[video]

[maddest]

[A few hours after this, Break's PCD is jostled on.

It's a video feed, yes, but all that's visible is the inside of Break's pocket. From the sounds of things, he's still in the streets, propped against a building, wheezing for breath. A few coughs, and he spits blood onto his white coat sleeve, sinks to the ground with a groan.

Not a good day.]

Comments

[offline]

[mister-hatter.livejournal.com]

Give me a moment, please.

[He murmurs, moving cautiously, minding his ribs.]

[offline]

[bunny_flower]

[She starts her glowy hands trick, her reiatsu starting the healing almost instantly. She's, in fact, letting her hands and energy do the work while focusing on the matter at hand, namely why he and Yuca looked like they almost killed each other.]

Feel free to catch your breath, Break-san, but after that I expect an actual explanation.

[offline]

[mister-hatter.livejournal.com]

And if I refuse, milady healer? Do I get turned over to Mayuri?

[He laughs at her softly, wheezing. The damage from the fight is one thing- a few cracked ribs, some bruises. The real damage is underneath all that. The new organs Mayuri gave him have already started to decay extensively. He isn't sure if she'll be aware of that, so he peers at her carefully, trying to make out her expression through the fog of his vision.]

[offline]

[bunny_flower]

[The glow brightens apbruptly as Unohana frowns.]

This is not remotely funny, Break-san. I can do without this kind of sick jokes, and I'd rather you did not question my integrity this way.

[She is NOT amused, Break. Still healing, but not amused. At all.]

[offline]

[mister-hatter.livejournal.com]

Are we not allowed to question you? Us, your little flock here.

[Fortunately, he can't see her glare. But he continues doing exactly what he does best; getting under people's skin.]

He talks about powers like yours. One could be forgiven for thinking you were from the same world.

[offline]

[bunny_flower]

.. We are from the same world, Break-san. Kurotsuchitaichou is a Captain in the same organization as I. I thought you knew that.

And while questioning is fine, implying that I would do anything as horrifying as willingly subjecting another to torture of any kind is not.

[The glow slowly dies.]

Especially after what he did to you, Break-san. It is getting worse, is it not ?

[offline]

[mister-hatter.livejournal.com]

Do you expect me to be happy? Knowing people like him, from his world, know about him and leave him be, turned loose on people like me?

[He shrugs.]

I don't blame you, milady healer, but I don't trust you, and I certainly don't intend to be chastized by you like an errant child for not playing nice with dear Yuca Collabel.

The things he did to me remain unchanged since we spoke last. My own particular... quirks, are acting up.

[offline]

[bunny_flower]

I don't, Break-san. I also cannot expect you to understand why I have to act a certain way with Kurotsuchi-taichou, and it is very regrettable that anyone ended up in the middle of it.

If you thought I was chastizing you, then I apologize, that was not my intention, but ... I worry about Yuca-san, and if things like this should happen again, I'd rather know.

... The organs are rotting, Break-san. This process does not just stop, and ...

[She stops for a second, because of what he just said. It's true that he has no reason to trust her, but she can't not offer. that woudl go against everything she believes in.]

I said before that I am not sure there is anythign I can do, but if there is, and you wish me to do it, then I will. I shall let you decide if you wish to take me up on the offer.

[offline]

[mister-hatter.livejournal.com]

[Break thinks for a moment, eye closed.]

You may not have deserved what I just said, milady healer. I remain greatly in your debt.

[His breath is caught. He can think clearly, and he's less angry now.]

If you'd like to sit down over a cup of tea, I can tell you what happened with Yuca. If the conversation turns to it, I can tell you what's happening to me. But you'll have to remain as patient with me as you have been thus far. In my world, this isn't something that can be discussed.

[offline]

[bunny_flower]

Time is something I have a lot of, Break-san. Take as much of my time as you need.

[She turns around to go and start boiling the water for tea, leaving him to follow her as soon as he feels well enough for it.]

[offline]

[mister-hatter.livejournal.com]

[It only takes a few moments for him to follow her footsteps, cane searching idly for obstacles in his path.]

Yuca and I lived together last winter. I was staying with him when Rain vanished the first time- and during that time I became very familiar with his eccentricities.

You know he's positively ancient?

[offline]

[bunny_flower]

Oh, I know, Break-san. He is old even for the likes of me.

[She mixes the tea and water, carrying two steaming goblets to the table.]

[offline]

[mister-hatter.livejournal.com]

He loses himself in memories, every so often. But physical contact grounds him fairy effectively.

[Taking a seat, with a weary sigh.]

[offline]

[bunny_flower]

I see ... Is it always that violent, or ... ?

[She puts the tea down inf ront of him, within easy reach.]

[offline]

[mister-hatter.livejournal.com]

It never has been before. I think he was remembering something violent- when I hit him this time, it just sent him deeper. He lashed out in return, we got into it a little. But he remembered, let me up, and I bolted.

[Reaching out to cup it in his hands, warming his fingers with it.]

I don't think I actually gave him a concussion.

[Maybe a mild one...]

[offline]

[bunny_flower]

Ara maaa ... Well, I guess this means I will be keeping a closer eye on Yuca-san. He will not be happy to see me fretting, but he will just have to get used to people caring about him.

... and I am sure he knows how to deal with a concussion.

[She'll leave him to get to the subject of himself, if he so wishes. After the way they started, she'd rather let him do the choosing.]

[offline]

[mister-hatter.livejournal.com]

Al hugs him. But truthfully, I'm still a tiny bit bitter about the 'oh goodness, Xerxes, I have a doctor friend who could treat your lungs and blindness, come meet him with me!' as a means of his bartering with my organs and producing a test subject for Kurotsuchi. Having not quite forgiven him for that, I do hit Yuca a little harder than is strictly necessary when he goes under.

[He beams. There's something hollow in it.]

But I think I'll have to let up on that.

Re: [offline]

[bunny_flower]

That's quite understandable, Break-san, and I would be hard-pressed to fault you for that. And caring can be expressed in a lot of different ways.

... How are you feeling, generally speaking ? How are you faring on a day-to-day basis ?

[offline]

[mister-hatter.livejournal.com]

I'm sick. I'm aware of that.

[He admits, fighting himself very hard to describe the situation honestly. The instinct is still dismiss, lie, prevaricate.]

For the most part, it's my eyesight that's a problem.

[offline]

[bunny_flower]

... Your eyesight ?

[She had, on previous occasions focused on his internal organs, where most of the damage was. It seemed like she might have overlooked something.]

What seems to be the problem with it ?

((OOC : sorry, wrong journal ! please delete the other one !))

[offline]

[mister-hatter.livejournal.com]

It's all but gone.

[Break shrugs, quietly.]

And I'm not sure what to do about that.

[offline]

[bunny_flower]

I see ...

Was it a pre-existing condition, or did living here and what happened to you worsen it ? has anyone in yourworld ever mentioned a possible cure for it ?

[She's grasping at straws here. There are things even she can't heal, as she sees everyday with Ukitake's illness, as it was with Itachi. No matter how powerful she may be, she cannot upset the order of nature.]

I might not be able to help much, I am afraid, depending on your answer.

[offline]

[mister-hatter.livejournal.com]

All right.

[It's becoming more and more clear that he has to explain this from the beginning. He sips his tea.]

The analogue to zanpakutou in my world is something called a Chain. Contracting them is rare. They're entities that can make their home within your body. They lend you considerable power, but the strain of the contract is immense.

Chains come from a world known as the Abyss. They enter our own by planting an anchor in a host, and pulling themselves through to our world using their soul. As they remain in our world, the pull on them to return to the Abyss inevitably becomes greater and greater, until something snaps and they're dragged back down, along with their human host. This typically results in the death of the host, though it's my personal theory that the contractors become chains themselves.

[offline]

[bunny_flower]

I see ... In that case, as I am sure you understood, I am afraid there is nothing I can do, except maybe suppress the worst of the symptoms.

... If it is not indiscreet, how did you come to have such power ? You do not have to tell me, this is just me being curious.

[offline]

[mister-hatter.livejournal.com]

I survived my first contract- having my first chain- by the skin of my teeth. The strain on the body that occurs naturally is nothing like this. The host is dragged physically into another universe over.

I'm one of probably only two people to ever return from that universe. I formed a second contract, with another chain. This contract is more soundly structured, and in a way that means I won't be returning to the Abyss again.

But it's still a wound on top of a wound, if that makes sense. My body doesn't age- and hasn't in decades. It just tears itself up quietly, from the strain of the creature anchored to it where another used to be. Like more nails knocked into old wood, splintering it further.

[He isn't sure precisely what she means by her question, or if he just answered it- but that's the most truthfully and completely he's told that story here, and whether or not it's what she meant, it's what he needed to say.]