“Sword, sword, sword…”

"No, Lieutenant Kizuki. Thank you! Thank you. Thank you thank you!" Ayane wanted to hug the man, to burst into tears, to just lose it. But she didn't. She composed herself as best she could, offering a million thanks to Kizuki as he busied himself with the others...while briefly letting them know there were already Sixth Division officers on scene, still within the Academy and presumably making their way out. So the two of them just had to wait. The two of them...speaking of, Ayane glanced over, biting her lip as she looked Suzume over. She looked better, much better, than she had when Ayane had initially brought her here.

The spark was back in her eyes. The business of the triage camp hardly phased Ayane as she knelt by Suzume, and after a moment of hesitation, she threw herself forward, to wrap Suzume into a gentle, affectionate hug. "Suzume! When you closed your eyes, I thought you might have...might have...!" she had rather keen reiatsu perception, true. But her irrational mind had screamed the worst at her; that was part of the reason she had gotten to the camp so quickly.

"You're okay. You're...100% gonna be okay..." she let out a soft laugh, nuzzling her face against the crook of Suzume's neck, a light smile on her face as she pulled away slightly, still well within reach. "We should...wait here. For the Sixth's officers to arrive." Ayane suggested, having dismissed the idea of going back in to find them. She wanted to trust they could make it out on their own. For now, she and Suzume had to survive; if those officers didn't, they could always report it to others in the Divison. And besides...besides.

Ayane wanted to indulge in this selfishness. To be with Suzume. Every part of her was screaming to not let the other out of her sight.
 
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"Ah-- Not the right..!" Suzume half grimaced, half laughed when Ayane's arm reached around a bit too far, brushing against the tender shoulder blade.

When Ayane relaxed, so too did Suzume, and she wrapped an arm around Ayane's waist. With a gentle tug, she pulled Ayane in close and began to smooth the back of her hair. Slow, rhythmic motions that started from the top of Ayane's head and worked their way all the way down to the end of her rosy locks.

"I'm okay," she whispered in reply to Ayane's murmured relief. Then, just as softly, she kissed the top of Ayane's head. "Thanks to you."

For a few minutes, both of the girls just sat there in silence. Holding each other, allowing their emotions to pour out. It was Suzume this time who broke the silence.

"Ayane..." She struggled with her friend's name. Uncertainty -- something Ayane had never heard from Suzume -- clogged her throat. So much that she had to clear it before continuing. "About, uh...the kiss..."

Just those few words made Suzume's face burn and her head spin.

"Well, you know...everything had been so intense, and I wasn't thinking straight...So, I mean...Listen..."

She tensed and shoved a hand through her bangs.

"Ugh! I mean!" She stumbled over her words. "How was it? I've never...you know...with a girl."
 
"Ah, sorry, sorry! I..." she didn't have much time to pull away before the hug was return. And she was tugged in closer, further. A blush was on her face as she felt the beating of Suzume's heart, the warmth of her body, the scent of her. Everything. It filled Ayane with an odd warmth herself as she knelt there, taking it all in. Somehow, in that moment, nothing else seemed to matter. They had survived, they were both alive, and they were there. Together.

"I m-mean..." she flushed as her head was kissed. And when Suzume spoke, Ayane wasn't sure what to say back. That was ALSO a first for Suzume, probably. Her normally bright, bubbly friend at a loss for words, a flush on her face as she contemplated those words. As she remembered their kiss.

"H-How was it? Well, I, uhm, hm..." she was fidgeting nervously, her face getting more and more red. She was playing with her own fingers, staring down at them.

A slight giggle left her lips. "I haven't kissed...a-anyone, before. At all. I never thought, with you, well, I mean, mmmh..." she had no idea what to say.

"It...d-didn't feel bad? Is...is that the right thing to say!?"
 
Fire, Screams, Chaos. The aftermath of the sudden attack would take some time to be dealt with. Seeing the carnage left behind and the carting of survivors off to be mended. Rin had stood frozen in the ruined field taking in every gory detail. This is why you picked up a blade, To prevent this. She told herself in this state of shock.

With the Adrenaline of everything fading. Rin had shuffled her way through the makeshift infirmary, Dodging around the various members to check on the survivors. Blood soaked bandages, the smell of medicines that twinged the nose, the look of fear and agony on everyone laid on a stretcher, and the occasional blankets soaking with the blood of the fallen who couldn't be saved. The noise of it all seeming to build to near overwhelming, till she heard at least one voice recognizable. Fourth Seat Hattori. Looking around she found the officer slowly sitting up.

She looked engaged in conversation, but the duty to report to ones nearest superior urged Rin to make her way over once the Lieutenant of the Fourth had started to step away, approaching from the side where Suzume was not currently scanning. Pausing for a moment as another familiar face among the crowd became apparent. Fifth seat Mibuchi, waiting for a few moments longer and suddenly becoming aware of something she may not have been welcome to see.

They seemed to be working through something that may have happened, Rin started to hear as she approached. Why are they talking about kissing?.

"Rin Ishikawa of the 11th. Sorry to interrupt... Can I offer any assistance?" Her voice carried heavy on the air. A sort of lower tone that had almost a smokey quality to it.

Waiting patiently for acknowledgement before standing back up straight. Once she heard one of the Officers speak she'd stand up straight and finally take in the visual of injury. Rin's left hand began to shake before lifting it slightly. "I have some Kaido training if you need further treatment."
 
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Every inch of Suzume's body tensed, and fire spread through her every nerve as the muscles pulled skin that wasn't yet fully healed. Both she and Ayane acted together, pushing each other away gently to create space and create the illusion that they hadn't just been embracing.

A grimace twisted Suzume's face as she forced herself to relax. After clearing her throat, she smiled at the newcomer.

"Ah, y-yes, welcome, Ishikawa," Suzume answered and then gestured her in with a lazy wave of the hand.

Her eyes rolled over the boyish girl -- or girlish boy, she wasn't sure. Supposedly, they were from the same Division, but nothing about Rin sparked any memories. Perhaps a newcomer, or merely a foot soldier who had never been assigned under Suzume or Ayane. In either case, Suzume still greeted her with a smile.

"You're a welcome sight, that's for certain," she said as her heart began to calm, and so, too, did her words. She twisted and pulled down her robes to reveal much of her left side. "Lieutenant Kizuki was only able to tend to the most severe, but he wasn't kind enough to dull the pain."

Then, realizing her impoliteness, she added:

"Ah, I am Suzume Hattori, Fourth seat," she introduced herself, and then gestured to Ayane. "This is the Fifth seat, Ayane Mibuchi. We're both of the Eleventh as well.

"We're not used to having Kaidō masters among our ranks. I'm surprised I haven't heard more about you, Ishikawa."
 
"Interrupt? No, no. No no no no no, you're not interrupting anything!" Ayane couldn't be more suspicious if she tried, a slight hint still on her cheeks, a panicked look to her eyes. It was clear that she had been focusing on no one but Suzume, and so she just let out a pain groan and fell silent, letting Suzume speak for the moment, squirming. Fidgeting, as she sat close to Suzume, though she did eye Rin as her...friend (or more, now?) spoke. So another person of the 11th was safe...that was good. Had she even been at the Academy, or had she just hurried over when the assault started?

Either way, it was good to see her.

So lost in thought was Ayane, that she barely noticed when Suzume spoke up again, introducing her. Thankfully, she was aware enough to give a wave to Rin as her friend spoke, a soft, reassuring smile upon her face. "I've heard about her! Then again, I hear about mostly everyone!" thanks to her status as something of a social butterfly, she talked to almost everyone. Even if she had never directly spoken to Rin, Ayane had heard about her.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Rin!" and there went the familiar use of her first name, even though Ayane barely knew her. After that, she faltered for a moment before clearing her throat. "Were you caught up in the assault? Or did you just hurry here...? Either way! I'm sure Suzume would appreciate some relief." Ayane spoke, reaching up to place a gentle hand, and squeeze, upon Suzume's shoulder before letting it drop. "I personally can't recommend going in there if you're just arriving. Healing talent like yours is probably, going to be needed. Lieutenant Kizuki can't do everything by himself. Even if he's trying to!"
 
Eying them both as they reacted, Rin noticed the quick shift away from each other. Thinking not much of it at first, assuming it was a relief and affection one may show a comrade after an ordeal.

Watching the partial disrobing as the wounds are revealed, Rin carefully stepped closer. Pressing her thumb into the center of her left hand and massaged it a bit as if stimulating the release point for the energy before lightly pressing the hand to the Fourth Seat's side. The heat of the injured tissue seemed almost still burning at first, though training in Kaido quickly told Rin that this was heat from the body trying to recover itself.

A gentle glow of Jade began to envelop Rin's hand as she focused it into the flesh of her patient. Left hand in contact and right hand supporting the wrist to keep pressed to Suzume's side.

The glow flickered as she heard Ayane speak, distracted momentarily from the sputtering of words and nervous energy. Maybe I really did interrupt. She thought to herself as she looked between the two officers. Was...Was the Fifth seat blushing? Either she was easily embarrassed or Rin might've missed something obvious.

"No miss, not a master. Mostly enough to keep myself or others going a bit longer. Every advantage counts right?" Her voice softened a bit as her focus was on the task at hand and trying not to jump to conclusions about why these two seemed off guard at her arrival.

Then she was called by her first name. Odd that a familiarity would be taken up so easily, antithetical to the way most people addressed her Rin trying carefully to respond without losing focus. "Pleasure to meet you too." her voice stammered for a bit before steading out. "I seemed to avoid the brunt of it, cut down some stragglers on my approach but of little threat. Then made my way here for further orders. I saw you Miss Mibuchi carrying someone off and figured report to the nearest ranking officer."

To be honest Rin almost didn't recognize her, but reading up on the officers she'd be serving under someone with pink hair stood out enough to be recognizable.

Her hand had slowly run over the size of Suzume, only touching at the most severe looking wounds tenderly to ensure the Kaido repaired it properly. Trying not to touch unnecessarily as to avoid any suspected impropriety.
 
Flesh unpeeled from itself, nerves relaxing and numbing, as if time itself had begun to go backward under the green glow of Rin's spell. Seconds reversed the hour of agony Suzume had endured. Though Rin would need more than just a minute or two to completely mend all of Suzume's wounds.

"Whew..."

Suzume sighed and hung her head. A droplet of sweat fell forward; residual from the strain of existing moments ago. She felt her jaw unclench and muscles that had been wound up for too long reluctantly give way to relief. Her eyes fell shut, peaceful and calm while she simply savored the feelings.

Ayane giggled with her introduction and gave an equally upbeat summary of the grim situation just beyond the triage zone. Even if it was a warning, something about the cheerful lift to her tone made it seem far less terrifying.

"I'm not your commanding officer, but I've no doubt they would want you here, Ishikawa," Suzume said, peeking just one eye open. "Your skills are better utilized here, and...Well, Ayane doesn't exaggerate. I'm certain we will have many in need of your aid very soon.

"Hollows appeared from the sky," she explained, even though she knew it was highly improper to give out such information to just anyone. "They attacked the Academy in what seems to be a sort of coordinated strike. Everything from runt-Hollows, to Huge Class."

But she did know better than to reveal the distorted conversation she and Ayane had heard. Nor did she feel it prudent to mention the Hollow's fixation on eating the Asauchi.

"I got separated from the class I was aiding, but I can't imagine many got out alive."
 
Ayane was silent.

Oh, she wasn't getting despondent, or sad, or anything of the sort. Rather, she was reflecting, as she listened to Suzume describe the conditions they had found themselves in. Hollows appearing from nowhere, the Academy under siege. Still under siege, with no doubt more fights happening all over.

Fights like the ones she had, the one Suzume had. And somehow, she found guilt bubbling up inside of her as she thought on that. She had gotten out unscathed, and been wholly unable to help Suzume other than punching her way through a problem. It had worked...this time.

What if she was in a situation where she couldn't punch her way through? Where she had to use her head? Or what if Suzume couldn't have survived without medical attention? Ayane was trying her best to relax, just as Suzume clearly was, as the conversation continued, biting her lip and shaking her head.

"Suzume's right. There...weren't many survivors by the time we were escaping. And I'm not boasting, but my ability to sense reiatsu is nothing to be scoffed at..." and yet her healing ability was. She almost automatically thought of that of herself, inwardly wincing.

The brightness in her eyes wavered, just a touch, before she cleared her throat. Trying to bring a hint of joy to her voice. Trying. "We should count ourselves lucky we're all still here. And Rin! You did good, reporting in to us like that. Good job!" she almost instinctively started to reach forward before stopping herself. She had to chide herself, remind herself, that Rin wasn't one of the many children growing back up in the Rukon that she visited often.

That she probably wouldn't appreciate the coddling a pat on her head would constitute. Ayane blushed at her foolishness, a light giggle leaving her lips.

"Thank you. For showing up, and helping Suzume."
 
The seriousness of the whole situation seemed to start sinking in more as Suzume described what was happening. Rin's hand shook as she kept the spell up. Either strain from the prolonged state or if they could tell Rin's fear.

And of course she would be relegated to healing status, it's not like she was the most capable fighter comparatively to an officer, and if they struggled, What good could she do besides get in the way? Still felt like a joke she was pushed into the 11th.

The good job shook her from her internal spiraling. Praise? That was new, it was at the very most the bare minimum. Mibuchi seemed to have a nurturing tone that Rin used all the time with the younger kids.

"Uh..yeah. you're welcome." She replied. "Seemed useful for battlefield treatment."

"Well...the Hollows will still need to be pushed back and eliminated, and even if there are no students...." a long pause as flashes of seeing Hollows ripping through families in the rukon filled her head. "...there'd be others in need of help from the fighting." That last part came through in a near whisper.

Once the wounds dissapeared from Rins vision she help the spell for a few moments longer to ensure everything was fine before the glow faded and she let her arm relax. "I'll get who I can into fighting shape so we can hopefully get this all resolved." Rin looked between both ladies and let a soft smile show. "Glad to be of service."

Lingering for a moment for a proper dismissal before turning to wade through the patients and help who she can.
 
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