004 - Question and Quests

Shiro forced his eyes open. The shantytown's harsh reality replaced the blank white space of his system. The girl still stood nearby, watching him with those inscrutable dark eyes. He gave her a half-smile, trying for reassuring instead of just bewildered.

"Can you… understand me?" he asked. She tilted her head, confusion furrowing her brow. He sighed. Guess direct questions were a bust. This would take more finesse.

He pointed to himself, "Shiro." Then he pointed to her with a questioning look.

She hesitated for a moment, then placed a thin finger on her chest. "Rukia."

Progress! Shiro grinned. "Nice to meet you, Rukia."He needed to know more. Where were they? How did she live here? Pantomimes and single words wouldn't cut it for long. A sudden thought struck him, almost comical given the circumstances.

"System," he said, a touch louder this time, "Language Translation function. Can it be unlocked?"The words materialized before him:

Energy Cost: Medium

Sufficient Energy Available: No

Translation Function: Locked

He groaned. Of course, nothing was easy with this stingy system. He'd need to figure out how to get more 'energy' – likely more sleep, despite how ridiculous that sounded. For now, he could only try his best with the limited tools he had.

Rukia, seemingly sensing his frustration, crouched beside him. She pointed outward, to the sprawling shantytown, and made a sweeping gesture. Then, she made a twisting motion with her hand, her brow furrowed with concentration. Was she trying to tell him something about this place?

Shiro mirrored the twisting gesture, hoping she'd understand he wanted elaboration. She paused, a spark of surprise in her eyes, and then repeated the movement slower. She traced circles, then a sharp downward line, then more circles with her small hands.

He tried to piece it together. Circles for the ever-present white sky? The downward line... Was it a divide, a split between worlds? He risked a guess, pointing to the sky and miming the downward motion. "Living World?" He knew Bleach had that split, but he needed confirmation.

Rukia gave a jerky nod; she understood. Relief washed over him. He pointed toward the shantytown and repeated the question.

She repeated the twisty motion, then slumped her shoulders and shook her head. A place outside both? He knew enough Bleach lore for this to make a terrible sort of sense.

Rukia then gestured at them both, and then with a broader motion seemed to signify the whole desperate settlement. "Souls?" he ventured.

This time, her nod was immediate and firm. He'd guessed right, but it brought more questions than answers. Why were they here, lost souls trapped in this stark wasteland? Where were the Shinigami, the guiding lights to the Soul Society proper? His head spun, the full implications sinking in.

A flicker of movement caught his eye. Three figures, larger and rougher-looking than the other inhabitants, were sauntering their way. The same cruel grins graced their faces as those of the men who had accosted him before. Trouble, again."Rukia," he said urgently, gesturing at the approaching men. Understanding flared in her eyes. She stood, her slight frame tense, and the change in her demeanor was striking. There was steel in this girl, honed by a life in this bleak place.

Time for desperate measures. Mentally, he begged his system, "Show me how to get energy! Quick!"A new screen appeared:

Deep Sleep: Medium Energy Generation

Combat Induced Sleep: Low Energy Generation

Additional Methods: [LOCKED]

Shiro's groan was likely audible this time. Let's hope 'medium energy' was enough because a fight looked unavoidable. He'd sleep in the middle of it if he had to.