Tales of Seireitei: Celes & Kimiko [Social]

[Celes Castellanos]

It was a rather beautiful day today. The sun was shining, the occasional forest ambience could be heard nearby, and countless Shinigami would greet each other during morning exercises and runs. Walking along the various roads of the Seireitei, Celes would be making her way to the Eleventh Division Barracks. Her Captain's Haori resting over her shoulder, flowing in the soothing wind. Her reasoning for coming to the Eleventh Division Barracks would be rather simple. Kimiko Nakajima. It had been been a while since she had seen her disciple. The last time they had seen on another, Celes had taken over a training exercise for the Tenth and Eleventh Division which Kimiko participated in. Or was it when all hell broke loose and the Rukongai found itself overwhelmed by a Zombie Apocalypse? Celes could not remember entirely.

Celes' promotion as a Captain made it difficult to regularly interact with her disciple like she used to. When she originally met the Academy Student as a Vice Captain, she had much more free time on her hand. Nowadays with needing to more officially manage the division, it became more and more difficult. The return of the former Vice Captain, Arantima, helped alleviate the workload. Celes could appropriately delegate more tasks to Arantima which help keep the paperwork manageable. This gave her the chance to meet up with Kimiko for a surprise visit. She had plans for her disciple today. Plans that she felt would benefit both of them.

After a few minutes, Celes would find herself before the Eleventh Division Barracks. It was as she expected. Numerous Shinigami lined up, Zanpakutou in hand, interacting with the training dummies. Walking by, Celes kept an eye on their forms. As per usual, the members of the Eleventh Division proved themselves to have a natural proclivity for combat. As they rotated in and out of the line, each one showed impressive footwork and impressive bladework over the course of a few exchanged. Other members simply spared with one another. Ther typically used bokken to avoid harming one another. Celes chuckled for a moment as she continued onward to the main gates of the Barracks, those training caught up in too much focus to appropriately acknowledge her.

As she approached the main gate, she immediately received a bow followed by a wave from two Shinigami who were effectively on guard duty. One of them immediately piped up. "Good Morning Captain Celes. It was a pleasure to see you again!" The Captain nodded her head in kind, chuckling softly. He would continue not too long after. "So, what brings you here Captain Celes? Not that you aren't welcome." Celes chuckled once more and spoke in a soothing voice. "Well. I just came to meet Kimiko. She likely did not know that I was coming. Kinda a surprise visit." She looked around briefly. "I do not see her here. Do you know where I can find her?" 

She received a head nod in response as he spoke up. "Oh Kimiko? She normally spends a lot of her time in the Colosseum. I imagine that she's likely there!" Celes smiled and tilted her head. "Spends a lot of her time in the Colosseum huh? I suppose old habits do die hard." The Captain knew the Colosseum well. It was rather unique to the Eleventh Division. Due to their incredible size, they typically had more members training at once. As such, a Colosseum was created to allow for more fighting space. Besides that, Celes knew that its members were highly competitive. Always wanting test themselves against others. It was a place that Celes had spent much of her time in. It would be very nostalgic to return.

With a brief nod of her own head, Celes smiled. "Thank you very much. Take care you too. Keep your eyes sharp and your blade sharper." Assuming a bit of a faster pace, she'd be there in a few moments. Normally it would take minutes, but Celes heightened speed allowed her to make it in a fraction of the time. As she arrived, she'd look around on the outside. Suprisingly not a single soul around. Celes tilted her head a little in confusion. Even from the sounds of it, she could not hear roaring cheers or the clash of blades. Was it an off day today for the Eleventh Division? Was Kimiko training here alone? The Shinigami was not entirely sure, but she'd start to make her way inside to check up on the situation.

Walking past large gates and through long halls, Celes would find herself in the large spectacle that was the Colosseum. Looking around through, it seemed that her suspicion was right. It was largely empty. Truly a change of pace from what she had remembered. Normally there would be a large group present, viewing the fights and encouraging the combat. Today? It was a ghost town. Celes began to make her way closer to the center, keeping her eye out for Kimiko. Was she really here? Had she stepped away? Perhaps. Though if she was here, Celes would likely notice her soon. For now though, she'd feel a deep sense of nostalgia as she once more stood in the primary fighting stage of her original Division.

[Nakajima Kimiko]

The Colosseum of the Eleventh Division. In every sense of the word, this place so iconic to the squad for which it was built was nothing short of colossal. Standing almost tall enough to surpass the size of the barracks by itself, the monument of stone roughly covers the span of a modern football field and so is designed to welcome a fair number of Shinigami. Because of its size, it is often used as a secondary training grounds for the Eleventh Division, a place in which to use whenever the main grounds themselves are too occupied, as they often are due to the sheer numbers which form the Eleventh's roster. However, as its bruises and cracks which its immortal foundation sports so well represent, its main purpose is of course not to simply act as such. That would be far from its truth, as many of the Eleventh would seek to correct. In reality, its purpose is much more evident: to serve as a sparring ground for the strong and as a means to test the weak.

Typically, this oh-so-mighty monument attracts the feisty and the ambitious in droves every day. Without prior judgement, it permits any and all to fill its air with cries of war, and without hesitation, it spits out and and all who fail to remain on their feet by the end of their brawl. It was a simple concept, one that has remained since the dawn of time, but the beauty in its simplicity was more than enough to allow this place to be forever popular with the people of the Eleventh. In fact, if there was anything other than training and the concept of battle itself that solidified the bond between the people of the Eleventh, it was the existence of this Colosseum. The officers would talk about sparring against one another all around the barracks, challenging themselves and betting against one another whenever the need arises, and a few would even at times discuss the possibility of them possibly releasing the abilities of their Zanpakuto during battle.

This was not seen today. For what seemed to be the first occurrence in a very long time, the excitement so often shared for the Colosseum between the officers of this section of the Gotei 13 was seemingly diverted elsewhere. There were more people than ever who remained within the training grounds, so much so that it seemed as though a few needed to purposefully leave the barracks in order to train elsewhere in Seireitei or Rukongai, while the Coliseum itself appeared empty. This did not matter to some, but for others such as a single woman who presently neared the monument's main gates, it appeared to be a graver affair. "Come on!" She could be heard huffing as she left the main gates of the monument, shaking her head. Though her tone was frustrated, there was also a noticeable level of concern, something which was such that she completely ignored the Captain's presence as she stormed off towards the barracks. "Like, it doesn't mean that you're training with that fucking asshole that you can take the whole place for yourself! Seriously..."

As the green-haired woman would proceed onward through the main gates, the frustrated one's words would perhaps appear to be a bit strange, as there was no noise that could have resonated from a spar. There was naught a sword clash, a mere swing of a weapon, or even so much as a single footstep. However, the more she would proceed onward into the Colosseum, the more she would be able to feel something strange in the air, as though it was amplified, energized. Even an individual of her meager level of spiritual sensory would be able to realize by that point that there was an ample amount of it currently basking the air. No, not just an ample amount. That would be an understatement. It was of great significance, the kind that would usually be sensed from a being with great spiritual energy fueling their very core. Such an amount would be a thing to admire from a Shinigami if this energy was not so odd, cold, and overwhelming.

The source of this energy would eventually reveal itself to the Captain. At the center of the Colosseum was a single officer surrounded by what could only be described as trails of ink drawn onto the air itself. She was standing still, panting quietly as the ink-like patterns of light and dark surrounded her position. Aside from her pained breath, no sound seemed to emanate from her surroundings, and the surroundings themselves were strangely left greyed, almost lifeless. She also seemed to be in a reckless shape. There was no wound that currently covered her body, but her sleeveless Shihakusho was torn and cut in a few places, revealing parts of the skin of her arms, sides and legs, while her eyes appeared almost tired, exhausted. Though there was no one here with her, not even a semblance of one that perhaps came to her in the last few hours, it almost seemed as though she had actually battled someone in this arena in one way or another.

It was clear that this was Kimiko. There was no question about it. Among the Eleventh Division, she had one of the more recognizable Shikai, and needless to say, there have been a few rumors surrounding her ever since she acquired her second blade. Of course, Celes would know nothing of these rumors, though seeing her now, she would perhaps understand why the rumors began to begin with. Then again, perhaps she had actually heard at the very least of what happened only a few months ago in the very middle of the Italian capital, Rome. They said she had done battle there with Teresa, an Adjuchas which has risen in power quite extensively for some time now, and in so doing, had caused quite a fair bit of chaos in the process. There were many casualties during that dreadful operation, many new Souls that could have remained in the Living World rather than become residents of the Soul Society, but there were many who said that the woman had acted differently then, almost out of character. Her behavior here seemed to show an awareness to that fact.

For a moment, the woman remained motionless, devoid of action. She did not mutter a word, instead simply expressing her exhaustion through her panting. However, eventually, she seemingly jolted awake before clenching her teeth almost furiously. "Damn... you..." she'd mutter as she looked down towards the scabbard of her darkened blade with angry eyes. Her grip around the sheath was tight, enough so to cause it to tremble. "Dishonorable... filth...!" The words came out heavily, frustratingly, and if it were not for her very own restraint in doing so, it almost seemed as though she was downright going to throw the scabbard towards the very sands underneath her feet. Eventually, the woman would feel a presence near her position, and with a blink, she would look over her shoulder to see who it was. It did not take long for her anger to leave her once she realized who it was. "O-Oh, shit," she told mostly to herself at this point before she forcefully calmed herself down. It was awkward, terribly so, and eventually, the calm turned embarrassment as she briefly looked away from Celes. "Uh, hey. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to... to look weird like that."

At the very least, the embarrassment scattered the ink, deactivating her Shikai and ridding the air of the ominous energy.

[Celes Castellanos]

"Come on!" The Captain blinked for a moment as she began to enter the Colosseum. Celes watched as a red-haired Shinigami ran in her direction, storming past the Captain without a single word to her. Instead, Celes heard the Shinigami speak, seemingly furious. "Like, it doesn't mean that you're training with that fucking asshole that you can take the whole place for yourself! Seriously..." The Captain tilted her head and sighed for a moment. "Oh great. What the hell is going on now?" She tapped her finger against her shoulder as she wordlessly decided to make her way further into the Colosseum. After all...she was a little curious just who was the culprit behind all of this. 

As she drew closer and closer into the Colosseum, Celes felt something in the air. The air around her felt charged with a potent reiatsu. It was no potent in fact that Celes nearly felt that she could grab hold of the strands of reiatsu. Just who was generating it? Celes began to walk at a quickened pace, eager to see the source of this. As she crossed through the long hall and found herself in the midst of the grand Colosseum, the Captain would bear witness to something she was not expecting. It was Kimiko though something was off... The disciple's movements seemed to be generating a kind of ink that drew along the air itself. Celes ran her hand along her chin. 

Her eyes scanned over not only Kimiko, but the environment. The ground. It seemed awfully monotone. Bleached. As if all the color had been suddenly drained. Not only this, but Kimiko's own movements were weird to someone like Celes. Having dedicated her life to the art of combat, Celes honed her senses. They played a large role in a fight. Those who trust only their eyes fall prey of even the simplest of tricks. As Celes looked at Kimiko, she heard nothing. Her footsteps were silent. No air would rush past her. It was eerily silent and in truth...Celes did not like the lack of sound. It felt so unnatural to see such fluid movements and not be able to pick up a single cue. Despite her unease though...Celes was ecstatic!

The Captain's eyes were filled with bedazzlement. Due to their busy schedules, Celes could not keep a close eye on Kimiko's progress. She had grown a little distant because of it. She had never assumed that Kimiko had already shown progress in using her Shikai. It was absolutely wonderful to the Captain. Despite not being able to hear her movements, Celes was able to hear her breathing. She seemed, for lack of a better word, exhausted. Regardless, Celes continued to watch for a moment, and it was then that she saw something that felt off. As Kimiko came to a close, her motions would stop. For a moment she'd seem in a trance until she rose up and began to bark out dissent. 

"Damn... you..." Celes tilted her head, unsure of who she was talking to. She had not seemed to take notice of her yet. "Dishonorable... filth...!" For a moment, Celes jolted backward. Her words were something that Celes did not quite expect from her disciple. They were filled with vitriol. The Captain simply returned back to a calm stance after regaining her composure as she cleared her throat. Almost as if on command, Kimiko's eyes darted over at her. "O-Oh, shit," She could hear the worry in her voice and Celes simply raised an eyebrow. Her disciple's cheeks almost seemed to flush red with embarrassment as she turned away and spoke once more. "Uh, hey. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to... to look weird like that."

In that moment, Celes felt a change in the air. The pressure from prior was gone. The ink that Kimiko drew prior began to dissipate. The color would return to the environment and Celes could hear the subtle movements again. She blinked for a moment and then smiled warmly at Kimiko. She did not want to worry her any further, but she had to admit that something seemed off about her behavior. "No worries Kimiko. It's been a while. You look well." Celes began to approach, drawing closer to the Shinigami with each step. Assuming that she got close enough to touch Kimiko, Celes would place her hand on the Shinigami's shoulder in an attempt to put her at ease. "I'm glad to see that my star pupil is still developing. That ink just now..." Celes tilted her head and smiled. "Was that your Shikai? Or do I have the pleasure of knowing that you've already achieved Bankai?" Celes winked a little, clear teasing on her part. Achieving Bankai was not a feat that was easily hidden and Celes would definitely have heard of that if it were the case. 

Hopefully getting some form of confirmation, the Captain would simply look at Kimiko. Her eyes would study her intently. The Captain knew her disciple well. She also knew and could easily recognize the signs of stress and exhaustion. Celes' smile began to become less content. It contorted to one of worry as she spoke up, her voice still calm and motherly as usual. "Are you okay Kimiko? You seem out of it? Squad Duties getting to you? If you'd like I could talk to Vice Captain Tsukuyomi about it if that's the case?" Celes could sometimes come across as an overbearing mother, but she tried to make sure that others knew that she cared. Besides, if Kimiko confirmed then it would be the perfect topic to segway into her coming here. She'd approach that later though.

"So...if I may ask...who were you talking to earlier?" If Kimiko brought up the red-haired Shinigami that stormed out earlier, she'd likely be able to take the hint that that's not what the Captain was referring to. After all, she had just witnessed Kimiko speak ill of something that clearly bothered her. Celes did not assume that it was directed at her. After all, Kimiko had not noticed her until after her outburst. Regardless of her answer, Celes would continue to rest her hand on Kimiko's shoulder. She had tried hard to show Kimiko that she could confide in her. While they were mentor and student, Celes also saw Kimiko as a dear friend, and she deeply cared for the Shinigami's well being.

[Nakajima Kimiko]

The pressure which once surrounded the inside of the Colosseum had completely dissipated by the time Celes had made her presence clear to Kimiko. By then, the emotional weight of it all had left, scattered to the wind by the sheer magnitude of the Captain's motherly warmth, and the spiritual energy which seemed so dark and off-putting at a glance had disappeared entirely without even but a trace of the ink which once so represented it. Slowly, the scarlet-eyed woman's surroundings would regain their sound and color, and in so doing, life would return to them. There was not much color to begin with, sure, and there was even less noise given that the officer had been all alone without even a corporeal sparring partner, but it felt right for it all to be returned to the quietened monument. This old place needed all the semblances of life it could get, especially now that it appeared to not be allowed to harbor anybody else but the thirdly-seated swordswoman.

But as relieving as this return to form may be to the lime-haired woman, this feeling was not quite shared by Kimiko. Instead of reappearing relieved, she appeared awkward, embarrassed, as though she had not wanted anyone but herself to bear witness to what was said in this moment. It was hard not to blame her for feeling this way. Usually, she is to be most certainly considered as one of the quieter members of the Eleventh outside of battle, and yet now, she had appeared as anything but. It was uncharacteristic, to put it mildly, and given how heavy that outburst of hers was, this was most likely why the woman Celes had seen outside of the Colosseum's main gates had not been allowed to come here. The problem was that it definitely had a visible toll on the swordswoman, both physically and emotionally. If anything, seeing how exhausted she appeared to be now... it was perhaps better for her to feel embarrassed before Celes than continue what she was doing.

In so doing, the swordswoman would awkwardly withdraw herself from the training activity as she fully turned herself towards the Captain. Needless to say, she felt rather conflicted. On one hand, she was quite glad to see Celes here. It had been a long time since she had seen her, and like the many times before in which they have met after her graduation from Shin'ō Academy, she had not been expected her to visit in the slightest. On the other hand, however, she had hoped she would have not seen her in such an exhausted state. "I guess "well" is... one way to put it," she would say as she tried to recover from all of the physical exertion that she has put onto her body for the last few hours or so. No, she did not look very well: the damaged Shihakusho and her pained breath represented that as well as how one would imagine. At least the pat on her shoulder was enough to cause her to quiet down about it and not say anything more about the matter.

It did not take long for Celes to ask about what was happening. That was rather unsurprising; after all, anyone would ask questions about what just happened, especially someone as caring as her. Kimiko did not mind this attitude, of course. The Captain was her mentor, and in so doing, it felt as though she did need to talk to her about a few things, even if some subjects were easier to convey than others. For all that matters, the fact that she was the one asking questions about all of these subjects was something Kimiko found to be quite relieving. "It... wasn't a Bankai, no... Just the Shikai," she answered while recovering from the awkwardness and embarrassment, looking downward towards her now-sheathed blades as she did so. At the moment, they were both remaining dormant within their scabbards, left blank by their restrained form. Though it was rather difficult to discern it in the way she pronounced the word, her "Shikai" was definitely not singular, but rather plural. Despite this, Kimiko did not notice this. In fact, she outright briefly forgot about the fact that Celes had never seen her wield two swords before. "Siegfried already told me about, uh... how using Bankai here could be dangerous, so I wouldn't do something like that here." 

For a moment there, it almost appeared as though Kimiko was about to completely get over her exhaustion and embarrassment. It was perhaps a bit cliche to describe it such a way, but the way the lime-haired woman spoke to her in such a tenderly fashion allowed her to simply move on from her training surprisingly well. In a way, it reminded her of the times they trained together during her exam periods in which she completely forgot about the evaluations altogether. Unfortunately, the questions that then followed the first ones told to her put an end to that rejuvenation, and by then, the light tenderness she felt from Celes turned into something that was a little bit more overwhelming. "No, no, I'm okay," she insisted right away in an attempt to calm the Captain down. There was no need for her to worry about it so much, and there was even less need for her to tell Tsukuyomi about this... or well, at least that was how Kimiko felt about this. "It's just... training, really. That's all."

But of course, it wasn't just training. If it was, she would have just been tired, and not previously so frustrated at someone in particular that she had just spoken to. She was hoping that Celes would have not noticed this or simply decided to keep it under wraps, but just like the other questions that was told to her, it would seem as though her caring nature prevented her from doing such a thing. The swordswoman was honestly not quite sure how to respond at first. She didn't really want to talk to her about all that's happened between herself and the person she was currently having qualms with, and quite frankly, she wasn't sure if she wanted her mentor to force herself into this conflict of hers. It felt like something that she should solve by herself and not with the help of others. As such, for a brief moment, she was almost trying to search for an excuse, something to tell her friend so that she would be somewhat kept in the dark about it all.

However, her current condition and emotional well-being were both unfortunately rather open here. No matter the excuse that came in her head, there was no way she could hide it from Celes entirely without making her feel suspicious or worried about things. "I..." she found herself starting in this moment of realization, but then hesitated as she looked down towards her most recent Zanpakuto. As she stared at it, her gaze darkened a bit before she let out a sigh and forcefully brought it back to Celes. No. No, she really could not hide this. Not this part of herself. "I was talking to my Zanpakuto... Training with him is just... It's just hard." It came out quietly and maybe even disappointingly as she held onto the Taishokukane's scabbard. "It's not like training with Shizukakane. He's just... He pisses me off. There." The more she spoke, the more frustrated she seemed to became again as her gaze turned away from Celes altogether and back towards the blade. "It sucks."

[Celes Castellanos]

Celes had to admit. It was nice getting to interact with Kimiko again. Squad duties had seemingly piled up for the both of them. The responsibilities of Captaincy had truly taken a toll on the Shinigami's free time. No longer could she brazenly spend hours a day, sometimes twice a day, training with Kimiko. Her mornings and afternoons consisted of paperwork, reports and delegations of duties. Though despite that, Celes had finally been able to find a time slot in which to see Kimiko. Though, being in front of her pupil, Celes got a good glance at Kimiko's condition. Her Shihakusho was torn. She looked exhausted. It looked as though she was going to pass out from overexertion at any moment.

Kimiko's response didn't help either. "I guess "well" is... one way to put it," Celes peered at Kimiko with a bit of concern. Suddenly, Celes followed with a string of questions. Despite the fact that Kimiko had answered her question about her Shikai, the Captain would take very little notice of this. Instead, she wanted to prioritize Kimiko's well-being. After all, the Third Seat was her pupil. Even more than that, she was a friend. Celes felt very close to Kimiko, even more so than to other Shinigami of her division. Perhaps it was how early they fostered a relationship? Perhaps it was Celes' eagerness to see Kimiko grow? She was not sure. Regardless, the Captain knew without a shred of a doubt that she would do anything for the Third Seat before her. 

As Kimiko responded next, Celes raised an eyebrow inquisitively. "No, no, I'm okay," Celes had some doubts. Kimiko's condition and her words did not match. Regardless, Celes felt that she couldn't be too pushy. She'd need to let Kimiko take it at her own pace. She continued to elaborate. "It's just... training, really. That's all." Celes simply nodded in response. She began to get somewhat of a clearer picture. Parts of the story began to slot into place more easily. Though there was one thing that was on Celes' mind. "She has her Shikai. That's good progress, but she was talking to someone. Could it be...?" Celes could not help but make her next inquiry. 

The question certainly seemed to take its toll. Kimiko had paused, almost eerily so. It wouldn't be too hard to tell that there was inborn anxiety. Though even if Kimiko blatantly lied to Celes, the Captain would take her word for it. It was Celes' own zealous prodding that drove Camila away from the Soul Society. At least, this is how Celes saw it. She would not let herself and Kimiko draw further apart. As such, the Captain believed that she needed to be receptive to Kimiko's needs. Part of that was accepting that there may be things she did not want to share. Despite that understanding, it seemed that Kimiko was ready to talk at some length about it. "I..."

Celes simply peered at her with as much understanding as she could muster. She wanted to try and create an open forum for her to speak her mind. It seemed that it was working. "I was talking to my Zanpakuto... Training with him is just... It's just hard." "Bingo!" Celes thought to herself as she calmly placed her hand on her own waist. "It's not like training with Shizukakane. He's just... He pisses me off. There." Celes blinked for a moment as her eyes widened. It was not a particularly judging look. No. Instead, her eyes were filled with...curiosity. "Shizukakane. Hmm...another Zanpakutou Spirit? A suprise, but not necesarrily a bad one. Still...she's clearly bothered." Kimiko finally offered a rather common response to her own anger for a teenager. "It sucks."

The Captain simply nodded and sighed for a moment. In a way, she could relate. After all, Celes had spent much time training with Yunorashi. She spent almost every day conversing with her and relaxing in her Inner World. The last few days, though, had been different. Yunorashi would take greater lengths of time to respond. Sometimes she wouldn't even respond for hours. In her stead, Celes would sometimes feel a darker presence. Yukito. The Inner Hollow was the antithesis of Yunorashi. He had a certain calm about him. An objectivity. Yet he was also callous. There seemed to be very little he was not prepared to do. In truth, it scared Celes. For a moment, her face went pale as she thought about Yunorashi and how she was treated by Yukito. The Captain would simply try to repel the intrusive thought as she attempted to focus on Kimiko.

"I see. From my own experience, I've found that Zanpakutou spirits can be fickle. As can our interactions with them. After all, they are parts of ourselves. They know us inside and out. Our liabilities laid bare before them. That being said...you clearly sound like you've had a rough time with this particular Zanpakutou spirit of yours. Perhaps there is a way to appeal to them? Even the unruliest Zanpakutou spirits have their interests. Once you gain insight into that...they aren't the only ones who hold power." Celes smiled, trying to do her best to comfort the Shinigami before her. It was certainly tough. Discussing such abstract topics. It was not Celes' strong suit, but what she lacked in that, she made up for in empathy and care. She wanted the Shinigami to know that she could come to her if something bothered her. At the end of the day it was her choice though...

Celes sighed for a moment as she looked at her disciple, eyeing her up and down. "On another note, I haven't just come here to check on you." Pulling two white tickets from her Shuhakusho, she smiled. "Squad duties have kept us apart for a bit and you clearly seem exhausted. So, I thought I'd invite you with me to a Spa!" The prospect may have seemed silly at first though Celes would elaborate. "There's a new spa that opened up in the closer levels of the Rukongai. Sorta like a resort. I think it would do both of us some good to take it easy for a day. One of my friends had two all-inclusive tickets. I thought it'd be a nice distraction and a good way for us to catch up. Just like old times." As the Captain reminisced, she was clearly thinking of fond memories as her cheeks surprisingly became flushed very lightly.

[Nakajima Kimiko]

Kimiko could tell that Celes was not quite convinced about her excuses. She kept giving her the look of worry and, though she didn't say anything in particular, it was very clear that she was trying to encourage the Third Seat officer to speak up. In other words, the Captain was being her usual, overly-caring self. Again, she could not be blamed for this; after all, her student was in a bad shape both physically and emotionally, and she wanted her to feel better. Talking about things typically tends to lead to some kind of resolution. The problem was that Kimiko didn't really want to talk about it. She didn't want to implicate her friend in this, and she didn't want her to implicate others in this either. If anything, she just wanted to be left alone, all so that she could potentially resolve the matter at hand on her very own. She had done this before with Shizukakane while she was attempting to learn his name, and she was now going to do this with Taishokukane.

Of course, that's how she thought it would go, but with the Captain literally standing right in front of her, it was somewhat difficult to push her away. Though she personally appreciated their presence, the swordswoman was capable of pushing Binita, Charles and Gideon away whenever she needed to, even if the former tended to be rather vocal about her distaste of her distancing. They were her comrades and brothers-in-arms, yes, but they were not people that she would consider to be very close friends, so it was easier for her to keep them out of her personal business. Celes, however, was a very close friend. She has known since her very first days at the prestigious Shin'ō Academy, and has kept a strong, if not distant connection to her ever since. She has even been allowed to enter her own Inner World, for cry out loud. Even though they were in two different squads altogether with their own different values and beliefs, there was probably no other person in the world that she trusted more.

Maybe that was why, in the end, she felt the need to at least somewhat open up to Celes. Although she wasn't sure telling her about her woes was going to do anything in particular, given that the Zanpakuto spirit she has most recently been in contact with could not be described as anything else but antagonistic, the Captain's wisdom may allow her to know a little bit more as to what to do from that point on. The lime-haired woman was a fair bit older than her, enough so that she has seen many things occur throughout her Shinigami career. Well, at least that is what Kimiko personally believed, seeing as she never bothered to ask her about her age. In so doing, she must naturally have more experience with handling a Zanpakuto. She and Yunorashi must have dealt with plenty of problems they have had between one another in the past; after all, that particular spirit seems to be the kind of person who would want to be a little too childish for her own good from time to time.

Unfortunately, the answer that she got from Celes was less interesting than what she had hoped it would have been. She already knew about the nature of Zanpakuto spirits and how, in order to please them, she needed to appeal to their wishes in one way or another, even if they attempt to hide it. Those were all things that the teachers at the academy, Celes herself, her brethren of the Eleventh, and even Shizukakane himself has told her about over the last few years. Being told about them again isn't going to do her any good. "He's already told me what he wants me to do... He wants me to defeat someone," she sighed, annoyed as she was reminded of the words Taishokukane has been constantly using ever since she retrieved him. Her frustration on the subject was such that she did not bother hiding a few more details from Celes. "I've tried to tell him to go slower with the training, that I'm not able to keep up with his pace, but... that's just made him more impatient." 

She crossed her arms after the fact, trying her best to not appear too angry in front of her mentor again. It was coming out rather automatically at this point as though it was beyond her own control. Now that she had someone to talk to about it, the flood gates were steadily opening themselves, regardless of the fact that she initially wanted to keep everything to herself. Taishokukane had been a terrible person to her for a long time now, and the more this has been going on, the more it has been affecting her. It's been making her more irritable, impatient and overall slightly unpleasant to be near. Letting some of that frustration out of her was perhaps the best way to get rid of her problem, even if she did have to pace herself so as to not scare the Captain away. The last thing she needed right now was someone telling her that the problem was herself and not the very thing that was constantly pushing to her emotional limit every single day.

But then, surprisingly, Celes then went on to reveal the true reason why she had come here in the first place. Apparently, she had not actually come to the barracks of the Eleventh to check up on its Third Seat officer, or at least not solely to do that. Oh, no, not at all. She also wanted to invite her to go somewhere rather unexpected. "The... spa? Uh..." Kimiko repeated with almost-comical confusion, almost as if she was unsure of what she had just heard, and in a moment's notice, she had been completely thrown out of her serious mood. Indeed, the Captain wanted to bring her disciple to a new resort that has just opened in Rukongai so that they could relax and spend the day together. She... hadn't expected this at all, and quite frankly, it was difficult for her to decide whether or not she wanted to go at first. On one hand, this was going to distract her from her training and will probably just make her have to deal with an even-more impatient Taishokukane later. On the other hand, she has already gotten used to training everyday for extensive periods of time. It was to the point that it had made the concept of skipping training feel a bit wrong.

It was only once she noticed her mentor's reaction at the end that her opinion of it all then changed. Just like old times... The words made her blink softly and quietly, as though she had understood something rather significant. Has it already been that long since they've done something together? Has it really been that long since they've last gone somewhere for a day? Has she actually been doing anything with anyone lately? The fact that these questions even arose within her mind in the first place was enough to make her feel as though she had been missing out on something she shouldn't have missed out on, and in a way, it made her feel slightly miserable. The soft ring of Shizukakane's sheathed blade then hummed quietly inside her ear. She'd give it a glance as it rested within its white scabbard, blinking as she did so.  I should go... her thoughts concluded then as she attempted to form a fitting answer to give to Celes. I've been training too much.

With this in mind, the woman would give the tickets one good gaze before she would then smile. The smile alone was enough to make her exhausted expression appear a tad bit more alive. "Alright... I've never really been at a spa before, but it must be pretty nice," she said with a more casual tone as she tensed down and progressively put her struggles with her Zanpakuto spirit behind her for now. From the way she was moving, it seemed as though she was already preparing herself to leave the Coliseum. "Binita told me about the Shinigami's Health Land at one point, but last time I checked, all I saw was that huge line in front of it... I hope this new place won't be that bad in comparison."

[Celes Castellanos]

Celes tapped her chin gently as she listed to her pupil speak on what her Zanpakutou wanted. "He's already told me what he wants me to do... He wants me to defeat someone," The Captain simply continued peering at Kimiko as she thought about it. "Vague..workable, but vague." Once again, Celes felt as though she understood the Third Seat. Yukito had seemed to test her lately. He clearly disliked Celes for one quality. Weakness. Her emotions. Her sense of honor. Of comradery. He saw it all as liabilities. It was not until recently that she had successfully pleased the Inner Hollow, but it nearly came at the expense of Yunorashi's life. The Captain simply curled her hand into a fist as she thought of that little incident. It disturbed her. Regardless, she'd do her best to continue listening to Kimiko. 

"I've tried to tell him to go slower with the training, that I'm not able to keep up with his pace, but... that's just made him more impatient." Celes nodded in understanding. Once again, she completely understood. Even Yunorashi had her moments. Times when she was less understanding. Times when she simply wanted to show something to her, but Celes did not pick it up right away. It made her difficult to work with. It was difficult, but the Shinigami knew that most of this was second nature to her Zanpakutou Spirit. It was something that she did not need to train for and as such it could make her impatient. Celes however did not know the nature of Kimiko's spirit. It would definitely be something to keep an eye on. Under the table.

In an attempt to switch gears, Celes began to go into detail over her true reasons for arriving. How she felt that the two could use a day off. How there was a new spa that recently made a name for itself in the Rukongai. To Celes, this would all be very exciting. After all, this would be an excellent opportunity for the pair to interact in a more causal manner. From day one, it was established that the Captain would mentor her. Despite that though, Celes saw Kimiko as so much more than a mere disciple. She was a friend and a very close one at that. Besides, it had been a while that they had simply had casual moments. Unfortunately, Kimiko's initial reaction would speak volumes about her gut feeling. "The... spa? Uh..."

In mere moments, Celes felt her very heart drop. A frown touched her face and a pout her lips. Celes would appear disheartened as she read the situation. As the Shinigami before her pondered for a moment, her disposition would change a little. Celes noted that her disciple seemed to ease up a little. She did not appear nearly as tense anymore. This was accompanied by her next comment. "Alright... I've never really been at a spa before, but it must be pretty nice," Immediately Celes felt herself brighten up again. The frown would be gone and her lips curled into a smile. Her next movements, motioning towards one o the Coliseums' many exits, would indicate to Celes that she was ready to go. 

"Binita told me about the Shinigami's Health Land at one point, but last time I checked, all I saw was that huge line in front of it... I hope this new place won't be that bad in comparison." Celes smiled as she would for a moment, match the pace with her disciple. Looking over, she'd speak excitedly. "No worries. This Spa is a little different. Rather exclusive and somewhat prohibitively expensive. Thankfully though..." Celes would pull two crimson tickets from the sleeve of her Haori. Both had bold lettering imprinted on them that read, Free Choice of Package . She'd grin some more as she continued. "A friend of mine got me these for my birthday. It also had her highest recommendation so I thought that we could enjoy it." She giggled somewhat childishly as she hopped up and down excitedly. Her amber eyes flashed for a moment as she grinned. 

"Well let's get going then. We can look into the options and pick out what we like the most when we get there." With that, Celes would begin to shift from a walking pace into a much faster dash. A speed of about 200, rather leisurely for herself and somewhat so to Kimiko. She could go faster, but she knew that Kimiko had just finished some rather intense training. She wanted to get there faster, but the intent was not to utterly exhaust the Third Seat. If her movements slowed down at all, Celes would match her speed. As they drew closer and closer to the gate after dozens of minutes of travel, Celes would in turn grow slower and slower until she was simply walking up to the gate.

Receiving a warm nod from everyone around, Celes smiled brightly as she began to walk into the Rukongai, hopefully with Kimiko in tow. Once again, it'd take several minutes to get there. The Captain wanted to try and ease both of them up as they drew closer and closer. After the few minutes of walking, Celes and Kimiko would be near the building. Not nearly as large as the aforementioned Health Land, the pair would still, it was still an impressive size. Floating lambs adorned the front, fresh flowers served as decor and offered a pleasant fragrance, and a large sign that read, The Sanctuary, identified the building. Walking up gingerly, Celes would slide the door open and offer Kimiko entry before following herself shortly.

As the entered, the interior would be just as pleasant to the eyes as on the outside. Bamboo flooring, further flowers and other fauna filled the air with a combination of fragrances and multiple chairs were set out in a type of waiting area. A few were waiting and Celes looked upon reception as she walked up. There, a rather beautiful woman tended to customers as she smiled at the approaching Captain. "Hello there! Welcome to The Sanctuary. It is an honor to welcome Shinigami into our humble spa. How may I help you today?" Celes looked at the raven-haired woman as she gingerly drew the two tickets and spoke happily. "Well, am I correct in my understanding that these tickets offer us any treatment of our choice?" The woman simply nodded. "Quite right. Any one of our options are eligible for you and another person." She'd pull out a pamphlet and fold it out, laying it on the table. "Take as much time as you'd like." With that, she'd allow Celes and Kimiko to peek at the pamphlet. It had a variety of options from simple skincare to more involved packages including mud baths, saunas and massages to name a few. The options truly seemed limitless as Celes flipped through the pamphlet, occassionally looking at Kimiko see if she seemed interested in anything particular.

[Nakajima Kimiko]

Kimiko's heart had briefly sank during her observation of Celes while she was pondering whether she wanted to go to the spa or not. The look she sported was a very familiar one. The frowning, the pouting... She had seen it many times before, especially while she was still a Human of the Living World. Back then, whenever somebody tended to ask her if she wanted to go out somewhere, she tended to refuse so that she could focus on her studies or go to the arcades once she had become old enough to believe herself capable of going there unbothered, and every time she did, the people would show her that look. It was a childish one, of course, one most often tied to younglings and teenagers, but it was nevertheless a look that the officer had never liked to see. Now that she was seeing again on Celes' face, as rather ridiculous and unfitting it may be for a Captain to sport such an expression, it could only accelerate the decision that she had decided to make.

Fortunately, the look did not stay for long, as once she confirmed her decision of going with Celes to this new spa, it disappeared and was replaced with a smile. The sight relieved the scarlet-eyed warrior. She did not need to see that look any longer than she needed to. Then again, in the end, it had ultimately not affected her decision. Sure, a part of her was beginning to think that the expression had been used against her as a weapon of sorts to guilt-trip her into accepting the offer; after all, that somewhat felt like something her mentor would have absolutely no shame of using against her. However, between spending the rest of the day at a relaxing spa with a dear friend and returning to the despicable Taishokukane to continue her terrible training... she would much rather go with the first option. At the very least, even if it might end up being an embarrassing experience, she will be able to take what she has now understood to be a much-needed break.

The higher officer was obviously very happy to see that her disciple had accepted her offer, and in so doing, she started describing their destination as excitedly as she could. Kimiko would give the description her attention, blinking as she was told about its status. "Oh, wow... It must be a pretty fancy place, then," she would comment after the fact. Again, she had never been in her spa before, so it was a bit difficult for her to properly form an image of one of these establishments in her head without deliberately using those she has seen in common media as reference; however, it was so exclusive and expensive, then it must be be quite the place to behold, so to speak. Judging by the fact that Celes had been given tickets to it that would allow them to enter it for free... perhaps it was indeed the kind that was reserved for the higher class. I really wonder how much those free tickets cost her friend. It must have been a small fortune, she wondered, curious about it all. Maybe it was best not to think about it.

Eventually, though, it would seem that Celes' excitement would get the better of her, as by the time they would near the main gates of the Coliseum, she would then suddenly go from walking to dashing speed. Kimiko would watch her go with a bit of surprise before she smiled softly with a shake of the head. How nostalgic. "Heh," she could only let out before she then tried to keep up with her friend's pace. Though her training was indeed rather intense and the last few days had left her fairly exhausted, she still had enough energy within her to keep up. It was a bit demanding, of course; after all, they were heading out of the barracks and then into the streets of Seireitei rather quickly. However, she has long gotten used to going at such speeds during training and battle both; in fact, she has gotten used to going at double the speed ever since she has become the Fifth Seat of the Eleventh. In so doing, it wasn't too exhausting. She had gone through worse.

After passing by the gates and heading into Rukongai, it would take the women a bit more time before they would finally reach this new spa, as by then, their pace had become much slower. Upon passing the gates, Kimiko would realize how long it has been since she has actually been in Rukongai at this time of the day, as usually, she tended to only go during the evening. As to be expected, it is a lot busier during the early afternoon. There were many people occupying the streets and tending to their usual duties of the day. Since these districts were the closest to Seireitei, the work of the people mainly revolved around food and the selling of merchandise. It was a peaceful place, and seeing it still stand strong after it was laid to waste during that terrible attack that had occurred not long ago relieved the Shinigami. "Squad 6 really did a good job repairing everything, huh...?" she would note as they passed the many buildings side-by-side. "It looks almost nicer." 

The building then came into view, and by then, Kimiko would give much of her attention to it with visible interest. From the outside, the so-called Sanctuary had a nice oriental look to it that differed greatly from the more industrial design of the Shinigami's Health Land, which the swordswoman believed to be generally better, as it made it feel much less like some sort of flamboyant theme park. There was also no line in sight, which was a very encouraging sight to behold. Somehow, it looked even more impressive from the inside, both surprisingly modern and old-fashioned. The fragrances that kept reaching out for the Third Seat officer as she stepped into the shop before Celes were enough to tense her down almost completely. And that's just the reception area?  She would wonder to herself in astonishment as she observed her surroundings, taken aback by it all. This looks much better than the Health Land. If I show this to Binita, I'm sure she'd like it. She should be able to afford it... right?

A few people were in the reception area. The vast majority were customers who were occupying the nearby chairs, waiting to either be accosted by an employee of the Sanctuary or to choose what kind of package they wanted for themselves today. Without much surprise, almost all of them were women safe for one man who appeared to be accompanying his wife. As for the others, they were employees who would tend to the resort. One of them was a woman who looked straight out of a fashion magazine, the kind that would be perfect for a job in a place like this. Without much surprise, the woman would go on to properly welcome the Shinigami to the resort. Kimiko would say nothing in the moment, letting Celes handle it as she was the one who had the tickets. In the meantime, she would look elsewhere, distracted by... everything, really. It was all much fancier than she had expected it to be. Her attention would only return once the both of them would receive pamphlets from the employee, in which case she would approach the table in which it had been laid upon and take a look at it.

Upon seeing the options offered to them, Kimiko's eyes would widen a bit. There were... Oh, there were a lot of options. Moreover, a lot of these options were something that she once believed to not really be a thing, such as mud baths. This caused her to look at them a bit hesitantly, as though she wasn't quite sure of which one to pick. "Uh... " she would first let out, frozen by the uncertainty and the feeling of just standing there mute in front of the receptionist before she would look towards Celes. "I can't really pick any of them... They all sound good," she would tell her friend in her usually-awkward tone before she would eventually look towards the receptionist. "Do you have any suggestions for which one we should pick?"

[Celes Castellanos]

Standing before the counter and staring down at the pamphlet, Celes was at a loss as to which one of the options presented to them was the best. After all, the Captain had to admit that this was really the first time that she had ever been to a spa. She gave Kimiko a knowing look to convey her lack of familiarity with just about any of the these treatments. Unfortunately, Kimiko would also show herself to be indecisive in this situation. She had to admit that it was almost comical. Both were battle-hardened warriors. They've seen terrible things together and needed to make split-second decisions and yet the idea choosing a relaxation package was difficult for them. 

As the disciple turned to Celes, she gave her opinion which unfortunately proved to be little help. "I can't really pick any of them... They all sound good," Celes nodded. Though just as she was about to randomly pick one on impulse, Kimiko asked an excellent question, one that Celes had never even considered. "Do you have any suggestions for which one we should pick?" The Captain's eyes would dart over to the receptionist who gave both of them a warm smile. From the welcoming desk, she'd pull out a small utensil and use it to point at some options as she spoke in her usual warm tone. "Well, there are several options that I would recommend..." 

She'd pause for a moment as she began pointing at one of the packages that was located around the middle of the list. "Well, this is typically considered to have the best value. For a reasonable price, you can expect a mud bath with avocado face mask followed an essential oil massage where we use many calming herbs to soothe your aching muscles and relax your mind. Afterwards, a relaxing visit to the sauna and topped off with a refined dinner with freshly picked fruit, a selection of delicately seasoned foods and a lovely wine for healthy aging. It is our most popular item to date and we certainly take pride in our supportive and well-trained staff." 

Afterwards, she points at one of the beginner packages. "Here we have a much cheaper set of options. Pedicures followed by a light meal or all-day stays at our Inn with access to both 24/7 room service and a pool for our more active members." Her voice seemed less excited about the cheaper options even from a quality perspective. It was clear that The Sanctuary prided itself on its exclusivity and status. Finally, the woman turned to the last page and showed off a list of individual items. Above were several price points with a number listed next to it. It took Celes a moment to figure it out, but the woman would explain it rather thoroughly anyway.

"This can be both our cheapest and our most expensive option depending on the participants. This is an exhaustive list of everything we offer, and it is a specialty pack where spa-goers with specific goals or tastes can create their own custom packages. You'd select up to four and can tailor the experience to your liking. Lodging and meals are provided as a bonus to the options you choose." She'd smile and clear her throat for a moment, pausing, before continuing. "We typically recommend these custom packages for those who are looking for something specific that we do not offer in one of the packages. I hope it's not too presumptive of me to assume that this is your first time with us?" She'd raise an eyebrow inquisitively.

Celes chuckled for a moment as her cheeks flushed red from embarrassment. "I've to admit that this is my first time at a spa in general. I thought it would be a nice change of pace to reward my student here for all the hard work she's been putting in recently." The receptionist would turn to Kimiko and assuming that she gave a similar answer, she'd smile. "Well, normally we'd offer something less intensive for first-timers. Normally price is also a factor, but your tickets entitle you to one free package. As such, my recommendation would be the best value package I recommended first. It will allow you two to slowly ease into it and our staff is very understanding." Celes nodded and grinned at Kimiko for a moment. "Well, no arguments there.  What do you think Kimiko?" Celes had largely made up her mind, but she would be very eager to hear what her disciple though of the treatments. 

[Nakajima Kimiko]

Kimiko was not really unfamiliar with indecisiveness when faced with a commercial choice to make. Back in the Living World, she always tended to hesitate whenever she needed to buy food and drinks, and though that particular aspect of her has lessened thanks to her repeat trips to the restaurants of Rukongai during the evening, she still tends to get stuck whenever she wants to buy anything from a shop. Just a few weeks ago, she had gone into a general store out of a need to potentially buy something that would help craft her weapons better at the forge; after all, ever since Tsukuyomi introduced her to the concept, she has visited the forge from time to time, and so she sometimes found herself considering tools that could benefit her during the fabrication. However, the sheer plethora of things that was at her disposal back then was such that she simply gave up even buying a single one of them and left the shop empty-handed. 

In a way, it was another flaw of all of the training she and Celes were going through. Well, at least that's what she assumed Celes was doing in her spare time when she doesn't have to deal with paperwork. Though training allows them to raise their physical attributes to an extreme that could help them better battle threats to the Soul Society while also permitting them to more in tune their Zanpakuto's spirits, it leaves them less experienced in other places. There was no better way to showcase that than what they were dealing now, and it discouraged Kimiko to a fair extent. After all they've gone through together, after all they've witnessed... the horrors of the Hollows and their machinations, the destruction that they leave behind their wake, and the violence that they must deliver onto them to cease their activities... they couldn't even properly settle down and choose a relaxation package. Hell, just earlier, Kimiko herself barely wanted to even consider taking one of these packages in the first place.

It was embarrassing for her, to put it bluntly. Thoroughly embarrassing. The more both she and Celes found themselves just standing there in front of the receptionist gawking at that pamphlet, the more powerful the chills running down the scarlet-eyed swordswoman's would feel. Come on, they needed to chose something, anything! Surely, they couldn't just keep standing there staring at that stupid piece of paper! In battle, the both of them can make plenty of decisions that would typically pose a risk to their lives at a very rapid pace, and yet they couldn't... choose one package amidst all of these? The aforementioned chills were becoming so bad that she was starting to find herself giving rapid glances to the people sitting at the chairs nearby.  Oh, man... They must think we're so stupid,  her inner voice whined rather pathetically, taking the spotlight of her thoughts in an instant.  Come on... Celes, just... just pick anything, please...

Fortunately, it wasn't really Celes who came to the save the day, but rather the receptionist herself. Indeed, the woman would take the time to properly answer the Third Seat's very own question by describing some of the packages that were available. She spoke of the one that she believed would be the best value for their free tickets, a cheaper option that would typically be more affordable for those with a lesser wallet, and a custom package that can be constructed by the consumer themself with a plethora of different experiences. Having these lined down practically almost eliminated Kimiko's growing anxiousness, destroying it completely in the matter of about a minute at best. She admittedly thought that the receptionist was showing her favoritism in the way she presented the packages she chose, as it was quite clear she did not very much like the cheapest option. Despite this, to be given a proper choice like this really helped the Shinigami.

Of course, this same receptionist would then be able to notice the officers' inability to choose the packages, and properly call it out as such. Their inexperience in the matter at hand - meaning, visiting a spa altogether - couldn't be any more obvious. That wasn't to say that Kimiko really appreciated being called out in such a way, as it only made her more embarrassed. Nevertheless, she maintained her composure the best she could. "Yeah, it's pretty much my first time too," she admitted with a light nod shortly after Celes responded similarly, not bothering to hide her lack of knowledge on the matter. Obviously, she wasn't going to hide something like this: there was plainly no pride whatsoever in doing such a thing. If she doesn't know something, she won't proclaim herself as being knowledgeable in it. She already had a bad time trying to master something she would never properly in the past as is.

With that said, it seemed as though the receptionist wanted them to go with the best value package she laid out to them previously. If she remembered the details correctly, it was the one with a mud bath, face masks, and a sauna, completed with a dinner. Although the mud bath was still a bit of a foreign thing to her, the rest of the package sounded entertaining enough to Kimiko and would probably result in a pretty relaxing day for both she and Celes. They could go for the custom package, yes, but given that they barely know anything about the other services this place has to offer... the earlier package just sounded like a better deal in comparison to it. "Well, uh, alright. I... don't think I have anything to say about it either," she would agree with her mentor and the receptionist on the matter. Once she finished speaking her mind about it, she would turn her head towards the receptionist and nod, concluding their purchase. "We'll go with that one."

[Celes Castellanos]

"Yeah, it's pretty much my first time too," There was something soothing to Celes about the fact that this was Kimiko's first time here. For all her experiences as a Captain, this would be the one thing where she would show next to no previous experience. Kimiko's ineptitude gave her a bit of comfort. At least if she was supposed to suffer through the process of picking something, she would not have to suffer alone. Thankfully, Kimiko's question had given them the boost they needed. The receptionist went into detail about the different packages offered and yet Celes could tell after a few moments that her attention was centered upon one particular package. As she recommended it, Celes looked at Kimiko.

As she asked her disciple what she thought of the package, the first retort was slightly discouraging. "Well, uh, alright. I... don't think I anything to say about it either," Celes' eyes narrowed as she was nearly pouting in that moment. Her expression would shortly turn into a smile as Kimiko continued. "We'll go with that one." Something within the receptionist glowed for a moment as she gave a satisfied smile while Celes gave a nod of approval. "Well congratulations ladies. If you could give me the tickets and I will ask for you two to sit over there. One of our staff will tend to you soon." With a nod, Celes gave the tickets as she strolled over to a seat with an empty one situated right next to her. Celes hummed softly as she'd wait as long as she'd need to. Her fingers moving over gingerly, the Captain took a magazine and opened it to a random page as she had a look through it.

Others would come and go over the course of ten minutes. Those that arrived did not appear to carry a low status which accentuated the expensive nature of this particular spa over something like Health Land. This was clearly a premium experience and Celes was not sure if her own pay could cover this. She was quite lucky to receive the tickets from Venus as a birthday gift. In truth, Celes did not even want to ask how much they cost or how she managed to get her hands on them. Not that it mattered. She was here with Kimiko and they'd try to make the best out of it. Just as she'd flip another page, a woman wearing white robes appeared before them. Her voice would be as sweet as the receptionist and her social skills were no less robust. 

"If I may have your attention ladies." Celes looked up as she set her magazine down. "We are ready for you two. We hope that you enjoy your experience with us at The Sanctuary." She'd smile and lead the way into one of a few rooms down the hall. Celes, with Kimiko hopefully in tow, would follow the woman into a room. She'd stop as the room was filled with a few large lockers. Each seemed large enough to hold an entire person's personal belongings and still have room to spare. "I hope that this is not too disrespectful, given your status as Shinigami, but could you please stow your personal belongings in the lockers? There are fresh towels waiting for you for modesty as we aim to help you relax." Celes' eyes narrowed for a moment.

Her voice would not be accusatory, but it would certainly carry a bit of questioning. "I assume that this will include our Zanpakutou?" In Celes' mind, it was a fair question. The woman simply smiled as she placed her hand in front of her lips. "Client safety and privacy is everything to us. Unfortunately, we do require the stowing of your Zanpakutou, but no need to worry. Courtesy of some noble souls, our storage is sealed via Bakudo. Your belongings couldn't be safer than here. You have our word." Her assurance and mention of Bakudo helped put Celes at ease. She'd simply nod. "Well, speaking of privacy, each locker accommodates the client with a curtain for privacy while changing. Once you are done, please follow this door to the Mud baths. Please do call for me if you have any needs." With a small bow, she'd leave the room to give the two women privacy.

As she left, Celes turned to Kimiko. "Well, I've to admit. I am quite impressed. This is quite the service that they provide." She smiled for a moment. "I wanted to thank you again for accompanying me, Kimiko. I know that we've both been busy of late with promotions and paperwork and so forth. I hope that this will give us a better chance to relax. You know. Like old times." She'd grin for a moment as she took the towel and pulled the curtain to enclose her locker. From within, she'd gingerly shed her Shihakusho, Captain's Haori and most difficulty, her twin Zanpakutou. She'd sigh for a moment as she also stowed her sandals. Wrapping the towel around her bust and waist, Celes closed the door of the locker and pulled the curtain aside. Several scars from countless battles marred her skin, but otherwise, Celes appeared rather well-built, her blonde hair flowing down and the rest of her skin appeared rather flawless. A small blush touched the Captain's cheeks. 

Assuming that Kimiko herself had finished, Celes held her breath for a moment. Sighing as she breathed out, she'd speak softly. "Well then. Off we go I suppose?" Giggling softly, she'd hope for Kimiko's approval. If she got it, Celes would make her way into the room with Kimiko in tow. As the two of them were greeted with a line of baths that were filled with mud, Celes saw that some of them were filled. Women and the occasional man lay there, a face mask covering them as they sighed in relaxation. Expected to join them, Celes politely folded her towel and slipped into the mud. It felt weird against her skin, but as she dipped in more, she slowly slid down, relaxing. As the attendants prepared the face masks, the next two or so hours passed by like a blur for Celes.

Before she knew it, she and Kimiko were laying on a massaging table in towels, getting pampered by two expert masseuses. The oil they used quickly absorbed into their skins, relaxing muscles with a jolt and promoting mindfulness. Celes gingerly closed her eyes as she laid down on the massaging tables. Many of the principles of her martial art seemed to carry over to this scenario quite nicely. Relaxation and inner peace were promoted. Before they knew it, the massage was over, lasting a good chunk of time. Rising to her feet and covered by her towel, Celes yawned and stretched a little. She felt quite relaxed, smiling at Kimiko. She hoped that her disciple felt the same. 

After a few moments, the pair was being directed to yet another room which was included in their package. The Sauna. Celes was quite excited for this. As they were introduced to a translucent door. An orange light could be seen shining through. As the attendant opened the door, both Kimiko and Celes would be met with a comfortable blast of steam. It was empty, allowing the two Shinigami to a bit of privacy. Celes smiled and looked at the attendant. "Water can be found on the side if you desire more steam. Simply pour it on the hot coals. I will be sure to get you when the time has elapsed. Do enjoy." She'd take her leave and Celes gingerly made her way into the room. Breathing in the steam and heat, she felt her lungs clear. Groaning softly, she'd sit herself down on one of the two rows of benches. Assuming that Kimiko sat close by, she'd look over at her disciple. "I hope that you've been having a good time, Kimiko? I've to admit, I was not expecting this to be so...soothing." Despite the steam that rose quickly, it would not be hard to see the Captain smiling.

[Nakajima Kimiko]

As Kimiko thought about the offer over, making sure to properly agree with the general consensus before proceeding, she noticed Celes' expression seemingly about to turn into a pout. She recognized it right away: the narrowing eyebrows, the movement of her lips, the puffing of her cheeks... They were definitely leading to the expression the swordswoman was fearing, and just like back when they were both at the Coliseum, that expression was going to achieve the same effect. Even now as it was forming, the Third Seat could feel its weight press onto her shoulders. It really wasn't fun for her to go through that experience again, and with all things considered, it was rather difficult to blame her for feeling this way.  Celes, come on, you're a Captain... Shouldn't you act like one?  Her thoughts found themselves ranting once again as they mulled over the matter. The lime-haired officer always has been somewhat childish to Kimiko in some aspects, but even so, those moments still surprise her to this day.

The moment, however, did not last for very long, as a few seconds later, she would go on to finalize the choice she and Celes would take for the day. The receptionist seemed to be satisfied by this development, and given that Celes stopped pouting after the fact, so was Kimiko. She wouldn't have to deal with any kind of disapproval from the Captain for at least a good while now, not to mention that the awkwardness of the situation had also been removed as well. No more important choices or decisions to make, no more incertitude. Now, they could just relax. "Okay. Thank you for your time with us. I don't know what we would've chosen without you," she would tell the receptionist with a thankful smile on her face as they would give her their free tickets. Once this was accomplished, she would follow Celes to the empty seats, then sit down by her side, waiting for the service to eventually begin. As she did so, she removed her swords from her obi sash before sitting down, making herself comfortable in the process as she pressed her back against the chair.

For ten minutes, the officers waited without interruption. They were both patient enough. The Captain took her time to read a magazine she had picked up from the stalls, while Kimiko simply looked towards the ceiling quietly. At times, her gaze would look on over to her mentor's magazine, absentmindedly taking a few glances to the pages inside. At other times, it would instead look towards the rest of the reception area. She noticed rather quickly that the people here were not of the lower classes. The most of them wore high-quality robes that fitted the aesthetic of the middle or upper classes, and there were even a few who wore the attire of noble families. It was quite clear that this Sanctuary was not one meant for those who could not afford it, which caused the scarlet-eyed warrior to feel slightly disconnected. Her pay wasn't the problem here: she was paid well-enough for her work. Well, at least enough to go to restaurants every evening. Rather, it was the fact that this place seemed like an attraction not meant for people of her caliber. It made her feel as though couldn't really feel blend with the people that passed by.

At the very least, the people here seemed to be respectful enough. Those that passed by them most often gave both she and Celes looks of approval, and at times even admiration. It was very clear that many valued the works of the Shinigami and saw the Gotei 13 as what it was: a means to defend them against whatever seeks to hunt them all down out there. That is not to say that everyone gave them such looks. Though it was rare for her to see some that diverged from the majority of them, Kimiko noticed that a few instead gave them stern, yet district glares that seemed critical of their work. The dual swordswoman was not bothered by them; if anything, she didn't mind them at all anymore. She could tell that the most of these people were angry at her not because they hated her work per say, but rather because they had lost something and so were blaming the Shinigami for it. Most of the time, that loss was plainly materialistic. The latest zombie invasion caused this sentiment to grow exponentially amidst the upper-middle class of the first districts. However, Kimiko only saw this as petty. She had seen real hatred from the later districts, real loathing fueled by actual failures from the Soul Society's infrastructure. Compared to that, the hatred of the nobles did not concern her.

What did concern her were the rarest looks she received. Some of the people knew who she was. They were incredibly rare, but it was quite clear that they knew a little bit about her. Kimiko knew this, because their looks were ones of fright. They appeared to be somewhat scared of her, maybe even slightly terrified of seeing her here in their pristine Sanctuary. It was... painful. She had thought that her reputation as a fierce warrior of the Eleventh would have brought her positive recognition to most of the populace of Rukongai, but it appeared as though it was more mixed than she had thought it would have been. Even so, she could hardly blame them for being afraid of her. During that last invasion where she was meant to protect these people, she had fought more savagely than ever before right in front of those who had somehow survived the ordeal, and her latest fight with Teresa had been... well, somehow worse. She has been depending more and more on the darkness inside of her to defend others, and she was now starting to feel the consequences of that decision.

Before she had the time to ponder about the matter a bit further to her own detriment, however, a lady clad in white would reach them, causing the scarlet-eyed warrior to blink and turn her gaze towards her. Apparently, the service they have purchased had already been confirmed and readied for the both of them. Needless to say, the sheer speed at which this process was done was enough to completely squash away any negative thoughts Kimiko had about the gazes of the other clients, causing her to return to the positiveness that this place kept emanating from practically, well, anywhere they went. "That was fast," she would find herself commenting with pleasant surprise in her tone of voice as she raised herself from her chair, returning her blades to her obi sash as she did so. Once done, she would follow the woman and Celes down a well-kept hall before they would eventually reach a locker room of sorts. Seeing it was hardly a surprise; after all, they are hardly going to go to a spa while fully-clothed.

With that said, hearing that she needed to also store her Zanpakuto here did not really please Kimiko. It made sense, obviously: bringing weapons into a place that is meant for relaxation isn't safe and may cause problems to the staff. Even if it did make sense, however, she simply didn't like the idea. The officer was used to carrying her blades around all the time. She kept them near her during her sleep, has them nearby whenever she is taking care of paperwork, trains with them every single day, and even brings them with her whenever she decides to go eat somewhere. She did hate Taishokukane, yes, but regardless, he and Shizukakane were both very close to her, and she cannot imagine herself being away from them for very long. It was thus only natural that she didn't really like the idea of practically giving them to these people. Not even the mention of Bakudo really appeased her, as even after it was said, she somewhat hesitated.

But of course, she eventually relented. It was either keeping her swords or simply not going inside the establishment, and she knew that if she didn't go for such a meek reasoning, Celes would be angry at her. In so doing, she would let out a quiet sigh before removing her weapons from her obi sash again. "Alright, but... I hope that the Bakudo is strong enough," she would simply reply to the white-robbed woman as she would hold the scabbards with the both of her hands. Though she still wasn't sure she really liked the tone that the woman used when speaking of their work, given it almost seemed as though she was indirectly calling them brutes, Kimiko had a feeling that she really only meant well for themselves and her establishment both, and that making a fuss about this matter was really only going to cause problems. Hopefully, this new trust the scarlet-eyed woman has set upon this Sanctuary's ability to defend her belongings was put in the right place.

In any case, after this matter was settled, she would go on pick up a towel and head towards the locker that was beside Celes'. It seemed that, so far, the Captain was enjoying the service that was being given to them. "It's... definitely something. I'm not really used to stuff like this" she admitted with a nod and a rub against the back of her head. Again, this was her first time in a place like this, and she found no use in hiding it. As she would store her Zanpakuto inside, however, she would hear Celes' thanks. This would briefly cause her to stop what she was doing before she would smile to her friend. "It's really no problem, Celes. Like you said, I... feel like we both needed distractions from our work." Despite her smile, her voice sounded a bit tired as she spoke her words. It was clear that her training with Taishokukane still affected her to a degree, and that she wasn't entirely sure about how beneficial this was going to be for her.

The women would then go on to get changed. After pulling her own curtain so as to not be seen by others in the room, Kimiko would proceed to get herself ready for whatever was coming for them. With a brief sigh, she would have her swords pressed against the locker before she got undressed, removing her Shihakusho and the sarashi underneath before then rapidly wrapping the towel around herself. She hadn't expected the process to be so... complicated. Usually, she always tended to wear the sarashi tightly so as to make sure her bust would not be too annoying during combat, and though she washes the tissue once per two days, she had gotten so used to it that she sometimes forgot how generous her sizes tended to be without it. It was not really fun to deal with them back then when she was not wearing the sarashi, and it is still not fun today. After some time fiddling with the towel, however, she was eventually able to reach a respectable compromise by keeping it tight enough. It showed off her sizes, but oh well: she at this point preferred that over having it fall off every now and then. In any cases, once she was done, she would place her swords inside of the locker, give them one last good look, then close the locker before joining Celes.

"Sorry, it's been a while I wore a towel..." Given her earlier issue with the towel, she herself felt as though it was warranted enough, though Celes would most likely be able to notice how tight the towel was. She would also be able to notice that Kimiko was just as well-built as she was. Her upper body was fine for a Shinigami of her caliber, with her arms and fingers visibly sporting the marks of endless training, but her lower body was downright impressive. They had been developed extensively, enough so that they were wider than back when she was at a student of the Academy. It was very clear that the continuous and extensive use of Shunpo mixed with her constant need to be as fast as possible has made them accustomed to running often, which was what gave them that look. Kimiko herself didn't really notice this, but they were as hard as logs due to the muscle that had been trained within them. They also, much like the rest of her body, sported a number of scars here and there. This number was few and the most of them were light enough to the point that whatever wound she received back then would not have been fatal, though the scars themselves looked impressive. Bite marks, claw marks, cuts... There were even a few which looked like puncture wounds. Either way, the dual swordswoman made no notice of them. "Yep. Off we go."

And with that, they went on to have some fun together.

---

For the next two hours, what Kimiko believed would be an awkward experience basically turned into the complete opposite. The mud baths, which she at first thought to be rather odd in nature and simply too strange for her to interact with, ended up being potentially one of the best things she has ever gone through to physically feel better, and the massaging tables they then visited felt even better. Her muscles which were once so solid and tense were brought to a state of relaxation that she had never thought they could reach, and overall, she felt just right. In a way, it was like she had reached a state of peace that her body had longed for ever since she became a member of the Eleventh. Even during meditation with Shizukakane that he himself had ordered her whenever he noticed she required it, she never believed herself to have actually experienced something of this magnitude. It was nothing short of a miracle, a work of art.

By the time they reached the sauna, she felt loose and relieved. Like Celes, she felt a bit drowsy, maybe even a little bit tired, but not in a negative fashion. Needless to say, by the time they reached the steamy orange room, she was overall rather happy about how things were going. "Man..." she found herself muttering as they entered the place and was comfortably soothed by the steam inside. As she sat down next to Celes, she'd find herself letting out a quiet sigh, smiling a bit. "Me neither. This has just been really great so far." Her tone was less tired than before, instead a bit more jubilant. In a way, it was very reminiscent of the tone she had back then, she was but a student of the Academy. "If I had known this was what they were going to give to us, I don't even think I would have hesitated like I did."

After she said those words, the officer would remain quiet for a brief moment, looking at the ceiling rather pensively. It went on for a bit, letting the woman eventually be enveloped in steam. However, after a minute or so passed, she would eventually speak. "So... how... have you been doing lately?" She asked, feeling as though they needed at least a conversation started before this becomes a bit awkward. "Did you have a lot of work to do? As a Captain, I mean?"

[Celes Castellanos]

Sitting in the sauna, feeling like her lungs were clearing helped the Captain relax. Leaning back, pressing her back into the heated bench, Celes gave a content sigh. As the sizzling steam rose and continued filling the room, the silence would be broken by Kimiko. "So... how... have you been doing lately?" The Captain of the Tenth darted her eyes over to look at Kimiko as she tilted her head. She thought about it for a moment, closing her eyes. A few moments later, she'd speak in a gentle tone. "Besides enjoying a wonderful afternoon with my student?" Celes giggled and thought about it some more. "I suppose that I've been doing as well as can be."

Grinning for a moment, Celes rose to her feet. As the steam began to disperse somewhat, she walked to the side of the room and grabbed hold of a wooden bucket. Raising it with little difficulty, she felt the water splash just a tad bit. Walking over to the coals, Celes poured a quarter of the water onto the coals. As she did, the sizzling sound filled the room and steam rose from the heated stones. As it began to clear, Celes took a deep breath in and smiled. Walking over to her seat, she'd sit herself back down as Kimiko posed another question to supposedly break the awkward silence that had developed. "Did you have a lot of work to do? As a Captain, I mean?"

The Captain would give it some more thought. Moving her hand, she'd grip her chin. "Well I suppose there is quite a bit to do..." Giving Kimiko a smile, she began to elaborate. "Plenty of paperwork piling up, Division evaluations coming up and just delegating daily tasks. It's certainly something somedays...Plus I have to make sure that our Division is prepared in case another outbreak occurs..." Celes voice grew dim for a moment as she remembered that night. She sighed for a moment and switch topics. "Oh! There's recently been an addition. An Aratima of the Kawada family presented himself as my Vice Captain and actually challenged me so I could make sure that he was worthy of the position. Though sometimes it feels like he's my Vice Captain in name only. We don't talk much and I rarely see him around nowadays..."

Her voice trailed off. It would require much effort for Kimiko to deduce that Celes was rather irritated by this. She had worked hard to earn the position of Captaincy. To give her Division some direction. The paperwork was horrendous some days though. She would've liked for someone to assist her in it. Though it was not the only reason. Celes knew that some of the recent additions to her Division found it difficult to connect with her. They'd see her as a Captain and never how Celes liked to be seen. As an equal. Arantima could have facilitated that relationship a little better, but it seemed that some things were just not meant to be.

The melancholy glow in her eyes vanished though as she blinked, shaking her head. "Well. Speaking of the Tenth though, how did your training session with Wynne go?" It was a genuine question. Wynne was not the type to confide in Celes. In fact, the Captain had not talked to the officer ever since she sent her off to Kimiko. She felt that perhaps someone like Kimiko could give her other pointers. A more dispassionate look at her fighting style. After all, Celes not in an appropriate headspace to train her. They had just finished arguing about Camila and it had riled Celes up enough for Yukito to show his face. A grim expression touched her smile as she thought about Yukito.

Celes had never really told her disciple about that which ailed her. She had known the Third Seat ever since she was a student in the Academy and something about keeping it a secret from her bothered her. After all, she had already laid her soul bare to her by allowing her friend to see her Inner World and meet her Zanpakutou Spirit. She could trust Kimiko, right? Was this really the place though? Could Celes confide this in Kimiko? She thought about it some more, but she was left with more questions than answers. Perhaps this was not the place to discuss that? At least not yet. She'd clear her mind and perhaps go back to it another time. For now, she'd return to her smile as she looked at Kimiko and assuming that her disciple was finished sharing about Wynne, Celes would switch gears. "Well..how has your time under Vice Captain Tsukuyomi been? Him and I never really talked much so I do hope that you are being treated well." This was a great time to make idle conversation. To see how Kimiko has been doing of late. 

[Nakajima Kimiko]

Kimiko would watch calmly as Celes rose from her seat to bring about more steam from the coals, awaiting her answers with a calm smile. She had to admit that, after thinking a little bit more about it, her question almost seemed a bit useless. For the entire time the swordswoman has known her, she has never once seen her mentor appear to be unhappy. There have been moments in which she lost her smile in normal circumstances that didn't involve fighting, of course. There was that one time they went to practice against dummy Hollows in Karakura Town during which she went way too overboard with her own dummy, and even earlier than that, she had personally scolded her teacher for berating Kimiko's skills in swordsmanship. However, those moments were so few and far between that she could barely even count them as the norm, as for more or less any other time the woman has seen her, she has always believed her to feel very well.

But after the Third Seat spoke her second question, she would notice something. For just the faintest of moments there, as the Captain answered the question the best way she could, the light that she displayed with such great radiance faltered slightly. Aside from the paperwork and the typical administrative duties Celes has to deal with on a daily basis, there were two particular subjects that appeared to be responsible for this dimming. The first was the outbreak that they have had to deal with not even that long ago, something which Kimiko was not going to blame her for. Many people had been lost on that day - the grand majority of which were innocent civilians who did not deserve the fate that was bestowed onto them in the slightest - all because some filthy thing unworthy of life wanted to attack the Gotei 13, and although the Third Seat liked fighting the beasts they've confronted during then, she could not say that the consequences of the battle haven't been hard for everyone.

The second subject, however, was a bit more surprising for the scarlet-eyed officer. Apparently, a new Vice-Captain was assigned to the Tenth Division, a certain Arantima Kawada. Celes didn't seem to like him very much. Though she appeared to respect his strength, seeing as he reached this position after challenging her, she didn't appreciate how absent and antisocial he was with her. Despite having never met him or even heard about him prior to this conversation, Kimiko couldn't help but also feel a bit bothered by this. It was just unusual for someone of that position to act this way. "Well... that kinda sucks. What's the point of being a Vice-Captain if you're not gonna act like one...?" She would find herself commenting on the matter with a bit of a frown, breathing out a bit of the steam that entered her body in the process. "Then again... I can't say I've seen my Captain a lot either. It's like he doesn't even exist."

That was a bit of an understatement at this point. For as long as she could remember, Kimiko has never meet nor even seen the infamous Francis Grin, her supposed-Captain of the Eleventh Division. She has heard a few things about him, most notably his odd and rather-unstable demeanor, but that was about it... and it frustrated her even to this day. She knew that he wasn't hiding in his quarters all day away from everyone like some kind of vampire since those quarters of his were literally always empty, and she knew that he wasn't on duty somewhere because Jin kept telling her that he wasn't. It was like he had just disappeared from this world before she had the chance to meet him in person upon her official registration within the Gotei 13. Given the many rumors, she had thought she could have at least challenged him once in combat much like how she had challenged Tsukuyomi. Unfortunately, the further times goes on, the less it seems as though she will be capable of doing so.

In any case, they wouldn't have to dawdle on the matter for much longer, as Celes went on to switch subjects altogether towards something more familiar to Kimiko. Hearing Wynne's name would cause the officer to blink rapidly for a moment as though she was not quite sure on how to respond to that... though it was in a negative fashion. Rather, to Celes at least, it would seem as though she was finding it difficult to put what she thought of her in proper words. "It... It went... It went really, really well," she would eventually answer with a happy smile reminiscent of her Academy days. Shortly after, the valves would open themselves in one fell swoop, and the woman would start talking more rapidly. "We didn't do much, but I was already able to make her understand a bunch of things! I got her to learn about her weaknesses, I made her start learning how to use her Zanpakuto more properly, she even accepted to become my actual disciple! It's so... so..."

It would not take long for her to notice that her speech was so fast that Celes might not be able to follow. In so doing, she would freeze momentarily before smiling awkwardly. "... Sorry, I just... I'm really happy about that last part in particular... It was the first good news I've had in a while." She remained quiet for a moment, letting herself calm down with the aid of the steam. Though it was awkward, her smile was bright enough to convince the Captain that she was telling the truth in that regard. Wynne was definitely a very strange person to speak to. She was stoic more often than not, barely even spoke back to Kimiko whenever she asked her anything, and was more or less the equivalent of a weird Frankenstein's monster whenever it came to social skills. However, despite her strangeness, the Third Seat truly felt like she was something positive for her well-being. Her decision to make her her very own apprentice was doing wonders to some aspects of her life, and was even given her ideas.

With that said, it did not quite extinguish everything else. Taishokukane was still there, and so were the nightmares. In fact, the latter were becoming worse and worse as time went on. The one that she dreamt last night was so terrible that she barely even could probably remember it in its entirety, only recalling the pain she felt from it and the vague figure that kept mocking her in the process. Even so, she didn't quite want to speak in detail about them in front of Celes. Like before, back when they were both at the Coliseum, she didn't want to make her worry about them. She knew that, in some way or another, she could deal with this on her own. It is most likely going to be a long and tenuous concept, but in time, she will be able to deal with them... or at least, she hoped that she would be able to do so without any trouble whatsoever. Just gaining that second Zanpakuto had already been quite enough of a pain as is.

In so doing, she would simply await the next question from her Captain. Fortunately, it wasn't a very difficult one to answer. "He's been good for me so far. He's a bit weird at times, but... I feel like that's just... me more than anything. I don't know." Her gaze would trail away from her mentor for a moment in a brief moment of embarrassment about her own lacking social skills. However, soon enough, they would return to their original point and she would continue. "I've gotta be honest, though... there is one thing that does bother me about him. Sometimes, I see him hanging around with people. I don't know who they are, but they wear these weird phoenix robes... One time, they even came in while he was introducing me to forging, and they took him away. It was weird." A small frown of concern appeared on her face as she thought about this a little bit further. "Whatever the Kawada family is doing... it's making me like them less and less."

[Celes Castellanos]

Having just talked somewhat ill of her Vice-Captain, Celes was admittedly at first expecting a bit of pushback from Kimiko. After all, Arantima was not here to defend himself. It was not fair to make idle assumptions on why he was fairly absent at times. As Kimiko spoke though, Celes raised an eyebrow, noting the tone in her voice which was marred by disapproval. "Well... that kinda sucks. What's the point of being a Vice-Captain if you're not gonna act like one...?" As the frown touched the disciples' lips, Celes tilted her head as Kimiko seemed to be ruminating on something. After a breath of steam, Kimiko would continue with something that Celes was not expecting.  "Then again... I can't say I've seen my Captain a lot either. It's like he doesn't even exist."

Talking about the Captain of the Eleventh Division, Celes nodded her head in agreement. Her lip curled, she spoke in a soft tone, clearly just speaking her mind. "I would be inclined to agree with you. During my tenure as Third Seat of the Eleventh Division.." She paused for a moment and chuckled to herself. The curl would soon turn into a smile as she chuckled a little louder. "Excuse my laughter. I'm just reminded of myself when listening to this conversation." She leaned forward for a moment. "When I was Third Seat, I fawned over the idea of getting to establish a relationship with my Captain. Well anyway..." She'd reassess her thoughts and get back on topic.

"Francis Grin...a figurative ghost, though...I suppose in this case quite literally. Would you believe it that I never got the chance to meet him even when I became Captain of the Tenth Division? Don't get me wrong. Vice-Captain Tsukuyomi can be pleasant, but sometimes you yearn for.." Celes thought about it for a second and chucked. "You yearn for more." Tsukuyomi. Yet another officer that Celes never really established a relationship with. As she thought about it, she gently tapped her chin. "In retrospect, most of the officers that I'm intimately familiar with came from other Divisions...interesting." She shook her head absentmindedly.

Speaking of building relationships, Celes eagerly jumped into the topic of Wynne. After all, Celes had sent the young Unseated Officer to train with Kimiko. Hopefully they were able to develop a decent rapport. At least that's what Celes hoped for. She'd listen to Kimiko talk, but as they started the conversation, the Captain could tell from a glance that something was on the Third Seat's mind. "It... It went... It went really, really well," Celes nodded, at first. Then she noted a smile. With that, she continued to listen. "We didn't do much, but I was already able to make her understand a bunch of things! I got her to learn about her weaknesses, I made her start learning how to use her Zanpakuto more properly, she even accepted to become my actual disciple! It's so... so..." In that moment, Kimiko froze before continuing, an awkward smile touching her lips which somehow warmed the Captain's heart. "... Sorry, I just... I'm really happy about that last part in particular... It was the first good news I've had in a while."

As silence filled the room for a moment, only the steam sizzling ominously in the background, the Captain smiled heartily at the great news. "That's fantastic Kimiko!" She'd laugh rather happily for a moment. "So the student takes on a student of her own. I do hope that you're not looking to surpass me so soon~" She'd giggle jokingly before quieting down. "In all seriousness though, that's great. I've no doubt that she will learn much under you. Besides.." She'd learn forward, a little sentimental look in her eyes. "Of all of the time I've spent in Soul Society, mentoring you is what I hold closest to my heart." She'd grow quiet, enjoying the steam and her little confession to Kimiko. Yet behind it, Celes hid something. Something she'd not let Kimiko see easily. It was a touch of concern. Wynne held many secrets quite close. Secrets that led Celes to suspect that there was more to her Hueco Mundo story. Celes would not dare disrupt the pleasantries, but she'd certainly try to keep a better eye on Kimiko and Wynne. Just in case...

Regardless, Celes once more switched subjects. This time, Vice-Captain Tsukuyomi. Celes had already mentioned her fleeting relationship and she'd reiterate it once more. Once more as she listened, Celes smiled. At first. "He's been good for me so far. He's a bit weird at times, but... I feel like that's just... me more than anything. I don't know." She'd chuckle for a moment, continuing to listen. Soon though, the conversation would take a small turn. "I've gotta be honest, though... there is one thing that does bother me about him. Sometimes, I see him hanging around with people. I don't know who they are, but they wear these weird phoenix robes... One time, they even came in while he was introducing me to forging, and they took him away. It was weird." The worry on Kimiko's expression was clear as day. That little frown that Celes hated to see painted on her. Nevertheless, Celes listened to completion. "Whatever the Kawada family is doing... it's making me like them less and less."

She'd nod for a moment, touching her chin with her hand, pondering. As another round of silence descended upon the sauna, Celes sighed. "That does sound troubling. I know bits and pieces of the Kawada family, but I've to admit. Noble families can certainly be...unsettling." As she talked more, Kimiko would likely be able to hint a hint of disapproval in Celes' voice. "They guard secrets so closely. They scheme. Not all nobles mind you, but a good chunk of them. Despicable." It would be clear that Celes had a good bit of aggression towards nobility. She'd sigh and shake her head. "Please excuse my outburst. I'm sure it's just a bit of bitterness from my time in life." Celes hated to end on a bitter note. As such, she'd try to create a bit of levity. "Well anyway, from the sounds of it, you've been doing quite well. At this rate and with your impressive improvement, I'm sure you could try for Captaincy at some point." She'd smile for a moment. "With Captain Grin absent and Vice-Captain Tsukuyomi not seeming to have a desire to grab the reigns, I'm sure that Soul Society is eager to have it filled." She'd grin, leaning back. "If you'd like I could put in a good word for you, the next time that great candidates for Captaincy are considered." It would be clear from her tone. Celes had very high hopes for Kimiko and she'd have no doubt that her disciple could suceed at anything she put her mind to.