(no subject)

[mantarayhealer.livejournal.com]

[Retsu was tired.

No. That wasn't true. Retsu was utterly, bone-wearily exhausted.

It has been a week since Aizen fell. One of the worst weeks Retsu ever remembered in her long, long life. Yamamoto-soutaichou had fallen, along with three other captains, and several others were still in critical condition. She was one of the only people still capable of leading, yet she was also desperately needed in the healing ward.

She wasn't sure anymore how many days it had been since she slept. Shinigami were capable of going much longer without sleep than ordinary souls or mortals, but she was still reaching her limit. She glanced around and leaned against a doorpost for a moment, closing her eyes before she went into Jyuushiko's room.

It had taken all Retsu's considerable skill to save Jyuushiko. The blond arrancar had put a hole right through her chest, and there had been complications...Retsu still wasn't sure how fully her friend would recover. And Kyouraku Shunsui was still in critical condition in the room across the hall.

She took a deep breath and opened her eyes, passing through the kido barrier and going to Jyuushiko's bedside to see how she was doing.]

Comments

[toppedbyfishies.livejournal.com]

[A nod] And if you need someone to talk to, I'll be here.

[mantarayhealer.livejournal.com]

Yes, Ma'am.

[She leaves, her posture almost as stiff as Byakuya's.]

---------------

[Retsu comes back in and busies herself checking on Jyuushiko--but also being there if her friend needs to talk.]

[toppedbyfishies.livejournal.com]

[With Rukia gone, Jyuushiko lets go of some of her control, and her upset at the meeting is more obvious. It hurts to see Rukia so broken again, and to not be able to do anything.]

[mantarayhealer.livejournal.com]

[She puts her hand gently on Jyuushiko's shoulder.] I am sorry, Jyuushiko-san.

[toppedbyfishies.livejournal.com]

[She sighs softly and shakes her head a little] No, it's...alright. She's been through a lot - it would be foolish to think it'd be easy for her to deal with.

[mantarayhealer.livejournal.com]

She was there, when he died. She had already defeated an arrancar and fought another, but they were attacked by the most powerful Espanda--and she was already injured.

[toppedbyfishies.livejournal.com]

[She nods, and then sighs] I think...time will do a lot of the healing, there...

[mantarayhealer.livejournal.com]

That's always the way of it, I'm afraid.

[toppedbyfishies.livejournal.com]

Unfortunately. It's hard, not to be able to do anything.

[mantarayhealer.livejournal.com]

I know. [Being helpless has always been particularly hard for her best friend.]

[toppedbyfishies.livejournal.com]

I guess...I'm going to have to get used to a lot of that right now, ne?

[Sitting and waiting for time to do it's work - something she hates doing, but she knows she probably couldn't even stand up, right now.]

[mantarayhealer.livejournal.com]

For the moment, yes, I'm afraid so.

Is there anything I can get you? A book or something to work on?

[toppedbyfishies.livejournal.com]

Ah...if there's any paperwork or anything I can do to help... [nevermind that she's still a touch feverish and a little strung-out on painkillers - if there's something she can do to be useful, she'll try her best!]

[mantarayhealer.livejournal.com]

For now, it would probably be best if you rest and recover, rather than push yourself now and have to spend longer in Fourth.

[toppedbyfishies.livejournal.com]

[She sighs, but nods slightly] I understand. [Even if she doesn't /like/ it.]

[mantarayhealer.livejournal.com]

[She squeezes Jyuushiko's shoulder slightly.] I'll bring something to read by when I come back.

[toppedbyfishies.livejournal.com]

[A small smile at that, a little more honest than some of the ones earlier were.] Thank you.

[mantarayhealer.livejournal.com]

You're welcome.

[Walks out to do some rounds.]