A Shirakawa's Day Off

"Mmmm, Masa-nii's still sleeping." Nozomi pouted, puffing her cheeks out slightly as she peeked through his bedroom door, seeing him spread out under the covers of his bed, sleeping away the morning as if he hadn't slept in weeks. She was glad he was finally getting some rest, but she knew he'd probably be angry with himself for sleeping so late...then again...he looked so relaxed now, she'd hate to wake him.

Closing his door, Nozomi turned and headed down the hall. "Hmm, maybe Shizue-san can play with me! Hee hee~" She secretly hoped someone would stop by as well, she enjoyed visitors, especially if they'd play with her.

The guards at the front gate of the Shirakawa mansion lay unconscious as a dark figure approached the home. An angry aura filled the air around the mansion. The dark approached the home and knocked on the front door. A loud boom would echo through the halls of the mansion.

"SHIRAKAWA! OPEN THE DOOR!"

A short, fat old woman stood in the entry way. A captain's haori draped over her shoulders.

"Whoa!" Nozomi, who'd previously been speaking with the maid, Shizue, looked over towards the entrance of the mansion. "Mmm I can get the door, Shizu-chan! You can go check on Masa-nii, kay? Then we can play!"

Shizue smiled at the small girl, "Alright, Nozomi-chan." Shizue turned and headed towards the master bedroom, though, she couldn't help but worry for the girl. She knew that reiatsu was of another captain, Norma Higgins to be exact. She seemed angry, but she supposed she needed something from the head of the clan.

"Shirakawa-sama-oh your'e awake. That's good." She greeted, noting that Nozomi hadn't shut the door all the way, as Masaru sat up in bed rubbing his eyes.

"What's going on? What time is it?" He asked, "And you know you don't need to call me that, Shizue-san. We're friends, you've known me since I was still a student."

Shizue smiled, "Just comes with the job, Masaru-kun. It seems Higgins-taicho is here...it seems urgent. Nozomi-chan is answe-"

"Nozomi?" Masaru got out of bed, not even bothering with changing from his night robes to more daily attire. Quickly enough, he reached the door just before the young girl did.

"Aww, Masa-nii I coulda got it."

"Heh, it's fine, Nozomi. Shizue-san should be waiting on you."

"Okay!" Saying that, Nozomi trudged off, leaving Masaru to open the door.

"Ah, Higgens-taicho. Good morning, what brings you here?" He greeted once the door was open.

As soon as Masaru opened the door, Norma hit him on the top of the head with her cane. How dare he make her wait so long? She pushed him out of the way and made her way into the foyer of the mansion. The old captain turned once inside and glared at Masaru.

"My security cameras caught squad six members defacing the grounds of my squad again! This is the last time Shirakawa. You better do something about your misbehaving squad."

Norma saw a chair a few feet away and sat in it, still glaring at Masaru.

"Are you always this rude? Gonna offer me some tea or something, or do I have to do that myself? Why aren't you dressed? Have some self respect man."

Norma let out a huff as she looked around the mansion, taking all of it in.

"Don't you have cleaning staff? This place is filthy. You father must be rolling in his grave....Now about your squad. If you don't do something, heads will roll. I will split them down the middle."

"Ahck!" Masaru clutched his head after the cane had made impact, the many ramblings of the older woman being thrown in his direction in a jumble. He was still drowsy from having just woke up, he could barely take in everything.

"Ah, right right. I apologize I was catching up on some much needed rest. I was handling some paperwork most of the night last night. I'll get started on that tea. Ahh, it was probably new recruits. I'll give them a scolding and proper punishment, some of them are still acting out a bit. I deeply apologize, Higgins-taicho."

Tea, get dressed, tea, get dressed.

He showed Norma to the sitting room, letting her situate herself in one of the more comfortable chairs while he quickly went off to get dressed and start some tea. Handling those things quickly, Masaru made it back to the sitting room. He made sure to make the tea he knew the older woman was fond of, mentally thanking his drink and food preparation skills as he set down the tea along with a plate of biscuits to go with them.

Masaru sat down across from her in one of the other chairs, "Is there any personal message you'd like to relay to the culprits? I'll be glad to deliver it during their punishment, Higgins-taicho."

Norma let Masaru guide her to the sitting room of his home as he apologized for his recruits bad behavior. Norma sat down in a large wing back chair, and took in her surroundings as the captain hustled to make her some refreshments.

"Those brats need more then a talking to. You better tan their hides."

Norma looked at the tea and biscuits. Shortbread biscuits. Good job Shirakawa. Norma picked up the tea and took a sip. It was actually pretty good. Ok, you get this ONE, Masaru. She was Irish, so she was a bit wary of the shortbread. It was kinda a Irish thing. Norma picked one up and took a bite. Ok, so you get TWO points. Norma wouldn't tell him this though.

"Of course! Tell them if they don't have business at squad nine, and I catch them there and there is no one to speak on their behalf, then their butts are mine. It would behoove them if you told them that my punishments are much more severe than yours."

"Of course, Higgens-taicho. I'll be sure to deliver the message." He responded in all seriousness. "I do hope the tea and biscuits are to your liking." He added, hoping he'd done right by them, he couldn't always judge by reaction because some knew how to fake it.

"They're fine. Are you gonna put clothes on, or do I have to keep looking at your underwear?"

Norma gave Masaru and stern and disapproving look. His boxers were stylish though, but inappropriate attire for guests.

"Also, are you even gonna ask what your squad members did?"

[OOC: Masabutt already changed, Shea has told Tuxedo Ruk he's too lazy to edit so it's time to ignore dat part]

"Ah, I apologize. What was it they did exactly?" From her words earlier he'd just assumed something most... undisciplined recruits tended to do. He remembered 10th Division newbies going around spray painting one night, and new graduates sometimes did what was called teepeeing with toiletries.

"THEY TIED MY THREE CATS TOGETHER BY THEIR TAILS AND THEN SPRAY PAINTED THEM!"

The old woman loved her cats, and it enraged her to think someone would do cruel things to them. It made no sense at all. People had been against her since she joined the Japanese Seireitei.

"Captain Shirakwa, do you know what it's like to be doubted and underestimated all the time? I just turned three thousand years old last month. I moved to this Soul Society when I was three hundred, and became a captain fifty years later."

Norma began to recall the early days when she first arrived here.

"At first I was doubted because I am not a native of this society, and now I am underestimated because I appear to be a feeble old lady. In the last 2650 years, I have been challenged for my captaincy spot more than any captain currently in power. Captain Shirakawa, I hope this information leads you to inform your squad that I am far from being a feeble old lady. I have held my position for so long for a reason."

Masaru's eyes widened at what Norma had said. They were harming animals? That even crossed his line...He'd be certain they'd be properly punished for such a act. "I sincerely apologize for their cruel behavior, and again I swear they'll be properly punished. Animal cruelty is something I certainly won't ignore, and I'll have them issue you a proper apology themselves as well."

He listened to her story, listening to how she'd been doubted and challenged throughout her years. She'd worked alongside captains such as his father, his grandfather...although he'd never seen much of her, or the other captains much either due to his...confined state during his previous years of life. "I'll be sure to inform them, Higgins-taicho. You have my word."

"Very good."

Norma could tell Masaru was undressing her with his eyes. It was so obvious with the way he stared at her bosom. All the boys wanted her, twas a curse.

"Shirakawa, you should consider being more stern with you squad, and less friendly. This would have never happened under you grandfather's command, and it was unlikely under your father's. Both fine gentlemen. Such a shame they died so young."

[OOC: 2 all u readers, Norma is delusional -- Masabutt is too innocent and would get flustered at the very mention of boobs.]

She was right, something like this wouldn't of happened under his grandfather's control, and despite the man his father truly had become, it wouldn't of happened under him either. Masaru knew he was too nice, and he wanted to fix that but all those years of life without proper interaction had crippled him when it came to having much of a backbone as most would put it. He wanted to stay kind, friendly towards people but also wanted to live up to his family name of a good leader.

"I understand and it's something I'll be sure to work on about myself."

"I would have assumed at the very least you'd have learned something from Setsuna. I mean, she retired and practically became your nanny."

Norma always found it odd that Setsuna left such a prestigious job to tend to some child. At least that's what Norma thought. Setsuna didn't baby sit Masaru nearly as much as she thought.

"Now Setsuna, she was a leader. She knew how to put fear into someone's heart. Not just fear, but respect."