Your Sister's Dead, Ma'am (Makoto, Elyss, Katya)

"Is this really the time you want to pull rank on me?"

Makoto said in a chiding manner, sighing after it and waving her hand dismissively. Whatever to keep the redhead content and all that. She gave the area a look over, despite the ties to Abalia she did wonder just how the Cossacks would feel towards the visit. Surely they were with the upperhand here with the authority of Vastime's Queen though. Katya was supposed to be married to someone of relative importance there, no?

"Honestly it can't be that hard. We just need to go in, ask a few questions and be on our way, right? It should be easy enough for you to handle."

Makoto looked at their goal determined to get it done by whatever means. As long as Elyss had no issue in getting that goal done there was no need for her to get annoyed. Elyss did that enough by herself just fine.

The Isaenko home, one of the few static settlements of the Cossacks, was not a place that ever went undefended. In most cases, unexpected visitors would simply have been met by a guard, one of those proud men of the steppe who would give their life in the name of the Hetman. However, the visitors who arrived carried no small spiritual signature, and wore the attire of the Gotei United. They were not the sorts who could be left to anyone.

This was something best left to an inheritor of the storm.

"It is rather rare to see representatives of the Gotei in these lands. What brings you here?"

Nazariy's hand stayed away from the blades that rested at each hip, though he certainly could still draw them both in the blink of an eye if need be. He did not exactly anticipate a fight with these women, but it was a matter of principle, of pride, to be ready to do so. He was, in this moment, representing the whole of the Cossacks, and his niece in turn. Their safety was potentially in his hands.

"..."

Makoto just sighed in frustration at Elyss' reaction to the appearance of the older man. It made her want to throttle her right here but that would be wholly inappropriate in this situation to start conflict directly in front of the man who was supposedly the guard. The white-haired officer was keenly focused on not causing this situation to go any further down the drain than it already had.

"Age begets experience, Elyss."

Without waiting for a response she hastily took the reigns and tried to keep her quiet by talking. Not really wanting the stupid redhead to dig their impression any lower.

"Hello sir. I am Makoto Arima and this is Elyss Kishimoto, we are officers of the Gotei United here to speak to your Hetman on a matter of one Roman Dufrense. We unearthed evidence to suggest that he was formerly in service here and it is a matter of priority that we unearth all knowledge we can of him in an investigation."

Makoto tried to refrain from expanding on the matter of that investigation and how it related to Abalia, presumably she hoped that he would just assume it was for his criminal status and the line of work he had done after his time here.

While most would likely have taken some sort of offense to being called an old man, and so directly, Nazariy simply laughed at the direct display from the fiery redhead before him. He appreciated that. He even smiled, though it did not take long at all for his expression to fall, becoming quite severe as Makoto spoke.

"You are quite bold indeed, to come to this place and speak that name. It is one which carries ill omen in these highlands. I ask, as the Hetman's guardian, that you elaborate on why you seek this man. I will not have the memory of his crime brought before her simply for the good of some foreign entity's bookkeeping."

Nazariy was not yet ready to simply tell the two to leave, but any good will built by Elyss had quite quickly evaporated. He had not heard the name Roman Dufresne in many years, and the crime he had committed had been grave, indeed.

It was sutble but not unnoticed, the way he reacted to Elyss and then the sudden shift at her own attempt to be professional. How did he take Elyss' absentminded comments as positive and her own work ethic at not wanting to waste his time as negative? The officer tried not to scoff but looked away in mild frustration at the turn of events. There was that faint desire to punch him and his stupid ways, stupid living world and having such a range of cultures. It was all so frustrating.

This was going nowhere, she imagined that the elusive way that Elyss was dancing around the topic about him wouldn't help the man. He'd just ask more and more questions so no small debate began in her mind about whether or not to lay the whole truth out on the table or expand.

"He is suspected of stealing and being in possession of fragments of my superior's soul and therefore, it is critical that we find him for their sake. The history that he has with your people leads us to hope that you can provide us with anything that may be helpful for the investigation."

She hoped that her description was enough while maintaining the elements of obscurity. Superior could be anyone, it wasn't like they knew she served under Abalia or anything. She barely even came down here from the Soul Society. Makoto was not shy about mentioning the fragments, she didn't understand the science behind it and she suspected Elyss didn't either but it did sound like it was a sensitive topic and for her she hoped that it was enough to satisfy him.

"Mm."

Frankly, Nazariy didn't care in the slightest about this official Gotei business. Their organization was none of his concern. But the redheaded one's frank statment of persecution, rather than mere legalism or duty, gave Nazariy some small degree of willingness to trust these outsiders. Gesturing into the Isaenko manor, Nazariy led the way inside, his mood no less severe.

"I would advice that the two of you trad carefully while speaking with the Hetman. There is none among our people more greatly wounded by that man's crime than she. I doubt that she will keep any information from you on the matter, but you will speak respectfully on the topic."

The firm word of warning seemed to linger in the air like static electricity, crackling across the skin of the two shinigami as if to make clear how overwhelming a threat it was. There was little for which Nazariy could still fight, but for Katya, he certainly would. Reaching the ornate doors to her office, the old warrior simply knocked once before opening it and letting the two guests enter.

Within, sitting at an ornate wooden desk, the Hetman sat diligently at work, stacks of paperwork somewhat haphazardly strewn about. In many ways, her clear focus was a mirror of her deceased elder sister, and yet the lack of absolute order displayed an apparent difference. Her gaze, as it moved to meet the two guests, was only faintly confused, as she wished to convey the serious air of the leader she was.

"What business have you with the Hetman of the Cossacks?"

Thankfully, her English was quite superb.