Madam Kuchiki's -- Golden Hall Picture a small marketplace stall, very similar to the neighboring stalls selling various fruits and merchandise. However, this stall has been enclosed by awnings and drapings to turn it into a tent. The front entrance is a cloth that can be either fastened shut or draped open. It's open when the owner is present and not with a customer. The outside of the tent bears a banner above the entrance which reads "Madam Kuchiki. Speaker to the Sprits". The inside of the stall is shadowy and mostly dark, light coming in from the tent fabric, or when there's no natural light from candles places to shed only a diffuse glow. There's a small table in the tent, enough room behind it to seat one small person, and enough room on the customer side to seat one - though there is a second chair that can be used if customers don't mind being rather cramped. The entire stall is rather small, and any large people entering are likely to be pretty uncomfortable. Perhaps tellingly, there are no obvious 'psychic' accoutrements to be seen. No crystal balls. No Tarot cards. Just a table and a few chairs. Business hours for the stall are listed as "spirits willing". Which means whenever Madam Kuchiki happens to show up, pretty much. Not every day, but at least every other day is likely. Contents: Rukia Obvious exits: Out Between her 'work' and various other activities, Rukia's been a busy girl. It's not easy, being a spiritualist/spy/shinigami. And who knows how many other professions she might have, starting with the letter 's'. It's not so bad as when she was back in Japan, called out to hunt hollows in the middle of the night... but at least there she had a sense of purpose. Here, the lack of activity is just plain boring and depressing... so the little shinigami has her head down on the table, hood raised and every exposed inch of skin covered by her new black robe. Ever since coming here, Ishida's kept himself busy--there may be no more schoolwork to do, nor people to rescue, nor Hollows to defeat, but there are still the day-to-day details of finding oneself spirited away to an entirely different world and setting oneself up to actually live in said world. Ishida Uryuu is a realist: he doesn't know if or when he'll ever get back to his world (although sometimes, when sleeping, he dreams that he has already--/his/ his world, not the Soul Society, but he doesn't know what to make of those dreams yet), and he doesn't know what the rest of the world is like, so the sensible thing to do is hunker down and find some way of putting food in his mouth. Because, despite this being a dream, or whatever, it's surprising that one still needs to eat. All that babble aside, what it's boiled down to essentially is bidding goodbye to Kurosaki after encountering him briefly to go on his own way doing god-knows-what, then heading to this Hall, getting set up with quarters and work by Berkano, and eventually finding himself paying the rent and the food with a job as a tailor's assistant. Maybe one day he can get a shop of his own... Such mundane, everyday affairs that concern him, but enough that he hasn't thought of his former life in quite a while. That changes abruptly when he turns a corner in the market that he never had before and sees the sign. 'Madam Kuchiki. Speaker to the Spirits.' "Kuchiki?" Ishida murmurs to himself, pushing his glasses up his nose. "...It can't be." But as he approaches closer, shopping bags in hand, he senses a very familiar spiritual presence inside. So it /is/ her. ...but now that he's determined that, what? Just stroll up and say hi? Uncertain, he halts a few paces away, his feet already having brought him closer despite lack of conscious direction. Rukia is frustrated enough to want to pound her head against the little table, sometimes. It's not so bad most of the time, but some days this charade seems nothing more than stretches of tedium punctuated by silly, inane humans with petty concerns and a desire to see a fortune teller to give them permission to be themselves. She wants to be free. Outdoors probably, preferably high up in a tree... But being up a tree doesn't pay the bills. It doesn't satisfy her Winterheart employers either... and most importantly, it doesn't bring her any closer to recovering her powers. No longer content to sit around and accept her lot, wanting to do something herself... her only limitation these days is a lack of knowledge. She would be regaining her powers right now, making something of herself... but she hasn't the slightest clue how to do it. Or rather, she has only one clue. But killing Ichigo isn't likely to be easy or pleasant. Peering up from the table, Rukia's brows furrow slightly. There's someone outside, she can faintly see the shadow on the thin walls of the stall's tent fabric. Oh well... time to start up the routine of the all-seeing, all-knowing spiritualist. "You out there... come in. The spirits do not bite." she states, her voice ringing out towards Ishida. Meanwhile she checks herself, making sure nothing shows to give away the fact that she has the body of a teenager. People are NOT impressed by a teenage spiritualist, she's learned. .... well, that solves that dilemma. He's not about to run away after he's received an invitation, although from the tone of her voice, he's not certain if she knows it's him. ... for that matter, can she even sense him? He surely doesn't exude any more spiritual pressure than a regular human, not any more, and it's not as though he has the telltale red reiraku like the Shinigami do. Hmm. How does she know that there's someone out there, then...? Perhaps she simply does see his white reiraku and assumes he's another customer. Standing out here dithering isn't going to solve anything, though. So he shifts his groceries to the other hand and walks straight on forward, pushing by the tent flap and pausing once he's inside, letting the flap fall shut behind him. "... If that is so, someone should inform the Hollows of the error of their ways," he observes dryly, pushing up his glasses again. "Kuchiki-san. I thought it might be you." Rukia had absolutely no clue it was Ishida. She can't sense his spiritual pressure under the best of times, never noticed him at school until he introduced himself. Mostly because a Quincy draws upon spirit energy instead of radiating it. Now, with his spirit pressure nonexistent, she has even less reason to be able to spot him. She's speechless as he presents himself, mentions the Hollows. She recovers reasonably quickly though. "Ishida-kun!" she exclaims. "Ichigo mentioned you were somewhere around here, but I didn't ..." She glances at the flap just past him, realizes. Of course, that's how he found her. That, and his remarkable reiraku sense. Trying not to be too startled, to act too suprised, she buys a little time by lowering her hood, shaking out her hair. "There aren't any Hollows in this place, you know." she clarifies. "A few things like them perhaps, but I haven't yet heard of a spirit that bites." she notes primly. As a spirit expert, she doesn't want to sound wrong after all. Didn't... what? Expect to see him around? Didn't sense him? Both seem fairly reasonable--the Golden Hall /is/ a decently large city, although nothing like the cities of Japan, of course, but large enough to lose someone in it. And the latter is expected. "... I see you've encountered Kurosaki already. Is he around?" he asks instead. He wouldn't be surprised to find Kurosaki hanging around the stall; truth tell, he's not certain how enthusiastic he is about seeing the loudmouth again. The shinigami tends to be a reminder of what he lost. "... but how many spirits are there in this place?" he asks at her clarification. "I will admit, I haven't been... ah.. researching them very much." If there's polite skepticism in his tone, perhaps it's to be expected; he does have a hard time believing that others might know better sometimes, especially in a new place whose rules he doesn't know. Speaking of which... "How long have you been here, Kuchiki-san?" Didn't expect him to find her like this, truth be told. But then again, she shouldn't be surprised. There are a few who know the name. Most of those, she'd rather know they were around while she was in a public place, just to be a little safer. "Kurosaki-kun works... somewhere in this city. I'm not sure where. But yes, he's around." She of course doesn't want to admit she's living with the guy. Just to share expenses, of course. And no, she doesn't know where he might be just this moment. He's got a delivery job after all. "I've been here... about as long as I was in your world, actually." she adds. Two months, almost exactly. "Few spirits here, actually." she notes, a professional tone to her voice. "Most of the people who die here end up coming back to life again shortly, so few become bound spirits. And none linger long enough to become Hollows, it would seem." Though she's met one in particular that was as Hollow as they come without having an actual hole in its chest. A simple nod greets the information on Kurosaki. Well, at least he /is/ still around. For all that Ishida might gripe about the guy or state that they were enemies, he's stll someone from home that he knows, and that counts for more than he wants to admit. So he doesn't, and just moves on with business. As it were. "Really? As have I, in fact," he states, raising his brows in a touch of surprise. "Not in the Hall all the time?" He'd encountered Ichigo very early on- -the moment he came in, in fact--and he'd mentioned that Rukia hadn't been around then. But then again, they didn't really keep up with one another on news, so... 'whatever' might be the term he's looking for at the moment. "Doing... fortunetelling?" It seems a bit uncharacteristic, though then again she did have a tendency to act rather cheesy when putting on a facade during school, if he recalled rightly. But then on to things of more substance! He nods slowly at that. "I've heard of this 'returning from death' part, but I've yet to see it," he admits. And he's not quite certain he believes it--he really would have to see it first. Seeing the spirit of a dead person or meeting them again in the afterlife is one thing--but coming right back to life? Something right out of the books or the TV. "But what about monsters? I've heard there's certainly an abundance of them. I did hear rumors of ghosts in the Hall quite some time back--but that was before I arrived." He pauses briefly, then inclines his head toward her. "Or you, I suspect." Rukia nods a few times to the various statements and questions. "I arrived in this world.. not in the cities, actually." she lies. "Apparently Ichigo thought that since I wasn't here, I was in Winterheart and in trouble." she claims, rolling her eyes. The fact that he was RIGHT has her pissed right off, though. "The fool decided to take on Winterheart in the hopes I'd be there. Well, I sensed him fighting. And eventually I showed up to save him when he was too hurt to fight some of that city's guards." She's playing a little loose with the truth, but it's more or less accurate. Ichigo might even back her up on her claims. Rukia scowls up at Ishida. "I'm not a fortune teller. I speak with the spirits. It's not my problem if foolish humans want to give me money to tell them advice that anyone with half a brain might already know..." Looking somewhat disgruntled, the girl continues in a somewhat less peeved tone. "I've seen ghosts, though only one that was strong enough to attempt to affect the physical world. Less here than in Winterheart, but there are a few here too. I haven't seen this back to life thing either, but it would explain the lack of spirits. And I've been assured it does happen. And monsters... yes." she agrees. She's seen a few herself, even when they appear to wear human guise. All postings on all boards marked as read. Ishida almost smirks at the exasperated tone Rukia uses. Sadly, he can imagine Ichigo doing just that and rushing off without another thought. Rukia /is/ important to him, after all, in some way Ishida isn't quite sure of but is definitely there--but then he's never been much of a one for analyzing emotions. In terms of actual response, though, he simply nods. "It sounds like him," he agrees. Although the bit about Rukia saving him instead of the other way is a little surprising to him--he's never seen Rukia fight, although presumably she can, since she's a shinigami. "That, if I recall right, is exactly what fortunetellers everywhere do," he notes dryly. Fortunetelling seems to be less about actual gift--and he rather doubts there are many with that gift, although he wouldn't put anything past this place--and more about reading customers, telling them what they want to hear, and bilking them. "Really? I haven't seen any spirits myself as yet, though admittedly I haven't been paying that much attention. I'm... surprisingly busy, all things considered." Speaking of busy, though, it doesn't look like Rukia is; in all this time, no one's approached the tent yet. Eyeing Rukia, Ishida adds bluntly, "It doesn't look as though you are, though. Or is this a slow day?" Rukia was lucky in the fight. She cut down the odds by launching a surprise attack with her slight remaining power, allowing Ichigo to focus on one opponent at a time. Had it been a straight battle, he would have been badly hurt but probably still could've taken them down. Still, there was less healing for her to do because of it. Not that her only reason for aiding him was to reduce the healing burden, of course. And of course, he'd already been fighting a hell of a lot previously to that. Just like him indeed. "If you want to meet some ghosts, you should go to Winterheart sometime." advises the shinigami. "Not a nice place, but you'd probably handle it a little better than Ichigo did." she notes. Of course, she's calling him Ichigo now. Not Kurosaki-kun. A slip perhaps? Or a sign of closeness? The former shinigami sighs at Ishida's observation. "Pretty typical." she admits. "I don't have much of a reputation yet. Maybe it'll improve.. I've had a few clients though, besides the ones looking for fortunes. Most fortune-seekers - and most people looking to talk about ghosts, I've noticed - they don't tend to show up during bright sunlight?" she observes. "...As if the spirits have some kind of aversion to bright light." she scoffs. And besides, of the people seeking her out for her true gifts... she hasn't gotten much of a break on the easy stuff. She helped one of them at least, giving him solid advice - and nearly getting attacked for it. The young man may sing her praises, but most people likely think he's just plain nuts. Most ofthe rest aren't really giving her good word-of-mouth recommendations. At the suggestion, Ishida simply shakes his head. "Thanks, but I have no pressing urge to meet ghosts, really." He's never been particularly interested in them; it's the Hollows, the attackers he had been focused on, rather than those defended by the killing of the Hollow. "If I find that I do, though, I'll take your advice under consideration." A silent note is made of the name-- /Ichigo? Since when does she call him by his first name?/, although admittedly he'd never interacted with her much before--but he makes no mention of it. Just yet, anyway. Tilting his head to the side, he looks about the tent, observing it again more closely now that his attention isn't so focused on the woman in it. "... perhaps the location is a factor? Or the size, for that matter." A light shrug answers her scoffing about light. "It's a popular superstition. Night seems more the time for magic and mystery, I suppose." His tone is rather flat and a little dubious--he states merely facts of what other people think, rather than what he does. "If there aren't many spirits about to speak to, because of returning quickly or other reasons, I can't imagine you'd make much of a living, though." Rukia never did call Ichigo by his given name, at school at least. Ishida just never saw them on a more casual level, like when they were hunting Hollows together and she didn't have the time to call out his family name - or even an honorific. Even now, sometimes she slips and calls him one or the other - and with most people, it doesn't matter. Some though, know how formal she tends to really be... and how significant such little things might indeed be, because of course it's really not just a term of casual convenience. Rukia looks around the tent as Ishida draws attention to it. She purses her lips thoughtfully, and nods. "You're probably quite right, but I had a hard enough time affording just this place." she notes. A bigger place, one better-decorated or sited, might well draw more customers. But she'd have a hard time justifying such a place on her budget. "As for there being few spirits..." the girl shrugs. "Even in this place. Especially in this place maybe, life can be cheap. When I'm better known perhaps, people will know to come to me if they need to speak to the recently deceased." she claims, a little coldly perhaps. She just doesn't seem to give that much emotional weight to the thought of someone dying... but it's not so hard to understand given her previous vocation. Shifting on his feet, Ishida moves the bags to his other hand again; he's not quite at the point of footsoreness, but he's also too stiff to ask to sit down. As it is, he's not certain how much longer he ought to stretch out this conversation--what's appropriate? It's nice to see a familiar face again, admittedly, so he doesn't precisely want to leave, but... The movement, however, does function to redirect his thoughts back toward Rukia, rather than the surroundings and the idle topics of conversation... and after a moment he frowns, no more than the slightest of quirks downward. Had she... always been this... well, weak? If she'd been using a constructed body on Earth, that was one thing, but surely if she's back in Soul Society she would be in her own body again. Or if, as was said, this was a Dream, then wouldn't it be her true body as it is? As matters stand, she doesn't seem to have much more than the average human--some more, yes, but still not even to the level of most of the shinigami he'd encountered in Soul Society. It takes him a moment to figure out a better way of broaching the subject than 'Hey, why're you so weak?' After a short pause, during which she speaks, he mentions casually, "There is advertising, too. But I wonder why you aren't joining the military or something of the sort, with your shinigami abilities? From all that I hear, the Hall accepts any extra hands it can have." Rukia has many reasons for not joining the military. A few of which she can even SAY... She scowls at the suggestion. "I can't get taken seriously as a spiritualist. Do you really think they'd take me seriously as some sort of soldier?" she gripes. After all, she's young. She's tiny. And of course, her powers are absolutely weak right now. That isn't the most important reason however. She really wants to avoid official notice, as much as possible at least. Partly because her last few brushes with authority went so poorly, and partly because she gets the idea someone with interests in Winterheart really should keep their heads down. "Besides, even Ichigo isn't bothering to join up with the military here. And he's much more suited for that sort of thing than me. I suppose he doesn't feel like taking orders, and I can't say I blame him for that." she adds. "I have no more interest in that kind of service." Pausing, considering, Rukia looks up at Ishida. "You should sit down, you know... It's annoying enough looking up at you when I'm standing too." she notes, though it's in a teasing tone more than a peeved one. "...And I just realized something. You still hate shinigami, right? Well, you can relax a bit around me. I'm not a shinigami any more." The scowl and objection is met with a simple blink. "You could give a demonstration. I doubt they would laugh after that." He pauses slightly, and adds, "Besides, I've seen their supposed commander--he doesn't look much older than me." And not much buffer, either. Or more intimidating. The other reasons, however, he can understand. They're some of the reasons he didn't go into it himself, after all; he's a good archer, even without a Quincy bow, but having to take orders just isn't for him. He does note with interest her phrasing there-- she has no 'more' interest? Is she reconsidering her role as a shini-- Which is about the point that Rukia drops her little bomb. "I--you--what?" He stares at her for a moment, then suddenly looks away, realizing that he's likely advertising his surprise too much. Time. He needs some time to regain control. Fumbling for the seat, he makes a bit of a fuss pulling it out, setting his bags next to it, and sinking down onto the welcome support. ... there. He thinks his face is appropriately neutral and smooth again. "... why?" he inquires carefully, eyeing the tiny ex-Shinigami. Rukia is working an angle here, hoping to earn herself some assistance from a certain Quincy. It's the truth however... in her mind, she's no longer a shinigami. She turns away, seemingly studying the wall... avoiding Ishida's gaze. But her words are true nonetheless. "Many reasons..." she claims. Her voice becomes a little mocking, a little sarcastic. "I could easily say it's because there are no Hollows here." she suggests. "Or maybe because most of my power has been sealed away for the last four months. If I had my powers, then maybe I could do what you say. Impress them..." It's this that she's angling for. Suggesting this to hopefully get Ishida's help in recovering her powers somehow. Quincys know a great deal about human power, after all. But she saves the biggest bomb for last - the one she hopes will get Ishida on her side. "But the real reason... is because of what I did for Ichigo, I suppose. Because I broke the rules, I had a death sentence put on me. And so I'm a fugitive from Soul Society." she admits. Oh, there's what Ichigo said... that she'd been forgiven somehow, that he'd saved her... that she returned to Soul Society. But the person who was saved wasn't THIS Rukia, at least in her own mind. In her mind, Ichigo failed. And Rukia was still sentenced to die. Ishida's brows furrow... but he can't imagine why she would be lying. Indeed, as she begins to speak, her reasons seem, well, reasonable. If she came to this place around the time he did, then she would have been around the point he knew her, or rather, knew of her--that is, rescued from execution and weak after time spent in a gigai and in a power-suppressing tower. "Why wouldn't you have your powers here, though...?" It's an absent question, only a brief interjection as she continues to speak. At her last words, he simply blinks again. "Ah... ah. Yes. You gave your powers to Kurosaki to save him. But he gained his own powers since then, so shouldn't you have regained yours...?" But what's this about being a fugitive? Still rather confused, he says, "But--we stopped that. Or," and here honesty is painful, but he admits it anyway, "Kurosaki did, and the other Shinigami, and the captain of the... what was it, the fifth division? was found the culprit and everything turned out... maybe not perfect, but all right. You were taken back into Soul Society. You stayed behind when we left." This is as how he remembers it. In his world. In his version. Another possibility occurs to him. "Or did you do something else to be exiled?" he asks. He can't imagine how she could have gotten in that much trouble since the liveworlders had left Soul Society, but it's possible--and it seems more likely to him than this flat contradiction of the truth he knows. Rukia narrows her eyes at Ishida's words. This is the first time she's heard Ishida was one of the ones who came to Soul Society to try to save her. But she should have guessed already, after all. Five Ryoka means only so many spiritually-strong people could have been coming to save her. Not that she's upset Ishida acted... just that his words are troubling. "Ichigo said much the same thing, really." she notes, not sounding happy about it. "I should believe you both... I suppose I do. But I don't remember it that way at all. Some people have mentioned people coming here at different times, possibly even from different worlds or versions of the same worlds. Perhaps somewhere, there's a Kuchiki Rukia who was saved, and got to return to Soul Society and remain a Shinigami. But if so, I'm not her." "And so I was found innocent of the charges..." she adds, sounding a bit more angry now. "It still remains, they would have destroyed me for it. Maybe I'm not a fugitive... but I'm also not a shinigami. Not if THAT is what it means to be a Shinigami." she scowls. "And besides..." she continues, in a quieter, weaker voice. "Even if I was forgiven for everything... as far as I can tell I'm human now. No Zanpakuto, nothing more than the weakest of demon arts. I can still touch spirits, but so could Ichigo before he became a shinigami... Ichigo has his own powers, but mine haven't returned at all. Not one bit since the night I changed him." Not that he did such a great job of it; he saved Orihime, and defeated a captain temporarily, and he saved maybe a few others, but in the end... his contribution hadn't made much difference. It still rankles a little bit, but he tries not to think about it. Leaning forward a touch, he rests his elbows on the table, lacing his fingers together before his face in thought. "That... is the first I've heard of that," he admits slowly. He hadn't even considered parallel worlds, although if different worlds are possible at all, why not parallel ones? Logic--if there can be said to be anything logical about this--says it can't be ruled out. "If that is the case, though, then I cannot blame you for not believing us--it was not true for you, after all." If this is true for her, too; she seems so very much like the Rukia he had known, however briefly. But why would she lie? It seems illogical. "... it would also explain your spiritual pressure," he muses. "I can't imagine why your powers haven't returned, though. You said it's been two months here, and before that... at least a month, not counting the time spent on Earth while you were powerless? Does being torn of your powers for that long render it permanent?" It's a puzzling thought and a satisfying problem to sink his teeth into, even as he can't help but feel a surge of sympathy. There is no cure for him, so far as he knows... but maybe there might be a cure for her. And if there is a cure for her, perhaps he can reverse-engineer a cure for himself. Even as he thinks on this, though, he glances up and starts. The light has dimmed noticeably as the day draws to a close. "I should be returning to my place," he notes, moving to stand and gather his things. "The meat will spoil if I let it sit in this heat for too long." And he doesn't want it running and dripping over the cloth he'd bought, either. Rukia gives a look of helpless frustration. "This has never happened before... as far as I know." she confesses. "My powers should have come back long before now... and they haven't." She balls a tiny fist, looking like she intends to pound it into the table - but she changes her mind, hammering it into her leg instead. She'll survive the blow - the table might not. It's not an act, either. She's mostly helpless, frustrated, and the lack of options is the worst part of it. It's a frustration she never showed before though... either it's worse now somehow, or she was doing a great job of holding it in before. In fact, there IS one option she can think of to do... but the result of it would be absolutely horrible. So terrible she won't do it... unless there is no other way. There's another possibility too, one with a little less of a chance of success, but she can live with that possibility - if she can find the help she needs. She opens her mouth to suggest the possibility, then abruptly closes it again and nods. "Go then, Ishida-kun. My problem will wait longer than your food will." she claims, with an attempt at a smile. "But perhaps we can talk again later? Shinigami knowledge says nothing about this... I'm wondering if perhaps the Quincys might have some insight that could help..." It takes a lot for her, a Kuchiki, to even hint at this. But without someone offering her some hope, she's facing a pretty grim choice. Watching the open display of frustration, Ishida's expression changes only slightly--but for him, slight changes can carry a great deal of weight. His brows draw together slightly in just a touch of mingled concern, surprise, and sympathy, and he opens his mouth as though to speak-- But in the next moment he closes it, then simply nods. "I'll visit you again here, then. Or maybe you can visit my apartment so that we can talk more privately." He wouldn't want to carry such a discussion on in a public place either, after all, even if it's made slightly more private by the tent. "I will think on this in the meantime, though. I can't promise that I can help you, Kuchiki-san--I'm sorry for that." But he just doesn't know. It's possible that he may be able to think of something that will help; it's just as possible that he won't, and perhaps more possible. Picking up his things, he gives her the address of his place, before bidding her farewell with a simple, "Goodbye, Kuchiki-san." No 'it was nice to see you,' or 'good running into you again,'-- he's just not made for pleasantries like those. It's only a few quick steps before he's out of the tent and merging back with the traffic outside.