Caught in the Act

Despite Rio being so caught up on the grittier aspects of her banishment. Yugiri didn't let herself get so caught up like that. She was more concerned with the here and now. Walking through the streets and taking in what interests her.

"Okay, well. Surely you have been up to other things? What about that boy man said you liked by the lake? The tall and handsome one."

She started, looking for more leads of conversation and avoiding deadends more than anything. Until she finally got to the place she wanted and entered a shop to order some tea and sneak away to a corner out of sight and wait for Rio to order herself something, if she was thirsty.

Rio tilted her head in confusion towards Hakuyou's question as she went inside to order a cup of tea as well, following after her sister once the order was complete. How was she supposed to answer that? She wondered. Well, just answer it? Yeah, that made sense. Rio took a sip of her herbal tea as she let her thoughts simmer for a moment.

"Hakuyou? We've been doing well. He's been busy but we've shared love letters and still let one another know that there is affection and love for the other so anxiety doesn't set in. I'd like to see him soon but family comes first."

Rio took that time to ask a counter-question out of curiosity.

"How has Erchardt been treating you? Good, I presume?"

"Is that so?"

She didn't know what else to say after that. It was cute? No way, that was embarrassing to just drop on her like that, for the both of them. She needed something to talk about that wasn't boy related but didn't loop back to family. She thought.

"Yes. We just travel together for the most part, sometimes we split up and might meet up somewhere but it's fun to have a travelling companion to talk to and discuss things with. He's really fun to talk to."

Hoping that at least alleviated some concerns of Rio's she might've had and didn't make her think she was lonely or just waiting for her end to come.

"How do you like your tea?"

"That's good to know. I'm glad he's keeping you safe and that the travels you two embark on are fruitful and enlightening." Rio smiled as she continued to consume her tea. She smiled up at Yugiri as she inquired about the tea tasted. It was such a basic question but one she welcomed nevertheless.

"The tea is quite nice, Yugiri-chan. How is yours?"

"I don't think it's keeping me safe. I don't really need anyone to really protect or take care of me you know. He's just a friend and company. You should meet him sometime, I think you'd like each other."

She suggested before sipping her tea and looking out the window at the people passing by. It had been a while since she actually did anything here, the funeral didn't really count when she showed up and then immediately departed from the Soul Society after it had concluded.

Kokoro was lucky to catch her on the way out.

"It's nice. I used to come here a lot, that's why I brought you here I suppose. It was never far from home but close enough that most of my duties I could get to quite easily."

"I know you don't, sister. I really do need to meet him in person, don't I?" Rio chuckled as she tapped at her cup, staring at her reflection through the green liquid. The defender of the Shihoin had never found much time to relax nowadays. Hakuyou was busy with division duties and it seemed as though the other family members were absorbed in their own day to day habits. It made sense, right? They were a clan first and foremost, but still...


"This is a nice tea place. I can't believe I never noticed it myself. Then again, being consumed as long as I was with training, I didn't care much for tea back then, did I?" She'd chuckle.

"You do. I will arrange it. It's okay to work around you, we're not that busy after all. Spare time is plentiful."

Her eyes watched Rio stare at her tea like she was had something on her mind. No, a lot of things on her mind. Yugiri grinned a little, expressing her speed to bring her hand up to Rio's forehead and poke it from across the table. It was a bit embarrassing to do and definitely not something she would normally do before. Not to mention it was probably rude, what if it was important clan business she had just interrupted in her sister's head.

"It's okay. I never cared about tea either. It was just habitual for me to do it after so many meetings involved drinking it. The meetings were all that were ever on my mind, not really the tea that I was drinking during them. How stressful it all was."

Rio smiled at Yugiri's poke towards her head, as it had brought her out of somewhat depressing thoughts. Thoughts she did not wish to reflect on, but still, they ate away at her somewhat. Rio adored Kokoro and Yugiri but found herself annoyed by Chidori.

Chidori seemed like she accepted the fact that most of her siblings and relatives still hate her guts. It was such a troublesome element, truly. Even so, to know that she could still be someone Yugiri talked to without restraint, Rio felt as if her heart was filled with unspeakable happiness.

She shared in her sister's stress, though hers was more rooted in observing and being an overseer over Shihoin activity between family members.


"I can relate. To be honest... there are so many things I find stressful with this family now, and I can't help but wonder why." She would lean into the wall as she brought the teacup towards her lips.

Her act of boldness seemed to work when Rio smiled at her. Rio was a genuine person, unlike her. In the past a smile from Yugiri could be a means to deflect concern, lie or feign something in order to manipulate others or situations around her. Rio's smiles though she couldn't imagine as anything other than a genuine article. Whether to her, a stranger or an enemy.

"Well, a lot of the responsibility Papa held must have fallen onto your shoulders. I'm no longer around and I tried to shoulder as much of it as I could before. Some of us in the family aren't suited to responsibility or stress like that either. I expect all of that means it drips down and settles on your shoulders like a burden when the amount of people who did try to handle it have diminished and the responsibilities become more serious without someone as reliable as he was."

Taking a sip after she said her piece, it was very simple. From the get-go even. Chidori would have a long way before she ever touched the realm of handling things like Yoruichi and Yushiro did.

"Why don't you ask Aunt Yoruichi? Does she give any assistance? It isn't like she left because she failed her role or was a bad family head. She just chose to help the people she cared about more."

Rio listened to Yugiri intently, dissecting her words piece by piece. They certainly held a lot of merit. Yushiro was not only the head of the clan but a father figure to all of the Shihoin - be they cousin, niece, nephew, daughter, or son. He didn't care if you belonged in his direct family. As long as you accepted the idea of being welcomed into his family, his arms were always open.

He was always so leisurely about helping others, and he made it look so easy welcoming in different members of the clan. Above all, he found a way to keep his own family together. Yoruichi was equally successful in her rule. Was the next generation doomed to fail, then?

"Aunt Yoruichi is probably off enjoying herself as she well deserves. I wouldn't want to bother her with my grievances. How father and Yoruichi managed to maintain stability and solidarity in this family is beyond me. I feel I should be excited that my sister is the head, excited about the future... but every time I reflect on everything... I feel stressed. Anxious. Perturbed. So much so, that I question my own purpose sometimes."

Rio would gaze Yugiri with a somber smile. "Is it wrong to feel that way, Yugiri?"