Flicker Flames(Rio/Kasha)

Rio would have never imagined she'd be selected or even volunteer at the Shinoretsujin Academy - as a substitute teacher no less - and yet here she was walking through the corridors of the academy, arriving at a training hall where other students should have been and yet things played out differently. No one was present at the moment.

The Shihoin defender had decided to volunteer and place her name in for consideration in the event the academy needed a substitute and it just so happened that today, the academy was short on hakuda instructors. Funny how things work, eh? She arrives and no one is here. Fun stroke of luck, yeah?

Much to her chagrin, there were no students to be seen which caused Rio to assume one or two things - either class was canceled entirely of perhaps she had gotten her schedules mixed up and either came too early or too late? Unable to ascertain the answer immediately, Rio decided to enter the training hall of the academy and engage in some training herself, silently working through her techniques as she settled into a routine.

There was no reason to leave immediately and Rio figured within the next few moments she would find out whether she had arrived too early or missed the opportunity to teach a class altogether. She would be mildly disappointed in the latter but not entirely defeated. If at least one student arrived, Rio could even call the day a success. It'd make the volunteer work actually feel it held meaning, truth be told.

Class was over because the teacher was candidly late, though he did forget something and so the effeminate heir to one of the Koizumi styles walked back in and saw the teacher that had shown up. Well, better late than never he supposed. A pause while he considered whether or not to call out to her, he could maybe sneak out if she didn't turn around but that'd look stupid if he was caught. Better to just grab his forgotten papers and turn back around to leave.

Just not sneakily. If she didn't call out to him then he had no need to answer or pretend she was there right? He could try and sneak in some extra training but frankly he had resolved that there was nothing really interesting of a Hakuda class that the Shino Academy could teach him. The Koizumi styles were just superior after all.

Yeah, this was the plan.

Rio possessed enough awareness to sense someone else's presence and brought her movements to a pause, turning her eyes towards the presence of what appeared to be a female returning to grab some papers? Rio frowned inwardly, an inkling forming in her mind that she had arrived later than she intended.

If she allowed Kasha to leave, closure would elude her yet. Rio called out to the woman as she approached her, sheepishly smiling as she gazed at Kasha.

"Pardon me, miss. My name is Rio Shihoin. I was supposed to be teaching a class today in place of someone else. No one's here and I can't quite tell if I'm here too early or I've arrived too late It's been bothering me ever since I've arrived."

"Hmm?"

Darn. How unfortunate that he had to be caught off like this and had to halt. He couldn't say there was a good opinion of those Shihoin women after Chidori, a disdain still in his head for that blasted vixen's attitude and irritating behaviour.

"You've arrived late, our class left twenty minutes ago, ma'am."

Kasha explained, at least this one in particular was far more pleasant to talk to thus far. A hand coming up to put a stray hair behind his ear and give his attention back to Rio.

Rio sighed somewhat defeatedly with a light pout on her face as she rubbed the back of her head. Her suspicions were confirmed and Rio had to accept that her first day as a substitute had went poorly. As a woman with her sense of honor and etiquette, arriving late was not particularly desirable but she nevertheless remained composed.

She committed to the thought of arriving on time if she was chosen to be a substitute again. She wasn't a woman who strived for perfection but discipline was well in line with ethics. In the meantime, Rio supposed engaging in an after class conversation with the

Bowing before Kasha politely, she decided to engage the woman in conversation. She seemed pleasant enough to talk to.

"Well, it's a pleasure to meet you, miss. Were you a student in this class?" Rio tilted her head in curiosity.

"Mhm. I'm Kasha Koizumi, ma'am."

Well, her professional attitude truly did shine a lot more pleasantly. Kasha's green eyes looking her over a bit, more beautiful too since she actually looked feminine and did it in an aesthetically pleasing way unlike her sister who was both loud and far less visually appealing.

"I would recommend not being so tardy in the future, ma'am."

It was not chiding her or even any kind of disgruntlement at missing out of class.

"I can respect and even admire your formality, Kasha, but you've no need to be so formal with me. Rio is just fine. That said, I will do my best to arrive on time next time, if they even give me a next time. Subsitute teacher jobs can be weird.."

Koizumi...Rio would pause for a moment before it dawned on her that the Koizumi were one of the great noble families in the soul society. "Ah, you're from a noble family, too, huh? It's a pleasure to meet a fellow noble... especially in an unexpected fashion such as this. I suppose I shouldn't be too surprised, though. Your beauty and manners definitely exude a graceful and studious nature." It was true. From her formal approach and quiet nature, she found Kasha to be quite amusing to speak to.

He nodded, giving a small bow of courtesy to Rio's statements. Though the modest behaviour betrayed the fact that he was so aesthetically driven and to be complimented to the extent that she did left Kasha feeling quite pleased. It was nice when your work was appreciated, right?

What was the other matter though which helped Rio in no way with her misunderstang and the small rosy cheeks that fit a maiden far better than someone like him. They were nice words though, weren't they?

"Yes, Lady Rio. You are every bit as fitting for the Shihoin as you display in elegance for which your sister is most lacking."

Ohohohohoho? Rio was taken aback by the compliment but she would be an absolute liar to say she wasn't dancing victoriously within her mind. No matter how much of a middle ground they reached, Rio would always maintain some sense of competition towards her sister and would always feel as if the position she was handed was one handed to her without so much as earning it. To hear that she was every bit as fitting and a display of elegance compared to Chidori?

If there were already brownie points at the beginning, they skyrocketed within the flash of an eye. Kasha Koizumi was a five-star lady in her book. A soft smile on her face, Rio was actually somewhat surprised to know Kasha had met Chidori and although she was curious to ask, Rio had known her sister long enough to know the impression couldn't have been a good one. At all.

"That compliment is nothing short of an honor and I wholly receive it with nothing but flattery and pride in my heart. I'm sorry your first impression of us was with my sister, though.. I've never particularly seen eye to eye with her and I find her rather annoying, even if we are sisters."

"She certainly is."

Was it proper to talk ill of a noble family head? No but he'd do so anyway and continue to do so if she ever came up. That irksome woman could almost compare to his teacher in attitude which made them both wholly undesireable to him.

"Anyway, I'm sorry you missed your class. Maybe next time, right?"

He said while turning to leave, it was just small talk though unless Rio was looking to get him to stick around. Kasha wasn't going to overstay or linger like a bad smell as nice as this woman was.