Forming New Bonds [Closed] [Squad 10]

[Wynne Kuchiki]

Adjusting the hem of her cloak nervously, Wynne walked in the Squad 10 division. Today she was officially meeting her captain, Celes Shindazu. She didn’t know much about her, but to be fair she didn’t know much about anyone. The price of being the new kid on the block. Thankfully she was already accepted as an unseated officer, so she didn’t have to worry about that. The walk there was still nerve wracking though.

The Tenth Division symbolized protection. It was there to defend Soul Society and was a bastion that stood against any threats towards her home. At least that was what the flyers said. Wynne had learned quite recently to not take everything at face value. Sure the division could seem great on the outside, but until she spent some time here she wouldn’t know for sure. Still, that was quite the negative outlook on the situation so currently she was wishing for the best.

Knocking on the door in front of her, the short shinigami waited for a response. It was here that her fateful meeting with the captain would be. Hopefully she was nice. If not, she wasn’t sure if her heart could take it. This was the last place left that she’d be able to make friends! She failed that goal in the academy, so she couldn’t fail it now. If she did, she’d probably end up forever alone. She couldn’t think of a much worse fate.

“Hello? It’s Wynne Kuchiki. I’m here for my meeting as an unseated officer for Squad 10.”

Cringing as her voice cracked at the end, Wynne shook her head. Hopefully her little mistake wasn’t noticeable. She was speaking through a door, so maybe? Good first impressions were a must. Considerably so since she was meeting with her captain. The person overseeing everything in her squad. The person in control of her fate. Someone who could kick her out if they didn’t like her…...Perhaps she should stop going down that train of thought.

[Celes Castellanos]

Moving her hand to gently rub her head, Celes looked around her office. More specifically her desk. The large wooden desk that had only a few sheets of paperwork on them. At first the Shinigami was perplexed. She muttered to herself. "Strange...wasn't there much more to take care of?.." As she asked herself this questions the lightbulb suddenly turned on in her head. She laid back in her seat as she began to sigh. Her hand was now over her eyes as she groaned. Everything felt stiff. "Oh yeah. I stayed up most of the night working trying to get this paperwork out of the way. See- *yawn* -ms that it worked. Damn...I'm so tired." She was contemplating getting adequate rest, but as she looked outside she noticed that it looked around midday. 

Groaning once more she came to the realization that now she needed to stay up. Hopefully both her adrenaline and willpower alone could carry her through the day. She rose to her feet as the Captain would lethargically move to another countertop. With an equally slow and clearly tired pace, Celes pressed the big red button on her coffee maker. Placing her arms against her back she, with some force, tried to flex the tension out. Thankfully she was strong enough that this came rather easily, but numerous cracks would be heard as she did so. Overall she felt much better now though. As she looked at the coffee maker work its magic she groaned a little. The Captain was not a big fan of coffee. But she likely needed it for the day ahead of her.

As she waited what seemed like an eternity while in reality it was only five minutes or so, the machine rune with a resounding DING. The Shinigami would gently pick up the cup as she took a sip of it. Moving back to her desk Celes would sigh. Perhaps the coffee was not as bad as she remembered. Perhaps that was simply the sleep deprivation talking and any caffeinated drink would seem like a godsend to her. No matter what it was the Shinigami found herself becoming somewhat rejuvenated. With a smile on her face she reached up to one of the neatly piled stacks of paperwork. As she read over it she immediately became intrigued. It was a form typically used to indicate a new recruit.

Her eyes skimmed over it adeptly as she heard a knock on the door. Looking up at the door, a rather timid and gentle voice could be heard. “Hello? It’s Wynne Kuchiki. I’m here for my meeting as an unseated officer for Squad 10.” Celes chuckled. As she looked down at the form, the name certainly matched up. The interest of this alone rejuvenated Celes further. With a bit of a spring in her step the Captain would make her way to the door. With newfound energy the door would slide open as Celes was eager to greet the new member of the family. The Captain would look down as her eyes descended upon Wynne. She seemed about 4" shorter than her. Her hair was calming blue and she just looked absolutely precious.

As Celes made eye contact with the shorter and likely younger women, the Captain smiled warmly. Such was Celes' nature. She often liked to make others feel comfortable. Even those that would one day be her opponents. She practiced temperance and etiquette. Though there was one striking thing about this newcomer to Celes. She was a Kuchiki. Nobility. As Celes rummaged through her memories and knowledge of the other Captains she noted that Kyomei, Captain of the Sixth Division, was also a Kuchiki. So many questions were roaming through Celes' mind. What would bring a Kuchiki to join her Squad? Not that she was complaining. She welcomed it. Not because she was nobility, but instead because she had likely chosen a squad. Her Squad. 

As her thoughts came to a close, Celes wanted to make sure to not scare off the young woman by simply having her stand there. Celes stood to the side to make room for Wynne to enter her office. Her voice as maternal and caring as usual came out when she spoke. "Of course. Welcome Wynne. A pleasure to welcome a new person into the family." The Shinigami continued smiling as Wynne was offered open passage into the superiors office. Assuming that Wynne entered, Celes would slide the door shut as she moved past the newcomer. With relative ease she lifted two chairs and positioned them across from each other at the neat little coffee table that decorated the Captain's office. 

Her smiled beamed once more as she turned to Wynne and spoke again. "Please. Do have a seat. Can I interest you in any coffee Wynne?" If the young woman approved then Celes would make her way to the cupboards to get another cup. After a few moments the Captain would have produced another sizzling hot cup of coffee. Alternatively if Wynne asked for something such as tea, Celes would prepare a rather amateur cup of tea. If she declined, Celes would make her way to the desk to collect her own cup as she sat down to have a good look at Wynne. Her eyes would scan over Wynne as she studied the new member to her Division. 

When she was finished Celes simply chuckled. As a seasoned warrior she could typically size up others on physical ability compared to her own. Overall though Wynne appeared frail to Celes. Fit, but not particular dominating in physical strength. This could likely only mean one thing. This Kuchiki either used Kido or relied on a release. Likely the former as Celes could gather that she was knew. She'd likely not even have a Zanpakutou yet. Regardless the Captain would continue to smile. Lifting the cup to her lips to take a sip, she hummed as she set it down to look back at Wynne. "Well. Let me be the first to say welcome. My name is Celes Shindazu and I am the Captain of the Tenth Division. There is no need to stand on ceremony with me. You can address me as either Celes or Captain Celes. I understand that you are a Kuchiki and as such may be used to certain protocol. It is not beneath me to address you as Lady Kuchiki if you wish. Alternatively I can be informal and can continue to call you Wynne." Taking a pause to let her take it all in, she would continue briefly. "So then. Do tell me about yourself. Anything you wish to disclose. Furthermore. What made you choose the Tenth Division?"

[Wynne Kuchiki]

Hearing the door open, Wynne turned her attention upwards as her new captain came into view. Like most people she met, Celes was taller than her, by four inches or so if she had to guess. She was also quite pale, almost sickly looking with long honey blonde hair. Combined with her aura, the captain of Squad 10 was quite imposing overall. Be it to her rank or the way she carried herself. Hopefully Wynne didn’t make a fool of herself.

"Of course. Welcome Wynne. A pleasure to welcome a new person into the family."

“Thank you.”

Returning her smile nervously, Wynne walked in the open doorway. Allowing Celes to pass her, she watched as her captain positioned two chairs across from each other before offering her a cup of coffee. Wrinkling her nose in distaste, she sat down before giving the question some thought. She didn’t want coffee, but her throat was quite parched. And she’d have to do quite a bit of talking here, so she’d need something to drink.

“Peppermint tea would be preferred. If you don’t have that, any tea will do. Thank you for your generosity.”

Closing her legs tightly and placing her hands gently in front of her, Wynne allowed the Kuchiki manners to come to the forefront of her mind. She had the decorum instilled into her when she was a child, so acting respectfully was second nature to her. Supposedly for drinks in situations like these, she was only supposed to take a sip after every sip the host drank. But judging from the atmosphere Wynne thought she could forgo that special rule. Plus she was thirsty. Gracefully accepting the offered teacup and taking a brief sip, Wynne let out a content hum. It wasn’t anything special compared to the tea she was used to at home, but she appreciated the gesture.

“You have my thanks. The tea is splendid.”

It didn’t take long before Celes began her questioning. Surprisingly her captain seemed to be quite casual, not at all as strict as she first assumed. It felt...weird so to speak. At home she was used to all these rules about what she could say and even how to say it. Perhaps now was the chance to leave all that behind? She never cared much for it to begin with anyways.

“Understood Celes. Please address me as Wynne. I’ve grown tired of being addressed as Lady Kuchiki and I feel it's only right that neither of us should stand in ceremony with each other.”

Taking another sip of tea, Wynne attempted to hide her heated cheeks. Talking to her captain in such a manner felt….scandalous. Still it was nice not having to worry about saying the wrong thing and bringing her family lineage endless shame. Being informal felt freeing. As if the weight of the world was lifted off her shoulders.

“You already know my name, so I’ll skip that. Kido is my passion as I’m quite skilled with it and I enjoy learning new things about it. My hobbies are reading, drawing, and studying Kido. I like kittens and other cute things. I dislike bugs and things of that ilk. And the reason I chose the Tenth Division was because I felt it suited me the best. I’ve always wanted people close to me, so having my squadmates become my second family would be a dream come true. And the opportunity to protect the defenseless? I could ask for no better role.”

Placing her empty cup down, Wynne fiddled with her hands as she waited. She had said quite a bit, but Celes did ask. She wanted to be upfront with her goals and why she was here. After all, they were family now right? Her only experience with family was a complete trainwreck, so she wondered what this experience would be like. Would she finally be able to find people she could be herself with? People who cared for her?

[Celes Castellanos]

Part of being the Captain of a Division to Celes was that she needed to establish a good rapport with her officers. Seated or Unseated. She firmly believed that the trust they placed in her needed to be earned. It would be no different with Wynne. Celes was notably intrigued by her demeanor, however. She showed flashes of nobility with the way she sat and responded to Celes. Perhaps even the courteous response towards Celes' tea was simply the right thing to say in Wynne's eyes. Celes could not help, but smile at all these little thoughts that ran through her mind. Hearing about how Wynne praised her tea, the Captain chuckled and broke into small laughter. 

She was leaning into her seat as she continued laughing before returning a much more neutral stance. "I am honored that you feel my tea to be splendid. Truly. However I believe that I make a sub-par tea. The qualities of high life or nobility I'm afraid are uncharted waters for me." Celes was not a noble and frankly she did not wish to be one. Not that she was chastising Wynne for who she was. She had no control over that. Celes also did not have enough experience with nobles to pain a general picture. Perhaps it was Wynne's next comment or simply her demeanor, but Celes felt that this one was different from the stereotype associated with nobles. 

“Understood Celes. Please address me as Wynne. I’ve grown tired of being addressed as Lady Kuchiki and I feel it's only right that neither of us should stand in ceremony with each other.” The Captain simply nodded in response. Though aside from the nod there was a notable smile on her lips. After all it seemed that this one understood her. Even since becoming Vice Captain she found that others began seeing her differently. Perhaps it was the distinction of rank? Maybe even the want to suck up. Celes was not sure why, but the changes in how she was addressed and treated rubbed her the wrong way. Though while she disliked these titles she had a clear appreciation for respect.

Next came the moment that the Shinigami had been eagerly waiting for. Wynne's reasons for choosing the Tenth Division along with general interests.  “You already know my name, so I’ll skip that. Kido is my passion as I’m quite skilled with it and I enjoy learning new things about it. My hobbies are reading, drawing, and studying Kido. I like kittens and other cute things. I dislike bugs and things of that ilk. And the reason I chose the Tenth Division was because I felt it suited me the best. I’ve always wanted people close to me, so having my squadmates become my second family would be a dream come true. And the opportunity to protect the defenseless? I could ask for no better role.”

Celes was certainly pleased with the answer. In truth there were very few answers that she would not deem acceptable. Quests for power simply for powers' sake was one of those. It had no place in her Division. Instead she firmly believed in their primary task. The protection of the Soul Society. As Wynne finished, Celes would simply nod in acknowledge with a smile on her face. Taking a sip of her coffee, she set it down and began to relax into her seat. She would tap her fingers against the chair in a rhythm. She tried to take in the rest of Wynne's answers. Personal interests could give great insight into another person. Right now Wynne sounded passionate and kind yet there was an innocence about her.

With an aura of interest, Celes would slowly shift forward as she peered intently at Wynne. "That is certainly a unique set of interests. Typically I get very stoic newcomers who brag about their accomplishments in the Academy or far rarer, in battle. You, however, are quite anomalous in that regard. I commend that. As for your reasoning for joining my Division. Allow me to reassure you that I, and I expect everyone else to do the same, shall treat you like family. We are bound by duty. By honor. We collect no individual accomplishments, but instead exist for one purpose. One alone. That is the safeguarding of the Soul Society and her people." 

Celes smiled once more as she looked up, pondering. As her eyes descent upon Wynne again she would giggle. "I suppose it's only fair for me to tell you a little about myself. You should know your Captain at least a little I believe. You already know my name so we can skip that as well. I was not born into this life. I was actually once a citizen of the Soviet Union. An unfortunate accident led to my untimely death. After coming to the Soul Society, I was recruited and put into the Academy. I started out as an unseated officer just like yourself, but I was originally in the Eleventh Division. Later I climbed to the Third Seat. Then I became Vice Captain of the Tenth and later its Captain as you see me now." 

Celes could not help, but giggle further as she told a short version of her climb through the ranks. "Now then. If your passion is Kido then I suppose mind would be martial prowess. I've to admit. I'm rather pitiful in the use of Kido. Though what I lack in Kido I more than make up for in physical prowess along with a knowledge of various weaponry. As for hobbies. Well I do quite enjoy training my mind and body with Martial Arts. I also enjoy mentoring the new generation of Shinigami. I generally have a potent distaste for pessimism. Oh! I also have a student. A disciple of sorts. Her name is Kimiko. An Unseated member of the Eleventh Division." 

As Celes finished she chuckled for a few moments as she reflected on the bare minimums when it came to her career as both a Shinigami and a warrior. Celes would clear her throat for a moment. "I have to admit. When I saw your last name as Kuchiki I was expecting something far different. Like me you have little patience with standing on ceremony. Yet I sense that you value respect. Both towards yourself and others. Is that assessment correct?" She paused for a moment as she gave Wynne time to answer. "You might have heard rumors that this Division and our sister Squad, the Eleventh, devalue Kido users. I hope to put those rumors to rest. If you are ever mocked for your passion for Kido, do let me know. I do not take bullying, much less disrespect, towards another member of our Division very lightly." Celes smiled warmly as she tried her best to put Wynne at ease. The reputation that the Eleventh Division and perhaps even the Tenth to an extent carried was inexcusable to Celes. She was going to do her best to make everyone of her members feel welcomed and valued.

[Wynne Kuchiki]

"I am honored that you feel my tea to be splendid. Truly. However I believe that I make a sub-par tea. The qualities of high life or nobility I'm afraid are uncharted waters for me."

Nodding her head slightly, Wynne chose not to give a response. This was one of the dangerous situations her tutors had taught her about! Although it didn’t really apply here since it was Celes, but when a host mentioned the food or drinks they made for a guest wasn’t that great, you were supposed to deny it even if it was true. It was like a test in nobility, to see how much respect the guest would give the host. Sometimes they intentionally made the food bad to prove a point. It was a whole mess to deal with, and quite frankly Wynne was glad she didn’t have to worry about it. Why did nobility have to be so difficult about the basic things?

“My parents remind me of my shortcomings daily, so I learned humility early on. And I believe the saying was, the weaker you are the louder you bark? People confident in their strength don’t need to brag about it.” She had heard quite a bit of bragging at the academy, most of it undeserved. She didn’t want to seem boastful herself, but seeing as how she was the top of her Kido class, she always thought it was weird when people underneath her bragged. Could you really claim to be the best at Kido when even she was more skilled? Let alone people who weren’t actually students. Did her fellow classmates really believe they knew more than the teacher? Someone who had been mastering their craft for countless years?

“You have quite the impressive track record Celes. I could barely imagine becoming captain from where I’m at now. It must’ve taken a lot of hard work. Although having a student from a different squad seems quite difficult though. Wouldn’t Squad 11 be worried about you trying to poach Kimiko even if that’s not what you’re doing?” From what she heard, a situation like the one she mentioned wasn’t that unlikely. Especially from the hotheads of Squad 11. Although calling them hotheads was pretty judgmental, but they were known for things like that for a reason right? All those hits to the head they received had to have some sort of consquences. 

“Yes, respect is very important. A fact that people often forget. As for the rumors, can they be called rumors if they’re true? I myself have already seen such bullying, and I’ve been here less than a week. Thankfully I don’t have to deal with any thanks to my Kuchiki name, but others don’t have the same privilege. It seems counterproductive to make enemies of your allies that you’re trusting with your life out on the field. It doesn't make much sense to me.”

[Celes Castellanos]

Celes was certainly curious to hear Wynne's stance on strength. After all she was young. Inexperienced. Yet she was blessed with nobility. Giftedness. A prodigy likely in her own right. “My parents remind me of my shortcomings daily, so I learned humility early on. And I believe the saying was, the weaker you are the louder you bark? People confident in their strength don’t need to brag about it.” Celes nodded silently as she listened. She kept taking sips of her coffee even as she to a minor extent, reviled her own cup of coffee. These aspects of high life were not for her. Nor did she want any part of it. At her very core she was a warrior, but she would indulge Wynne.

Her tone of voice would be calm as always as she chuckled somewhat. "Well. I am certainly glad to hear that you learned humility early. I feel that some of your squadmates could certainly learn a thing or two from you." There was no deception in Celes' voice as she laughed loudly. She was not attempting to insult Wynne, but she tried to ease the topic of the conversation. Make it more easily digestible. "It took me a brutal lesson for me to learn humility. To discover that there are forces you simply cannot dare to oppose. Though I suppose I am grateful. That lesson kept me alive. It humbled me and to this day his name is seared into my mind. The fact that he allowed me to live. To recognize just how little I was..." 

Celes' expression had darkened. Not necessarily by any direct choice of hers, but she found herself descend into that deep dark place. Where the monsters hid. Slowly the Captain began to take a deep breath as she laughed once more. "Don't mind the ramblings of a veteran soul like myself. That was a long time ago. A past long forgotten, but the lessons not unlearnt. As for your sentiment about strength. I believe you have a good head on your shoulders Wynne. An excellent and clear way of looking at." She smiled widely as they began to descend into the topic of strength. This was always a favorite of Celes. After all, she liked to motivate others to give their all. To improve every day.

"We all have humble beginnings. We each come from different backgrounds. Some, like you, born into this life. Others, like me, once human whose time had finally come. Yet here we are. Both Shinigami. I believe that everyone carries strength within them. It is like a seed. A small tree. It needs time. Effort. Guidance. Once it has those it can begin to grow. To flourish. Yet that begs the question. If we all grow strong then why are some considered stronger than others? I think the answer is simple. The truly strong know not to rely on that alone. Not to flaunt it. Not to brag. They know when is the time to use it and when is the time to explore other options." 

As Celes spoke her words would sound like that of a martial artist. Rightfully so as she followed the values of internal styles of martial arts. As she finished it seemed that Wynne had both what sounded like praise and a warning to Celes. She simply raised her eyebrow curiously as she listened. “You have quite the impressive track record Celes. I could barely imagine becoming captain from where I’m at now. It must’ve taken a lot of hard work. Although having a student from a different squad seems quite difficult though. Wouldn’t Squad 11 be worried about you trying to poach Kimiko even if that’s not what you’re doing?” Celes simply tapped her finger against the edge of the cup of coffee as she giggled gently for a moment.

Her eyes would then descend upon Wynne once more. "Well. Thank you for the compliment. As you can imagine the mantle of Captain comes with time and effort. Though I think dedication will carry you far as well." She smiled briefly. "As for Kimiko, I am not too concerned. I am no stranger to the antics of the Eleventh Division. I used to be one of them. I've eaten with them. Fought with them. Slept in the same barracks as them. I took Kimiko as a disciple when she was merely a student in the Academy. She reminded me so much of myself. Not at all gifted at Kido. Hotheaded. Impulsive. Despite that though she had potential. Potential that the Academy would not know how to hone. But I knew how to. And I did. And now? I couldn't be prouder of her even if she is in a different Division. She will till the day she decides not to be one of my own." 

Celes sighed for a moment as she paused. "The Tenth Division and the Eleventh are what I call sister squads. Different in certain ways yet so similar in others. We have each others backs. If we are the shield of the Soul Society then they are undoubtedly its spear. And despite the fact that we call ourselves separate names, I would be prepared to give my life for everyone man and woman in that Division just as much as I would be prepared to give my life for you, one of my own, if I needed to." Once again Celes spoke with utter honesty. She wanted to make it clear where she stood. The kind of Shinigami she was. The kind of Captain she tried to be. That would be a good segway into the next topic. 

Though as Wynne spoke, Celes felt her heart shatter at her perception of these two Divisions. “Yes, respect is very important. A fact that people often forget. As for the rumors, can they be called rumors if they’re true? I myself have already seen such bullying, and I’ve been here less than a week. Thankfully I don’t have to deal with any thanks to my Kuchiki name, but others don’t have the same privilege. It seems counterproductive to make enemies of your allies that you’re trusting with your life out on the field. It doesn't make much sense to me.” Celes simply nodded as she thought it over. She was disarmed. Caught in no-mans land. 

As she collected her thoughts, she considered what the Gotei meant to her. What her division meant to her. With that in mind, she would respond. "It is an ugly truth that you speak of. Unfortunately we have along way to go. The stigma behind Kido users in the Eleventh Division especially is hard to break. But I know we will. It will take time. Baby steps. Even I as Captain can't be everywhere at once. Injustices only reach my ears as fast as those that wish to report them. Our Third Seat, Miranda, is my current second in command though she is an untempered blade. She needs guidance and I do lack a true second in command." Celes smiled for a moment as she mused a thought. "Perhaps if you truly are as prodigious as I believe you are then perhaps you will one day be my Vice Captain. Then we can end this cycle together." Celes winked for a moment as she smiled.

[Wynne Kuchiki]

“Thank you.” It seemed that Celes had quite the wake up call way back when. Quite a dangerous one too from the sound of things. And while Wynne wasn’t particularly fond of her childhood, she did have to admit that she learned a lot of things from it. Some negative, some positive. Still, it made her who she was today. She agreed with Celes though. No one could be perfect, and when someone fell, they picked themselves up and learnt from their mistakes. And if they didn’t, the process would just repeat until they did. Such was the way of life.

“Kimiko sounds like a great woman. I can’t wait to meet her.” Celes had high praises for her apprentice, and for Squad 11. She could understand the former, after all if you saw yourself in someone, it was easy to like them. And the more time you spent with them, the stronger the bonds would grow. The situation was probably the same for Squad 11 as well, since Celes used to be one of them. Still, she did in fact feel her captain was a little biased towards them, but in a way maybe she was as well. She had only seen the bad parts of the squad while Celes had seen the good parts. A true and honest opinion could only be formed when the two were combined.

“One day perhaps, although I do think that day is quite a while away.” Smiling back at Celes, Wynne tried to imagine herself as a vice captain. She spent a few moments having idle thoughts before coming to a conclusion. No way! Unfortunately, she couldn’t really imagine herself at that high of a rank at the moment. Especially from where she was at now. She only knew one Kido! If she was a vice captain, she wanted to know way more. Not only that, but she wanted to be stronger, faster, and wiser. A better person overall. There were just so many goals she had for the future, and accomplishing them would take some time. Time and effort.

“Since we’re talking about higher ranks, how exactly does being in Squad 10 work? Do we have group training sessions or lessons we have to attend? And I know our role is protection, but how often is that put to the test? Sure there is the odd hollow that pops up, but usually the Soul Society is pretty peaceful.”

[Celes Castellanos]

Celes could not help but smile at Wynne as they spoke of them being a Vice Captain. “One day perhaps, although I do think that day is quite a while away.” The Captain chuckled softly as this spoke of Wynne's character. Despite their Kuchiki name, it was clear that there was humility to her. Others may have jumped at the chance to speak of their capabilities even if they weren't ready yet. It was a breath of fresh air to see someone rather composed and willing to show their inexperience. Celes tapped her lips inquisitively as she simply continued to smile. She would then begin to rise from her seat as she looked out the window of her office.

As she peered from the window, Celes noticed a few newcomers to her squad spar. She chuckled for a moment and shook her head as she watched them for a moment. Her eyes then skirted back to Wynne. "One day perhaps indeed. As you say that may be far ahead, but I tend to find its part of the fun..." She chuckled once more. "You know...even after graduating from the Academy...after the grueling training and frankly boring lesson plans, I find myself coming back and conversing with the students. Can you guess why that is Wynne?" She would give Wynne a few moments to mull it over. Depending on her answer, Celes would confirm or deny it with one of her own.

"As a Captain, I stand as a symbol of adoration to some. Even as a Lieutenant of this Squad I found that they already looked up to me. Despite my accomplishments, however, I find that I am no different from them. I may be a Captain, but I am still a Shinigami. We are all Shinigami at the end of the day no matter our ranking and it is our duty to protect the helpless. It is why I mingle among them. Not to gloat or display dominance, but instead to encourage them. To guide them. Besides, if I hadn't decided to go to the Academy every now and then I would likely have not met Kimiko and established her as a disciple of mine. As such, it holds even more sentimental value to me." 

After her lengthy explanation, Celes received a question that she did not entirely expect. Nonetheless she was glad to hear such interest in the operations of the Squad. “Since we’re talking about higher ranks, how exactly does being in Squad 10 work? Do we have group training sessions or lessons we have to attend? And I know our role is protection, but how often is that put to the test? Sure there is the odd hollow that pops up, but usually the Soul Society is pretty peaceful.” Celes could not help, but chuckle. Normally the newcomers were curious about about sparring the other members or simply cleansing Hollows. She was rarely asked about the logistics of the Squad.

With a smile one her lips, Celes spoke with a soft voice. "Well, I am happy to hear such interest in Squad operations. To answer your questions, we do have group training sessions. It can involve a number of training exercises from protecting a mock VIP to simple spars amongst the members. These training exercises can be guided by either myself or by my second in command, Miranda. She is our Third Seat as I told you before." She paused for a moment as she pondered on the question about application. "As for how often your skills are tested, I will say that it can depend. The occasional invasion by Hueco Mundo or by the Vandenreich can certainly require our services. Typically, however, I set up permitters that our Squad manages. Aside from that we help with other Squads wherever required. Helping repair the Seireitei, maintenance and keeping the peace. Does that all answer your question?" 

[Wynne Kuchiki]

“Because you yourself were once in their shoes?” Wynne knew a few people that once they graduated looked down on other students that were still in school. Which was odd seeing as how they were literally students themselves last week. People took pride and got offended at the oddest things sometimes. At least her Captain didn’t seem to be like one of those people. Even with her many accomplishments Celes didn’t let it get to her head and still did her best to protect the weak. A good role model for the squad to follow.

Nodding her head in silent agreement, Wynne listened closely as Celes explained her train of thought. Everyone here were Shinigami. Although each of them were different, they were all the same as well. And on the field of battle, they would only have each other to rely upon. As for Squad operations, Squad 10 had group training sessions with a variety of exercises including protection of VIPs to spars. It sounded interesting but nerve wracking at the same time. Whenever Wynne participated in these, she would need to make sure she didn’t embarrass herself when she showcased her skillset.

“Yes, I think all of my questions have been answered. Thank you for that!” Celes had been very helpful in teaching Wynne what Squad 10 was all about. She had first been nervous about the one v one meeting, but it wasn’t as bad as she had first assumed. Sure it had taken a little warming up before she had gotten comfortable, but after that, it had been all good. She had a feeling that this was the perfect squad for her. A new squad, a new family.

[Deleted]

Celes: I counted 31 paragraphs, so that’ll be a 30% bonus to your rewards in a future thread with Wynne!

Wynne: I counted 26 paragraphs, so that’ll be a 20% bonus to your rewards in a future thread with Celes!