Zatoichi-ryu [Erika, Murasaki]

Tch. Erika couldn't say she cared much about whether or not Sokobie wanted to be helpful. After all, Erika didn't exactly think much of her sword one way or another. But if that was what was holding her back, then there was almost a compulsion to at least try or whatever.

"You talk to her, if you think that's the issue."

Pulling the sheathed blade from her hip, Erika held it out over the desk, her expression a bit more sour despite her continued cooperation with what was happening. Did she necessarily like this? No, not even remotely, actually. But she'd come to the Gotei for a reason. Her thoughts moved back to the bout with Murasaki, that brief moment where she'd felt something beyond bitter spite. Erika was too rigid to chase that feeling again, but if it happened to be put in front of her in the course of doing her job--

Well, she wouldn't get ahead of herself.

"Good luck."

"Mhm."

She gave a confident nod. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. She didn't know what to expect but even if it was bad she'd met some pretty nasty spirits like Tenmarin. So the captain commander reached out and placed her hand on the sword, closing the verdant eyes to focus on Sokobie and reach out to it.

"Hey, ya know me. Dontcha? Well, if ya don't I'm Murasaki. Could we have a chat?"

Murasaki considered waiting for Sokobie to initiate the discussion but it was just polite to go first she thought and avoid the spirit refusing to answer. If she didn't get into it then she wouldn't have the clearer picture she was seeking.

"Spare the introductions, girl. I don't remember asking."

An irritable, cutting voice that left no possible room for doubt when it came to how this spirit might feel about this meeting. After all, it was hardly as if she'd asked for this little meeting herself. Still, it gave her a few opportunities, so it wasn't a total loss or anything. There were worse ways to spend a little time.

"So? I heard your back and forth already. You want me to open up with you about poor little Erika? Say something that'll help you make her feel better? Sorry, no thanks. Maybe if she treated me a little better, I'd think about it."

Sure, Sokobie could have just been honest and said she wanted to mess with Erika, liked seeing her suffer. But why do that? Lying about it seemed much more amusing.

Tch. What's with the people close to her having problem zanpakuto, it had only happened twice which isn't many times but it's strange it's happened twice. Right? Murasaki just looked at the womanly that had eeie resemblance to Erika herself, if she thought about it she almost looked like a big sister or something. The blade maiden's smile never vanished but her eyes were also sharp, hostile? No but they showed her determination.

"Not really. I'm here to learn about ya, I can't just make ya treat Erika better and I wouldn't do that anyway."

She was a friend but she'd never approach this situation so foolishly to try and make Sokobie and her get along. Whatever happened it was Erika's future and her own decisions should get her there. Even if she got a better result from her interference it wouldn't be the same to deny her that growth for herself. For now she wanted to know if Sokobie was an obstruction or if Erika was turning her into one.

"How 'bout we start with what you are, if you wanna share? All I really got right now is that you're a manifestation in her inner-world that hasn't imprinted on an asauchi. What are you a manifestation of?"

Murasaki gathered that Erika neglected Sokobie and the spirit seemed to reinforce that theory, so she wondered if actually showing an interest in Sokobie herself might be a good start. It was a fascinating situation after all.

How annoying. Sokobie didn't really need to think about the question Murasaki had asked for too long, though she was a bit irritated that there wasn't much way to lie about it without it being an obvious lie. Oh well, it wasn't like she had to just offer up something helpful.

"Learn about me? What, trying to be friends?"

Being difficult was just in her nature, but she found it fairly amusing to simply give this woman nothing to work with. Why should she? It wasn't as if Murasaki could actually do anything about it.

"Pretty self-explanatory, I'd think. She makes swords, I'm a sword. Only difference is I'm more real than all those toys she likes to throw around."

She could've commented on the scathing remark but she was more focused on the matter at hand, Murasaki didn't want to get into petty arguments with this spirit and judging by the attitude she thought it would be best to handle it in the same way that she might've handled Erika's remarks. That was to just let them be cut in twain when they hit her like a leaf down the stream. Once they were out of sight they were out of mind.

"So you're the real deal? That's pretty cool. I haven't met a spirit that didn't form from an asauchi before."

So she was a spirit that had formed differently but it didn't really elucidate anything of value to her aim in this. Was this spirit a problem, or was Erika's unwillingness to accept it the issue? So far she had put it down to Sokobie was like some of the shinigami ziamichi that existed in the ranks, not many but they were there!

"Think if ya tried to merge with an asauchi it'd work?"

Maybe she was a little bit direct there and needed to finesse the answer better but she liked to be direct. No point dancing around the issue since she had a feeling that this woman would run her in circles all day for a couple of laughs if she felt like it. She was the captain commander, she couldn't waste her time accomplishing nothing here.

"Who cares? Maybe, maybe not."

The praise of being pretty cool was certainly welcome, but it didn't actually change how Sokobie was going to approach this conversation or the woman having it with her. This was still all just a bit of idle amusement, and not much else. Rolling her eyes, she did briefly consider the question, or rather, what she could do with a good answer to it.

"Probably. If she wanted to try a little harder."

It was in fact flatly untrue. Sokobie was quite positive that there wasn't any situation where she'd be able to do that, but why tell the truth about that? It was more fun to send this off course.

Now that was tough, Sokobie seemed to agree to the idea that it was Erika's fault but Murasaki sighed internally about the whole thing. Both parties just seemed biased against each other but the blade maiden's mind did ponder the choice of words. Maybe, if she tried. The kind of answer that dangled hope in front of someone's face but if it didn't work they could put all the blame on the person for having too much faith in the chance.

"Makes sense but something doesn't really sit right for me."

It made sense what Sokobie had said. She was a sword that was a bit more "real" than the others or however she put it but Murasaki didn't really know why it was just her then. Why wasn't there other spirits here? She'd faced Erika before, seen her fight, she'd seen sword after sword made. Zanpakuto after zanpakuto copied and yet it was just Sokobie here. Alone.

"How come it's just you here? I've seen Erika make a buncha swords but I only see one of ya in front of me."

"'Cause the other swords aren't anything special. Might as well just be kido with a knife attached. Me, I'm more than that."

Of course, that was partly just Sokobie's own arrogance coming through, but it was at least partly true, if in a way that wasn't particularly helpful in any immediate way. After all, Katanakaji didn't make swords worth talking about, not compared to other weapons a shinigami could have. Sokobie was different though.

"The rest of 'em aren't her. I am."

Maybe she was showing her hand a bit too much, but at the same time, she rather liked the idea of dragging Erika's name through the mud simply by making that reality clear.

"You're her?"

Murasaki's brow furrowed a little as she mulled over the meaning of the words. That complicated it a little bit, a zanpakuto reflected its user paralleled and developed traits from them. A symbiotic relationship where both parties grew together but Keifu was not her like Sokobie claimed to be for Erika.

"So ya feel the same things and share the same memories or somethin' like that?"

She kept her eyes critical of the spirit, there was a strange likeness that was eerie but sometimes zanpakuto could appear similar - if not identical - to their shinigami. A little sceptical about the whole thing she remained but approaching it with an open mind is the best thing she could do right now and she wouldn't let up a smidge.