Hurricane[Izumi, Solomon]

Solomon didn't pay any particular mind to her comment about him being strange. To him, it was simply a matter of honor and a strong moral code. She threw herself into the lion's den to assist him in battle. There wasn't a hospitable nearby, and as she herself said, she wasn't particularly that strong. He had no intention of risking leaving her when another hollow might attack. On the other hand, he supposed it would be awkward to remain silent and watch over her like this. Ergo, he would answer her question, chuckling softly at her response.

"My apologies if I'm being unreasonable. It just wouldn't sit right with me to have you walking around in bad condition, not when I could have prevented it... or instructed you to stay back. In any case, I am here because I had received reports from my division in the Vandenreich of hollows hiding in this place to attack unsuspecting civilians. In other words, I came to carry out my duty and prevent them from causing harm to anyone else."

Leaning back in his chair, giving her some modicum of distance to make her feel comfortable, he decided to the same question in return.

"How about you? Out here on duty or did you receive similar information from the people around here?"

"Don't apologize for acting like a good person," Izumi said and then waved the subject off. "It's fine. You're fine. No more explanations. If you want to sit there, you have every right to do s-... Vandenreich, hm? So, you're out here on duty."

Izumi looked him up and down. He seemed young. She could tell he was likely just an ambitious kid with a hero complex. When he asked her a question, she laid her hands in her lap and looked up to the tree leaves, watching what small part of the sky she could see through the trees. Was that a question she cared to answer?

"I merely sensed them, young man," Izumi said, closing her eyes and opening her senses to the area around them. By doing this, she kept on alert, while being able to relax at the same time. If he made a move, which she doubted he would, she'd know it and be able to react. "I don't talk to people very often at all."

Whether it was the right or wrong time didn't matter. Izumi sensed it. Another small hollow, shaped like the previous snake they encountered, came slithering at them from the side, across from where Solomon was sitting. Izumi's eyes snapped open and her head turned, but she had no time to react as it attacked. Izumi's reflex took over as she attempted to dodge by leaning back out of the chair.

Solomon nodded quietly once the woman reassured him that he was allowed to keep her company until her injuries subsided. His gaze swiftly shifted from observing Izumi once he sensed the presence of another small snakelike hollow slithering toward them, lunging at the woman resting against the construct of reishi. His arm reflexively shot forward, punching the creature toward the ground before cutting it in half with his blade - all within the space of a single second. As he said, his intent was to protect her from harm while she healed, to prevent her from incurring any further damage. His suspicion was proven correct, it seemed. Like bees to honey, hollows always gravitated towards significant sources of spirit power. Solomon turned back, gazing at the woman with a playful grin.

"Perhaps we might have to move elsewhere. To answer your question, yes. I was sent out on a mission to handle the hollows in the area. Normally, I would've waited for a Shinigami to act, but once I heard how much trouble they were causing... I decided to take matters into my own hand."

Solomon would return to his chair, listening to the woman's response to his question. She seemed to have something of a maturity to her given the way she spoke to him, leading him to believe she may have been older than him. Nonetheless, he continued, offering his view on the conversation.

"I suppose that makes sense. Do you belong to a division by any chance? I've met my fair share of soul reapers from the Gotei recently, but there's always room for talking to one more. Or..."

He paused for a moment, stroking his chin quietly. Was she a rogue, perchance? Solomon recalled his conversation with Hijiri Aramaki, how he spoke of his disillusionment with the Gotei. Did she share a similar view?

In such a short moment, she was in danger and rescued. His quick dispatch of the hollow caused Izumi to sigh in relief. It was clear she needed more experience and training since her own reflexes left her helpless. The only thing she was good at was sensing, so she took a moment to examine the area and found nothing.

"That is probably a smart idea," Izumi said as she stood up from the chair. Turning back to the city, she began walking, holding her side. She was in pain, but it wasn't debilitating. As they walked, he asked a question she didn't want to answer.

"Not all Shinigami are part of the Gotei United," Izumi said with a hint of ire when she mentioned the new organization. She was reminded of years wasted trying to join the original Thirteen. This "United" farce destroyed so much of what made the Gotei Thirteen special. There was no point joining them until that changed.

Izumi must have stepped wrong, twisted wrong, something... because a sharp pain shot through her side. She winced and grabbed the trunk of a tree to hold herself.

"That hurts more than it should..."

"I suppose that makes sense. One of our recent members was a shinigami," he replied, his tone humorous yet decidedly genuine.

As he suspected, Izumi was not affiliated with the Gotei at all. He could practically hear the disdain in her voice. Naturally, Solomon wondered about the way they operated. His good impressions of Gotei members were Igen and Mizu. Two motivated and well-meaning individuals. Then, there was Hijiri and Izumi. Those who seemed to want nothing to do with the Gotei. What led them to their current point of views?

For Hijiri, it drove him to join the Vandenreich, an organization composed entirely of Quincy. Izumi... well he barely knew the woman so far outside of her reserved disposition, a composed air that didn't draw any attention to itself. She wasn't very talkative, but he understood that well enough. They had only just met one another, after all.

Solomon kept pace with the woman, surveying the area in case another hollow lunged out, pausing only when he noticed Izumi grimace in pain, using a tree branch to keep her body upright. From the looks of it, her condition seemed to worsen after a few steps. Stopping beside her, Solomon gazed at the woman, offering his assistance. Of course, he wished to make sure she felt comfortable with the idea first. Women were particular about these sorts of things, right?

"It looks like walking will be difficult for you, Miss Izumi. Would you like me to carry you until we reach an area you can heal at in peace?"

Izumi was surprised by the information about a Shinigami joining the Vandenreich, but didn't show it and said nothing else about it. She only wondered whether their mission aligned with hers. Maybe it was something she could join? It depended on the type of man that this new Shinigami recruit was. The tension between Shinigami and Quincy in the past did not guarantee the morals of the newcomer.

The worsening of her pain led Izumi to believe something may have actually been broken. She didn't think so at first, and assumed she'd just get a bad bruise alter. Each turn or twist mad her feel differently now. Solomon's offer for help was met with a mixture of shock and repulse. Her expression suddenly read, "You want to touch me?!" However, no words came out as she hesitated to disagree.

"Fine," Izumi said, holding out a hand. Even she had a pain threshold.

Solomon could practically feel the repulsion in her gaze. He expected to some degree, possessing a clear awareness of the way a woman might react to be carried. Of course, his intent was only to help. There was no ill will on his part, no intent to take advantage of her in her troublesome condition. He simply wished to make sure she was okay.

Remaining silent as they continued to walk, Izumi seemed to acknowledge that she could no longer walk properly in her current state, accepting his offer. Exhaling softly, he grabbed onto the woman's hand propping her body up into his arms. Turning his head to survey the area, Solomon recognized an area they could go where she could sit and rest her frame without worry. Tapping into his Hirenkyaku, Solomon held the brown-haired woman tightly as he raced towards a bench in a park where few were present. Placing her down carefully, Solomon cast his eyes toward the fountain as he sat down a few meters away to give her space.

"There. We should be far and away from danger now.'

It wasn't often that Izumi allowed anyone to touch her. She was too paranoid and cautious to just let that happen, but with hollow infesting the forest, she felt like there was no choice. She'd rather deal with this for a short while over being killed.

Izumi winced at being held a little too tight, but said nothing. Solomon quickly found a safe place in a nearby park to sit her down. Thankfully, there weren't many people around. The fountains were a nice touch, something to look at while she rested. She doubted she would be healed real soon, so this place was better.

"Thank you," Izumi said with a relaxed sigh. "Are you going to stick around here too? Or will you be off again? I'm sure there are more hollow out there you could be dealing with instead of sitting here, waiting for me to be able to walk on my own."

Solomon pondered the woman's question for a moment. There was merit to her point of view. Of course, the young man simply wasn't the type to leave abruptly, he merely wished to know she was in better condition. She had involved herself in a battle intended for him, and though he was far from the type to fall prey to a guilty conscious over matters such as these, he still felt he ought to honor his word and stay by her side until she recovered. The only question was... how long would that process take?

"I intended to stay here yes, but if you at all find my presence disagreeable, Miss Izumi, then I'll certainly be heading off to survey the area to ensure the hollows here have been handled in full. Perhaps, I'm being unreasonable here, but I allowed you to fight alongside me without acknowledging your level of skill."

Solomon decided the best way to handle this was to offer her a device that would allow him to know she managed to pull away from here in solid condition. He placed it on the bench. A holographic messenger. She could simply tap the button, he would receive a message, and he would sleep well knowing she'd recovered. That was a fair tradeoff, no?

"Either way, It is unreasonable to expect your body to heal up in a night. As such, I leave you with this. A holographic messaging device. I'd like to at least know you recovered successfully. After that, you can do what you will with it."

Solomon didn't expect her to keep in touch. They may as well have been strangers, after all. Even so, all he desired to know is that she would be alright.

With his stubbornness and sense of honor, Izumi realized he possessed a few traits she would find useful. Maybe this was good, maybe bad. If he was so willing to help her, to paint her as this damsel who he needed to make sure was well, then there were things she could probably use here. Izumi relaxed, sighed, and put on a small, weak smile, while her eyes expressed the pain she felt in her side.

"Forgive me, Solomon," Izumi said, a small but gentle change in her tone. "You are very kind. I just don't want you to feel obligated to stay and care for someone in my condition... It was my choice to be there, to help, so I do not blame you at all. If anything, I should be thanking you for your kindness."

And there it was, that flip. It was that quick change in her behavior that went from pushing people away to drawing them in with her motherly mask.

"In truth, I am so used to being alone that when new people come around, I find myself wary of them," Izumi said, her tone filled with the kindness she had practiced for years now. "You've proven much kinder than I. Do... Do you think I can ask a favor? I, um..." She looked to the floor, saddened. "I have no place to stay, and very little money to my name... Do you know of somewhere that could help me?"