Blood Staining the Heart [Kuukaku, Shishiyuki]

She insisted that her personal guard stay outside. As she approached the Koizumi estate, or what remained of it, Koganehiko and Shiroganehiko remained at the gates themselves, exchnging anxious looks as Kuukaku stepped up to the one guarding the entrance. They usually would exchange a bit of banter, but in this moment they remained entirely silent as the head of the Shiba family addressed the attendant.

"Please inform Lady Koisumi that she has a visitor. Kuukaku Shiba is here to speak with her."

She raised a brow slightly as she watched the gates open, and none other than the woman herself walked into sight. Shishiyuki certainly had her own way about things, and no doubt was well aware of how Kuukaku sometimes reacted to people being overly formal, but she hardly minded that. But for all of the fondness she had for the spunky head of the household, there wasn't a hint of a smile on her face as she stepped forward, stopping only a short distance away from the woman.

"How ya holdin up?" The question was calm and firm, it didn't drip with the usual trappings of sympathy. It was simply a mutual understanding. She was aware that the family had taken a loss but she wasn't just asking how Shishiyuki was doing. She was using the royal 'ya' in reference to the woman's family as well. Certainly as hard as it was on Shishiyuki, there was no doubt no shortage of distress amongst the rest of the family given the loss. "I imagine you been probably on the clock ever since. Or you managed to get some food and rest?"

”You seem a lot more than alive. You haven’t been this bold since Ive known you, Double Death.” She noted with a rueful smile alongside that nickname from when they were younger, to try and put a little vim and vigor into that shy little girl. Well there was plenty in her now.

All the same she rolled her eyes a bit at the mention of what essentially was in reference to Central 46. ”Didn’t take them long. But the Nobles aren’t the only snakes in the grass. Her tone dropped slightly as her expression grew more serious. ” Lets head inside. I’d like to talk about one of your ex coworkers.” there would be little room for who she might be referring to, especially to someone as smart as Shishiyuki.

Kuukaku followed the woman into the estate and left it to Shishiyuki to lead her somewhere appropriate for such a discussion. All the while Kuukaku remained silent and sullen. Thankfully it wasn’t just the two women.

“Goodness me, how long has it been since we were here!? And to see it in such a state! It brings tears to my eyes.”
“Tears will be for later, Brother. We must keep strong, lest we run into any young ones!”
“Guh!? You’re absolutely right! If any young Koizumi catch sight of us they should know the dependability of the Shiba and its associates!”

As if to dull the edge of the moment, Koganehiko and Shiroganehiko held a hushed conversation of reminiscing behind the two women. Quietly, but no doubt both women would still be aware of the conversation if only because of the deathly silence. Though they would miss the show of both men puffing up and slightly flexing lest they be spotted by any youths. Kuukaku still could imagine it, and it quelled even so very slightly the rage inside her.

When they arrived her Guards remained outside, and Kuukaku pet out a slow, steady sigh as she released the tension that had been building up. She’d been just about ready to have a very terse conversation with Shishiyuki. But hearing those two blunted that hard edge, and let her clear her mind a little. As such when she started to speak, her voice had lost some of that underlying growl to it.

”I received a message just after the attack. A report regarding the death of Hakuyou.” She reached into her top and peeled out a slip of scroll, setting it infront of her and rolling it out. A brief, clipped message. No explanation.

”I’d like to know what happened, anything you know about how he died.”

Kuukaku's jaw tightened slightly as she narrowed her eyes and absorbed the information being offered to her. And for just a moment, her eyes widened as she glanced at Shishiyuki out of the corner of her eyes. Hakuyou. A TRAITOR?! She felt a buzz of agitation building up in her limbs and she felt a brief sensation of ..... twisted fury building up in her stomach as she let her mind switch to that name.

More information at that, she only furrowed her brows at the mention of where it was that he'd been killed. The Maggot's nest? That only solidified her incredulity. Hakuyou was not a man of small measures. If he was going to defy Soul Society, he would have simply done it out in the open and barreled his way towards whatever it was he set his mind on. Like any Shiba Man. Going somewhere as remote as the Maggot's Nest if he really WAS going to betray the soul society? It didn't make sense, and Shishiyuki's tone only compounded her doubt.

"And what do you know about this Nagoshi person?" She managed to keep the tension in her voice to a minimum as they continued to walk.