With the Captains suffering casualties and heavy injuries on their side, all hope seemed to be lost... until Shinji Hirako appeared, along with the rest of the former Shinigami. Though the aid of the Vizards certainly helped to draw the battle in their favor, it seemed Aizen's power alone proved too much for them.
"Is revenge really everything? I mean, sure, this person almost killed you, but what if they have back up? What will you do? You can't go it alone..."
Izaya blinked hard. What did she mean? Was she implying that he bring back-up to fight Celia? He wouldn't do that. Was she implying that he simply not get revenge for what that bitch did to him? He simply wouldn't do that. Not after what she did to him. She had almost taken everything from him and he wasn't going to let that slide.
"I won't let her get away with what she did to me. She almost took everything from me. That won't slide with me. Not at all."
"Completely off subject, but I don't have a squad yet... Maybe I could join ya here in the third?"
At this juncture, Izaya kind of thought about the prospect of actually knowing another officer in his division. It would be kind of...nice? Well, he supposed that having someone to train with and accompany him for missions would be convenient. He didn't know how strong she was so he didn't know how she would be ranked. Perhaps she'd be the new third seat? That'd be great. He wouldn't have to do the work for that position anymore. Or perhaps she'd replace whoever the fifth seat was now? It didn't really matter to Izaya; he was too focused on the aspect of knowing another officer.
"Well, I suppose if you wanted to join it would be a bit different for me. I mean, I can't say I'm particularly close to the other officers in my squad. It'd be kind of refreshing to have someone in the squad that I know to spar with or go on assignments with."
After he spoke the employee arrived with his soup and Yumiko's order. He took his soup and thanked the waiter before looking at Yumiko with a small smile. He rolled back his shoulder before taking a small breath.
"I won't let her get away with what she did to me. She almost took everything from me. That won't slide with me. Not at all."
Yumiko blinked. Yeah, there was no stopping his revenge. He was bound and determined to accomplish this, no matter the cost, this was bigger than just him getting hurt... There was something more, something that hurt Izaya deep down, but who knew?
She placed her finger to her chin thinking about what could of set him to this point. There wasn't much that could set someone back that far, except maybe their life... Or their love life... That must of been it! He was in love with someone and he protected them and got his ass kicked! Wait... That didn't seem right.
"How did she take almost everything from you?" Yumiko inquired.
"Well, I suppose if you wanted to join it would be a bit different for me. I mean, I can't say I'm particularly close to the other officers in my squad. It'd be kind of refreshing to have someone in the squad that I know to spar with or go on assignments with."
Yumiko smiled slightly. His words were understood as thus; "I want you to be in my squad Yumi-chan, I'd enjoy it." Her little day dream took her to a place where her and Izaya worked together and went on missions together. But this was not the case when she snapped back into reality.
"I think I might... Doesn't seem like you have many friends, and I'm sure you'd want someone to have your back in the squad after all, right?" Yumiko smiled once again.
Something was off... A certain smell changed in the air... Smelt like soup. That's it! Her soup was on it's way! Her mouth temporarily began to swell with her saliva, thinking of the delicious soup she was about to indulge on! Before Izaya even said anything about eating, Yumiko had already started, slurping and gulping her soup. It was quite delectable.
She finished her soup, and looked up at Izaya with a huge grin. "That was amazing!"
Izaya looked down for a bit. How did he explain this without going into Kin? He really didn't want to talk about the short Shinigami and everything she meant to him. It was embarrassing to explain and it was devastating to think about. It was devastating to think about why he needed her around and why he was almost going crazy without her being around as much as he would like. Actually, since the incident, he hadn't even seen her.
But, the question still remained. How did she take it away from him? It was because not being a Shinigami meant giving up everything that really mattered to him. That was a good response. It was still honest but it didn't go in to unnecessary detail concerning what it was that mattered to him most. Kin was a subject he didn't particularly like talking about to people.
"If I were to lose my place as a Shinigami, everything I care about would be taken from me. Everything I worked for, and something that I just found would be lost. I couldn't accept that. If we could, can this subject not be discussed further? I don't particularly care for it."
"I think I might... Doesn't seem like you have many friends, and I'm sure you'd want someone to have your back in the squad after all, right?"
Izaya gave a small smile at this and thought for a second. Yes, if he had someone to at least even out numbers it would most certainly be convenient. Especially when taking out those fucking fraccions of Celia's:Adela and Neva. With two people, he could make a strategy and take them down a lot more readily than he had before. He knew their weakness; they didn't know his.
"Yes, having someone watch my back would be very convenient. It would prevent me from having to fight two Arrancars again. That wasn't very pleasant."
Then they ate their respective soups. He ate his a little more sparingly than Yumiko. She was gobbling down her soup as he just sipped his casually. Izaya was raised as a noble heir; his eating mannerisms reflected this. However, eventually they both finished their soups and it was time for after-dinner conversation. Fuckin' goodie.
"That was amazing!"
He gave a small smile to this and nodded slightly. His soup wasn't the best he'd ever had but that wasn't necessarily a fair assessment. When it came to soups, Izaya was a connoisseur of sorts.
"Hai, Yumi-chan. I enjoyed my soup but it wasn't the best I'd ever had. Then again, I've had a plethora of soups in my day. So, take that with a grain of salt."
"If I were to lose my place as a Shinigami, everything I care about would be taken from me. Everything I worked for, and something that I just found would be lost. I couldn't accept that. If we could, can this subject not be discussed further? I don't particularly care for it."
Yumiko watched Izaya as he went through different stages of explaining this. From thinking, to remembering, to explaining. He must've known someone was going to ask him eventually.
"I can understand you're distress. I won't prod any further." Yumiko was being quite serious. She knew how it felt to not want to talk about something, so she stopped asking question.
Yumiko devoured her food down while Izaya slurped his nice and slow, like he was so goodie goodie from royalty, well, look where he was! Look at him! He is missing an arm, and probably a rib or two! He really should have some shame sometime... But Yumiko would not put it this way...
"So, Izaya-kun, were you raised with a wealthy family? It kinda seems like it, since you're eating all proper and all."
Yumiko's question was a lot more subtle than most of her other ones. Was she getting soft? Nah, she just had a delicious meal and didn't feel like getting out a long explanation just to say that he was rich.
"Yes, having someone watch my back would be very convenient. It would prevent me from having to fight two Arrancars again. That wasn't very pleasant."
Yumiko giggled and smiled. Maybe he actually like the idea too, maybe, just MAYBE, he had the same daydream! No, wait, that didn't seem quite right... Either way, Yumiko took it as a compliment.
"Thank you, Izaya-kun. I think it would be an adventure hanging out with you, especially if you were to exact your reven-" Yumiko stopped herself. She didn't want to go back to that subject.
"Hai, Yumi-chan. I enjoyed my soup but it wasn't the best I'd ever had. Then again, I've had a plethora of soups in my day. So, take that with a grain of salt."
Yumiko squinted her eyes at Izaya and semi-glared at him. He was rich, she knew it! She called it, but didn't say it! Oh well, she would have to get back to that another time.
"Well, I never said it was the best I've ever had, thanks ass." Yumiko turned slightly and folded her arms, acting like she was upset, but really she was testing him. She wanted to see his reaction.
"I can understand you're distress. I won't prod any further."
Izaya thought that this was kind of her. He was actually a bit surprised by this action from her though. She was a bit obnoxious in her outgoing smartassery. As such, this amount of consideration from Yumiko was kind of alarming. He figured she would typically push this topic and probably make a joke. Maybe he had been wrong about her.
"So, Izaya-kun, were you raised with a wealthy family? It kinda seems like it, since you're eating all proper and all."
OUCH. He hadn't expected it to come up at all in a random conversation. Supposing it was his mannerisms that had tipped her off, he thought about what he could do to avoid this in the future. He didn't like talking about the fact that he had been disowned by his family. No, more than that even; he didn't like thinking about it. But, he owed Yumiko that much. She was being cordial to him and she deserved at least a small explanation.
"I was raised by one, yes. But, after my injury, they made it clear that I was no longer needed in the clan that had once been my family."
"Thank you, Izaya-kun. I think it would be an adventure hanging out with you, especially if you were to exact your reven-"
Izaya knew that she was going to mention his revenge. He knew that it was on her mind. However, as much as he knew she probably wanted to watch his back, he couldn't take her along. This was to be his revenge. His and his alone. There was no way he was going to let anyone possibly take that from him. He wanted to marvel in his revenge. He wanted to best Celia and show her what it felt like to experience pure, unadulterated pain.
"I wouldn't ask you to accompany me for that. This revenge is to be mine. I want that satisfaction. I don't think I could handle being denied that."
"Well, I never said it was the best I've ever had, thanks ass."
Izaya chuckled at this and tried to think of something witty enough to respond to this. A playful insult would work. Playful insults were nice; he was good at them.
"Well, I just assumed it was. I mean, you acted as if it were to be your last meal. If that's how you consume all food you must off-put many suitors. Without that I'm sure you'd be quite the desired entity." With his words he added tones to make it obvious that he was joking. Then again, Izaya wasn't good at conveying emotions that didn't involve Kin.
"I was raised by one, yes. But, after my injury, they made it clear that I was no longer needed in the clan that had once been my family."
Yumiko tilted her head at Izaya's short explanation. No longer needed? What, they disowned him? How horrible! Except, it seemed Izaya had already accepted it. It seemed he was already ready to be his own family, his own person.
"Well, y'know, my family is kinda wealthy, not like the highest end of wealthy, but in out district we are the wealthiest. I know I don't show it, but that's because I don't want to be held down, hell I don't think they wanted me to be a shinigami, but I did it cuz I have my freedom. So, in a way, you are free, like free free. You don't have to worry about anyone but yourself, and maybe a friend or two and that special someone."
For some reason, Yumiko tried to make Izaya feel better even though he wasn't upset, or didn't look it rather. Yumiko kinda felt abandoned when she found out that her brother was dead and he didn't have anyone told in their family. It was saddening, but Yumiko had to deal with it on her own, just like before, and anytime that will come. She was her own woman, and everyone would know it!
"I wouldn't ask you to accompany me for that. This revenge is to be mine. I want that satisfaction. I don't think I could handle being denied that."
"Well, I meant for them other arrancars, the fraccion, or whatever they were called. I would wanna help anyway I could!" Yumiko felt like a child being denied something from a parent. She wanted to help her new found friend. It was the first real friend she had met since she had entered the Gotei 13.
"Well, I just assumed it was. I mean, you acted as if it were to be your last meal. If that's how you consume all food you must off-put many suitors. Without that I'm sure you'd be quite the desired entity."
Yumiko squinted her eyes at this. She could kinda tell he was joking, but then again, she did scarf that food down pretty quick. Now for a retort, a good one too!
"Well, of course! I don't want a guy thinking I'm some elegant, self-righteous ass that gets her ass whopped by some pesky hollows. Or, even get kicked out of her clan, just for not being inelegant. So, yes, assume away, make an ass of u and me." Yumiko talked as if she wasn't joking, but her body language said it all, it usually did!
Izaya sat and listened as Yumiko explained to him about her own status of wealth. It was certainly surprising considering her most non-noble demeanor. She acted like anyone from any lowly Rukongai district who managed to become a Shinigami. That wasn't how nobles behaved. He was how nobles behaved...most of the time.
However, he was surprised when she actually explained her mannerisms to him. So, she acted like a peasant because it somehow freed her. Izaya would be the first to admit that he saw that this logic could be easily considered fallible until he analyzed how it could apply to him. If you distanced yourself from the people who held those expectations of you, you didn't even need to hold yourself to those expectations. Therefore, if he just thought for a second, he was free to be whatever he wanted to be. He thought of the things he wanted and decided who he wanted to be. He wanted Kin, a promotion, and revenge. In that fucking order.
"You know, you're right Yumi-chan. Without ties to that clan, I'm free to be whatever I want to be. I'm unrestricted by noble expectations and I can me. As Yotogi Izaya I was limited, as Kogi Izaya my possibilities are infinite."
"Well, I meant for them other arrancars, the fraccion, or whatever they were called. I would wanna help anyway I could!"
Izaya thought about them fighting fraccion of Espada together. He thought about fighting Neva while she handled Adela. That would be easy. They could separate them; they could separate them and they could kill them. Once they got so far away from each other, Adela and Neva were weak. He knew this, but they didn't know the failings of Haishutsu Megami and they certainly didn't know anything about Yumiko's zanpakuto.
"You know, I feel like we would have the tactical advantage against those damned fraccion of hers. I know their weakness and they don't know mine. And they sure as hell wouldn't know any of yours."
"Well, of course! I don't want a guy thinking I'm some elegant, self-righteous ass that gets her ass whopped by some pesky hollows. Or, even get kicked out of her clan, just for not being inelegant. So, yes, assume away, make an ass of u and me."
Giving a small laugh at this, Izaya grinned while he thought about her nature and how this friendship would continue in the future. She would continue to be sarcastic and he would continue to be just witty enough to hold onto her humor. He couldn't really say that he approved of her jovial nature considering most things. However, she was a friend now. Friends were hard to come by for him. He would enjoy her company; he most certainly would.
"Yumi-chan, you should probably talk less."
He said this statement completely monotone before cracking up and grinning at himself. This was actually quite normal interaction between friends. How unusual for Izaya.
"You know, you're right Yumi-chan. Without ties to that clan, I'm free to be whatever I want to be. I'm unrestricted by noble expectations and I can me. As Yotogi Izaya I was limited, as Kogi Izaya my possibilities are infinite."
Yumiko smiled. All of this was true, he was totally open to all the possibilities that could come his way. Though one door closed, more opened, not just one or two, but many! Yumiko was happy to see that she kinda helped him realize this. Hopefully he wouldn't get stuck on this again.
"Well, it's good to know that I helped. And my proof of my clan lies right here." Yumiko pointed to the crest on her back. "Did you not notice it before?" Yumiko teased lightly.
"You know, I feel like we would have the tactical advantage against those damned fraccion of hers. I know their weakness and they don't know mine. And they sure as hell wouldn't know any of yours."
Yumiko thought about it for a minute. He was actually considering having her help him! Yumiko was a little surprised by this, then had her same daydream again... Then snapped back for a response.
"Heh, you don't know my weakness either, yet I know yours right now..." Yumiko grinned and moved a bit closer to Izaya. She reached her arm out and gave him a poke in the ribs, probably hurting him, but she wouldn't know.
Izaya laughed and grinned. She didn't like being to elegant at times, and other times she loved to be, but normally not. Although this was her first friend she still treated him like anyone else, just a bit better, like understanding him, and trying to help and or give him advice.
"Yumi-chan, you should probably talk less."
Yumiko frowned at this. He was joking, but she wanted to make this into something, possibly blow it out of proportion. Let's she what she has...
"If I talked less then how would you know anything about me? On top of that, who would help you with your distress, you do look like a damsel who would be in distress."
"Well, it's good to know that I helped. And my proof of my clan lies right here."
Izaya kind of arched his neck to see that she did indeed have a clan emblem on her back. Representing one's clan like that was kind of common but it still a little foreign to him. He had never felt particularly close to his clan so the idea of embroidering everything with their crest seemed simply inane. To show such loyalty to a royal family who treated you as nothing more than a commodity who could be tossed away just moronic.
"Did you not notice it before?"
To be honest, he hadn't. He was typically pretty observant, but he really didn't care. In his injury he'd become complacent to simply not be firing on all cylinders because danger wasn't likely to be around him at any given point. It was kind of horrifying to realize that he had become lazy in an area where he was once exceptional. But, he had to act like it was no big deal in front of Yumiko. He would fix that failing before it became a problem.
"Honestly, I didn't. Does that make me a bad person for not staring at you like some kind of libido-ridden teenager?"
"Heh, you don't know my weakness either, yet I know yours right now..."
She then moved closer to him, he didn't know what exactly she was going to do. Was she going to try something seductive? That had nothing to do with his weakness. If she thought that would be enough to break down his defenses, she was sorely mistaken. However, it would turn out that she was going to do something much more heinous in his eyes.
She poked him in the ribs. He tensed up in pain and jerked away from her in a way that made his ribs hurt even more. Looking at Yumiko with indignance, he tried to steady his breathing without yelling. Yelling would be bad; he would make a scene. He leaned over the table and gave her a very dangerous look.
"Yumi-chan, don't do that again." That was all he needed to say. If that didn't make his point clear, she could get out.
"If I talked less then how would you know anything about me? On top of that, who would help you with your distress, you do look like a damsel who would be in distress."
Izaya tried to chuckle at that for a bit, but he still remembered that she had jabbed him in the ribs right hard. It had been a real pain in the ass. Now, she was trying to make jokes. He figured he could just let that bit of pain go. But it would take a while. Now he had to at least say something witty. Social protocol dictated he didn't take that one laying down.
"You know, if you don't check your words more carefully you might be the damsel in distress. The bad guys tend to kidnap the damsels that are a little more mouthy."
"Honestly, I didn't. Does that make me a bad person for not staring at you like some kind of libido-ridden teenager?"
For some reason, Yumiko was a bit saddened by this. She thought that Izaya was kinda cute, like a hurt puppy kinda cute, but cute nonetheless! He was basically saying she wasn't very attractive, or maybe that was just Izaya, either way, Yumiko took it as an insinuation.
"Well, thank you for the compliment, Iza!"
Iza. Yes, that is what she would call him from now on, maybe with the formality though. Unless, of course, she wanted to make a point, or was mad. In this case, it was somewhat both. Maybe her smartassery would let him know what she thought.
After Yumiko jabbed Izaya in the ribs, he freaked a bit, tensing up, jerking back, causing himself more pain. Hm, yes, that was definitely a weakness. It looked as though he was mad, and made a face like "don't do that again, or else" which made Yumiko laugh a bit.
"Yumi-chan, don't do that again."
This made her break out with laughter. It was pretty hilarious to know his weak spot, and watch how he reacts. Yumiko grinned, then made puppy dog eyes and talked in a girly manner, trying to coax him into not being mad anymore.
"But Izwaya, I didn' mean to, honest."
He would probably not be swayed by this, but Yumiko was having fun with it. What could she do next though, poke his stub? Well, that would just be awkward...
"You know, if you don't check your words more carefully you might be the damsel in distress. The bad guys tend to kidnap the damsels that are a little more mouthy."
Yumiko frowned at this. Quite frankly, that was just not nice, but she did bring it upon herself. Now, for yet another counter.
"That's pretty funny comin' from a crippled, I mean why would they take someone who can fight, when they can have someone who only needs a small poke in the ribs to cause intense pain."
Yumiko was no longer being subtle about this. It was almost like an argument, but at the same time, they were having fun with it, like they both knew they were both teasing. Hopefully, she didn't take it to far this time.