Freedom of Life(Hisana/Rio)

It was odd to be anywhere other than the Shihoin estate, to slowly but surely free herself from the responsibilities she had undertaken so many years ago. She once believed that there was no path left to her other than to bear the weight of the family on her shoulders and keep everything from falling apart at the seams and yet, somehow, things seemed to right themselves in the end.

Those beloved members of her family seemed to find their own happiness in the end. The defender of the family had nothing left to offer but her support now. She honored her father's wishes and kept her promises. She was, in a sense, free to life her own life now.

Spending her first day in the line of what would be many to enjoy herself for a change, Rio quietly tapped at her chin as she walked through the Seireitei. Where would she go, exactly? A trip to earth was due, if for nothing else than to visit Yugiri and take Yoruichi up on her offers of hanging out and having a night out on the town.

At the current moment, she simply wished to enjoy whatever the day presented to her. The sights and scenery of the Seireitei was refreshing to behold and Rio hoped to find something that would truly catch her eye. She hoped to make her day a memorable one, all things told...

Rio continued to observe the scenery as she received greetings from those who were familiar the Shihoin. A somewhat sheepish smile formed on her face as a reaction to this attention. It was odd to be in the public eye after spending so many years in the estate.

She was familiar with everything and yet, felt somewhat out of place. Growing accustomed to days off would be quite the journey, huh? Her amber gaze would continue to observe everything around her until one particular woman caught her attention.

Gazing at a foodcart, the woman seemed as if she were lost in thought and Rio continued to gaze her, trying to piece together where her face seemed familiar. And then, it dawned on her. She was relatively young at the time but she still caught wind of it nonetheless. Hisana Kuchiki. The head of the Kuchiki family's wife who had passed away. She could easily recognize that face from the pictures alone.

A dumbfounded stare found itself locked onto the raven-haired woman as Rio quietly approached her. There was no feeling of a Shinigami's spiritual pressure and yet - she was standing here at a foodcart. Perhaps it was another noble? Rio could no longer ignore the myriad of questions forming in her mind and approached her directly, tilting her head to get a closer look at her expression.

"Lady Hisanana.... is that you...?"

Rio tilted her head as she gazed at the woman and continued to regard her with an observant eye. It was certainly odd to see someone who looked like the very image of the woman who married the head of the Kuchiki family but Rio was hardly one to pry herself into the business of others and so he decided to turn the conversation in a way that would make the other woman feel more comfortable. She certainly did just walk towards her and call her name out. She ought to introduce herself now and place the attention on herself.

"Pardon me. I forgot to properly introduce myself. My name is Rio Shihoin. It is a pleasure to meet you. There isn't really anything you can help me with per-se but perhaps I can assist you? You seemed to be gazing at the food cart, looking over what you'd like to choose. I can cook a mean meal, perhaps I can assist you with ingredients?"

Might as well make conversation, right? Perhaps she could be a new friend? Rio didn't think she had many of those outside of fellow students she use to know during her days in the academy. New friends could be nice, she supposed.

Rio nodded her head as she smiled at Hisana. That was an interesting piece of information. No longer affiliated with the Kuchiki family? She did want to pose a question as to why she was no longer apart of the Kuchiki clan but that would've been improper etiquette, no? Rio decided to maintain the current direction of the conversation and befriend the woman, if possible. She seemed like a pleasant spirit.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Hisana. You can call me Rio. I know I'm of noble rank but I'm not particularly the type who believes noble customs have to be followed 24/7. Spending time with you at the Inn and sharing a meal or cup of tea would certainly be an interesting prospect. I have the whole day all to myself," she quipped with a small chuckle. It was true.

Rio could do what she chose with her day and she intended to spend it getting to know the woman before her. She had sparked her interest enough that she couldn't walk away even if she wanted to. She was no longer a Kuchiki but still... it was a woman she heard through word-of-mouth as a child. Who would pass up that opportunity?

Rio would follow the woman towards her inn, quietly observing her surroundings while she maintained her curious gaze on Hisana. Her curiosity continued to pique with every moment she shared the woman's company. Even so, she made a concerted effort on the conversation and the time she would spend with the arrancar.

"Don't worry. If i'm being honest, I'm not exactly the star of a crowd myself. It's an honor to share your company, Hisana. To answer both of your questions---yes, I am a Shinigami. Secondly, I am a member of the Shihoin clan. I don't do anything specific out of family duties although I have been thinking of returning to the Gotei in some capacity."

Stroking her chin softly, Rio pondered on what foods she enjoyed the most. She wasn't a particularly picky eater but she certainly had her favorites. Hm, hm... she supposed a nice bowl of well-cooked ramen was her go-to option on days where she held no desire of preparing well-crafted array of cuisine.

"Honestly? It depends. Anything that's well-prepared and palatable is usually a welcome meal in my book. If it tastes good, it's usually a favorite. If I had to name a go-to option, probably a well-prepared bowl of ramen. I've always had a soft spot for simplicity since my childhood. Never focused much on cuisine. Always lots of training first, while food came second, ya know?"