lilith spoke the truth. He didn't want to hear it. Within moments, he was standing over Lilith, eyes alight with anger. "I know that I don't own her. But she's the only thing I've got. I've got to protect her."

Lilith leaned back from him, but otherwise didn't move. Her expression stayed calm and her eyes focused on his. "Protect her from what? You've kept her locked up for months. Right now, trying your best to keep her prisoner, is pushing her away. She probably even feels she needs protected from you. You are the one hurting her, Tsubine, so calm down and take a day to think this through. You want to find her? Then go ask Captain Arishima for help, but then leave her the hell alone. Be there for her if she needs it, not just because you're scared of something bad happening. Let the poor thing grow up... without a tyrant over her shoulder."

Tsubine stared in silence. She was right, but he didn't want that. He growled and slammed a fist against Lilith's desk before turning on his heels. He paced around the room, not sure where to direct his anger. "I want—no, need her to be safe. If something happens to her, I would never forgive myself."

Lilith stepped up and grabbed his shoulder. "She will be fine. No one of the world of the living can do anything to that girl. What you need is to stop being her keeper and to be her brother. As I said, ask for help in locating her and keep an eye on her. Don't interfere with her life, or there may be a point you don't have a sister."

Tsubine tensed and almost shrugged her hand off. "Dammit..." He sighed, letting what tension he held to slip away slowly. "Eira always said I 'couldn't read women.' I never knew she meant herself." He moved away from Lilith and slumped against the wall next to the door. "Lilith, your motherly pride aside... Do you believe Genpaku's Division can keep her safe even at a distance? I want the truth."

Lilith went back over to her chair and sat down. "Motherly pride aside, hm? Not possible, but…" She cleared her throat and thought for a moment. She thought a little longer... and a little longer... adding in 'hms' and 'ums' every now and then. She rolled her eyes and smirked. "Of course, they can. Gen trains them well, and they know the world. How is that even a question? If you want a stealthy spy after her, then contact the Second after Gen's Division locates her."

Tsubine did not appreciate the moment of silence. He raised an eyebrow towards Lilith as she went with her fifth "hm." Thankfully, her answer came shortly after. He knew that was going to be her answer. He just needed to hear it himself. "Then that's all there is to it. I'm going to trust you on this and have Genpaku find her, just so I know where she is. I'm not going to use your spies. That will just defeat the purpose of being the entire conversation we just had." Tsubine didn't say anything more as he walked outside of her office and began trying to remember where the eighth division was.

Lilith just nodded and watched him walk out of the room. "Yeah... it would."

[A few hours later]

Tsubine found the Eighth Division's office without much trouble (comparatively). Unlike his earlier entry into Lilith's office, Tsubine gently but firmly knocked before opening the door. "Yo, Genpaku. I know it's sudden... but I need a favor—Captain to Captain."

Genpaku had been in his office, working out some minor paperwork that had followed on the tail-end of some much more major paperwork.  With so many things changing in, what the Soul Society considered, such a short amount of time there was no end to the work.  He hadn't been expecting anyone to come knocking on his door as the hour grew long, but called for them to open it.  When Tsubine stepped in and wasted no time getting to the point Genpaku raised an eyebrow at the request.
"Depends on the favor," he responded as he shuffled the paperwork to the side, waiting for more of an explanation.

Tsubine didn't sit down. He walked over to the desk, setting a small brown box in front of Genpaku. "My sister has... decided to run off to the World of the Living. She left a note saying she doesn't want me to look for her. So, following her wishes: I want either you or your Lieutenant to find her and give her this." He tapped on the box. "I only trust the two of you to do this—mostly because I know you two can find her the quickest. I just want to make sure she's safe. She's the only family I have left."

Genpaku listened as Tsubine laid out his request, looking down at the box then back at the man.  He simply gave a nod at the end of it, both of understanding and agreeing to do the favor.  He picked up the box, looking it over while he spoke.
"Any clue on where she went?  Technically, I'm only in charge of part of the World of the Living now.  However, I can probably find her fastest still.  And I can pass on word to whoever is in charge of where she is to not go dragging in an unregistered Shinigami for questioning."

Tsubine slouched in relief. "Thankfully, I have a hunch... Eira can only speak Japanese, so she's probably there. She's... lived near mountains and forest, so avoid that... If I had to guess, look for a big, coastal city." Tsubine dug around in his jacket. He found something he kept tucked away in a hidden area of his jacket. He unfolded a photograph of Eira and Tsubine smiling together. The picture he produced was nearly a century old, yet neither of them had changed much. He passed it over to Genpaku. "In case you need to remember what she looks like. I know you only met her once..." Tsubine sighed. "I... definitely owe you one. Thank you."

Genpaku took the photo, looking at it for a moment before pocketing it.
"I may hold you to that," Genpaku said, a mix of tired and weariness in his voice.  He shot a glance out the window to gauge the time.
"About how long ago did she leave?" he asked as he stood up, grabbing his Zanpaku-tous from where they lay against his desk.

Tsubine thought for a moment. "She left sometime in the middle of the big ceremony. I think the guys at the Senkaimon said it was about two hours in, so about 5 or so hours ago."

Genpaku gave a nod.  A pretty long headstart, but he could make up for it.  He started toward the door.
"I'll find her and pass on the message," he said with a small smile before he stopped and looked down the hall.
"Hatakeyama! Food! Then hold down the fort, I need to check something in Japan," he called out before giving a motion with his head and heading out into the approaching twilight to hunt up Tsubine's sister.

Down the hall, in her own office, Kaminari's head shot up from a small puddle of drool so fast that she sent herself leaning too far back. The wheels of her chair slipped from under her and she hit the ground with a hard thud. In the ruckus, she counted herself lucky that only a few papers hit the floor. Laying there... staring at the ceiling... "Yes. Cap.Tain."

There was only one strange, unapproved listing on the register for the Senkaimon: Kamakura Beach. By the time she'd be found, she was renting out a small cabin a mile up the beach. At the current moment, however, she was sitting down on the white sands, staring out over a beautiful blue ocean with a picnic set up. The sun shined through a cloudless sky and a cool breeze coming over the waves provided a comfort over the scorching heat. Unfortunately, she'd have her relaxation interrupted by an unexpected visitor...

There was no preamble or fanfare to the arrival of Eira's guest.  One minute she was alone, the next she wasn't.  Genpaku stood quietly, behind her several steps, looking out at the waves.  Despite the chaos of the last several weeks, this felt calm.  His haori hung over one of his shoulders.
"You could certainly do a lot worse for a place to get away from it all," he said after a few moments, looking down at Eira.

Eira's relaxing silence was broken and she flinched from the surprise voice. "Oh, god. What the hell, Short-Stuff." Eira mimicked the nickname her brother had given him. She stood up and narrowed her eyes, mostly suspicion. "What are you doing here? How did you find me?" she grilled him instantly. "I'm not going back, and if my brother sent you, you can tell him to fuck off. I'm not dealing with anymore of his shit right now."

Genpaku raised an eyebrow at the nickname, watching as she stood up.  He wasn't exactly a fan of the nickname and only let it slide with Tsubine because he was Lilith's guest.  He let out a breath after a moment though, letting it pass as the questions began.  He held up a hand to slow down the steam Eira was building up.
"Relax.  Cooler heads have already calmed your brother down from sprinting his way out here to try and drag you back, and I haven't come out to do it for him.  He did, however, ask me to find you and pass along something," Genpaku said, reaching into a pocket and producing the small brown box Tsubine had handed to him.  He held it out for Eira.
"No clue what it is, but he was insistent that it make it to you."

"Cooler heads?" Eira raised an eyebrow. She figured who Gen was talking about and wouldn't classify Lilith as a "cooler" head... Well, normally anyways. She relaxed some and looked to the box. She hesitated in taking it, but ended up doing so. She stared at the box, contemplating whether she'd open it. "Whatever..." Eira sighed and sat back down, stuffing the box into the bag she had. "Thanks, I guess." she looked out over the water again, "Sorry, no, no. Really thank you and your Mom. If he had shown up, it would have been an all-out fight, one I would have inevitably lost."

Genpaku took note that she didn't seem to want to open the box, but didn't see a reason to comment on it.  She'd open it if/when she wanted to.  He'd been curious what Tsubine wanted passed on to his sister, but it wasn't really his business in the end.
"No worries, saves me some paperwork," he said with a small smirk at the joke.
"Speaking of, I'll pass on to those in my Division to leave you alone as much as they can.  The Gotei is usually pretty persistent about tracking down unaccounted Shinigami, but since this is my region to watch over I can make some adjustments," he said.
"Though, I'd appreciate it if ya could keep things as quiet as possible.  While Tsubine plans to respect your wishes, if you start being too loud and words starts traveling he may come out here just to yell about it."

Eira looked back over her shoulder at him. "You don't have to worry about me making a problem for anyone. I'm just gonna sit around in my gigai and live my own life, maybe get a job. No matter, your Division will barely notice I'm here."

Genpaku gave a nod.  "Fair enough," he said.  He took a moment, looking over and considering his Haori before he apparently reached a decision and left it off.
"If you need anything, flag down one of the Shinigami working the area.  They can get a message back to me and either I can come out and help, or I can send it on to your brother if you want.  Not to cut and run, but I've got other things to handle so I'll let you on back to your peace."
He gave her a genuine, warm smile.  "Take care, and see ya around," he said, and after she'd had a chance to respond he vanished.

"I'll keep that in mind, thanks." Eira returned the smile and waved goodbye. Once he vanished, she pulled out a glass and a bottle of wine she somehow purchased and poured some. For the first time ever, she was on her own... Completely free with no hovering guardian... and with no safety net.

Thread End