A Spoonfull of Joy [Mai, Rio]

Inheriting a captain's position often equaled inheriting their work, and Rio was no exception. Rio was slotted into this role temporarily, but she approached it with the dedication of someone who desired to keep it permanently.

Whatever the case may be moving forward, she wanted to honor the division Hakuyou built, even if her thoughts regarding his fate and intention were mired in doubt. Knowing the man on a personal level, she still found it difficult to come to terms with the idea that he had betrayed the Soul Society.

At some point, she recognized she would have to conduct some measure of research to confirm this, but without any conclusive evidence, it already felt as though it might be somewhat dead in the water. A myriad of thoughts flowed through her mind as she continued to contemplate her choices moving forward. This contemplation continued until a familiar voice and form subsequently passed through the door. Turning away from her desk, regarding the woman with a stern, golden gaze, Rio fixed the parts of her newly outfitted haori as she shook her head.

"I can enjoy something to eat once I've finished my work, Mai."

"Mm..."

As expected, Mai elected to remain in her office until she finished work. Rio knew her well enough to realize she would remain here for hours until she accepted her terms. Five minutes passed, and then ten, with Rio's gaze darting back to Mai curiously, wondering if she'd budge on her decision. The only expression she was met with was a bright and expectant smile. Eventually, Rio exhaled softly as she neatly collected her papers into an orderly file. When that passed, Rio placed a hand against her face as she smiled. What was it about the bright and starry-eyed that made her back down so easily?

"Alright. I guess a small break wouldn't hurt."


Extending her hand outward, awaiting a spoon, Rio would allow herself this moment of reprieve. After all, who could say no to Ice Cream?

"No, not really... A lot's happened in the aftermath of this invasion..."

Rio's admission was accompanied by a sigh as she removed the top from her carton. There were so many factors that led to this outcome, and she didn't exactly welcome the idea of going into specific details. After all, how could she feel joy from inheriting the position of a man whose corpse she was placed beside after her defeat?

It was a horrific sight, and she was wholly aware that the memory wouldn't leave her for some time. Shaking her head, Rio would sample a spoonful of the heavenly peanut butter chocolate flavor she was familiar with in the Living Realm. It didn't erase her poor mood, but it was nevertheless a pleasant taste, eliciting a small smile on her face.

"What about you? How have you been lately, Mai?"

"That's a relief. In trying times such as these, it's good to know some of my companions have emerged relatively unscathed."

Rio continued to enjoy her ice cream as she listened to Mai. It was indeed nice to know that she hadn't experienced anything too dire. Of course, perhaps she was getting ahead of herself. Since she was a healer, the Shihoin woman no doubt assumed countless bodies were being brought in to be healed in the aftermath of the invasion. She inwardly wondered if that was the reason why she trailed off.

"Is there anything you happen to be going through, though? I can't imagine things have been easy in the second division considering the current state of Soul Society."

"I don't think it's dumb at all. Others might be worse, but that hardly invalidates your current emotions on the matter. To tell the truth, you're not the only one who feels that way..."

Rio couldn't quite shake the image of her failure, either. She was strong. She was capable. She shouldn't have suffered defeat as quickly as she did, but that's exactly what happened. Rio let her guard down when the crucial moment came to pass. As one who wore the pride of the Shihoin on her sleeves, she couldn't remove the bitter sting of defeat right now. At the very least, the sweetness of the ice cream distracted her from the depressing thoughts cycling through her head. It was best to perish them, however. After all, she was in the company of a well-meaning friend.

"I wanted to help as many as I could, but I ended up letting my guard down. I can't go back and fix it, so there's probably no point in letting it bother me as much as I have been. Even so, the loss still bothers me. I can't help but feel my victory would've aided my allies greatly."