Who am I? What am I?

A boy opened his eyes in the medical ward. A heart monitor was beeping, and the five foot four blond looked at the ceiling strangely. He sat up, groaning and holding his head. He couldn't remember a thing...why he was here...who he was...nothing. It was all a pile of black mass. He was wearing a plain white kimono/yukata. But aside from some underwear, that was it. Looking around, he spotted a cracked pendent at a table side, along with a katana. Keepsakes?

The blue eyed teen got up and took out the heart monitor devices. It was clear he was still alive. He put on the pendent, wondering how it had gotten so damaged. The boy also got his sword. He needed to look for answers. After searching the room and coming up empty, he decided to leave.

There weren't anyone around. Finding a clock, he found out why. It was late. He started to wonder the halls...trying to find a way out...

It was late, and Marie, dispite not being captain or even a part of the 4th division but still respected as one of the best healers in the soul society was stuck in the hospital, despite being fairly pregnant. She'd gone to check on another patient, and was headed back to where captain Riku was staying.Marie walked back into captain Riku's room and it was empty. She noticed the heart monitor pads had been pulled free. He must have woken up. She let out a sigh.

Marie left the room and tried to sense where he'd gone. It seemed this way. She started to follow him and after a few minutes, caught up with him. She was none to happy, and sped past him. "Come on Mr, back to your room. I can't be stalking you around this hospital all evening. Besides, you need rest. now, back you go." She said. Hopefully he wouldn't argue. Even in his weakened state he was stronger than her. Worse come to worse, she could call on Jensen.

A black-haired girl entered the medical facility swiftly. She carried a bunch of flowers and a small box, and her expression was one of stoicism. Gráinne Xios was dressed in her usual attire, forgoing the Captain-Commander's haori. Captain Jensen was due to arrive soon, but he had filled her in on Riku's condition. As a result of his heroism, the young Captain had suffered a tremendous power loss, as well acute amnesia. She walked in through the front door and headed to the reception desk. The fact that the facility was up and running so fast, though it was still far too busy for her liking. The young receptionist looked up at her with an expression of impatience, before realizing who was standing before her. "Oh, Captain-Commander! I'm sorry. What can I do for you?" Gráinne smiled. "It's alright. I'm just looking for Captain Tomoshibi's room." The young woman checked the rota. "He is in room 103 in the Yamamura Wing ma'am." Gráinne nodded politely. "Thank you."

Gráinne arrived at the room to find that there was nobody inside. She checked the chart. It was indeed his room. She supposed that he might be having a check-up or something. She put the flowers on his bedside locker and sat down beside his bed waiting for him to return.

The boy was confused at the woman before him. He huffed. "I don't wanna hear that from someone that's obviously pregnant and looks to be due at any minute. I feel fine...but you should be in bed. What room number is your's? I'll escort you..." He wasn't going to leave her until she was in bed. Hopefully she'll comply. Upon reaching her room, he couldn't help but ask. "Do you know its gender yet?" After her answer, he'll just nod and tuck her in. Almost affectionately...like an elder sibling.

He didn't know why. He left, and if she continued with him or try to stop him, he'd just continue. "Look, just go rest. I'll visit you later...uh...miss..." He looked at her apologetically. Before long a nurse stopped by and urged him to go back to his room to get some rest and that he himself had a visitor. The boy shrugged. "I feel fine...just let me check out."

The nurse was insistant. And the boy's eyes were darkening with irritation. A couple guards were called when he yelled at her to check him out so that he can leave. The guards tried to restrain him. But even with a drop of power that he didn't know about, he handled them easily with his physical strength. The skinny blond stomped towards the main reception to leave...

(occ: sorry if I'm moving this thread a bit...fast.)

Marie scowled at the boy. "I'm still more than capable of taking care of patients. I happen to be your doctor. I suppose you don't remember me." She said. She let him escort her to her room. She decided not to aggravate him. Amnesia could result in violence. "Do you remember anything? Your name perhaps? Its Riku Tomoshibi. I'm Marie, one of your friends. Allot has happened, and your probably wondering what exactly." She said. She got into bed and he tucked her in.

"I suggest you don't leave the hospital. you might feel fine, but your exhausted. Besides my husband Jensen, another of your friends, will be along soon. He's going to fill you in on everything thats happened, now that your awake." She said. She shook her head. "We don't know yet. I hope... well I'm just glad." She said, and let him leave. He wouldn't get far.

Indeed, at the door he was aiming for a 5'11" wall of muscle stepped into the building, white haori flowing behind him, a custom gripped Ninjato at his hip. Jensen eyed Riku with a glint of myschief in his eye. "On the run are we? I think you should go back to your room." He said. "We've got allot to talk about." If he agreed, jensen would walk back with him. However if he declind, Jensen would grab him by the scruff of the neck like a kitten and carry him back to his room ignoring his protests. Either way they would make it back and find the captain commander waiting. Jensen would deposite his charge on the bed and cross his arms grinning.

Gráinne waited patiently. She swished her hair, and looked out through the window. The Soul Society was peaceful, the only sounds coming from reconstruction work being done. She was singularly impressed with how quickly things were getting back to normal. The only strange thing was taking up the Captain-Commander's office. The building that she had only ever seen from the outside, was suddenly her own. It was funny, she thought, that she had actually gotten used to her temporary home in Karakura Town. But this was her real home now, and she owed it all to the young man she had come here to visit.

After a short time, there seemed to be a bit of a ruckus at the entrance to the facility. She detected an energy spike that felt like Riku's. It disappeared almost as quick, then footsteps approached the room. Captain Jensen Reinhart entered the room with Riku in his firm grasp. The young man looked less then pleased to be here, kicking and thrashing about before Jensen planted him on the bed. Gráinne smiled warmly and offered Jensen a polite nod. She then regarded Riku with an expression of friendship and swished her hair. "Hello. My name is Gráinne Xios. You look like you're in a hurry to be somewhere else. May I ask where it is you think you need to be?"

He didn't answer her. Just furrowed his eyebrows. Still, he believed she shouldn't be working anyway, considering how far along she was. He especially didn't like the fact that she called her husband, and herself, a friend of his...or what his name was. Riku wanted proof of that. He still left. Only to be met with a mountain of muscle. The man towered over him. Riku huffed and moved to push past him. Only to be taken by the scruff of his neck and carried back to his room kicking and screaming.

When he was tossed on the bed and looked up, his eye color was temendously darker than it was before. Not quite black, but close to it. Even though he appeared like a kid, he actually looked rather terrifying. The blond didn't even flinch when the woman introduced herself with nothing but kindness and warmth. It didn't help his mood at all. "Finding a place to live, getting a job. I feel fine. I'd appreciate it if I wasn't here any longer than I have to be."

The grip on his sword tightened as he glared at the two. The window was close, but the two were in his way. He'd have to think of a distraction to get past them. He also neglected to mention that he didn't remember anything, but he didn't trust them. And even if he did have history, he'd want proof of it.

"A place to live, and a job? You already have both those things." Jensen pulled out a sachel, containing pictures and letters and other pieces of Riku's life he'd gathered up. "Everything you are, is in this bag. You don't need to go anywhere, because your already home, you have a job. You have freinds and a life. And that sword you've got there, its not just for show. Your a shinigami, your also a hero. Without you, this place would have been destroyed, we'd have been forced to flee, and one of the most dangerous men in the history of the shinigami would be free to run wild. Look through that stuff, and ask anything you need to know." Jesnen said. He handed Riku the bag, and stepped back.

Gráinne smiled again, this time with a look of pride. Despite his condition, the young man was determined to keep on living. "It appears, even with memory loss, some things don't change all that much." She watched as Jensen explained the situation to the confused young man. The elder Captain handed over a satchel which contained photographs and mementos from Riku's Shinigami life. "Captain Reinhart is very correct. Without your help, the world would have been doomed. I am the Captain-Commander of the Gotei 13, and you are one of my greatest Captains. I consider it an honor to have been able to serve with you, Riku Tomoshibi."

Riku looked through the things. He knew what he looked like...and these pictures were of him. It even had his record, which confirmed his name. "You think these mean anything? What good is it if it doesn't help me. I got my name from it and that's it. I don't know anything else. My duties, who you are, what I did, who this person that I sealed away or whatever was, nothing! If anything you say is remotely true...then shouldn't my body remember how to use a sword?!"

He threw the blanket and pillow at the duo. He also flipped the bed over him and tossed it at them. Normally, he would have used the opportunity to escape. Instead, he quickly drew his sword for a slash at the larger man. Then went into a kendo stance. His widened at his own reaction after his strike was dealt with. Maybe...there was some truth to this?

Jensen didn't answer him, he let the boy throw the blanket and pillow, and caught the bed as it was flipped so that it didn't harm the captain commander, and so she wasn't also inclined to destroy it or anything else in the hospital. The bow slashed at him, and in a flesh his sword moved, easily blocking the blade. Riku felll into a kendo stance and Jensen seen the look of shock in his face. He smiled, then he attacked, moving forward at a quarter of his speed he slashed at Riku holding back enough that Riku's body would react and he'd most likely block the attack. He slashed a few more times, and then stopped. sheathing his sword.

"Your body appears to remember how to wield your sword. My friend this is not a trick. I'll tell you what, why don't you get dressed, and instead of fighting we'll go for a walk around the place you saved. Lady Grainne do you like this idea?"

Gráinne sensed what was about to happen just before it happened. Riku was slowly losing his patience, his adolescent defiance flaring up. He flipped the pillow and blanket at the two Shinigami before launching the bed at them soon after. Gráinne did not move or flinch as Jensen stepped forward and caught the bed before it hit its mark, and set it down. The two drew swords and dueled for a moment, before Jensen stood down. Gráinne stood finally. She smiled and quickly put the room back together, replacing the flowers on the bedside table. Jensen suggested that they go and walk around the Seireitei, show Riku what he had saved. "That sounds perfect." The young girl walked over to Riku, still clutching the small box she had brought with her. She locked her yellow eyes on Riku's blue ones.

"There's one thing I must do before we go. I must return this to you." She offered the box to Riku. "This belongs to you, though I ask you not to open it yet, as it will mean nothing to you right now. Once we conclude our journey, you can open it. Shall we?" She would wait until the other two began to walk, then she would follow.

Riku blocked the blade. He still wasn't fully comprehending this. It felt...natural. He matched blows easily enough and with good foot work. He was going to continue until this Reinhart person put away his sword. The blond did the same. He was a lot calmer, so his eyes brightened a bit. He nodded at the girl and took the box. He nodded at the suggestion, but then noticed something.

"Uh...I checked the room already...I have no other clothes here. So currently it's just this and my underwear...unless you brought some clothes with you too..." If he did or if clothes were fetched for him, he'd put them on without any regard as to who was watching. He didn't know why he didn't have any shame, even if he wasn't changing underwear. When he was ready, he'd nod.

"Ah yes. I had someone drop by a bag for you a few days ago. I'll go get it." He said. Jensen left the room and returned a few minutes later with a second bag containing clothes. He placed it on the bed, and waited for Riku to get dressed. If the captain commander blushed because of Riku's lack of shame, Jensen would laugh. Then he left the room, holding the door for them.

"So I heard you met my wife. I'm surprised she let you get to the door, shes usually much, much bossier. Am I right, captain commander?" He said grinning. Indeed Marie was known for her know games attitude. She might not be a shinigami but she handled people like she was a captain. They made it outside the hospital, which was built on the ruins of squad 4's old barracks. It was a massive improvement really, though the squad still over saw all of the seireitei's healing needs.

There was still buildings under contruction around them. And it wasn't just the seireitei that was being rebuilt and improved, the Rukongai was being rebuilt new and improved, and the people living there were much better off. "Allot of bad happened, but now we're rebuilding. You helped chance the lives of hundreds of people, because you stopped Aizen Grainne was able to rebuild this place so that it wasn't the rich living on the backs of the poor anymore, like on earth. It might also be because nearly every member of our previous governing body was hunted down and killed by one of the escaped maggots. We never found out who. Its harsh to say, but they were ruining this place as much as the maggots did."

Gráinne nodded and sat back down to wait for Riku to change. What she didn't expect was for the young man to get changed right then and there. Her cheeks turn a curious shade of crimson and she quickly averted her eyes from the sight. Jensen chuckled at her, and she simply offered a sheepish smile back. Riku finished, and Gráinne's face returned to its normal color quickly. Jensen remarked on Riku's encounter with Marie, Jensen's wife. Gráinne smiled and replied. "Perhaps. She does possess a very strong will. It is with this strength of will that allowed this place to become operational so soon. We are lucky to have her."

Soon after, they started to walk through the Seireitei and out to the Rukongai. Gráinne listened to Jensen recall the reason for the reconstructive work. Gráinne blushed slightly when Jensen mentioned the work Gráinne had put in to help make the whole of the Soul Society a more equal place for all. She always felt uncomfortable taking credit for things, even if in this case it was all of her own work. "Your heroics afforded me the opportunity, though even then I could not have come this far alone. Everyone has worked together to help me, and for that I am eternally grateful."

Riku snorted. "You should keep a closer eye on her...a lot of things could go wrong during a pregnancy, and she's due at any moment...she should be focusing on herself instead of others. You're welcome, by the way, for escorting her back to her room." She did seem awfully bossy, but whatever. He handled her. But how did he know that a lot of things could go wrong during pregnancy? He looked around at what was being rebuilt.

Some looked completed, some weren't. On some areas, it looked like there were some night owls continuing with rebuilding, with lights illuminating everything. He listened to what they were saying. Earth? This wasn't earth? "What do you mean like earth? Isn't that where we are?"

He froze at the answer, eyes wide. Riku tried to remember anything...but again, nothing showed up. Shaking his head, he continued to walk. "My place?" He wanted to see where he lived...maybe get some clues as to why he is the way he is...

Jensen shook his head. "Oh I do what i can. But she's an expert healer, better than most 4th squad members could ever wish to be. She's needed for now, and she knows how to keep an eye on herself. If something happens to her, her healing even activates to protect her. And btw, its not the first time you looked out for her. When all this started you saved her life when I was trapped in the human world." He said.

"Right, yeah. No this isn't earth. Your a shinigami, Riku. A Spirit reaper. This is soul society. You do have relatives on earth though." He said. Riku wanted to go to his house so Jensen lead the way.

Gráinne followed the two friends on their journey to Riku's house. She listened to Jensen recall Riku's history with both him and his wife. Jensen then went on to reply to Riku's surprise that he wasn't on Earth by telling him what he truly was. A Spirit Reaper, a Shinigami. "Yes. It's our job to keep the balance by stopping evil spirits, Hollow, from doing misdeeds in the Living World. This is something you were exemplary at." They arrived at Riku's house, and she followed the two in.

He listened. Nothing clicked for him. So he asked Grainne. "What made me so exemplary at it?" He asked as he hesitated before entering his home. Well, old him from the looks of it. It was cleaned, but there piles of broken stuff here and there. "Was I robbed?"

It was a legit question. What he didn't remember was abandoning it when he followed Aki's orders. Clearly the Maggots went through it. And other's quarters. The first room was a combination living/dining/kitchen room. Fairly spacious. Not bad. He first went to a stack of...pictures? Some of them were scratched up, but he picked one up. It showed him, Jensen, and a few other people he couldn't remember.

Similar pictures were in the pile. "You said I had family still living. If I'm a spirit, I don't age, or age very slowly, correct? So I died when I was, what? Fourteen to seventeen years old? Not old enough to have kids unless I was an idiot for more than one reason when I was alive. So who are my relatives?"

As he was siftening through the pictures...he found one that had two red headed men, one with fox ears and tail, with another him. No, the copy was slightly taller and had green eyes. They were all in bathing suits. He looked at Jensen questioningly and showed him it.

"Robbed? no. The soul society was ransacked by criminals. They were probably living here. We did clean it up some but oviously haven't gotten around to fixing everything." He said. Jensen nodded. "You have brothers and sisters who've had children." Jensen replied to that. Riku picked up and sorted through pictures, stopping on the one of the time they'd gone to the beach. Jensen smiled, remember that day.

"Ah yes. That was a fun day. the fox is Kurama. He was a good freind of ours... I haven't seen him since the fall of the gotei. I don't know what happened to him. The blond that looks like you is Jun, one of your relatives. that other red head.. I cant remember his name. Parius was there with us too, you'll meet him later i'm sure."

Gráinne looked at all of the pictures that were being discussed by the two friends. She was enthralled by all of the people she had never met, nor will ever get the chance to meet. She looked kind of sheepish when Riku thought his house had been robbed. "That's also partially my fault. I had the repair crews prioritize the hospital and the Rukongai. My apologies Captain. I will have it done as soon as possible."

Soon after Gráinne received a message via Kidou from Diath. She was needed back at the office for some situation that had arisen. Gráinne sighed. The work of a leader needs to be done, she supposed. She turned to Riku and Jensen. "I am sorry Captains, but I must return to my office. Something has come up it seems. Captain Riku, don't forget about the box, and I hope you like the flowers. Captain Jensen, I will see you later at the meeting. Farewell." With that, Gráinne bowed to the two men, then swished her hair and briskly walked out.

(OOC: Gráinne exit thread.)

Riku rose an eyebrow at Jensen and was about to respond when Grainne made her escape. He nodded at her in goodbye. "Then where is Parius? Or you for that matter? If you don't know the other red head, then I would assume this picture isn't the occasion you're thinking of..." He sighed heavily. "I don't mean to be rude or anything...but think you could let me be for a while? Maybe have breakfast with me in the morning? Or something? I'd like to clean up here...then maybe get organized or shadow someone..."

He really didn't know what to do. He'd have to relearn several things it seems...and the sooner the blond got to it, the better it would be. Maybe getting back into the habit of things will spark his memories...the ones he couldn't remember. Once alone, he'll get started on finishing cleaning up.