What flower blooms only in the night? (Open)

A light breeze blew through the garden as Tatsuya came to the end of his story, making the flowers sway as if they were part of a great ocean, at the same time a sad smile crossed Tsubaki’s lips, and this one didn’t fade away.

Why would I judge you? Because you’re a visored? Because you took the only decent option left to you after those you held close abandoned you? Because you killed a shinigami? None of those things need judging, in fact, I’ve been through most of those things myself, if on a larger scale. Let me tell you a little about myself. Nearly three hundred years ago, I lived in the rukongai, all I did was brew tea, but one day I spoke out against a noble, and suddenly the entire rukongai was against me, I was literally thrown out of my job, no one would speak to me, my home was even vandalized, all by the same people whom I had stood up for against the noble, I was forced to live in the rukongai forest for…a very long time. As for killing a shinigami, as I said, I’m the lieutenant of squad two, I specialize in assassinations, and with leaving a bloody corpse… At this Tsubaki’s hands began to grip the railings, the wood splintering slightly beneath her grasp.

I have very few memories before I came to the soul society, but one…I was young, it was the night of my death, and a man who was…important to me…was being tortured in front of me, my name on his dying breath. Just like you, I snapped, I took a pair of chopsticks and went at him, I ripped him apart, and even after he was dead, I kept going…I couldn’t stop…not until my own head was taken from me…So no, I won’t judge you for killing a man who didn’t deserve the position given him, and no I won’t judge you for being a visored, which frankly is more of a boon than a curse in my opinion, especially the way things are going.

However, I will say this. I take back what I said about you having no right to wear that uniform, a person willing to keep fighting hollows and keep working as a shinigami even after being outcast deserves to wear that uniform. Tsubaki closed her eyes, she didn’t know why she was opening up to this stranger, she hardly ever talked this much to anyone, not even her own captain. Why am I telling you this…anyway. Listen Tatsuya. I unfortunately can’t just let you go to get that letter on your own simply because you won’t be recognized, so I’ll have to go with you, also, afterwards…I want you to come back here, I have something to give you.

When Tatsuya came back Tsubaki had was bent over, pulling open a hatch in the veranda floor. You realize that I did say that I was going to have to escort you? Anyway, come down here. Tsubaki walked down the staircase that was revealed below the door, coming to a large metal door that she opened to reveal an extremely large misty room, a room filled with hundreds of bonsai trees and other plants, so many that it seemed as if one was standing in a miniature forest. Follow me. Without waiting to see if Tatsuya had even come down the stairs she began to walk through small paths between the plants, searching left and right for two certain plants.

She found the first one after a few moments, a small plant with black and white flowers, laden with red berries. Now this is the first plant I'm offering you, but first I need to ask a question, are you yet in control of your inner hollow?

So he hasn’t, I thought as much. I asked because if you had managed to gain complete control, then this plant would be useless to you.

Tsubaki smiled a little more at Tatsuya's assumption, there was really no way for him to know and it was a good guess, just incorrect. No, this one doesn't do anything with your inner hollow, and again, be extremely careful with those berries, I want to be clear, if you take to much they can possibly suppress your own shinigami powers as well, so don't get dependent. Anyway, this one is an early warning system.

These flowers change color whenever an unrecognized reiatsu comes near, turning a dark black, the reason it's white now is because it is not set to any single person. If you want it, then you can set it to your own reiatsu, the best way to do this is to simply place a little of your blood on the base, this will cause a small bulb to grow at the base, and it can be returned to a blank state, like it is now, by breaking off the bulb. What this basically means is that if you anyone other than you gets near this plant then it will turn black, giving you a warning in case anyone else is sent to get you, of course this only works in a small area, about the size of a normal kitchen, and those who can mask their reiatsu can sneak by, but it can be helpful. With that Tsubaki handed the plant over to Tatsuya and looked him in the eye.

However, if you ever betray the trust I'm giving you, I will personally hunt you down, and you won't escape me.

Tsubaki took back the plants and smiled, placing them back on the shelves where she had gotten them. She was surprised that she had found someone who piqued her interest and appeared to have common sense. She turned back around and looked at Tatsuya. She couldn't understand what it was about this person that made her open up to him, while she hadn't told him everything about herself, not by a long shot, he had managed in one night to get more information out of her than some people had in decades.

Good choice. It's always best to attempt to get a hold of your power before it becomes more of a problem than it already is.Tsubaki turned around and looked back at the door and sighed. Look, it'd probably be best if you got going, if people are still looking for you then you don't want to be here come dawn. Tsubaki turned back to her plants and picked up a pair of shears before sighing again as she began to prune some of the plants.

You know, you're the first person in a very long time I've opened up to? In truth, most people don't even know anymore than my name and position. Tsubaki put down the shears and looked up, eyes closed. Why... Suddenly she reached into her pockets and pulled out a small brown packet.Take this, it's tea, you'll find out it's flavor when you brew it. Tsubaki handed Tatsuya the bag and started for the door, pausing at the stairwell. Close the door...and don't...don't be afraid to come back.Tsubaki rushed up the stairs and out of sight, in a moment the sound of her sliding doors closing could be heard for just an instant until silence once again reigned.

[[exit]]