Tis beautiful, glistened in dew. (Shirasu, Open)

Just outside the Squad 8 barracks, the sun was just coming up. The dew glistened upon the cherry blossom trees in the area, the rooftops of barracks shining slightly. The very plain, barracks just to the west of the cluster of three cherry blossom trees. The sun was just peaking, the soft light blanketing the courtyard.

Underneath the northern cherry blossom tree laid the sleeping body of Tenka, with a knocked over bottle of sake close to his left hand, the cup sitting in his right with a small wet spot on the blanket beneath him, the puddle smelling of sake. The blanket beneath him was simple, golden with a thick black edging, roughly 3 inches in width. In the center was the same emblem on the back of his jacket, the black diamond separated into four different equal squares.

Tenka slowly awoke, the cup dropping from his right hand and hitting the blanket, making a small noise. He suddenly jumped up at the noise, hand reaching to his waist to find empty air. He shook his head slowly, trying to deal with the pulsing headache. "Ugh..too much pain" he said out loud, tapping his skull slightly as he stood, shaking himself. He stretched softly, before someone of his squad came up to him.

"Sir, we encountered a hollow last night..we lost a squad member" the squad member said, a look of sadness upon his face as his eyes glistened like the morning dew. The member could hardly keep himself from crying as he looked upon his captain, the sun starting to rise, as light began to wash over the area ,

Tenka merely sighed, looking at his subordinate in shambles. "Then mourn him, but do not let yourself be swallowed by grief, we still have much to do. Remember to keep smiling, even through the darkest times" Tenka said, looking up towards the squad member, smiling at him. The squad member seemed to regain his composure, merely bowing and running off to write the report of the mission..

Tenka smiled after the man as the a half of the sun peeked. He looked at the sun for a second, before he laid down on the blanket, his eyes shutting as his headache continued to pulse. Despite the pulsing pain, he still was able to go black to sleep, snoring slightly in his slumber.

Shirasu was walking out of the squad 8 barracks just as the squad member from before was running back. By a quick glance it seemed he had bee crying before, but was now somewhat pulled together, maybe even cracking a small smile. And with that little observation he knew that what he was searching for was nearby. Only their captain could get and effect like that. He hadn't returned to the barracks the previous night and of course that meant he had probably spent the night with too much sake somewhere, not taking care of himself. Of course thats what lieutenants were for after all. Or so it seemed after patterns like this one.

In no time he found the man, shaking his head at the sight. He was sleeping again, the blanket under him spotted with still drying sake snoring like a baby. The sake bottle and the cup were laying about the blanket at either side, both likely empty.He stepped closer, picking up the discarded bottle and cup, using his free hand to shake Tenka lightly. "If you sleep here you're going to be sore later. That doesn't sound too pleasant when added to that hangover you must have" he spoke up, giving a bit of a rougher shake, expecting some childish complaining about just a few more minutes. "Your blanket needs to be washed too" he stood up but not before taking hold of the blanket, pulling it as he straightened up, taking it right out from under the man with a harsh tug.

"Besides theres serious things that need your attention" he was lying of course, or at least he thought he was. HE didn't know about anything going on just yet. He figured if there was some kind of emergency that would get Tenka up though. It worked in the several times he had used it before, so he doubted he would fail this time. Though the moment Tenka looked up to him and saw the sly, yet kind smile he wore now it would become clear just how truthful Shirasu's words were, and when he did the lieutenant would offer a joking and victorious "'Good morning"

"Just a few more minutes" Tenka mumbled incoherently to Shirasu as he tried to wake him up. As he mumbled this, he rolled over slightly, curling up as he batted at his silver haired lieutenant, his hand just reaching about a foot out of his body. "Leave me allooonnnneeee" He groaned, curling up even tighter.

Moments later, Tenka found himself flipped around, landing flat on his face as the blanket was removed from underneath him. He groaned before turning onto his side. As soon as he heard Shirasu say there was something important to do, he immediately shot up, standing quickly. "What?! What happened, what's going on?! He asked, still half asleep. He stopped for a moment, before he stopped to think for a moment.

"you're lying again, aren't you?" He asked, a slightly annoyed look on his face. Moments later, he showed his trademark smile towards his lieutenant, putting his hand on his shoulder. "Good morning" He responded. "Now, is there actually something serious going on, or are you lying to me again?" he asked, still smiling at his best friend.

Shirasu watched as Tenka got himself together, sitting up off the ground and looking around frantically for some kind of disaster or something of the sort. Of course when there was no panic in sight it would become rather clear just how truthful the white haired shinigami was being. He offering nothing more than a smile as his first answer. Of course that smile was far too sly and fox like to be taken as one that was just as a morning greeting. It was a dead give away that he had used that ancient technique of getting his captain to wake up.

"Well I don't really know if its anything important but there's some rather sullen faces walking around" he looked out into the street, noticing the fact that he had just spoken out loud. "I would think you would learn by now though" His own was of admitting he was saying false things again to wake the man up. though now that he paid more attention to the details as always there was a rather energy draining feel around. What had happened? Maybe there really was something wrong. He narrowed his eyes, arching a brow as he watched a few squad members walk by, talking about something in hushed voices, one of them shaking their heads and rubbing their temples, while the rest in the group were obviously slouched over, fretting and grieving over something.

"Though there might be something worth looking into" he murmured, his violet eyes trailing after the men until the disappeared behind the barrack walls. He folded the blanket up in his arms, laying it over one as he placed the other hand to rest on the back of his neck in a more relaxed way to not show his slight concern or curiosity.

Tenka's smile faded slightly as he followed Shirasu's eyes towards their fellow squad mates, noting their sullen looks and depressed mannerisms. He let out a soft sigh before putting his left arm around his lieutenant, using him as a pseudo-support. "One of our younger squad members died over night. A few of them were dispatched to take down a few troublesome hollows. Apparently the men counted incorrectly, and a hollow snuck up on them." Tenka explained to his best friend, shaking his head slightly.

After a few moments, Tenka's head returned upright as he smiled, putting more of his weight on his white haired companion. "Just remember to smile, the men look up to us as the main force of our squad. We need to be strong for them" He gave his trademark smile, looking directly at his subordinate. He scratched the back of his head, still smiling as he removed the weight from Shirasu.

A few moments later, a Hell butterfly came towards the Captain. It rested itself on top of his head, slightly blending into Tenka's hair. As the information transferred, the smile disappeared on the Captain's face. There was a Captain's meeting. Something must have happened. "Shirasu, take care of everything. There's a Captain's meeting, I have to be there quickly, I'm already a little late." The epic pony-tailed man removed his arm from his lieutenant, quickly making his way towards the direction of the meeting. However, he stopped to turn around for a moment, giving the male another one of his smiles. "remember, never stop smiling!" He said loudly, making a few of the roaming squad members look at their captain, and smile.

Shirasu listened to his captain's explanation for why everyone was looking so down, giving a small nod. "I see" His smile had fallen, looking a bit more serious. He looked back to the doors of their barracks, finally getting it. So he hadn't really lied. Something had happened. He just wasn't the one that knew what it was. And of course his friend's next line was enough to bring that soft smile back onto his lis and into his violet eyes. He should have seen it coming. Tenka was always one to make sure everyone was smiling. He turned his head to look at the now standing man, quietly glad to have that weight off of his shoulders now, having been used for the captain to pull himself up, much like a post.

Then he spotted the hell butterfly. He eyed it as it landed at the top of Tenka's head, wondering what it was saying. By the sullen look Tenka had it was nothing good. He arched a brow when the butterfly flew off, expecting an answer he received just after. A captain's meeting? Something really was going down. He doubted it was just about a large number of hollows too. This was something far more serious. He narrowed his eyes, giving another nod. "Don't worry about things here" he assured, his expression lightening some as his friend walked away. It was almost time for another...there it was. Yet another reminder for everyone to continue smiling. An unspoken rule of squad 8.

About the time Tenka was out of sight, another hell butterfly had flown in his direction. Shirasu extended his hand, allowing it to land upon his finger as he received his own message from the small insect. "To the world of the living, huh?" he muttered as the butterfly flew off. Shirasu reached up, pulling the wires off his headband to allow it to fall, releasing his snowy hair from being held back. It fell into his eyes, brushing down over his shoulders. He had his own work to do. The squad members that were nearby recognized the action. Anytime he wasn't holding his hair back was like a silent way of saying it was time for him to do his job. Her glanced their way and they gave a nod of understanding, knowing they needed to spread the news and make sure the barracks were taken care of. Wit that taken care of, a senkaimon was opened in front of the white haired shinigami and he wasted no time running into it, wanting to get things taken care of as soon as he could.