An Exceptionally Close Call [JT, R]

[Deleted]

Coming home from work during the late city night was certainly an interesting experience. Working at a tech company had him pressing pretty late nights every time he worked, so it was usually pretty dark out by the time he went home. Thankfully so, too, as nobody really took notice to the monstrous arm he had. He'd wrapped a sweatshirt around it while out in public, as to make sure nobody really took any kind of notice on that. He didn't want it to really be seen. 

The streets of New York were pretty busy, even for three in the morning. There were people walking the streets, even if it wasn't a lot, and cars were still quite busy on the road. Thankfully, he didn't live too far from work, so everything was in relative walking distance. He slowly began to stroll the sidewalk, jamming out to whatever music was playing through his phone at the moment; sounded like Coldplay, but he couldn't bee too sure.

He had little notice from what was going on around him, though. Unfortunately, this did also mean that he wasn't prepared for any kind of attacks, including one from the hollow that had been slowly tailing him since he had left for work. After the short delay in change of music, Aldwin heard a faint growl coming from behind him. He turned around, a little concerned, and saw it; a massive beast, towering over him with what appeared to be a desire for him. 

Without any sort of delay, he bolted, sprinting like his life depended on it. He took no time to question what was going on, as stuff like this had happened in the past. He needed to do what he could in order to find one of those light swords he had back in his apartment. He'd used them to defeat a hollow before under the supervision of Raioh, but now that he was in an uncontrolled environment, it was going to be that much harder to do. That was even if he was able to make it back to his apartment in one piece to begin with. He continued to run, turning corners where he needed to in order to get away from the beast that was looking to take his life.

[Celes Castellanos]

Today seemed to be a typical night just like any other. Or so Celes thought at least. Being out on patrol was an activity that her squad did not necessarily perform, but she often volunteered for it because it meant that she not only got to explore all kinds of locations, but she would also have the opportunity to fight Hollows. Despite the fact that a Shinigami's purpose was to maintain the fine relationship between the living and the dead, Celes like purifying Hollows. To release them from their suffering.

As usual, the Shinigami could be seen in her Shihakusho, leaping between buildings. After all, Celes has more than enough physical strength to catapult herself just about anywhere she wanted, but part of her enjoyed the graceful flight of a relaxed cadence. It was soon, however, that a familiar sound would grace Celes' ears. It was the roar of a Hollow. With a small smirk on her lips, Celes looked in the direction that she could tell the sound was coming from.

Landing on a building, she relaxed for a moment and stretched before kicking off. With her impressive physical capabilities, Celes rocketed forth from the building, touching another every now and then to maintain her momentum. As she found herself rather close to where she could hear the roars coming from, she took note of the form of the beast. The white mask with harsh teeth that appeared to be able to crush bone, the black body that made up the form of the Hollow and finally the appearance.

Celes saw that the Hollow was akin to a crocodile. Remaining close to the ground with its naturally low stature, it skimmed across the ground with impressive speed though by the way it was moving, Celes could tell that it was on the hunt. Leaping to another building next to its general path, the Shinigami would soon be able to see its quarry. It was what appeared to be a young man who at this time may have just been head home from work. 

The entire display was a bit saddening for Celes. He was running and not fighting the Hollow. Then again, perhaps he was spiritually aware, but had no significant abilities to speak of. Celes would not know until she asked him. Atleast that way, she could confirm whether he was spiritually aware or not and she could make a guess as to what he was. From the distance she was at, it was a little difficult to tell for her. 

Finally after formulating her plan, Celes lept from the building and into the alleyway where the Hollow was following Aldwin. As she touched the ground, she immediately began running. If Aldwin was paying attention, he may have seen a burst of dust be kicked up as Celes sped after the Hollow. Unsheathing one of her Zanpakutou, the Shinigami would quickly use it to strike at one of the limbs of Hollow. The Hollow had an impressive environmental awareness, however as it swiftly dodged the attack. This impressed Celes as she slid along the ground to a stop. She was at this point between the Hollow and Aldwin. 

The Hollow began to growl at her lowly, causing Celes to smirk. She would turn to Aldwin and smile, speaking softly. "You don't need to run anymore. I am going to make quick work of this beast and send it to the next life." The smile on Celes' lips was sincere, though she did raise an eyebrow at one of Aldwin's arms. It seemed that the individual in question was rather carefree at night and left identifying marks like that up for display. This made Celes wonder the meaning of what appeared to be either a very nasty burn or a carapace. Regardless, those questions could be answered later.

It seemed that despite the Hollows' clear bestial mind, it could understand that it was being underestimated. Celes began to take a stance as the Hollow with impressive speed lept at her and by extension Aldwin. Under normal circumstances, Celes would end it quickly, though she wanted to have some fun. In response, the Third Seat would swing her Zanpakutou in a horizontal motion. Due to her incredible strength, a wave of air would burst out from her and hit the Hollow, knocking it back down just as quick as it had lept. 

This blow alone seemed to certainly knock the wind out of it which dissapointed Celes. Walking forward, she raised her arm and tapped her Zanpakutou against the Hollow's mask. She began to increase the pressure, causing the mask of the Hollow to crack, and with a swift movement, her blade would cut the mask in two. Aldwin would notice the body of the Hollow to slowly flake and seem to fade into the air like dust. 

Sheathing her blade, Celes stretched and smiled as she pivoted on her leg to look at the victim of a Hollow attack. Studying him closer, he truly did seem to be in his early adulthood. He seemed to be rather handsome which made Celes chuckle, but she would walk forward. "Don't worry. I have no intention of hurting you. I would just like to know who you are. If you can even see me that is. Sometimes I'm never sure." Her expression would betray her. It was that one of emberassment and a nervous smile since she most likely was making a weird first impression.

[Deleted]

Aldwin was taken back by the Shinigami, to say the least. He truly thought that he wasn't going to last for another hour against the hollow, and here this Shini was, actually saving his life! He couldn't help but smile at the situation, and was genuinely glad to see everything folding out the way that it was at the moment. He tripped backward over his own feet, and ended up falling to the ground trying to turn around just to observe everything unfold. This was one of the first times he'd be able to see a Shinigami in action, and he didn't want to miss it.

"You don't need to run anymore. I am going to make quick work of this beast and send it to the next life." He felt his heart skip a beat, and couldn't bring himself to really say anything. The Shinigami's voice was... soothing, for lack of a better term. It helped to put him at ease. He wasn't particularly stressed over it all, but more in fear of what could have happened. Still, he continued to watch in awe as the Shinigami seemed to make relatively quick work of the crocodile. He'd never seen anyone move like that before! Even those he'd seen and fought 'alongside' in the past haven't fought like this.

As the seconds passed, and the woman eventually began to purify the hollow, he chuckled to himself. I'll never get used to that, he thought to himself. He never really had the opportunity to witness these kinds of things, so it was one hell of an experience to see some sort of evil spirit dissolving before his very eyes. A shiver went down his back, as he hoped to never suffer the same fate as that hollow. Remind me to never get on that girl's bad side, he thought.

After it was all said and done, and the woman turned to face him, Aldwin scrambled to stand up, a light blush coloring his cheeks. "Don't worry. I have no intention of hurting you. I would just like to know who you are. If you can even see me that is. Sometimes I'm never sure." He chuckled in response to her words, and scratched the back of his head. "Oh! Uh, well, that's good to hear! Uh..." Evidently, there was a large tone of flustered nervousness behind his words that could be picked out by even a child with relative ease. "Gods, I apologize for seeming helpless there, I, uh, totally could've taken that thing!"

Chuckling again, Aldwin tried to steel his nerves. He didn't particularly know why he was acting the way he was, but he wasn't fond of it. "Thank you for coming to my rescue, though. I'm, uh, Aldwin. Aldwin Blackwood. Pleased to meet you!" With that being said, he bowed, similarly to how someone sworn into service might've done. "I was headed home from work, when that... thing, seemed to want to make me a midnight snack. Again, I very much appreciate the help."

He glanced her up and down, and a goofy smile rose to his face once again. She was fairly attractive herself! He shook his head as a way to stop himself from getting caught up on those things, and did what he could to continue to talk. "I apologize, might I ask who you are? It's not often that I've encountered Shinigami, and I'm fairly certain I've never seen you before, haha. I'd like to get to know more about you, and, uh, you're... 'people', for lack of a better term. I don't want to come off as rude! I just... don't really know how to address y'all..?"

[Celes Castellanos]

As Celes waited for an answer, she began to reflect on what she was intending to do in the human world. It was true, that she liked to come there generally just to engage in fights with Hollows' or really anyone else, but she did have a task. She was intended to assess and neutralize threats that would pose a danger to the natural balance of the living and dead along with posing a threat to the Soul Society. This gave her the creative freedom to engage with spiritually aware beings and in a way assess their threat.

It was then that Aldwin finally seemed to cough up an answer. "Gods, I apologize for seeming helpless there, I, uh, totally could've taken that thing!" Celes was admittedly a tad bit amused. Her decades of training and experience have allowed her to size up almost anyone on a physical level. It wasn't too hard really. True strength wasn't just the size of muscles. It was also speech patterns, confidence and posture that could betray a lot about someone.

Aldwin may have found that Celes was skimming her eyes up and down his body, doing her best to gather what she can from his posture, vernacular and prior actions. The Shinigami couldn't help, but let out a laugh. It wasn't a laugh intended to humiliate him. In fact, if he picked up social cues well, he could tell that Celes was laughing out of amusement. The Shinigami would promptly respond. "No need to let pride get in the way of personal safety. It's my job to protect others. As such, no matter if you could have taken on that Hollow, I would have assisted in any way I could."

Celes was being genuine about that fact at minimum. As a warrior, while she did like to prove her mettle in combat, she also believed that it was important to use her abilities to assist those in need. Aldwin was certainly one of those in need. Though she did wonder about his origin. Was he just a spiritually aware human? Was he perhaps a Quincy? Or maybe he was more. Celes needed to get a good look at that arm of his. She was not going to assault him immediately if something seemed off about the situation, but she certainly would have questions that were pressing.

As Celes offered her sentiments, it seemed that Aldwin was returning his own for his rescue. Thankfully it even gave her a name to go by. She didn't just want to use a significant land mark of his body to describe him. After all, not only would it be socially rude, but it would also feel disrespectful for Celes to categorize him without even knowing who or what he was. "Thank you for coming to my rescue, though. I'm, uh, Aldwin. Aldwin Blackwood. Pleased to meet you!" 

It seemed that Aldwin had more sentiments to offer which made Celes chukle a little. "I apologize, might I ask who you are? It's not often that I've encountered Shinigami, and I'm fairly certain I've never seen you before, haha. I'd like to get to know more about you, and, uh, you're... 'people', for lack of a better term. I don't want to come off as rude! I just... don't really know how to address y'all..?" The Shinigami stood straight and once again gave a hearty chuckle.

She would give a polite little curtsy as she spoke calmly. "Ah yes. My name is Celes and I am the Third Seat of Squad 11 in the Thirteen Court Guards. As for knowing more about my people, that would depend on what you ask. After all, a good portion of us were once living souls just like yourself. Thought that does bring me to something that has been on my mind." As she punctuated that sentence, she would suddenly dissapear from Aldwin's sight. It was not a Shunpo nor any form of amplified movement. It was simply her natural speed.

It was then that Aldwin would feel a presence behind him as Celes gently grabbed his arm. Holding it up beside him, she held onto it tight enough to essentially immobilize the limb and gentle enough so that he wouldn't be harmed in any way. Using her other hand she inspected his arm by feeling the chitin that seemed to be covering it along with the chains. These chains were unique as Celes knew she had seen some like these before.

Having fought Dia at one point in the past, Celes after a talk with her opponent could recognize the infernal chains anywhere. They were the mark of a sinner. Although Celes knew that Dia was a spawn of a sinner, not directly someone who had descended into hell herself. This naturally made Celes curious as she continued to immobilize Aldwin's limb. She would not draw her Zanpakutou. No need in silencing him yet. She just needed her questions answered.

Her words would flow like water as she asked a number of questions in a free-flowing string. "Please excuse my sudden contact, but I do need to assess you. I can tell that you aren't a Hollow obviously so I have no reason to harm you. Just answer my questions. These chains...you're a sinner aren't you? If the former questions is a yes, then what are you truly doing here in the Human World? Alternatively, are you the spawn of a sinner?" Celes wouldn't tighten her grip nor harm Aldwin. She just wanted to get some information that she may or may not need to report.

[Deleted]

Aldwin was immediately taken back by the sudden grabbing of his arm. His eyes widened, but he provided some slack and didn't tense up. His only immediate response was a simple "Whaaaat the fuck?" Having been effectively immobilized by someone obviously far superior to him, his only option was to cooperate if he didn't want to suffer and potentially negative consequences. Alright then. If she wanted answers, he'd give her answers, simple as that.

He continued to listen to what she had to say, and the questions she asked, as a rather dumbfounded, confused look rose to his face. "What do you mean by a 'Sinner'? Have you been watching me or something? I know you Shinigami are something else altogether, but you mean to tell me that you can just see everything I've ever done by touching me? That's... a little fuckin' out there, don't you think?" He chuckled, confused by everything that was happening at the moment, and the dumbfounded look turning more into that of a worried one.

There was no way she could just tell that he was involved with the Black Market, yeah? Even then, what would a Shinigami want with a human getting himself involved with... less than legal activities? How did that concern her, or her afterlife friends? He was having a hard time piecing things together, until he realized she mentioned the chains around his fucked up arm. That was likely what she'd meant, he concluded. Exactly as he thought! There was no way she knew about his past, aside from the fact that he might've just revealed his involvement with illegal activity through his last choice of words.

"Wait, you mean my arm, huh?" he asked, letting out a sigh of relief, "Honestly, I don't even know what the fuck it is. I've kind of just always had it. From what I've seen over the last twenty-ish years, 'normal' people can't really see the chains or the fucky parts. It's only those who can see y'all. I'll admit it's made for some pretty hilarious situations with people screaming for no reason, but yeah, I wouldn't really be able to tell you why it's there."

He paused for a moment, and looked back at his arm. Truth be told, he'd never met anyone else with a condition like his; surely it had to be rare. That being said, people committed atrocities on the daily that could easily be classified as 'Sin', right? Shouldn't there be more people like him? More people who went through the same bullshit that he did? That's when he made another connection, realizing what she had said as well; she called him Sinner spawn.

"I am curious, though, what do you mean by 'Sinner spawn'?" He asked, raising an eyebrow, "I'll be the first to admit my Dad wasn't exactly... normal, in any sense of the word, and ended up tryina kill me at some point..." A shiver went down his back and she shook involuntarily, as though exceedingly disgusted by something. "Maybe there's some connection there? I wouldn't be able to tell you, y'know? I'm kinda just as clueless about my situation as you are."

He once again looked back to his arm. He'd truly wished that he'd known more about who he was, or what the fuck was wrong with him. He'd give almost anything in order to figure that out, and hopefully find a way to get rid of that left arm of his, while still being able to actually maintain a left arm. For the third time, that's when he finally put all the pieces together as far as what the Shinigami had said, having made a habit out of speaking first, and thinking about what someone said later; she likely knew more about him than she was letting on.

Aldwin knew immediately that he needed to find a way to get information out of her. He was confident that she knew at least a little something about him that could've made his life a little easier; even if it was just why is arm was the way it was. He needed to pry to the best of his ability to figure that out, and that's exactly what he planned on doing at every opportunity he could get. "Say," he started, "how exactly are you able to make the judgements you did, Celes? Don't get me wrong, I'm not mad or anything, I'm just curious; what's so significant about Sinners, and what makes you think I'm either one of them, or the child of one?"

[Celes Castellanos]

As Celes began to bombard Aldwin with her questions she noted a unique look on his face. It was not a defensive one. Instead his expression seemed to be rather confused. Honest, yet confused. This was further confirmed as she heard him comment. "What do you mean by a 'Sinner'? Have you been watching me or something? I know you Shinigami are something else altogether, but you mean to tell me that you can just see everything I've ever done by touching me? That's... a little fuckin' out there, don't you think?"

Celes was at first confused by his comment. Did he really not know what a Sinner was? When she had spoken to Dia, she seemed keenly aware about her heritage. Unfortunately, she did not get a chance to truly get to talk to Dia about it. She remembered something in the academy about Sinners and the talk of Hell, but Celes did not know the exact details anymore. And she was definitely surprised to find out that children of sinners are cursed with their infernal chains.

It seemed that Aldwin had more to add as Celes calmly listened. He finally seemed to understand what she meant with her questions. "Honestly, I don't even know what the fuck it is. I've kind of just always had it. From what I've seen over the last twenty-ish years, 'normal' people can't really see the chains or the fucky parts. It's only those who can see y'all. I'll admit it's made for some pretty hilarious situations with people screaming for no reason, but yeah, I wouldn't really be able to tell you why it's there."

The Shinigami couldn't help but chuckle. After all, she didn't know that much about Sinners and even Aldwin seemed to be a little lost. This encounter, however, could give Celes important insight into Sinners. Specifically their children. To find out more about the individual sinner, Celes would most likely have to ask about his father as Aldwin had somewhat confirmed that it was most likely his father who was the culprit in questions. 

Celes was surprised to hear that non spiritually-aware people could not see the carapace and chains, but after reflecting on it, she wasn't really as surprised as she thought she was. After all, it seemed that those not attuned to the spiritual side of the world were truly blind to it. Regarding the moments that they did encounter other otherworldy things as fleeting meetings with ghosts. Celes smiled at Aldwin to give him a small sense of comfort. 

Yet it seemed that Aldwin was finally getting to a question for her. "I am curious, though, what do you mean by 'Sinner spawn'?" As he talked about his own father and how off he seemed, Celes began to nod slowly. She reflected on this information, but was going to get straight to the point about Aldwin's question. In a show good faith, she would let go of his arm and walk around him to face him once more. Celes smiled a little at him to once again instill a sense of comfort and care.

She would then speak in an equally calming manner. "Well to answer your question since you have been so diligent with my own, I mean it in quite a literal manner. The offspring of a Sinner. I once met another one like you I believe who mentioned that her father was sexually assaulted by a demon she said. I presumed she was just referring to a sinner which would make her the child of a sinner and whatever her father was." 

Celes giggled a little bit as she then would continue. "In any case, you've been very cooperative and based on your reactions, I can assume that you know very little about your heritage if this is the case. I can effectively clear you as not being a threat to the Soul Society. This is good too since I didn't want to have to end another life today. I was out to scout for Hollows, but yours was the only one I found so far."

[Deleted]

Aldwin couldn't help but let out a sigh of relief as Celes let go of his arm. He was relieved that she didn't perceive him as a threat, as, truth be told, he would've been incredibly lucky to put up a fight against the hollow she had so effortlessly cut down. He shivered at the thought. Nonetheless, he straightened himself out, and took off the sweatshirt he was wearing at the moment, revealing a plain white tee underneath, and promptly wrapped his bad arm up in the sweatshirt.

Truth be told, the encounter had spooked Aldwin enough that his body temperature had risen pretty noticeably, so he needed to cool off. He also was starting to feel rather self-conscious over his arm, so he did what he could to cover it up, that way nobody else could really get a glimpse at it. Simply put, he hated the damn thing. He hated that he was permanently scarred with a memento of his bastard father. If he wasn't already dead, Aldwin would've sought to kill him a hundred times over for what he did to him and his mother.

Listening to what Celes had to say, he sighed oncemore upon hearing about another sinner. "Great," he started, "unfortunately shitty parents seems to be commonplace between sinners like me then, yeah? Just fucking great." For someone who seemed as proud and involved with himself as he usually tried to make himself out to be, this topic seemed to hit him like a semi-truck. He took a deep breath to calm himself down. There was no sense in getting worked up over something this... trivial. He continued to let her finish speaking.

"Yo, you said you're looking for hollows? Mind if I tag along? I'd like to grab a few supplies back at my place first, but this isn't exactly an opportunity I'd like to pass up! I don't see any reason to not provide support honestly, I can definitely defend myself when the going gets tough, so I promise I won't be a liability. I'd like to brush up on my combat capabilities, though, if you'll allow me by your side for the purification of a few hollows!" He smiled, blissfully unaware of what his Quincy heritage truly entailed.

"I promise you I'll be quick, my apartment is only about half a block from here!" With that, he ran home. The very moment he made his way inside, he quickly dropped the sweatshirt, and grabbed a thicker trench coat resting on the back of a chair in front of his work-desk. He threw it on, and was 'armed to the teeth' with all of the gear he could've needed, including a prototype Selee Schneide of his own design! There was a LOT of testing that needed to be done before this thing was ready for commercial sale, and what better an opportunity to do so here?

Eventually, he made his way back to where he had met the shinigami, and looked over toward her. "Alright, I'm raring to go! Lead the way, I'll tail behind as best I can! I might not be the quickest, but I'll definitely follow behind to the best of my ability, y'know? I'd like to think I'm fairly skilled in combat, plus I've got some things I wanna test out!" He wasn't going to take no for an answer, and the excitement on his face made this fact incredibly clear. Ah, ignorance is bliss.

[Celes Castellanos]

Celes was very curious to hear what Aldwin was proposing to her. "Yo, you said you're looking for hollows? Mind if I tag along? I'd like to grab a few supplies back at my place first, but this isn't exactly an opportunity I'd like to pass up! I don't see any reason to not provide support honestly, I can definitely defend myself when the going gets tough, so I promise I won't be a liability. I'd like to brush up on my combat capabilities, though, if you'll allow me by your side for the purification of a few hollows!"

This was a unique situation for Celes. After all, she was a warrior who loved to see others improve, though she also took of others and wanted to protect those what were weaker than her. Not only was this her pride as a Shinigami talking, but she felt that abilities spoke to the idea of defending that which she holds close. Even those that she does not know, Celes would protect without a second thought if they needed it. After all, in life, Celes could not protect her sister and she would never be powerless like that again. 

The Shinigami would respond even though Aldwin seemed to be resolute. "I am certainly not opposed to others wanting to improve in the ring of honor. After all, glorious combat is the best way to hone your skills and adapt to the flow of change. However, that being said, if you are to tag along, I expect you to hold your weight. These are Hollows. They will feel no pity. No sympathy. They will not spare you can inch and I expect you to do the same. Else...you will perish."

Celes' expression was mildly serious as she knew that he had to be at least somewhat competent to tag along with her. She would, however, give him the benefit of the doubt, being sure to come to his aid if needed. It seems that Aldwin would be ready to go after he equipped himself which he confirmed. "I promise you I'll be quick, my apartment is only about half a block from here!" Celes simply nodded her head in response, making sure to wait for him.

As she noticed him run off, Celes was preparing mentally for the coming struggle. After all, she would have to take note of another individual and felt that it would be important to protect him. After all, despite his flustered appearance, Celes thought that she noticed potential in Aldwin. Hopefully he could prove to confirm that promise that Celes felt. It was in this pondering that Celes noted Aldwin come back. He appeared to have a much thicker trench coat on, presumably with his equipment under it. 

The Shinigami listened to Aldwin as he talked. "Alright, I'm raring to go! Lead the way, I'll tail behind as best I can! I might not be the quickest, but I'll definitely follow behind to the best of my ability, y'know? I'd like to think I'm fairly skilled in combat, plus I've got some things I wanna test out!" The Shinigami could not help, but chuckle a little. Could he really keep up with her. Only time would tell. With that, the Shinigami would pivot on her foot and begin down the streets at a rather slow pace for her of 50. 

Wanting to see how Aldwin could hold up to her speed, she would every now than increase her speed by a tad bit until she was running at a speed of 100, but continuing down a straight line. Even if Aldwin could not keep up at that speed, he wouldn't need to for long. The familiar sound of that roar came up again as Celes looked around. Her hand was on the hilt of her Zanpakutou as she scanned the area with her eyes.

It was then that the air would change as a projectile was shooting towards Celes. She recognized it quickly as a bala. If Aldwin was present, he would see Celes with impressive speed unsheath one of her twin Zanpakutou and with a clean cut she was able to cut the bala in half as it zoomed past Celes' sides and hit the ground behind her. The cut that Celes had made was a typical practice of Iaijutsu. It was particularly known for its quick draw sword technique which was typically aimed to be the only slash in a fight. 

As Celes looked at Aldwin, she spoke calmly. "Now here's a chance. The bala came from over there, but this Hollow is quick." She pointed her sword down the street to show where the bala came from. "Listen closely. The high ground is a very powerful concept in combat. Buildings are around us. It is where this Hollow is most likely stalking. I'm curious to see what capabilities you have. Or if you simply talked a big game." 

After Celes finished speaking, Celes noted out of the corner of her eye that the Hollow was making a move. As it leapt off of the building, it was diving towards Aldwin. Celes would not move, unless Aldwin was not in a position where he could defend himself. If he couldn't Celes would interject and deflect the attack, but nonetheless, the wolf-like hollow would aim to scratch Aldwin. Celes was curious to see how her companion would react. 

[Deleted]

Aldwin watched as the Bala had been effortlessly obliterated by Celes' blade. The reddened bubble of reiatsu had been split right down the middle, quickly dissipating shortly thereafter. A smile rose to his face. He couldn't wait until he could do the same. Or, at least something similar. He unbuttoned his coat, and pulled out what looked to be a flattened steel rod to those who had never seen the item before; a selee schneide; though, if Celes had seen them before, she'd likely pick up that it seemed... different than the ones Quincies usually use. He focused for a second, running his reiatsu through the handle.

Within seconds, the weapon lit up, a faint, spinning blue illuminating the area in front of him. A serious look rose to his face. He turned to Celes. "Not sure if you know what this is," he said, "but it's gonna take some time before it gets stronger. After that, I should be able to fight it with ease." He looked down the street, and watched the hollow slowly start to move, as he assumed a defensive stance. He was hoping he wouldn't be the first target, but couldn't really get away from it if he was nonetheless.

Unfortunately for him, he was target number one. The hollow immediately lept for him, and tried to slash at him with its claws. He wasn't nearly fast enough to get out of the way. The best thing he could do was try to block the attack. Thankfully, the selee schneide was able to function like a blade, so there was quite a bit of blocking potential against the hollow's claw. He smirked at the hollow, and he did what he could to push back against its hands, cutting into them.

As his weapon slowly began to grow a little stronger, he did what he could to push the hollow back a bit. From there, he'd run toward the hollow at his top speed, even if it was a measly 50. The hollow appeared to be somewhat around his capabilities, so he wasn't too worried about not being able to move like Celes. The moment he was upon the hollow, he went for a slash straight for the beast's legs. Handicapping it while benefitting from his blade was easily the best option here.

From there, he slashed at the beast's chest as quickly as he could, this time for good measure as his weapon began to continue to build in strength. It should've been good right about now for him to finish off the beast by "purifying" it. He turned his head slightly, so that way his voice could be heard a little better by Celes. "You've gotta destroy the mask to purify them, right?" He asked, before going in for the kill. Within a matter of seconds, his blade slashed vertically through the hollow's mask in a vertical arc, as he jumped into the air to do so.

Upon landing, the hollow slumped over and started to fade out of existence. He smiled back at Celes, exhaling heavily. He seemed to have worked up a sweat, exerting himself moreso than would be normally expected. "So," he started, breathing heavily, "how was that for my first purification?"He seemed genuinely proud of himself, like he was unaware of the problem he had just caused, because, in truth, he absolutely was unaware. He had no real idea what his heritage would do to hollows, as it was something he was never taught.

[Celes Castellanos]

The Shinigami was admittedly a little curious at first as to why Aldwin had one of those blades. "Not sure if you know what this is," Naturally, Celes has seen a number of them before. A warrior always knows the weapons of their opponents and as such, Celes had a basic understanding of what it was and how it worked. "but it's gonna take some time before it gets stronger. After that, I should be able to fight it with ease." While confirming her suspicions, she also wondered why Aldwin had one of those. Though upon closer inspection, it seemed to be custom made. In the meantime, she watched to see how Aldwin would prepare for the coming Hollow. 

Celes did not move for she wanted to see how Aldwin could fare on his own. Celes was never the type to let another die needlessly, but she was also a firm believer that kinesthetic learning was one of the better ways to instill both understanding and experience. The Shinigami could tell that she was not willing or able to move. She smirked as he stood his ground. As the claw came into contact, the blade of Aldwin would dig into the claw while also warding off the attack. Celes was admittedly a little impressed. Was he more of the defensive nature? So far, it seemed to be so, but Celes would watch almost as if she was an old martial arts instructor watching her pupils excel in their training. 

As Celes watched him make his own move towards the Hollow, she was somewhat amused at Aldwin's speed. He was moving at about an average human's speed. Admittedly, Celes was a little dissapointed. Could he not put that infernal heritage to use somehow? Or was he still bound by the limitations of human frailty? Only time would tell, but Celes was hoping that the latter was not the case. She loved to see others grow. If not to spar them, then just to demonstrate that they were more than the sum of their parts. Perhaps it was just that Celes was the proud warrior type. She would shake her head and chuckle as she continued to witness Aldwin's strategy.

In an attempt to handicap the Hollow, Celes took note as Aldwin began to strike at its legs. As the schneide cut through its limbs like a razor, the Shinigami did take note of Aldwin's overall brutality. Celes could feel, even with her pathetic ability to sense energy, the blade that Aldwin was using grow stronger with every strike. In truth, Celes liked part of its concept. Weakening the opponent while strengthening yourself. Unfortunately, Celes was not the biggest fan of how it started out as a rather weak blade. 

As Aldwin performed a slash to the beasts' chest, it was clear that the wolf had met its match. At this point Aldwin would most likely see Celes smile. After all, she was content with how he was able to handle this Hollow. Unfortunately, Celes was so lost in her pride that she gave a reflex response to Aldwin's next question. "You've gotta destroy the mask to purify them, right?" She didn't truly think of what he was asking until Celes came back to reality. Aldwin had already been in the air prepared to strike down this Hollow. As quickly as she could, she would draw her Zanpakutou and Shunpo over at an impressive speed to attempt to intercept his blade. It seemed she was too late.

As the blade made contact with the Hollow mask, Celes took note of its unique disappearance. Typically, when Celes purified Hollows, their mask would split and they would fade away with grace. In this case, however, the Hollow was seemingly in pain as it whimpered before fading away completely. Her eyes widening, Celes was all too sure of what this meant. This Hollow was not purified. Instead it was killed. After her rather late Shunpo, she looked down at where the Hollow once was. At this point, she kneeled as Aldwin seemed to feel some semblance of pride. Normally Celes would be there with him, but this complicated things. 

Celes began to think as this could mean a number of things. "He cut the Hollow with that blade. The blade of a Quincy. How did he get one? Did he make it...? Did this Hollow perish because it was cute by the blade of a Quincy or could he be.." Celes sighed as Aldwin, believing himself to be victorious would ask Celes a rather silly question at this point. "how was that for my first purification?" Celes did not move at first. She couldn't. She gave this Hollow a mourning thought as her body moved. At this point, with speed rather incomprehensible to Aldwin, Celes had her Zanpakutou just a few inches away from Aldwin's neck. 

Celes spoke in a cold tone. "As Soul Reapers we ferry the corrupted dead from one life to the next. That is our duty. You used the blade of a Quincy. You did not purify this Hollow. It was slain. It's soul forever lost to the void. Now you may need to answer another question. Where did you get that blade? And more importantly. Are you a Quincy?" There was little joy behind Celes' words. She was clearly upset over the loss of this soul that could have easily been avoided had she been more tentative. With patience and temperance, she stayed her aggression, waiting to give Aldwin a chance to explain.

[Deleted]

Aldwin threw his hands up the very moment Celes' blade was put to his neck, mostly out of instinct, somewhat out of fear. His expression was full of confusion, with a hint of worry mixed in there. "Whoa, there," he started, "let's not get too hasty now; there's no reason for violence, yeah?" With that said, he let out a soft chuckle as a way to hopefully help lower tensions at least a little bit within the situation. The last thing he wanted was for a fight to escalate with someone superior to him.

"As Soul Reapers we ferry the corrupted dead from one life to the next. That is our duty. You used the blade of a Quincy. You did not purify this Hollow. It was slain. It's soul forever lost to the void. Now you may need to answer another question. Where did you get that blade? And more importantly. Are you a Quincy?" With those words being spoken from the girl holding a blade at his neck, he wasn't going to try to deceive her. "Yeah," he said, "I'm a Quincy, no idea why that of all things matters, though. And for the record, yeah, I built that little prototype myself. Is there a problem with any of that?"

Aldwin sighed as he looked around. He couldn't help but let out a melancholic laugh. "Here I thought I'd found someone non-judgmental over me, due to this damned arm, and here I am being tried for a different trait of my being that I still can't exactly control. Guess I'm just kinda damned to that, huh?" As he finished, he eyed Celes down, as though looking to make her feel worse for treating him the way she was. He wasn't the best when it comes to convincing people to act in accordance to his own desires, so he had no idea whether or not it'd work even in the slightest. Only time would tell.

As she finished speaking, though, he couldn't help but think; was there something inherently wrong with Quincies? Was there something about them that prevented them from being able to purify hollows like Shinigami? And, if so, was there some way that he could learn to do that? Sure, it'd likely take a shit-ton of time and effort for something that might not have been possible, but who knows? Maybe he could've done something about that, so he could further aid Shinigami however he would be able to.

[Celes Castellanos]

Continuing to press her blade close to Aldwin's throat, she breathed calmly. Should be prove any threat, her movements would need to be quick. She did not like spilling blood, but this was a Sinner and a Quincy. Then again, it wasn't too far off of what a Shinigami should feel from someone like Dia. She was a Mod Soul and a the daughter of one. She was violent, but this Quincy...he seemed timid and passive. Nonetheless, Celes wanted to be prepared. 

"I'm a Quincy, no idea why that of all things matters, though. And for the record, yeah, I built that little prototype myself. Is there a problem with any of that?" Celes narrowed her eyes as she listened closely. After all, he did not appear to be part of the Wandenreich. This was Celes' biggest concern. Would the Wandenreich even take him on with his mixed blood? It was something to think about and Celes could end his story right here. Stop that from becoming a possibility. She sighed and listened still although Aldwin seemed to want to guilt trip her. 

"Here I thought I'd found someone non-judgmental over me, due to this damned arm, and here I am being tried for a different trait of my being that I still can't exactly control. Guess I'm just kinda damned to that, huh?" Celes growled as she responded. "There's nothing inherently wrong with it. This situation just...reminded me of someone." Celes paused before continuing. "A friend of mine who tried to protect me from a Hollow and murdered it. She did not purify it. Naturally, I...berated her for it and told her that we are better than that. She had the choice. You did not." 

With that Celes would ease up her stance, swinging her foot around to stand straight as she carefully sheated her Zanpakutou. With another sigh, she would do her best continue. "You seem alright. I assume you are what they refer to as...a Free Quincy? You are not a part of that vile empire?" If Aldwin knew anything about Quincy history or even current events, he would most likely be able to guess that Celes was referring to the Wandenreich. He would see Celes grit her teeth a little. "The Soul Society would like demand for your execution on sight or even your capture. But...you've done me no harm. I will look past your heritage." 

Celes smiled at him to try and provide comfort to the best of her abilities, especially after having threatened him with her Zanpakutou. She wanted to show that she tried to make amends. No matter what, Celes continued speaking. "You certainly have skill. And I am curious about your handiwork." She was no doubt referring to his custom Schneide. The Shinigami chuckled a little. "We could refine those skills. If you are...of course willing to put up with me still..." 

It wouldn't be no secret that Celes was trying to sway him more towards accompanying her. What he most likely did not know about Celes was not only her warrior pride, but her want to see others improve. It was what drove her every day. To become stronger. To be a better person than she was the day before. All of these were signs to developing into a better Shinigami. A better protector. She had to start her by showing both respect and temperance.

[Deleted]

"She had the choice. You did not."

Well, she brought about an interesting point. Surely he'd be able to do something about that? Have to ask on that later. For now, though, Aldwin let out a sigh of relief as the girl released her blade from his neck. Once again, he began to size her up, taking in what he could about her for the time being. "You seem alright. I assume you are what they refer to as...a Free Quincy? You are not a part of that vile empire?" Aldwin couldn't help but chuckle in response to the girl's question.

"Yeah, I'm free," he said, smiling, "Can't say I know too too much about all that empire stuff that some folk are joined up with, but I can most certainly promise you that I'm not; I'm a free-spirit. I more enjoy helping people where I can, and keeping myself unaffiliated. I'm not going to get involved with some fancy organization or group if I don't hafta, I'd rather just kinda lead myself, y'know?" He shrugged. He found himself to be relatively happy on his own. Why involve himself in politics with other factions when he could just stay separate altogether?

As she continued speaking, Aldwin went on to listen intently. "You certainly have skill. And I am curious about your handiwork." Looking down at the prototyped Selee Schneide he'd been working on, Aldwin smiled. Sure, it wasn't perfect, and there were absolutely still bugs that needed to be hammered out, he was making good progress regardless. "We could refine those skills. If you are...of course willing to put up with me still..." Aldwin's smile turned from one of respect to one of excitement.

"Absolutely!" He exclaimed, "I'd love to get things done with ya! I reckon it'll give me a good idea on figuring out how y'all do that whole purification thing that you do. I mean hell, I might be able to design a weapon to do exactly that, if you'd be willing to help with a bit of experimentation on top of helping me with the whole combat thing. If it means that I can put souls into a better place other than just outright murdering 'em, then count me in on learning about this Shinigami stuff!"

[Celes Castellanos]

"Can't say I know too too much about all that empire stuff that some folk are joined up with, but I can most certainly promise you that I'm not; I'm a free-spirit. I more enjoy helping people where I can, and keeping myself unaffiliated. I'm not going to get involved with some fancy organization or group if I don't hafta, I'd rather just kinda lead myself, y'know?" Celes could not help, but chuckle. She could not explain it. but she could certainly relate to his free-spirited nature. Yes, Celes was an officer in the Eleventh Division, but she did her best to help those that were in need. She could certainly respect his want to not get roped into unnecessary politics. This became even clearer considering his heritage.

The Officer smiled even more upon hearing Celes' remark to hone his skills. "I'd love to get things done with ya! I reckon it'll give me a good idea on figuring out how y'all do that whole purification thing that you do. I mean hell, I might be able to design a weapon to do exactly that, if you'd be willing to help with a bit of experimentation on top of helping me with the whole combat thing. If it means that I can put souls into a better place other than just outright murdering 'em, then count me in on learning about this Shinigami stuff!"

Celes peered at him carefully as Aldwin spoke of not only improving himself but developing a tool that would allow Aldwin to cleanse Hollows much like a Shinigami. Celes was immediately intrigued and happy to see such passion in this young man. It reminded her of her younger days. When she was simply a student in the Academy. How she strived to push herself further and further while trying to become a better person every day. This would be an excellent learning opportunity for the both of them. For Celes to learn about teaching and for Aldwin to help the Soul Society in a meaningful way.

She nodded at him and spoke with a fire in her belly. "I am glad to see that you have such passion. The desire to learn and adapt. To grow. It is an excellent trait and one that has my respect. I would be more than happy to assist you in developing the tools to purify hollowfied souls if possible. I'm not much of a tinkerer myself so you will forgive me if I won't be of much help on that front." She chuckled at her own admission that she was not much of an inventor. Those tasks such as tinkering, and experimentation were closer to what the Twelfth Division performed after all.

Though it seemed that before they could truly investigate how to create a tool that could purify souls, Celes did have a task that needed to be taken care of. After all, she was sent on a patrol to scan the area for Hollows, to rescue civilians if needed. She turned to Aldwin and spoke softly. "Though, we could take this opportunity to see what else you got in terms of combat capabilities. I once fought someone with demon blood in them though they were part of Mod Soul. They had quite an interesting set of abilities so you can imagine I am quite eager to see yours." She would wait for a few moments, giving Aldwin the opportunity to turn down or accept her offer.

If he did accept her offer, Celes clapped her hands eagerly and chuckled. "Excellent! I am sure that there are some more Hollows around here that we can aim to hone your skills on. I do have to admit that my skills are honed for physical combat. Besides maybe two or three other Shinigami, I am an expert in martial prowess so I can certainly teach you how to handle a blade. Now then. Shall we continue on?" If Aldwin once again noted his interest, Celes would turn away and begin to move at a leisurely speed of 50. She would move about the largely empty alleyways of Karakura in an attempt to find any Hollows.

It would take a good few minute of searching, but that's when Celes heard a roar. She would stop as her eyes scanned the area. Nothing ahead or behind. Perhaps on the rooftops? Celes' eyes scanned the rooftops as her eyes came across slight shifting movements. It was akin to stalking. Celes sighed and readied herself. She would turn to Aldwin and speak softly. "Now. I have a task for you Aldwin. You may notice that there is a Hollow atop the roof. I know not its capabilities, but sometimes we are forced to read its movements. To learn to anticipate and react. I will let you handle it, but I ask you not to slay it. Cripple it instead. I will move in for the kill to purify it." 

With that Celes would wink at the Nakkabaki as she roared at the top of her lungs. "Hey Hollow! We have a fresh soul for harvest here!" Before Aldwin could turn to likely ask her what she was doing, she would quickly disappear from sight, moving atop one of the buildings as she would watch how Aldwin handled this situation. Celes watched as the Hollow took immediate interest in the origin of the sound now being directly next to Aldwin. It would peer from the rooftop as its talons cracked the tiles of the roof. It slowly spread its wings and roared. It would then proceed to descend upon Aldwin at a speed of 100, looking to tear its talons into the Nakkabaki. If it missed, it would attempt swoop back up and go for another attack. 

SPOILER: Click to show

{Bloodwing - Cunning }
Strength: 37
Speed: 100
SpPr: 125
RS: 37
Instinct: 75
Senses: 40
ES: 0

Stealth: 1
Battle Focus: 1
Acrobatics: 1
Focused Eye: 1

[Deleted]

"I am glad to see that you have such passion. The desire to learn and adapt. To grow. It is an excellent trait and one that has my respect. I would be more than happy to assist you in developing the tools to purify hollowfied souls if possible. I'm not much of a tinkerer myself so you will forgive me if I won't be of much help on that front." Smiling as Celes chuckled, Aldwin simply nodded. "Oh, it's of no worry to me! Doesn't matter if you're able to directly help me build my stuff or not, I'm more than glad to accept any help you're willing to give me! Doesn't matter if it's testing the weapon, planning things out, or hell even just moral support! Don't matter to me, I'm appreciative regardless."

In truth, he wasn't exactly wrong on that front. He was absolutely appreciative of any help Celes was willing to give; something like the items he was looking to make down the line weren't exactly going to be easy. Not only that, he'd want someone that could help him test 'em out when the time came, and doing so in an uncontrolled environment against some random opponent wasn't exactly something he was wanting to be in a position to deal with. Better to have things under control and for him to know that he's going to be safe, yeah?

"Though, we could take this opportunity to see what else you got in terms of combat capabilities. I once fought someone with demon blood in them though they were part of Mod Soul. They had quite an interesting set of abilities so you can imagine I am quite eager to see yours." Letting out a nervous chuckle, Aldwin responded to the girl. "Well, I can't say I'm the most... in tune, with my demon blood. It's a bit difficult for me to control on my own, if I'm being honest. I'm working on fixing that, but it's... not exactly the easiest. That said, I'm willing to show you what I've got."

Letting out a soft sigh, Aldwin took the time to consider his own demonic abilities; the lack of control he seemed to be dealing with those. Things were rough, to say the least when it came to his Saisei Oni. He needed some way to control it; some way to limit the power that it was granting him, while allowing him to stay in control of his abilities. Using them otherwise was just too dangerous, and far out of the question for the time being. He'd need to make some kind of limiter; perhaps with Quincy reiatsu this time around? He'd have to mull it over.

"Excellent! I am sure that there are some more Hollows around here that we can aim to hone your skills on. I do have to admit that my skills are honed for physical combat. Besides maybe two or three other Shinigami, I am an expert in martial prowess so I can certainly teach you how to handle a blade. Now then. Shall we continue on?" Aldwin simply nodded. Truthfully, work with the blade was something he felt he needed right now more than anything. He knew somewhat well how to handle himself, but that was only going to take him so far. To get formal training, though? Something like that was invaluable.

In the midst of their little conversation, Aldwin and Celes both seemed to make note of a rather loud roar off in the distance. Watching the girl's eyes dart all over the place like a hawk in search of prey, Aldwin simply sat back and let Celes do her thing. He wasn't going to interfere with her if he didn't need to. Though, that's when she seemed to decide to speak up, and create some sort of game plan for him. Seemed she found a hollow she wanted him to deal with.

"Now. I have a task for you Aldwin. You may notice that there is a Hollow atop the roof. I know not its capabilities, but sometimes we are forced to read its movements. To learn to anticipate and react. I will let you handle it, but I ask you not to slay it. Cripple it instead. I will move in for the kill to purify it." Letting out a soft sigh, Aldwin nodded. "Well, I'll certainly try my best. Can't promise I'll be putting on any kind of show or anything, but doesn't mean I won't do what I can to make sure things go well, yeah?"

"Hey Hollow! We have a fresh soul for harvest here!" Aldwin felt his heart drop. He felt... scared. Nervous. Unsure of himself. But, even despite that, he felt emboldened. Like he didn't want to let Celes down. Like he couldn't afford to. Lighting his blade back up, Aldwin gripped the handle tightly as he faced down the hollow that began its descent from the sky. Squinting his eyes, Aldwin mentally prepared himself for what was to come from this beast. He wasn't going to lose.

As the hollow swooped in, looking to tear into Aldwin's own flesh, he dived out of the way, forcing the hollow to miss its mark. Rolling to break his fall, and quickly getting back onto his feet, Aldwin turned and glared toward the hollow. "Come at me!" he shouted. Breaking into a sprint, Aldwin charged toward the hollow as fast as he could muster, preparing to go in for his own strike against the beast with his custom selee schneide. Didn't matter where he struck; while he was aiming for the beast's talons, any strike at all was going to be beneficial to him.