Rolling over in bed, Azdeha threw an arm over her face and groaned. As always the sun was shining directly into her room, making it impossible to open her eyes, but at least it was warm. She sat up and warily rubbed her eyes, willing them to work. It had been 3 days since her talk with Chusei, and she hadn't seen the captain since. With Taichou and Renji away, she had been holed up in the office, doing paperwork, while Honoka and Yukito took charge of training and minor missions.
On a brighter note, the two commanding officers were due back late last night, according to the report Renji had sent them the other night, so things would get back to normal at least. She stood up and stretched, her red hair trailing down her back, and picked up her wash bag before heading out to the communal washroom.
She padded delicately down the hallway, the tatami mats warm against her bare feet and hummed quietly to herself while wondering idly if she'd forgotten to finish any of the paperwork. Not that it mattered. Taichou had probably gotten Renji to finish it all off by now. Which meant he'd be in a mood with her. As usual.
She stopped outside the washroom and lay her hand against the door, ready to push it open when she heard a commotion outside in the courtyard. Curious, she hung her wash bag on the hook by the door, and headed towards the noise, pulling her yukata closer around her.
Outside in the courtyard, surrounded by squad members, 3rd Seat Fukui Honoka, was trying to quiet everyone down. Azdeha sidled up to the edge of the group and nudged the nearest shinigami.
"Ne, Muriyama, what's going on?"
The young male turned around, and looked at her apologetically, "Kuchiki Taichou and Abarai Fuku Taichou didn't return last night. No one has heard from them since their last communication 2 days ago. A squad in the nearby area was dispatched to the village, but it's deserted and there's no sign of them."
Azdeha shook her head, "There's got to be some mistake. Maybe they were on their way home and something came up they had to attend to...like a Hollow."
"That's what we're trying to find out."
"QUIET BACK THERE!" Honoka looked at the two pointedly and coughed. "This is what's happening. We're unsure as to the whereabouts of Kuchiki Taichou and Abarai Fuku Taichou, and it's unlike them to not call in and let us know the situation. Sou Taichou has issued us with orders to form a group, lead by Hitsugaya Taichou. Members from Squad 6, 9, 10 and 11 are to be sent. We leave tomorrow morning."
Biting her bottom lip Azdeha backed away from the group. If something had happened to them, tomorrow might be too late. She needed to go to Chusei...and she needed to go now.
It only took Azdeha a few minutes to get back to her room and get dressed, but it felt like hours. She quickly threw her hair into a long pony tail, forsaking her usual style for the sake of saving time and ran out the door slamming it behind her. She was halfway down the hall when she remembered she had left Kurobara sitting on her display stand.
Cursing under her breath the young girl headed back to her room, nearly knocking another squad member to the floor.
"Look where you're going, Abarai san! What's the rush?"
Azdeha bowed quickly, not even stopping to see who she had just barrelled through, "Gomenasai!"
Throwing open the door to her room, she spotted the zanpakuto on the wall where she had left it, displayed above her bed, which was currently unmade. Her yukata was flung carelessly across the shoji screen and the contents of her wardrobe were spilling out onto the floor in her hurry to get to her shihakusho.
She grabbed the sword off the wall and ran out of the room once more, her eyes ahead of her as she tied the sageo to her obi. She wondered if Chusei had heard the news yet. No doubt someone had alerted her to the mission, especially if a captains meeting was being called.
She slowed down when she reached the main gates of Squad 6 and nodded to the 2 shinigami on guard duty, who greeted her back with a wave of their hand as she passed through, and headed in the direction of Squad 9.
She had no guarantee that her friend would be there, she was most likely to be with the other captains, but Azdeha felt she needed to do something. She couldn't just sit around waiting for orders. Especially since she doubted Honoka would let her be on the team. She'd say the young girl was too emotionally attached to be of much use.
Azdeha sneered at the idea, and quickened her pace.
