Eight Picturesque Views of an Explosion [Bambietta, Izumi]

"Mmm, I suppose that makes sense but images serve to prompt memories or information, so an image of you would bring to mind your name and things you've done... What have you done anyway?"

Now she was curious and asked the question upfront, not even thinking if it might be a sensitive topic as to why she might want to be remembered or have glory. Some people just wanted glory you know.

She didn't bother to comment on the sake, she actually didn't like the taste of it so much as it was just an alcoholic beverage that she'd grown used to, instead she just kept sipping away at it while pondering.

Now wasn't that a question? Bambietta had done a lot of things, sure, but she was trying to leave that life behind. Turn over a new leaf. Even the things she could theoretically be proud of, she'd just done as some faceless soldier. Nothing to even say it was her. So what had she done?

"I haven't really done much of anything. Spent a few years in prison. Nearly blew a lot of people sky high."

It wasn't a secret that Bambietta had been a criminal or anything, and she didn't think it was worth trying to hide it. Taking a sip of her tea, Bambietta had to really think about her situation now. She definitely wasn't in the mood for anything untoward now.

"These days I'm just a typical substitute shinigami, but I'm not planning to keep it that way."

"I see."

How she felt about this revelation, Izumi didn't really show and for the most part it changed nothing to her. So she was a criminal? Ah well, done awful things and been punished accordingly. A less peculiar individual would hear that and probably react in some way like quieten up, shy away or something like that. Izumi didn't though she just thought about it some more.

"So what do you want to grow into when you break out of your substitute shinigami cocoon?"

"That's a good question. I spent a while on probation, so I guess you'd say I spent all my time trying to prove I wasn't going to blow the place up. That's pretty much been the only thing on my mind, so I hadn't even really thought about what I'd do when I was all on my own."

And, indeed, all she'd really done was relatively mundane work and a lot of eating. She'd been enjoying freedom, relishing the idea that she could actually go somewhere without it being considered a potential threat. But, at the same time, she'd begun to miss that sense of someone always watching her. Was that bad? Yeah, for sure it was. But it didn't change that she was an ambitious woman, one that desperately craved attention. Better to find a healthy outlet for all that than just do what she used to do, right?

"I've been reading up on some of the real masters of kido, and I know they can do things I'd never even be able to dream of. I'm planning to be one of them one day. Better, even. I want all those textbooks in Shino to mention the works of Bambietta Basterbine when it comes to kido."

Did she even know where to start with that? Not really, no, but she was still going to try.

"I guess that makes sense."

Izumi thought about herself for a minute, would she be remembered? Probably, if not under her name but her pseudonym that she did all her painting and artwork under. Nobles were like that weren't they? Especially the Four Great Families, they really liked to record Soul Society's history. Surely a name like her's would survive?

Ah but she didn't care about the fame or money, she just wanted to paint and if no one remembered her but she achieved her goal then that was fine by her.

"Well that sounds nice, I guess I will probably call you Captain one day or something, won't I? Once upon a time a noble said to me that anyone who was a captain would be important to Soul Society's history.. or maybe that was Bankai."

Weren't they kind of synonomous for the most part? Agh, she didn't care too much about it. It wasn't like Bambietta's need for attention related to her at all. There were more important things to fill her mind with, like what she wanted or could get.

Bambietta had indeed considered the idea that she might be a captain one day, and it didn't sound so terrible in the long run. However, when it came to right now, she knew that kind of authority would probably just end up going to her head more than anything else. It'd take a long time before she was willing to actually step into some real leadership again.

"Here's hoping, anyway. Those captains are always staying busy, so I can't say I like the idea of that right away. Plenty of other things I'd like to do before I get to a spot like that. Know what I mean?"

Of course, she too knew that it wouldbe a long road before she could even qualify for that position to begin with, so she wasn't really going to be getting worried about it just yet. Better to start thinking about how she could actually get to that point than what she'd do if she got there. Thankfully, the meal arrived in fairly short order, and Bambietta's attention turned to it fairly quickly. Hm... Well, it smelled good, and it definitely looked good, skewers of meat all brought to them still over a small basin of charcoal cooking them.

"Very fancy... I like the showmanship."

"Mhm, I know what you mean. There's plenty of things I'd like to be doing, fufu."

She said with a coy grin and looking away to let that stray comment simmer like the meat that showed up before Bambietta could get in any kind of retort. Izumi however didn't seem to react to the food in front of her, food was food. Right? Yes.

If it was edible then it could taste awful and she'd eat it for the sake of nutrition just to continue her creative existence but that was rarer nowadays. It wasn't like that she could actually cook very well, for the most part she just bought all of her food already made. The things she'd need to cook were just more possessions to discard when she moved.