Meeting in the streets. [Shin, PM for inv]

The day was nice, a rolling breeze passing through the buildings, sun up high in the sky glaring down at whoever was under it. For the samurai this was a perfect day, a perfect day to actually do perfectly nothing productive, it was his day off and he would use it to his hearts content. Bottle in hand, rice ball in the other he looked around in Seireitei, looking at shinigami fuss in their usual daily matters, it made him feel good to actually be on vacation.

His white wrapped soul slayer at his side the shinigami was on the top of a small structure with a casual roof. People ignored him and he ignored them they passed the streets under him and looked at him as if he was doing something wrong. The building itself was the entrance to the second division's barracks a large building with many guards at the entrance. Not that the samurai really bothered them as he was laying down on his side but he did give a bad example of the division, so a guard walked up and spoke to him.

''You should walk around you know, enjoy your day off''

Tatsu looked at the man and understood what he meant, shunpoing down he walked the streets while eating his rice ball and slurping down on his bottle slowly, making sure it would last till the end of the day.

Shin was finally able to enter the seireitei, the guard at the gate had given him a little bit of trouble but didn't really do anything seeing as shin had permission, to enter, the Seireitei looked a lot different than he would have expected, he would have expected it to look more, military like rather than just white walls and paths and stuff. His first place he wanted to visit was the academy, after asking around for a little while he eventually made his way over to the academy, and was quickly drawn towards the practice fields, he scrambled up a nearby tree and sat on a large branch and set down his stuff on the branch leaning against tree trunk, and rummaged through it until he found one of his pork buns and started to much into it as he looked at the people practicing their strange skills in the distance.

Tatsu walked for a while, didn't really know where he was going, time passed and the sun dropped slowly. Something caught his eye at one point, there was someone in the vicinity not wearing their robes. It caught his attention, why would anyone move around without their shinigami robes, even more why would anyone wander around wearing clothes from the rukon districts.

Changing his path to match the person he had notice from the corner of his eye he decided that he would follow him for a while. Multiple streets went by, the samurai didn't know if he would have to suppress his spiritual pressure so he really didn't bother. It seemed like this little person was headed towards the shinigami academy, but then why wouldn't he war the academy robes..this was getting more and more intriguing. Putting his bottle in the wraps of cloth around his zanpakuto and wrapping the ball of rice back in its cloth back into the inside pocket of his kimono.

After a short chase the little boy sat down on a branch near the training grounds, a small smile drew on Tatsu face as he walked up seeing the pork buns, speaking up looking at the little boy in the tree. ''I'll trade you a ball of rice for one of those pork buns'' The samurai was wearing his usual robes, white wraps around his zanpakuto a smile on his face and a hand up in the air to shield his eyes from the sun. ''Are you a student?'' He asked, trying to figure out with a friendly manner what was really happening here.

It was interesting to say the least, watching them use what he had learned was called Kido, there were also some people fighting each other in sword combat or at least that is what they looked like, it was kind of hard for him to follow the flashing light of blades making contact and criss-crossing as they battled each other, he took another bit of the pork buns, they were from his favorite place and he really enjoyed them.

Suddenly a man called out to him, he looked down, the man was offering a trade, one of his pork buns for one of the man's rice balls. Shin glanced down at the man at the rice ball in his hand, it looked good enough and it would break up the monotony of only eating pork buns, it would allow him to enjoy the pork buns even more. Shin stuffed the pork bun he had been eating in his mouth and hopped down. He started to get another pork bun out from his bag to trade the man, who asked if he was a student. Shin shook his head as a negative and took the pork bun out of his mouth he had been using to hold it and set it down on a little towel he had brought and pulled out a pork but which he held out to the man, "No I'm not a student, its interesting to watch though." He held out his other hand for the rice ball.

Tatsu enjoyed the training grounds it was most likely his favorite part of Seireitei. So much aspiration, everyone dreamed of becoming so high and mighty in this place, it was a place for young minds to mature. When he saw the young man drop down from the tree Tatsu took a step back, making sure he wasn't in the way. The rice ball Tatsu made had spices in it and were cooked perfectly to hold together, all in all Tatsu was a great cook.

Reaching within his Kimono he took his remaining rice ball and handed it over to the little boy, taking the pork bun on his way back. The rice was fresh and tasty and the cloth was clean, to ensure the greatest taste, the spices were cooked with the rice, ensuring its freshness. Without further ado, Tatsu took a bite of the bun and smiled, he loved eating it was his little sin in life. With the quantity of food he ate most of the time, people thought he would be fat but there was in no way anything that could lead to that currently.

It really took the samurai's attention as to how he was here, of course there was a reason because he wouldn't of passed the gates, so might as well not beat around the bush and just ask him. ''Do you want the be one?'' It was obvious, atleast Tatsu thought it was obvious that this little fella was not a shinigami, because he would be wearing the kimono. Tatsu turned around and leaned against the tree and kept on talking for a short moment of time. ''The feeling you get when you are helping others, its gratifying and I can definitely tell that you've got what it takes to be a shinigami. Aha! You even have a great taste for food!'' For some reason Tatsu joked around, something inside him cried out there was nothing he could do to hep it but he wanted to help this kid, without even knowing what were his problems. It put that feeling on his overly defensive nature and glanced at the kid.

Shin set down the rice ball next to his half eaten pork bun and sat down and started eating the pork bun again, while watching the colorful blasts of kido off in the distance, he noticed that the man kept glancing at him, probably thinking about something or other. The man suddenly asked if he wanted to be a student. Shin looked over at him, he had not been the first to ask shin this, though he had no real intention right now of joining the academy. He went on to say the feeling of helping others is great and that he had what it takes to be a shinigami.

"I know I do, I've been told that by many shinigami, even the onnmisutido" Shin's brow scrunched in concentration as he tried to remember the proper name. He munched another bite of his pork bun and then after a brief pause said, "I'm happy with where I'm at now, Kuro is training me right now and I'm happier with that right now, I'm not sure what i really want to do is become a shinigami." He looked over at the man making sure his words were enough to truly describe what he meant and how he was feeling.

Tatsu slowly ate the pork bun he was given enjoying the nice weather, he wasn't really impressed by the kido's and bakudo's that were shot in the distance, he knew that most academy students only could manage spells of a very low rank. When Tatsu spoke his words, it seemed like Shin actually knew how to answer, as if he was asked this multiple times. Taking another bite out of the bun, leaving it half finished and he listened to the kid's reply, making sure to hear every single word he said. He had been told by the onmitsukido, a worried look on his face Tatsu nodded, onmitsukido were never a good thing to have around in his opinion.

So kuro was secretly training this child, it was interesting for a captain to do something like that. He wasn't sure if that was against the laws of the Seireitei or not but it sure sounded fishy, if Kuro wasn't his best friend he would most likely go talk to the captain commander about this. ''Maybe you shoulder say that part too loud, I'm not sure if it could give him some trouble or not, better not take any chances right?''

Tatsu nodded at the wise answer of the little boy, and smiled enjoying his pork bun. ''As long as you don't become someone bad, I'll be fine with your choices', I'm Tatsu Chirako, nice to meet you''

Shin munched down on the last part of the pork bun he was eating, The man mentioned that he should probably keep quiet about Kuro training him, Shin hadn't thought about that, and in restrospect it was probably really foolish of him to mention it so easily, he was being trained by a captain outside of the organization he worked for that kept peace, it could be seen as treasonous, Shin didn't know the rules well enough to know whether or not it was legal, maybe he Should join just so that Kuro wouldn't get in trouble, he should ask kuro about it next time he saw him, it was really worrying to shin.

The man introduced himself as Tatsu Chirako, It was an odd name to be sure but Shin wasn't about to insult the man by saying as much, instead he merely introduced himself back. "I'm Shin. Thanks for the advice, about the training." His voice trailing off a bit on the last part and blushed a bit in embarrisment, it was such and obvious and stupid mistake. He quickly grabbed the rice ball and took a large bite out of it while looking away, trying to cover his embarrisment the best he could. After chewing the bite he looked back at Tatsu and said, "You know Kuro then?"

Tatsu finished the pork bun munching what was left of it a smile appeared on his face, the sheer taste of it was wonderful. Tatsu had to make it a point to tell this boy to keep such information well hidden, there were people who could...would use such an information against the good captain. They could kidnap Shin to try to make the captain act against the law, such things came to the samurai's mind and he knew that he would have to protect this child if such a thing came to happen. A worried look appeared on the samurai's face and vanished as fast as it appeared.

''It's really nothing, just be careful.'' Running his hand in front of his face to remove the hair from his glance Tatsu smiled and turned to the boy. ''You thirsty?'' he said with a bottle in hand, white bottle made of ceramic that had been hidden in the wrap of his zanpakuto. Of course it had water in it, he wouldn't be drinking alcohol and walking around the academy like that. ''You could say that he's the reason I'm still alive...best man I've ever met in my entire life....I'd die for him.'' Such was the devotion of Tatsu towards Kuro.

The man mentioned that it was probably nothing but to be careful, it did little to ease Shin's worries. He seriously had to be more quiet about the training he was receiving from Kuro. The man offered shin some water but he had brought his own so he said, "Thanks, but I have water." The man continued on to say that Kuro had saved this man's life and he was the best person that he knew and that he would die for him, Shin was shocked at first, until he remember that these people risk their lives on a daily basis. Shin stared down at his feet and took a small bite of the rice ball, and chewed slowly. He really didn't know much about the daily lives of shinigami, he had heard some things here and there but not much, and Kuro was so busy all the time that they mostly just spent their time training... Without looking up he said in a soft voice, "Hey, whats it like to be a shinigami? What do you do? From day to day? is it fun?" His voice trailed off as he waited for the answer.

Tatsu listened to the little man's words nodding when he said that he had his own water. It seemed he enjoyed the rice he had brought him, a whole serving worth of rice. Hearing his comment asking him how the life of a shinigami was, Tatsu smiled and turned to face the little boy. ''I'd say, the duties of a shinigami isn't cut out for just anyone..You have to have guts, a little intuition..but in my opinion, the feeling you need the most is passion. I have this burning passion about helping humans. You see hollows, our enemies, don't just chase around dead human souls, they mercilessly kill humans too. In my life, I've saved more humans than I could remember, each fight made me stronger in a state of mind and of body. I, right now could go toe to toe with most of the beings out there without risking my life, so they don't send me out anymore, they send shinigami's weaker than I am, so they can become as strong as I am. Using simple words, I'd say that on a day to day basis, it is the most gratifying feeling I get, and I couldn't possibly wish for a better vocation. Which is why I asked you if you wanted to be a shinigami. I'm sure that with your special help, you could even jump straight to squad 2''

The passion with which Tatsu spoke was pure, he showed his loyalty with everyword and his need for justice with every breath. He wanted to be a living example for most shinigami's and most of all, if this kid was being taught by Kuro, he wanted this kid to be safe.

Shin listened patiently as the man went though his explanation, though shin was just being polite, everything his man had said he had already heard, But he didn't want to be rude and interrupt the man so he waited until he was done, finishing off with the fact that he was sure shin could make a good shinigami. Shin paused a little while to make Tatsu thing he was pondering what he had said before he re-asked his question. He looked over at Tatsu, maybe he was the wrong person to ask but he was right here so he might as well, "What do you do when you're not fighting? Do you have friends? Do you have a life beyond constantly fighting for others?" Shin looked a little sad, given the impression he had been given from this man, if you were a shinigami you didn't have much of a life beyond fighting for others.

Tatsu felt rather stupid having spoke his whole speech and avoided the main question, he got dragged along with his idea of being such a role model for shinigami. Tatsu shifted away trying to hide how stupid he felt about his own person at the moment and he answered the newly reformed question. ''Well I guess we hang around, like I am doing right now, I mean I'm not fighting for anyone's sake at the current moment. I enjoy cooking, eating, and honing my skills with a blade, which means we do have hobby's. As for me I don't have many friend's but I'm sure if you ask Kuro, he'd say he has alot. So I'd have to say that we do have a life beyond the constant fighting. I mean some of us never do even fight.''

Tatsu looked away and took a deep breath, knowing that he didn't have most of the pleasures he quoted above for his own reasons, he'd rather do most things alone.

Shin listened patiently as the man answered his new question, it did sound like fun, in a weird sort of way, he would be fighting for his life on occasion or at least that is how it seemed to him. The idea of never fighting at all really appealed to him, but then again he would have to leave his live behind, his job as a courier and all that, though he didn't really have any real family or friends, which could be acquired here, because he could actually fit in with the people here, it was something to ponder over and it could be fun, shin didnt really have much of a goal right now so it might be interesting to consider now that he knew a little bit more about being a shinigami. Shin finished off the rice ball and took a swig of water from his waterskin.

He was snapped out of his thoughts by a loud whistle off in the distance from the practice grounds as someone waved the people practicing inside, the class must be over Shin realized. Then he paused, he was on lunch break, what time was it? Shin quickly realized that he would be late for work if he didn't hurry. Shin quickly said "I've got to go." and packed up his things and slung it over his back and turned to Tatsu and said, "Thanks for answering my questions, See you later." and dashed off at full speed back towards rukongai. The man had given Shin quite a bit to think over about being a shinigami, and shin hoped that later he could get even more questions answered about what it was truly like to live as a shinigami,