Unbound by Clan Intent [Open]

Does age make you wise or just straight up miserable with responsibilities? This was the question that held Hagane's attention as he walked through the crowded streets of the Rukongai. Drunk on an unimaginable amount of foreign liquor, and mind racing as his eyes scanned the people he passed by.

It's hard to imagine Hagane ever concealing his Reiatsu, or even knowing how. Though if you paid close attention to him you'd probably be able to see the astonishing physical power that he definitely could not control. Though the question that should most likely be asked. Why would a captain level soul-reaper ever use his time off to walk among the "lesser" of the Society?

Hagane's father didn't recognise anyone in the Rukongai as even being the same race as him. Though if it wasn't already obvious, Hagane was very much different from his father.

Hagane enjoyed company and when he wasn't busy he normally just made it his business to surround himself. Though the drunk part was becoming a newer tendency as of late.

Hagane looked up into the sky with his uneasy steps, and kept marching along slowly. Hagane felt the need to cry, he felt the need to yell, he felt the need to hug, and felt the need to tear bone and flesh senselessly. Hagane wasn't perfect and he wasn't some unfeeling steel soldier like his father. Though he did miss the idea of having a simpler life.

"It looks like you might have had too much to drink" A voice broke the silence for the large man, emanating from a rather small red head who had apparently noticed a particularly potent spiritual force making its way through the Rukongai. Normally, it wasn't something a Captain would get involved in, but the power difference was great enough that there were concerns. As the Gotei's personal attack dog, the unassuming young woman had decided to personally ensure the safety of the residents residing here.

What she saw before her wasn't some rampaging beast though, just a sad looking man who had imbibed a little too much. Nothing to worry about, so long as he didn't get too rowdy. For now though, Akane decided that it would be best to ensure he stayed at the very least passive. "I don't believe we've met before, I'm Akane Makishima" She offered a bow of her head with a light smile before turning back to their path. "What are you doing out here tonight?"

Hagane himself might have heard of her at least, a rather startling story of her rise from Academy Student to Captain of her own squad, though considering his own position it might be that he had been too isolated to really notice Ika Mazi's new project. Not that it mattered for now, introductions would come with time and they had all the time the big guy needed to settle down and hopefully keep everyone around safe until he sobered up.

Hagane's seemingly quiet stroll was cut into by an abrupt voice that proceeded to reference his obvious state of 'drunkenness'. "It looks like you might have had too much to drink", they would say before before the person behind the voice would introduce themselves.

Hagane having heard the voice would swing around to find the direction of the voice. his free hand freely swinging around with his body as well, only to come into contact with a stone column. The column on contact with Hagane's hand would explode into a mass of dust and projectile rubble. Gathering his balance and looking at where the column was, Hagane stared momentarily at the now stone stump. His only words in response were "oh fuck".

Hagane then switched his attention to the red-head who had just introduced themselves as Akane Makishima. The name seemed familiar though in his current state he couldn't really put names or faces to anything reliably.

"Hello?..." Hagane would respond.

Hagane wasn't really sure how to respond. Might not have helped with his current intoxicated state though it wasn't as if he didn't have control over how he was acting.

"What are you doing out here tonight?", Akane would ask.

Hagane would look at her with a confused face. He wasn't sure whether she was asking a trick question or whether she didn't know what walking was.

"I'm going for a walk, and thinking, and drinking", Hagane would respond, referencing the bottle of spirits in his hand.

"What about you?", Hagane would question,"What are you doing out in a place like this?"

It was clear that the man was just a little too drunk, considering that he just so accidentally destroyed an innocent pillow with his sudden turn-face. Akane figured she should have at least given him a bit of warning but maybe it wouldn't have mattered. Regardless, she brushed the dust and debris from her uniform and looked back up to him, waiting for a response.

As she had suspected, he didn't recognize her. Maybe it was partially to do with his intoxication but that wasn't really a concern, perhaps it was something to use to her advantage. "Out in the Rukongai? Doesn't seem a place for someone like you" She followed up, perhaps knowing a little of him in this case. Or at least the family he came from. "Me? Well, I heard reports of an intoxicated Vice-Captain wandering around and wanted to make sure he got home safe.. And limit the damage I suppose" She motioned to the destroyed piller as they walked away.

"It doesn't look like I've got anything to worry about though. Besides, you look like you could use some company" The girl just shrugged, seemingly content to follow whatever line of conversation the big guy had in mind. "You're not going to keep that all to yourself, are you?" Meaning the bottle in this case.

Hagane looked and listened to the girl as she responded to his words. He was mostly out of it so he was only really catching half of everything she was saying, in was in this moment however where a subject seemed to spike his head.

Hagane was about to question something till he heard the girl reference his bottle.

"Want some?" He would ask, simultaneously throwing the bottle over to her.

After handing Akane his bottle of spirits Hagane took another look around himself as he kept walking. He observed how the homes of those among the Rukongai would gradually decrease in quality. It was then where his subject had come back to him.

"What do you see Akane, when you look around at everything here?" Hagane would say gesturing the entirety of his surroundings.

"Cause all I see, all I've ever seen. Is a stigma and separation. Separation between those who exist with power and those with none at all. I've been alive in this society for such long time, yet it's all the same. I hate it. Are people just people or are they ranks?"

Akane deftly caught the bottle, inspecting to see exactly what it was before taking a quick swig. Deciding to keep it for now and perhaps help the other shinigami sober up just a little. It wasn't something she would imbibe in often, something of a lightweight really, though her spiritual body tended to be a little more sturdy when it came to such things.

"What do I see?" She raises an eyebrow, downing another quick mouthful of this mystery spirit as she considered what he was asking. It was a rather deep question all things considered. And the follow-up description only made her a little concerned. "Well, hope, I suppose. It might not be the nicest place, but there can be a real community there. You know?" She shrugged, taking her final swig before passing the bottle back to him.

"I didn't really spend much time there I guess, before I got shipped off to the Academy. But I'm sure I could go back and the souls around there would be happy to see me" She pondered on this as they continued along their stroll, perhaps she sounded a little naieve, but she also didn't have hundreds of years to have pondered over such things. As a human turned plus, she never really had much exposure to the politics of the Soul Society. Now she was a captain though, perhaps it was time she got informed.