He saw me and froze, mid step, then unsheathed his sword. We made eye contact and I grinned. Another shinigami noticed and unsheathed her zanpakuto.
“What is it, Tasuku-san?” she asked, glancing at me.
“Someone I met on patrol duty a few nights ago.” He replied.
Her eyes narrowed. “The murderer?”
I laughed. Tasuku narrowed his eyes. “I don’t think so. If she were the killer I’d already be dead.”
Tasuku and the female shinigami approached me warily, one hand on their zanpakuto. I stood still, swinging my sword and watching them with what I was sure was a look of patronizing amusement on my face.
“What do you want?” Tasuku asked me once he was close enough.
I tilted my head. “Just passing by. That isn’t a crime, is it?”
“Well, I need to talk to you. That night I wasn’t… Ah…” He hesitated, searching for the right word.
“Thinking?”
“The point is, I will need you and your friends to come in for questioning. Will you please give me the names of the other two who were with you?”
“Micah Haase, division 5 9th seat. Elizabeth Donnelly, division 9 10th seat.” He seemed slightly taken aback by my straightforwardness. “Who do I talk to?”
He hesitated for a moment and then told the female shinigami to take me to Iba-san, the fukutaichou of division seven. He went to get Liz and Micah.
She led me down the road to Iba’s office, a large and professional looking building. Her hand slammed the knocker down several times.
“Come in!” called a strong sounding male voice from inside.
The female shinigami opened the doors and entered with me following close behind. She knelt down. “Twelfth seat, Norika Makoto reporting in. Two nights ago, unranked officer Teru Tasuku encountered this shinigami and two of her friends while on his patrol duty.”
“Thank you, Makoto-san.” Iba examined me for a moment. “What’s your name?”
“Catherine Donnelly, 8th of division 3.”
“And what were you doing out so late?”
“I graduated from the academy that day with my sister and our cousin, sir, so I was out in the Rukongai celebrating.”
“And the shinigami with you are your sister and your cousin?”
“Yes.”
“What are their names?”
“Micah Haase, 9th seat of division 5, and Elizabeth Donnelly, 10th seat of division 9.”
“So you three are the prodigious shinigami who graduated in three years and received ranks in divisions before graduation?”
I smirked. “Yes, sir.”
He turned to Makoto. “Is someone going to get her family?”
“Yes, sir.” She replied. “Teru Tasuku.”
“Alright.” He returned his gaze to me. At least, I thought he did; it was hard to see his eyes through the sun glasses. “Will you describe the encounter with Tasuku-san?”
I let a laugh escape and Iba-san looked at me, confused. “Well, I’ll tell ya, but you should know that it’s gonna make me look suspicious. I didn’t do it ‘cuz I’m a killer, I did it ‘cuz he was pissin’ me off. You know, it might be better if Micah of Liz explained it.”
Iba started to say something, but another knock on the door drowned out his words. Makoto opened the door to reveal Tasuku with Micah and Liz. He stepped forward, bowed and presented himself. Micah followed suit, but Liz stood back, looking wary and taking in every detail.
“Great timing.” Iba said to Tasuku. “Catherine was just telling me it would be better if one of these two told the story.”
Micah ignored the implications and spoke to me, instead. “I see you’re feeling better.”
“Much!” I smiled, “I can’t believe that hollow was able to cut me. It was very low level.”
“The smaller the hollows, the faster.” Micah commented. “Although, no hollow should be small enough to be that fast. I mean, it was able to get past you and you’re pretty fast.”
I was about to reply, but Iba cleared his throat loudly. Micah looked at him, expectantly. “Will you please tell me about the night you encountered Tasuku-san here?”
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