Under the Table [Closed]

It wasn't every day you could kill a god.

Thankfully, Tsubine wasn't here for that today. Well, close enough. Inside of his jacket was definitely a god of sorts. Kamijin Fireball was a whisky Tsubine had found somewhere in the Rukongai. It wasn't a high-class, eighty-thousand-kan-a-bottle ones. Those never tasted right anyway. No, this was one of those ones you couldn't find in a store. You had to go to the brewer specifically and place an order in advance. Most people didn't know where this distillery was, as it moved around to avoid notoriety. Tsubine caught wind of it years ago. He awoke today to a note in his door giving him an address. His order, placed nearly two decades ago, was ready.

Tsubine had a weird spring in his step as he fist-bumped one of the guards. He liked doing that to some of the newer ones—it really caught them off-guard. There were only two people he could share such a refined drink like this with. One of them would probably smash his head open with the bottle. The other would probably kill him on sight. So the choice was obvious. The Captain of the Eleventh Division, Lilith Blake, was his target for today. He wasn't doing this to apologize for something. This guy? Do something wrong? Pshaw. He only did one thing wrong and that was just in the other peoples' eyes. If they knew why he did it, they'd entirely understand.

So Tsubine had to walk. If he started using Shunpō, he'd probably end up in the Fourth Division. He didn't want to be chased out of there again. It wasn't his fault they had so many pretty nurses. Tsubine looked about, then made a decision on the direction to go. It was probably the wrong way, but he was used to that happening. By the grace of the gods, Tsubine chose correctly—sort-of. He rounded a corner and nearly slammed face-first into Lilith. He blinked. She blinked.

"I was looking for you." The two said in almost-unison. Even if the wording was somewhat different, the intention was the same.

Tsubine knew one thing. Unless it was really important, don't argue with Lilith. That's why he didn't rebuke her with a "no, you first. I'm allowed to look for fine ladies whenever I want. But what's a gal like you lookin' for me?" He'd get punched. He didn't want to get punched. "Because anyone else I know," Tsubine lifted the bottle out and gave it a light shake, "would need to go to the burn unit after a single shot." He shrugged as he re-placed it. "And what's the fun in drinkin' alone? You just get all thinky and depressed. Ain't no fun."

"Plus, I saw some of your guys go into some of the... seedier parts of East Rukongai. Not exactly the places you'd want a Shinigami going into. Kind of place where illegal and illicit substances can be procured. Wasn't anyone particularly important—none of your seated guys. 'Bout three nights ago it was. So that's part of why I came to find ya." Tsubine tilted his head down a little so the sun wasn't completely glaring out his eyes. "But mostly to get drunk. Now your turn. Not every day you try to find me."

Lilith was about the only person who could drag him along without any complaints from him. Mainly because she didn't do it to mess with him as much anymore. It had nothing to do with the fact that she had a better sense of direction, of course. Tsubine took the seat across from Lilith. "You don't need it, but I like it with it. Makes it feel less like a barhouse shot and more like a proper drink." Tsubine took his, but waited for Lilith to drink before he did. Man this was worth the wait. He felt that warmth in his stomach as his throat burned.

"A-fuckin'-men there." Tsubine gave a slight toast to her, then noticed her expression change. The moment she went serious, he took his glasses off and placed them in a pocket inside of his jacket. Tsubine listened to her intently. He always had the feeling that he was one of the only people she could talk to about stuff. Not just thoughts and worries, but things that really needed an outsider's opinion. Plus, he'd tell it to her straight.

"Huh, so shortstuff has a shorterstuff then..." Tsubine took a small drink then sat it on the table between them. He stayed leaned in, his elbows resting on his knees. "Kid's young, but he usually has some sense 'bout him." Tsubine thought for a moment, then raised up his right hand with two fingers presented. "But I got two theories on why he chose her," he held up two fingers on the other hand, "and two more on why you don't like 'er."

"One, he's liking her in a more... mature manner. Doubt it, but when you're young you do crazy and dumb crap. Or two, she's actually got an aptitude for the job that maybe doesn't involve the whole physical thing." Tsubine lowered the first hand, then took a drink. "One, your gut is just nervous on someone gettin' close to him—like a mother should worry. Or two, you're nervous on someone gettin' close to him—'cause ya won't be the main lady in his life."

"In either case, ain't gonna say you're over-reacting or bein' a worrywart or whatever. Yer just... well bein' a mom I guess. Yanno, you bein', well, you. If yer right, you can flatten her like a beer can. If yer wrong, well, you get to be pleasantly surprised." Tsubine thought for a moment. Something about the way she said she wasn't trusting of Shorterstuff. "What else ya know about her though? Could be that's the source of yer unease."

Tsubine might have tensed if he wasn't technically the same as Shorterstuff. While people knew that he was once part of the Mikazuki, few people knew how high up he was at one point. He, too, was a Shōjin brat. He was born and raised out there in the sparse countryside. That was before everything, though. She continued onward, explaining it. Tsubine gave Lilith a look. It was a look that said "you do realize that's what I am, right?" Once she finished, Tsubine, too, chucked down his drink. He put his hand to his mouth too (he did have some manners) and burped. It was a good, burning one.

"This stuff is worth the nearly twenty-year wait. I know we live for fuckall ever, but when you're waiting on something..." Tsubine shook his head, then sat the glass back down. "Way you said that, makes it seem as if she's not part of 'em. Which, yanno, isn't a crime in and of itself. I know you 'cityfolk' have a hard time trustin' outsiders like me, but one thing the Mikazuki was founded upon was community outreach, but well, can't really say that's what the big wigs are still for nowadays. I've taught a handful of people in the bast how to defend themselves. But you know me, I don't have the..." Tsubine waved his hand in a circle, "technical details to properly take an apprentice or anything. Most of what I did was teach 'em how to make fists and show 'em where to put those fists if they're ever in a serious fight."

"There's a few that did the whole 'master and apprentice' thing, but it's not common. Always was gossip goin' around the ones who did. Do you know who it was that trained her? Might know 'em, or at least know of 'em." There was an unspoken eagerness to what he was saying. He wanted to know who taught her. Maybe share a funny story about them. Mostly, though, there were a few people he missed from there. This might be a reason to catch up with old friends... assuming they didn't try to kill him first.

Tsubine expected to hear glass shatter. No, he just heard it sliding on the countertop. He nodded in appreciation, giving her what would be called a golf clap. "How many'd you break before getting that down?" It was just a light tease, but well, that's just how he was. "Agreed on that." He downed the rest of his, then relaxed some.

Tsubine rolled his eyes lightly. She didn't actually get what he was trying to say. Tsubine was an honest-to-god traitor, and he was fine. Some girl who came from the outside was fine. Now, he did have his concerns about the fact she was taught by someone in the Mikazuki. But she was open about admitting it. She may not say who, but the fact that she admitted it counted for something. Plus, the fact it was a she meant it wasn't the worst-case scenario. If she were trained by him, Tsubine would have agreed that Lilith should be more cautious. But in his eyes, Shorterstuff was going to be someone he asked around about. It wasn't worth a full-on investigation.

Thankfully, the conversation shifted. But it wasn't a good shift. He immediately wanted to go back to the previous conversation. He stopped breathing the moment she finished explaining it. He stared into her eye. "Shit on a fuckin' stick." She was telling the truth. Tsubine let out a heavy sigh, then leaned back. "One person survivin', I'd say she's lucky but... I think it was probably to send a message. But just..." Tsubine leaned forward again. "Fuckin' hell. You're sure it's them? Word on the street was that they were drawing back in towards Sayamachi all of a sudden, so I knew something happened..."

Tsubine thought for a moment, then calmed down. "What else do you know about what happened?"

"It's just one of htose things I've heard." Tsubine waved off her mocking his choice of words. This was actually stressful. He listened intently. Everything both seemed right... and wrong at the same time. If anything, it was almost too much like the radicals of the Mikazuki. He'd dealt with radicals back in his time. Usually they'd stop if you bloodied their noses a bit. If they didn't, he'd gladly mark them as excommunicado and eliminate them.

But this just didn't sit right with him. Tsubine shook his head, still deep in thought. "Only people that'd go that far are those that'd just run away in a fight. Sneaky types. It's usually not a full-on patrol. Only time they ever did that before was when they were looking for me. If it is them, it probably means there's another runaway with very important information." Tsubine sighed, then went back into his head. It was a stormy place right now. Only Lilith's fucking Pennywise smile snapped him out of it.

"Lilith... I know you want to fight. It's honestly about the only thing I know for sure about you. But I need to ask a favor. If you want to take that whiskey as payment for it, then do it. But I need you to buy me some time." Tsubine looked right into her eye—and where her other eye would be. "I don't want a war. I think this can still be settled without a war or any large-scale conflict. Maybe I'm one of them optimists... Or maybe it's just the fact that I know innocents will be drawn into that conflict. Or maybe it's the fact that there are people I care about on both sides. I don't know, and I honestly don't rightly care at the moment. I just need you to buy me time—two weeks at the maximum—so I can go and find out what the hell is going on. If they attack again during that time, sure, go ahead and retaliate. And if it ends up being right that they did that, and there wasn't a mistake..."

"There's only one person I'd rather you not fight. Leave that person to me." Lilith would know roughly who he was talking about. No identity was ever given to her, nor was it ever confirmed if it were a man or woman. All Lilith would know was that person meant something to him.

Tsubine knew Lilith was annoyed by this. It was anathema to her to promote peace over a good ol' brawl. But the fact she did agree... Tsubine de-tensed immediately. Unfortunately, he was hoping she wouldn't actually take that whiskey as payment. Oh well. He'd suck it up and wait.

"Maybe it is, maybe it isn't. That person is someome important to me, and that's all you'll know about them. I believe in their original cause. The Shōjin should either be completely incorporated into the protection of the Gotei or they should stop trying to police it like it's a colony. But I did and still do believe it can happen without bloodshed. That asshole in charge of the Mikazuki needs to stop trying to push it with threats of violence and rhetoric. It's only causing an us-versus-them scenario that's almost to the point of no return." Tsubine sighed. "Hell, we're mostly seen as bumpkins and brutes by the people in the Tōryōseiku while you guys are seen as hard-handed fascists over there. I want there to be a day where being from one or the other just means that you have different experiences in life, not the implication that something is wrong with you."

"There are people in the Gotei that won't show any mercy to people in the Shōjin, just like there are people in the Mikazuki that won't show any mercy to people in the Gotei. That's just how it is right now. Those people are the ones from both sides that shouldn't be out there fighting. They're the ones that'll cause deaths of the innocents. If nothing else, what I want from this is those guys to be unable to act without incurring the wrath of both sides." Tsubine stood up, sighing. As he walked towards the door, he put his sunglasses back on. "Thank you, Lilith."