Where Dead Dreams Sleep

[Nakajima Kimiko]

The Soul Society is often touted by the Shinigami of the Gotei 13 to be amongst the safest places in the world. It is a place in which you are told you will be able to rest until your time has come to pass on. You will never be hungry, they said, never thirsty or in pain, and your lives will be protected by the celestial warriors in black that reside within the glorious district of white they call Seireitei. However, what is not told to the many Pluses the Shinigami send to this place so presumably cherished and praised, this realm supposedly so heavenly is that many of its traits. For instance, for one Plus out of a hundred who find themselves in the upper districts of Rukongai where they may experience a semblance of their previous life, the other ninety-nine will instead be told to remain within the latter districts where chaos and sickness roam free. A few Pluses may even also have a modicum of spiritual energy within their bodies, leading them to be forced to consume food and drink water before they perish. And then, there is the matter of the Shinigami's protection.

For what appears to have been since its very inception, the celestial realm has suffered many wounds. These wounds took on many forms, all of which proved to be lethal in their own way. At times, it would take on the appearance of a bandit clan that would seek to destroy everything that dares stand in the way of its members all for the sake of some banal, pretentious reason; at other times, it would instead appear as a sudden rise of spiritual Pluses who find themselves incapable of finding food by themselves, leading to great famines and droughts. A few of these wounds were even inflicted by the Shinigami themselves, as there are times in which they were called by the forces responsible for the functioning of this world to bring balance to its cycle by massively reducing the number of Pluses within the realm. Regardless of the severity of the wounds, however, they would eventually disappear... safe for one particular type of injury. The one that bleeds incessantly, that screams in terror, and leads to permanent damage to be felt for generations. Invasions.

It is unclear how many times the Soul Society has been invaded by an outside force, whether it be from a Hollow, a Hellion or some other spiritual anomaly. Every time an invasion would occur, those who are responsible for the transferring of information throughout the celestial realm would always attempt to keep it hidden from all as a means to soothe those who have suffered losses during them in one way or another. Rather disappointingly for them, this attempt to safeguard peace would often fail, as those who perhaps were unfortunate enough to survive each ordeal would remember them all in great detail. They would remember the sheer amount of blood and guts that would spill everywhere during each invasion, the unmitigated destruction of everything that they once referred to as their new home in this afterlife, and the faces of each creature or monstrosity that has murdered the people they eventually came to call friends. Perhaps there was no other event in recent memory that contained such terrible things than the very latest which struck the Soul Society.

Even after almost two entire years have come to pass since it occurred, the assault against the celestial realm by six million demons was nothing short of a catastrophe. The total number of casualties is still being counted to this day, though it is suspected that it is a number so horrifyingly high that most dare not to think of it. Many homes and shelters were vandalized or downright annihilated by the monsters from below, leaving many Pluses afterwards forced to live in abject poverty that could only rival the hardships of those who reside within the 80th, and the Shinigami were then forced to deal with survivors of the attack who grew desperate enough to fight against their brethren for basic necessities. A few of those which were part of the demonic force even found themselves surviving the wrath of the swordsmen and swordswomen in black, and so decided to remain in the Soul Society so as to torment the Pluses for a bit longer. It was, in every sense of the word, a disaster.

Kimiko was among the many who defended Seireitei against the forces of hell. She could recall every moment of it to a tee, or at the very least the moments she personally experienced as she defended the Blue Stream Gate from the invaders. Needless to say, she was not very sure of how she wanted to feel about it after all that's happened since then. On one hand, she believed it to be amongst the times in which she had the most fun fighting an enemy force. She personally slaughtered dozens, if not hundreds lesser Hellions all by herself, and she found great enjoyment in the act. It was a true battle, she told herself at the time, something that she knew she would remember for many years after. On the other hand, this enjoyment was born out of a deep sense of frustration - maybe even one of outright hatred - she held for Taishokukane, as they were training right before the demons hit the celestial realm. After what was revealed to her only but a short time ago... it was enough to make her see it all under a different view.

A few days ago, she and her spirits spoke to one another. Like the time she was permitted by them to learn how to use her Bankai, she met them at the divide. There, they spoke to one another about many things: her Inner Hollow, the rocky shogi table found within Celes' Inner World, and many other things. Shockingly enough, though he was not keen with the idea at first, even Taishokukane found something to say in all of it despite how difficult it was to get him to speak. In the end, they all realized together that Kimiko has been on the verge of being "taken over", as Celes coined a few times before, due to the emotional distress and trauma she has felt over the years, and so she needed to do something in order to emotionally push her Inner Hollow away from the time being, so to speak. It would allow her to not only allot herself more time for them to prepare against the incoming threat, which Taishokukane had made sure to point out, but also feel better. In other words, as cheesy as it was to her when she understood it, she needed to think of something positive for once and not something negative.

For many days after, she began to think about what she could do in order to feel better. At first, she thought of training, though she rapidly dropped that idea. Though she agreed to follow Taishokukane's teachings, it has been more difficult for her to separate herself from the values she has held for so long than she cared to admit; after all, she can't just become only partly honorable after she has been fully honorable ever since she became a Shinigami. Her second option was to focus more on books. That one seemed like a better decision when she conjured it, as there have been many books she has been unable to read during her year-long depression caused by the acquisition of her Bankai. Unfortunately, after she spent a day reading, she realized that it wasn't stimulating enough. To put it bluntly, she had gotten simply too used to wielding swords, and so now, she felt as though a lack of their use was rather boring. At best, even if she still liked reading, sticking to that activity would only be a temporary solution to her problem. Then... she thought of Wynne.

Her apprentice has been rather dormant lately, to say the very least. Although they still train together from time to time, it has been some time since they have seen each other. From what she can gather, this has mainly been due to the demonic invasion; after all, its aftermath has definitely increased the workload of those from the Tenth. Nevertheless, as she was reminded of the strange giant of a woman, she found herself reminded of the love for teaching she has come to identify during their first session together. While she showed Wynne how to fight more properly with the skills at her disposal, she had realized that she had a deep appreciation for educating others. It was a skill that she admittedly still needed to develop, but even so, she appreciated it nonetheless. It inspired her to potentially do more at the time, to go further beyond with the idea. Now that she was faced with this dilemma of hers... perhaps it was time for her to finally go forward with it.

It was with this train of thought that she found herself heading towards the White Way Gate during one faithful afternoon, then trekking down the first western districts of Rukongai. Her plan today was to find a place where she could potentially teach others how to handle the sword in her own way. Though the damages left by the invasion were still being repaired and there was still a bit of loathing for the Shinigami at this present time, she felt as though there was still a place out there she could use to teach, whether it be a plot of land of some kind or even a vacant building. If she could find something like this, then surely, she could then proceed to properly create the foundations of what she believed could be a literal school of swordsmanship. Just the image she had of herself potentially possessing her very own school with her very own followers was making her smile a bit. I never thought I'd imagine myself thinking about such things... I hope it'll be nice, her thoughts hummed quietly as she proceeded.

Of course, along the way, she would make sure to visit a place within which she could take food on the go. She was not sure of how long this was trip was going to take, and so she'd most likely need to sustain herself doing it. Better to try to have a trip on a full stomach than on an empty one. It was a small stand on the side of the road which marked the 5th district which was being taken care of by a young and enthusiastic man. He was preparing pieces of fried chicken to be served to merchants and wanderers alike who both had enough coin. It wasn't the kind of food that she was used to consume herself, but the scent of it was enough to cause Kimiko's mouth to water a bit. She would approach the stand with an interested look on her face, then smile politely to the cook. "Hello. Can I have, uh... a large box, please?" She would ask as she pointed towards the box she wanted. It was about as thick as her arm, and about half as long. 

"Alright! It should be ready soon! Just put the money in there," the man would promise the scarlet-eyed woman before pointing towards a jar which had several Ryo coins inside of it. After Kimiko would pay the price requested for the food, the man would start working on the fried chicken. Hopefully, it will not take too long for the food to be ready.

[Celes Castellanos]

Shifting through the seemingly endless streets and alleyways of the Rukongai had a certain appeal to the Captain of the Tenth Division. The Upper Districts that resided closest to Soul Society were well kept and full of friendly and welcoming people. Not only that, but they possessed services and facilities that simply could not be found in Soul Society. Trinket shops, countless food stands, and other services could be found in the Rukongai for those who were adventurous enough. Unfortunately, this same appeal brought out a nasty truth to the afterlife that was the Soul Society. While comfortable living was experienced by the residents of the Upper Districts, the same was not true of the Lower Districts.

Personal visits were not the only basis for this conclusion. Reports of violence in the Lower Districts was far greater than anywhere else in the Rukongai. As one drew further and further away from the Seireitei, the Rukongai quickly deteriorated. Crime such as petty thievery and minor assault were far more common, but the occasional significant crime would spread like wildfire along the communication netwok that resided within the Rukongai. The unfortunate fact is that it made sense to Celes. The Seireitei was for more militarized. The Rukongai by comparison was much more of a civilian residential and commercial district.

This became far more evident since the last invasion that ravaged Soul Society. Accompanying two Akki was an invasion force of six million demons. Arriving in the Rukongai, they quickly spread everywhere. While significant portion of the damage resided among the Upper Districts, the Lower Districts were not left untouched. Most of the defending force resided around the Seireitei, defending the gates that ultimately led to the Seireitei, the crowning jewel of the Soul Society. Unfortunately, the Lower Districts would not be as lucky. With no formal defense force besides Unseated Officers that Celes left stationed there, they received little protection from the Invasion force of stray hellions that decided to spread the carnage elsewhere. 

It was a grim reminder to the Captain of the Tenth Division. She had grown too lax. While nobody could have expected such a grandiose invasion force, that was merely an excuse. Celes knew that they needed to be more prepared in the future. They had to be able defend all of the Soul Society, not merely focus on the Seireitei and some of the Upper Districts of the Rukongai. This is exactly what brought her to the Rukongai today. With fifty or so Unseated Officers in tow, Celes was about to dispatch a new order as they marched through busy streets. Murmurs from the occasional resident could be heard. They were, understandably, murmurs of worry that echoed throughout the crowd. 

Continuing to march through the streets until they started to reach the threshold into the Fifth District, Celes stopped in her tracks, turning to face the squadron of men and women she had amassed for this rather important assignment. Remaining silent until she was sure that the last Shinigami was now standing still, Celes spoke in a loud tone. "Hearken to me Tenth Division! It's no secret that the last invasion by Hell has left a scar upon Soul Society. They attacked those who we swore to protect..." She'd pause for a moment, focusing on each and every one of her units. "We were unprepared for such a heavy assault. I've thought long and hard over the last few months and I have decided that we shall no longer suffer such casualties... such wantom destruction again. But that time is not now. Now is a time to rebuild. To offer a hand of friendship and kindness..."

Murmurs began to erupt from her collected group of Shinigami. "Is she thinking of disciplining us...?" "Just what does she have planned for us?" "Oh man! I hope we get to fight something!" As the murmurs and concerns began to die down as Celes raised her hand to silence everyone, she'd continue. "Allow us to show the residents of the Rukongai that we are here to protect them. With that, I have decided to bolster our sweeping patrols and stations in the outer edges of the Rukongai. You will not only respond to and protect those of your District, but you will also share aid. The goal is to restore the home of those among us and to honor the fallen. Each of you has received a District assignment over the past few days. Coordinate with other Divisions who may be helping. I wish each one of you luck. Now, Tenth Division. Move out!" 

With that, countless Shinigami began moving out, each moving to one of countless districts that could use the aid of the Seireitei. The Tenth Division normally dealt with being the first point of contact to threats of the Soul Society. While she still held this duty close, Celes wished to expand the range of influence that her Division had. To build rapport among the "little guys". Those that were largely cast out and left to fend for themselves. Celes was sympathetic to these people. After all, during her time among the living, she lived in similar conditions. The Soviet Union was a brutal time for all involved. She kne what it was like to be hungry... to be desperate. She wanted to reach out to these people. Let them know that someone had their best interests in mind.

Having dispatched a new force of relief efforts, Celes sighed and began to make her way into the Fifth District of the Rukongai. Walking through the District gave her a reminder of the carnage left behind by the Invasion. Houses were in utter disrepair; some people were left crouching before the broken remains of shops and homes. She had to admit. It was had to watch, but... it was a far sight better than the original conditions. Memories of bodies littering the streets... fires breaking out across homes... blood running across the floor. It was Armageddon. At least now, most of the living conditions had been restored. Unfortunately, the Lower Districts rarely received aid such as this.. 

Celes hated to think about it as she shook her head, trying to refocus herself. Suddenly her eyes fell upon a food stand. As she stared at it, the Captain rubbed her stomach as it growled loudly. She groaned, thinking to herself for a moment. "Well... perhaps a bite to eat would help me calm down..." She had made up her mind. As she began to approach the food stand, she heard the man address another customer. "Alright! It should be ready soon! Just put the money in there," Celes had little energy to look at the other customer. Instead, she'd rest her shoulders, hands and chin on the wooden counter as the Chef greeted her. "Welcome! What can I get you?" Celes looked up, speaking in a soft tone. "I'll admit that I'm a little unfamiliar with fried chicken..." She'd smile. "I'll take whatever the chef recommends!" He'd grin briefly. "Excellent! I have just the thing. Money goes in there." As he pointed at the jar that had several coins in it, Celes nodded and idly flipped a few coins in the jar, she'd wait patiently, oblivious to the world around her for the moment. 

[Nakajima Kimiko]

As Kimiko paid for the price of the fried chicken box she ordered, she would have her gaze wander around her surroundings once again. Her eyes would observe a scar, a wound that has been left by the latest demonic invasion. Destroyed homes and distraught citizens, with a touch of vandalism here and there. Here and now, she would find a few people who stood together and conversed, but it was clear that the subjects they would discuss were dark or simply melancholic. It was to be expected, of course; after all, the greatest amount of these individuals must have lost an innumerable number of people they came to refer to as close ones within this afterlife. Nevertheless, to see them still so disheveled two years after the end of this invasion was rather not only sad, but also immensely disappointing. It spoke volumes of the limited reach of the Shinigami even in places such as these in which they have the greatest amount of control over across Rukongai.

But despite the destruction observed and the sadness felt, there was something to be noted about it all. Every now and then, her eyes would discover attempts to return to a form of what they once previously referred to as normalcy. There were quite a few of them, many of which took the form of homes which were being reconstructed by the citizens or officers of the Gotei 13 who were there to assist them. The other most common sight was the sight of those would pass by her and the food stand. Though many seemed to wander aimlessly without any clear goal in mind, most perhaps because their past goal has been annihilated by the Hellions, a few men and women seemed to move forward with a look of purpose in their eyes. They carried bags and boxes of various sizes, some of which were definitely scabbards of antique weaponry, with the former jingling quietly with the sound of many items. It was clear that, in their desperation, they sought a new beginning, be it through the act of moving away from this district or by becoming wandering merchants.

None of this looked like much from an outsider's point of view. There was nothing grandiose about it or anything spectacular. Some may even consider it all as the sign of a once-proud community that has since decided to devolve into something lesser due to the collapse of all that they have known about for many years. Really, it would be difficult to blame them for feeling this way, especially in such dire times. However, Kimiko instead believed that this was good. It showed that, even in the darkest of times, the will to fight and survive against what appears to be impossible odds was still there in the hearts of those who remained. In a way, she admired them for showing such confidence. Should she have been in their place instead of the quarters she was assigned to within Seireitei, she was not sure she would have been capable to go over it; after all, the mere thought of losing a closed one had been tremendously difficult for her to surpass.

Yet, while she would observe this attempt to rebuild the past, something would cause Kimiko to appear concerned once again. In the very middle of this area full of pain and suffering for all that's happened... she felt none. Unlike the many Shinigami who have witnessed the terrible event occur, she did not experience any guilt of failure or trauma over it. Even as she remembered the many corpses she saw that day, both young and old, she couldn't find any shock within her. It was the same problem she had experienced before during the zombie invasion, and before that, during that one awful trip to Karakura Town. Somehow, even today after everything she has accomplished for the Gotei 13, she still felt as though the death of those she did not personally know meant nothing to her, not a hint of anger or sadness. If anything, in a cruel moment of irony, she felt more frustrated for the fact she could not feel anything about their death than their death itself.

With the revelations that were told to her not long ago by her Celes and her spirits, the Third Seat has been wondering if her emotions had somehow been changed over the course of time. Not by her military career as a Shinigami, mind you, but instead by supernatural means. Back when she was a Human of the Living World, she remembered being different. She was more caring, patient, maybe even a tad affectionate. She was quiet and often didn't reach out to help others in need, but if they ever needed her help, she granted it to them without any hesitation. Well... at least she believed herself to be all those things. Frankly, it's been so long since she's been part of this whole spiritual shenanigan that she has been losing sight of what she once was. Perhaps she was wrong. Perhaps she has always been like this and that now that she knew she had an Inner Hollow, she was trying to put the blame on her. Either way, it was a disturbing thought, and she was not sure if she should leave it as such for the time being.

A voice would temporarily bring her out of her deep thoughts while she pondered on the matter. It was a soft tone that followed the excited words of the businessman behind the food stand. Curious, Kimiko would find herself looking over her shoulder before realizing that she was actually standing right by the side of her mentor Celes. "Oh, woah, uh, hey," she would find herself bumbling out in surprise, enough so that the serious gaze she had taken as she observed the area somewhat broke down into something that was more reminiscent of the person the Captain has met so long ago back at the Academy. It was rather comical how this often happened to the Third Seat whenever she was close to her friend. "Good afternoon. I... wasn't expecting to meet you here." As the brief moment of surprise passed, she would find herself looking on towards the other Shinigami that were in the area. "I'm gonna assume your duties brought you here?"

 

It was all a rather awkward moment, truth be told, but as told so many times before, Kimiko has never been good with casual words and most likely never will be. Truth be told, the fact that she still had trouble conversing correctly after all these years being a literal pseudo-commander of the Eleventh Division was extremely embarrassing. Some of the people underneath her within her squad have even mocked her for being so awkward to speak to, even after she defeated them in a split-second thereafter during a spar. Nevertheless, to feel such surprise was... somehow actually quite comforting for the Third Seat. After thinking of such terrible things about trauma and what-not, it was good for her to still be able to feel as though she still could find what could only be considered as good feelings whenever she spoke to someone she knew. It showed that there was still a fragment of her past self in there - or at least what she thought to be her past self - no matter how small and limited that fragment may be.

Shortly after the Third Seat would speak to Celes, the man at the food stand would surprisingly finish filling the box of fried chicken she had ordered. He had done so with shocking speed, enough so that it barely even took him a minute. "Here you go, miss!" He would tell Kimiko in that moment, which would cause her to blink and take the box with a look of comical suspicion at first. For him to be so quick was a bit fishy, after all. She would carefully look into the box as fast as she could to see if there was anything wrong with it without the cook's knowledge. Shockingly, however, she could not detect anything wrong with its contents. The box was choke full of fried chicken pieces and wings, all of which looked and smelled downright succulent, with nothing suggesting that it was a rushed job. Well then... This guy must be a master of his craft. He must have worked at some fried chicken joint before he ended up here in the Soul Society.

"Wow, you're... really good at this," she would compliment quietly in disbelief before she would look back up towards the food stand owner. Her reaction seemed to have made him very proud, judging by how bright his smile was. Seeing him so happy was enough to make the Third Seat smile back. "Thank you for the food." With that, she would then fully turn herself towards Celes so they could properly continue their conversation while the Captain would get her food.

[Celes Castellanos]

Resting at the food stand gave Celes a moment of reprieve. Moments of clarity that allowed her to ponder. Finding out that Kimiko had in Inner Hollow much like herself... that the Captain was deemed inadequate to face off against Yukito in her current state... and worst of all, the news that Yunorashi had shared with her. A few days after entering Kimiko's Inner World, the young Zanpakutou Spirit found a notable change in Celes' Inner World. The boulder had been reformed into a beautifully carved Shogi board. That along with Yukito's seemingly pleasant mood made all kinds of bells and whistles ring in Yunorashi's head. She had speculated a meeting between the Inner Hollows and just like that, her speculation did not seem so fictional after all. 

The news admittedly shook Celes and not long after, she promptly informed Kimiko. After all, she had sworn to no longer keep secrets from her. Besides, this did not bode well for both Shinigami. Neither Yunorashi nor Celes knew what the Inner Hollows' discussed. Hell, for all they knew this was some sick joke from Yukito and they had never met at all. However, Celes and Yunorashi agreed to err on the side of caution. She'd sigh as she rubbed her temple. The stress was getting to her every now and then. Regardless, she had to stay positive. If not for Kimiko's sake than at least for her own. As she waited for her food, she'd hear a familiar voice. "Oh, woah, uh, hey,"

Almost groggily, Celes turned her head as Kimiko came into focus. Suddenly she jolted awake, rising from the counter. She'd straighten out her Shihakushō along with her Haori. She'd chuckle, an emberassed look on her face as Kimiko seemed to stumble over herself as well. "Good afternoon. I... wasn't expecting to meet you here." In response, Celes simply stood there, nodding silently as it seemed that the shock had not quite worn off. She couldn't formulate any words over her sense of embarrassment of not noticing Kimiko earlier. She had been right there in plain sight, but the Captain allowed her fatigue to get the better of her.

As some of the dispatched Shinigami began to leave for their assignments after getting some food for themselves from the various stands and shops, Kimiko commented on it. "I'm gonna assume your duties brought you here?" Celes finally arose from her stupor as she cleared her throat and nodded. "Something like that..." She'd pause before continuing. "I've dispatched several dozen of my Officers to reinforce the defenses of the Lower Districts. Y'know... show them that the Seireitei stands beside them. The hope is that they can help them with restoration since the last great invasion." As Celes spoke, there would be a clear disappointment to her voice.

Thankfully the mood would brighten a little as the cook announced, "Here you go, miss!" Celes' eyes darted over to the cook as he slid a box. As the Third Seat inspected the food, the aroma that arose made Celes' eyes widen. She had to admit that despite her unfamiliarity with fried chicken, it did indeed smell fantastic. If she had not ordered food already then this alone would have been enough to convince her. As Kimiko finished inspecting the food, Celes would share in her compliments. "Wow, you're... really good at this," The wide grin of the cook only confirmed his pride in his craft. From the looks of it, he was certainly proficient in it. "Thank you for the food."

Celes smiled at the cook as he began to pack another box. Before she knew it, the Captain would get her own box. A smile touched her lips as she bowed her head in thanks. The cook smiled back. "You're very welcome. You look like the type of woman who can handle a bit of a kick. Some of my best spicy fried chicken. I hope you enjoy." Celes blushed a little as she gingerly opened the box, inspecting the chicken herself. Carefully crafted blackened pieces of chicken with a spicy aroma were piled quite neatly into the box. Residing next to them was a brown sauce in a little cup. She'd look up at the cook. "Well, just from the look of it, consider me impressed." With a flick of her finger, she'd add another coin as gratuity into the jar of coins. 

Closing the box, her eyes would dart over towards her disciple, a smile touching her lips. Beginning to shift her body, the Captain spoke in a gentle tone. "I was thinking about taking a small walk if you'd like to join me. May be able to find a place to enjoy this." Motioning at their boxes of chicken. Celes enjoyed her walks through the Rukongai as the Upper Districts had plenty of sights to see. In that moment, whether or not Kimiko decided to join her, the Captain tilted her head. It was strange to see Kimiko in the Rukongai. After all, she knew Third Seat to train more than anything by the Eleventh Division Barracks. Celes raised an eyebrow for a moment. "Though, I am curious as to what brings you here Kimiko. I mean, besides the food. You're not typically one to wander from what I've found during our time together." She'd giggle softly, keeping her eyes fixated on the Third Seat.

[Nakajima Kimiko]

To say that Kimiko was a bit surprised to see Celes being so exhausted was a bit of an understatement. It took a moment for the Captain to properly recognize her after she made her presence known to her, and even after this moment was seemingly registered, it then took another moment for her to fully get over the embarrassment she felt in the moment. Frankly, the mere fact that she appeared to be so utterly tired she needed to rest on the counter of the food stand was already a cause for concern, but it was her slow, groggy reaction time that almost truly made the Third Seat wanted to ask her if she was alright; after all, it was very much unlike Celes to be affected with such deep exhaustion. If anything, if the scarlet-eyed swordswoman dared to compare her friend's current behavior to anything else has personally witnessed thus far, she resembled how she seemed when she first learned her Bankai. It was definitely a bit distressing.

However, she did not ask her any questions about her state of mind. Not now, at least. The reason why that is was... well, what currently formed her surroundings. For as far as she could remember, the Tenth Division has been working on the double for quite some time now, more specifically ever since that awful outbreak that occurred back then. They have been consistently providing upgrades to the defense of the Soul Society due to their partial failure of defending the many districts of Rukongai during each great attack the celestial realm has suffered, and have in turn also been offering much aid to the people of Rukongai so that they could rebuild and then live their lives in a way that somewhat resembled the lives they've lived prior to the attacks. This meant that Celes must be downright overwhelmed with work at this point in time. That wasn't even mentioning the matter of Kimiko's Inner Hollow, the fact that neither she or the Captain could beat it at this point in time, and then the fact that both her Inner Hollow and Celes' are potentially now cooperating with one another.

At the very least, she didn't seem too bad for wear once she noticed the Third Seat and began speaking to her about what she was doing here, even if the disappointment was clearly there. Apparently, Kimiko had been right in assuming that she was here because of her duties, seeing as she had dispatched several of her officers within Rukongai in order to provide aid to the ones who needed it the most, meaning the people of the lower districts. "Yeah... It'll definitely help a lot of people," she would nod, noting the disappointment in Celes' voice. She could see that the Captain didn't believe that the measures she took were enough to satisfy around. Unfortunately, she didn't feel like she was very qualified to comment about the matter herself; after all, she was not a specialist when it came to the matter of defending something. "The Eleventh has also been sending people to help here and there. There's been talks about some kind of uprising in district 75. Some of the reports Tsukuyomi and I have been getting from there have been... honestly pretty shitty." 

She couldn't help it. Despite not wanting to fuel Celes' disappointment, she felt like that needed to come out in one way or another in a normal conversation. The reports she's been receiving about what has been happening within the districts beyond the 70th have been absolutely dreadful. They spoke of multiple bandit clans fighting against one another so as to be able to control what's left of the scraps that have been destroyed by the demon army, with one in particular starting to rise to the top: the Rukon Reapers. It was the exact same group she had been seeing every now and then back when she was going on patrols in those latter districts. Back then, she thought that they would really just find themselves disbanding after being beaten one too many times either by rival criminal groups or Shinigami patrols. Unfortunately, it seems that the chaos the Soul Society has had to deal with over the last few years has been a boon to them in more ways than one.

This fortunately would not go on for very long, as the women would then receive their food. The sunny attitude of the man behind the food stand was more infectious than Kimiko cared to admit, especially given how genuine it appeared to be unlike some of the other clerks she has met while getting food from other places. It also helped that the food itself looked genuinely amazing, which paired very well with his personality. In Kimiko's eyes, if he is able to keep both this attitude of his and the quality of his food up, then he will most likely rapidly evolve his business from a very basic food stand to something more akin to a restaurant. Hell, he might even be able to kickstart some kind of fast food chain which centers around American meals to be picked up on the go; after all, the amount of these is rather limited here in Rukongai, particularly in the upper districts due to the sheer amount of already-established brands.

Like Celes, she would thank the man a little bit further by giving him a tip, and would then proceed to walk away from the stand with the box of fried chicken in her hands. The mere smell of the food was now starting to make her hungry. Just imagining the spicy pieces in her mouth was enough to make her stomach grumble quietly. "Argh, come on, I didn't even eat that long ago...!" She would comically berate her very own anatomy in embarrassment before she would eventually look back towards her friend as she gave her request. Apparently, the Captain wanted to talk a walk. Kimiko found no harm in following her; if anything, so long as they head forward, she believed it could be a nice time spent with her mentor as well as a means to eventually find a place where she could potentially begin teaching swordsmanship. "Oh, sure. I bet we could eat this somewhere around here," she would reply with a friendly smile on her face.

Of course, the matter of her presence here within Rukongai then came to the forefront of the conversation. Like the Captain said, it was not normal for her to actually wander around the drifting spirit town. Sure, she often found herself within it during the evening where she would retrieve food for herself, but she never really bothered heading there during the morning or the afternoon. More often than not, she would instead dedicate those times of the day either for paperwork she must accomplished by the end of it or training with her spirits. This schedule of hers hasn't even really changed ever since she has begun to change the way she has been treating Taishokukane, and in a way, it was rather miraculous that the utter insanity of this aforementioned schedule hasn't broken her thus far. Even some of the people within the Eleventh considered her days to often be pure torture that they could never follow even in their wildest dreams.

With that said, there was a part of the scarlet-eyed woman that somewhat believed that this was going to be an embarrassing revelation to tell to Celes. It is not often that a Shinigami officer want to accomplish what she has set out to do today, and after all that's happened, she might be told to reconsider. Even so, considering what was discussed between herself and her spirits, she still felt that it was the right thing for her to do. As such, she would answer calmly. "I've, uh... been meaning to find a place where I could build a dojo." Knowing that this might sound like a ridiculous idea when presented that way, she would then provide an explanation. "Shizukakane and Taishokukane told me that positive thoughts can help me push away my Inner Hollow, as you called it... I kinda figured out I really like teaching others how to do things. Well, Wynne made me realize that. So, yeah. I just wanted to see if there was a place out there I could find or some terrain I could buy for that."

[Celes Castellanos]

Departing from the food stand, Celes was happy to see that Kimiko would be willing to join her on a short walk through the Rukongai. It offered a chance for them to just talk much like they used to. It seemed as if there last few meetings merely served to elevate each other's stress. Discovering the threat of an Inner Hollow, Celes being called out for her dishonesty, the mysterious development of the Shogi board. They all had one thing in common. Stress. They were not pleasant conversations to have. That compounded with Celes recent duties taking a toll on her made everything seem... so much worse. As if the clouds of grey blocked out the rays of sunlight.

This would be a great opportunity to take her mind off things. To stop worrying and relax. Before they made it far though, Celes was intrigued about the disciples' presence. After all, Kimiko was quite the star of the Eleventh Division. With this newfound interest in her activities, however, information tends to get around. The Third Seat spent much of her time training. A position such as Third Seat also required paperwork. While she welcomed her disciplines presence, she was certainly curious. Continuing onward, Celes would give the Third Seat time to formulate an answer to her question. All the while, Celes would listen patiently.

"I've, uh... been meaning to find a place where I could build a dojo." For a moment, Celes' eyes widened. She was immediately intrigued. More than that, a small smile graced her face as she continued to walk forward. Once more, she wouldn't respond to this, at least not immediately. She wanted to find a place to enjoy this first. After a few more moments of walking, Celes would a perfect little spot. It was akin to a café, allowing people to sit and enjoy some respite from the pounding heat of the sun. With it being afternoon, it simply remained as a spot for others to order and enjoy a bite to eat. Celes would point over to two seats that resided at a table. Raising herself into the seat, Celes placed the box of spicy chicken before her. In the meantime, Kimiko would continue with her reasoning.

"Shizukakane and Taishokukane told me that positive thoughts can help me push away my Inner Hollow, as you called it... I kinda figured out I really like teaching others how to do things. Well, Wynne made me realize that. So, yeah. I just wanted to see if there was a place out there I could find or some terrain I could buy for that." The Captain smiled and chuckled a little. The reasoning behind opening a dojo made Celes smile a little more. Resting her in the palm of her hand, her eyes would dart over to an approaching woman. Taking out a small notepad, she'd smile and speak. "Welcome. Could I interest you in anything? A cold beverage for your food?" 

Tapping her fingers gently against the table, Celes addressed her in a gentle tone. "Could I have a Mango Iced Tea?" The woman nodded, noting it down as she looked at Kimiko, waiting for her give an order. Even if the Third Seat declined, she'd maintain a smile. After answering, the woman simply allowed the pen to rest on her notepad as Celes covered whatever drinks were ordered, pulling out some coins and handing it to the woman. She'd simply smile radiantly. "Well. I'll be out with your order soon!" With that, she'd begin to make her way back into the building. In the meantime, Celes kept tapping her finger along the table, her nail causing soft vibrations to form along the metal of the table. She had to admit that she found the soft tune soothing, closing her eyes for a moment before speaking.

"So. A dojo? That's quite the undertaking. I do, however, have to admit that I am happy how much you seem to be taking to teaching others. I can see that sending Wynne to meet with you was a great idea." She'd keep idly tapping her finger with no distinct rhythm as the cadence changed every now and then. "Finding a way to soothe yourself is definitely an excellent solution. Taking your mind of the stress can help prevent... episodes." There was a connotation to her choice of wording that would likely be immediately identifiable to the Third Seat. After all, their condition was nearly synonymous with treason in the eyes of some. 

"Speaking of Wynne though... how has she been?" Celes would raise an eyebrow, her features sharpening for a moment as she paid more attention. "I am sad to admit that I have not seen Wynne recently... really much at all since I sent her to train with you." Celes giggled shortly after and waved her hand. "Well enough of that... back to this dojo of yours..." Before continuing, Celes rummaged through the box of chicken and took out a crispy piece of blackened chicken, holding it in her hand briefly. "I assume that you will be focusing on swordsmanship? After all... you never did take quite to Hakuda like I did. No matter how much I seemed to try." She'd grin and give a teasing wink before sinking her teeth into the fried chicken, immediately feeling the gentle burn from the combination of spices.

[Nakajima Kimiko]

The subject of conversation that they appeared to be moving onto seemingly started on the right foot. There was no laughter or light mockery that came from Celes after Kimiko mentioned her reasoning for being in Rukongai at this present time, and there was also no disrespect to her goal. No, there was just plain interest. In fact, from the looks of it, the Captain almost downright seemed to be in a better mood now that this was what they would now be talking about instead of other stressful things like their Inner Hollows or their rampant duties as Shinigami. Witnessing this was enough to almost make the Third Seat sigh in relief and be slightly more interested in speaking about it with her friend. Maybe it was rather wrong of her to think that Celes of all people would think of such a goal as something to not think much about, but she was nevertheless glad to see that this aforementioned goal would not be a source of embarrassment or denigration today.

But they would not continue this conversation right away. Before doing so, as they would reach the 8th Western District, they would find themselves a place within which they would be able to eat the fried chicken they have just purchased. Better to eat them now while the pieces and wings were still hot than later on when they will both have turned out cold. The place in question was an assortment of tables located onto the side of a well-kept building, one that was most likely amongst those which were rebuilt first. Should one compare the establishment to anything of the Living World, it would resemble a sort of coffee shop. It mainly served European food with a specialty for sandwiches to be served alongside various drinks, though given that the two officers already had fried chicken to satiate their hunger with, there wasn't much need for any of these. With that said, the look of the menu sheets set onto each table was enough to make Kimiko hum quietly. Maybe she will come back to this place at another time to see if what they serve here is good.

The two of them would eventually take one of the tables for themselves, and shortly after, they would be sitting at their respective chairs opposite to one another. The Third Seat had put her box of fried chicken close to the middle of the table, and had also removed her swords from her obi sash to have their guards rest against the left arm of her chair. Given that they had just arrived, she would not have much time to continue their conversation for much further before a waitress would arrive with a notepad in hand. That was fast. Too fast. The sight of the woman was enough to make her sweat a bit. Couldn't she have been given slightly more time to think about if she even wanted something from this shop in the first place?! While Celes would order her drink, the Third Seat's eyes would quickly dart towards the menu sheet on the table. Eventually, with a heart beating with stress, she would quickly make her choice: "I'll take the Cocoa Tea."

This was probably not the choice she would have made if she would have been granted more time to think about what she really wanted. If she had, she would have probably taken something that was more inline with what Shizukakane usually prepared in her Inner World, something that was much more traditional in nature like Matcha or Sencha. Unfortunately, the decision needed to be done rapidly so as to not appear too indecisive in front the waitress, and so she took the very first recipe which was showcased on the menu sheet. At the very least, she had to admit that it sounded rather nice when she read its name. She liked chocolate - which is mostly made of cocoa alongside sugar and what-not - and she has long since learned to appreciate the bitterness tea thanks to her Zanpakuto spirit. If she likes the both of those things, then she should naturally be capable of liking something that combines the two together. Yes, that sounds about right. 

With the waitress finally gone with Kimiko's fear of indecision, the two Shinigami could return to the true matter at hand. Once again, the Captain seemed to be quite happy about the fact the Third Seat wanted to go that far in order to teach others how to fight, something which the Third Seat continued to appreciate. "To be honest... Wynne made me realize I liked it, but I feel like I enjoyed doing it before too. It just... took me a while to actually get it," she would admit as she rested her back against her chair, thinking about the times when she had to teach others. "There was that one time Siegfried brought me to this, uh... event that was being held at the Academy. It was a while ago, but I remember showing some people a few of my techniques. It was pretty nice." As she spoke, she would find herself smiling a bit, then eventually show a bit of a sheepish look as she remembered the memory more clearly. "Then again, I feel like a lot of the students there just... wanted to talk to me because I graduated early. Seriously, they still think I'm this prodigy over there. I really don't know why they're still talking about me." 

It was true that her reputation over there was still something that she was not sure of why it even existed in the first place; after all, it felt like much of it was just something that was not quite worthy of such fame. She understood she graduated early and survived a fight against a Hollow while she was still a student, but at the same time, that fight wasn't even totally won. She didn't slay Teresa; hell, she's still alive right about now probably cowering somewhere so that she could not be found easily. That wasn't even mentioning the fact that it was the main reason behind her early graduation. Sure, she was great with a sword and she was pretty knowledgeable at the time, but is barely even able to use Kidō even to this day and her skills in Hakuda aren't any more remarkable than a typical apprentice's. In so doing, she didn't feel as though she totally deserved this popularity. Then again, judging by the last student she saw over there who was popular... perhaps becoming popular was actually way easier than she thought it was.

The Third Seat would open her box of fried chicken and grab a piece from it as Celes would speak of Wynne once again. As she took a bite out of the piece, savoring its exquisite taste and thrilling spices, she would find herself taking on a pensive look as she tried to recall the last time she saw her apprentice. "Actually, that was something I've wanted to ask you for a while. I haven't seen her much either," she would admit as she took another bite off of the fried chicken piece, instinctively reaching for the box once again after she was finished with it. "The last time we really trained, it was about a few weeks before the demonic attack... Maybe she's busy with restoration duties like the rest of the Tenth? I feel like someone as strong as she is would be needed in a bunch of different places." There was a bit of worry in her words as she thought about this, mainly because she was now starting to think something might have happened to the giant of a woman during that aforementioned invasion. It has been almost two years since the invasion has ended, after all, which made Wynne's absence rather odd.

Either way, they would not stick on the subject for too long as they would then return to the matter of the dojo. By the time they both did, Kimiko would feel her worry for her apprentice slowly slip away to instead be replaced with something more akin to light excitement. "Yeah, that will be the focus. I'm not that bad in Hakuda, but it's really not my thing. I'll teach people the basics and show them how to use Iaijutsu like I do to an extent," she would tell the Captain with a smile before chomping onto another piece of fried chicken. Her lips were quite literally starting to burn from the spice, and yet she couldn't find the urge to stop eating. It was truly amazing fast food. With that said, she would eventually stop as she started thinking about what kind of teaching she would provide to the ones visiting her dojo. "It's gonna sound weird, but I want people to kinda like... do their thing. I'll show them the basics, but I want to... I don't really know how to say this... express themselves? I'm not sure I can use that term here since, uh... it's from the games I played back then, but yeah."

[Celes Castellanos]

"I'll take the Cocoa Tea." Kimiko would say with suprising speed. It was notable enough for Celes to give a soft chuckle as the woman quickly jotted down both of their orders. Kimiko's choice of drink was fairly interesting though. A Cocoa Tea. Celes had never tried it herself... in fact, she never even thought of something like a Cocoa Tea. Regardless, she was happy to see that the Third Seat was broadening her horizons. First the fried chicken, now this. It was a far cry from the young woman who had had her nose stuck in a book, constantly trying to impress her superiors. The Third Seat had grown quite a lot. This put a little smile on Celes' face among everything else.

After this little display, there conversation continued as normal. The Third Seat expressed how much of a positive experience teaching was to her. Not only her experience with Wynne, but also the time she had allegedly spent tutoring before that. Suddenly, she'd bring up a scenario that she admittedly had little knowledge about. "There was that one time Siegfried brought me to this, uh... event that was being held at the Academy. It was a while ago, but I remember showing some people a few of my techniques. It was pretty nice." The Captain raised an eyebrow, listening intently. "A Siegfried? That's a new name. Oh well... she's piqued by interest." 

"Then again, I feel like a lot of the students there just... wanted to talk to me because I graduated early. Seriously, they still think I'm this prodigy over there. I really don't know why they're still talking about me." Just as she finished, the woman had returned with the two drinks, gingerly placing the Iced Tea before Celes and the Cocoa Tea before Kimiko. With a short bow, she'd leave the table. Keeping her eye on Kimiko, the Captain briefly took the Iced Tea into her hands, taking a sip and humming with a pleased tone as she unpacked the box, the pleasing aroma of chicken filling the air. Taking a bite, she'd hum one more as a loud crunch filled the air. Her eyes glowed from the explosion of taste that erupted in her mouth.

Without much of another word, Celes began to effectively devour the piece of chicken, separating meat from bone with raw efficiency that rivaled her use of a blade. As the bone remained without even an ounce of meat, Celes suddenly bit down on the bone. Beneath of force of her bite, the bone would practically snap in half, offering up the healthy bone marrow that resided within. The experience and even the sight of this would be positively visceral as by the time she was done, there was nothing left of the bone. Gripping the Iced Tea, she'd wash down the combination of meat and bone marrow, licking her lip with satisfaction.

After this display, Celes tapped her fingers lightly on the table. "Well, you are something of a celebrity among the Academy Students. I daresay even among some of the Officers." Sh'd chuckle softly. "You know, I still get requests from some of my Officers to help set up a spar with you. Accomplishments aside, I feel that you've earned your fair share of fame and notoriety." She'd smile once more before repeating the same habits with another piece of fried chicken. Celes had table manners, but she did not expect others to stand on ceremony and as such she would not demand the world of herself when it came to proper etiquette or whatever it was that Wynne briefly explained while discussing her experience growing up as a Kuchiki. Celes had to admit that it did not sound easy. 

As Kimiko enjoyed her own piece of fried chicken, the next topic of discussion would be borderline ironic. "Actually, that was something I've wanted to ask you for a while. I haven't seen her much either," Celes raised an eyebrow before finally understanding that the Third Seat was talking about Wynne. Soon, Kimiko would make it even more clear. "The last time we really trained, it was about a few weeks before the demonic attack... Maybe she's busy with restoration duties like the rest of the Tenth? I feel like someone as strong as she is would be needed in a bunch of different places." This made Celes even more suspicious. Apparently, the Officer rarely found time for Kimiko either.

Suddenly, Celes tapping would grow faster, and louder as stronger vibrations leapt through the metal of the table. "I will concede that her strength is formidable and that she has a lot to offer to the restoration of buildings and other structure... but don't you think I'd know where she was assigned to as her Captain?" Celes would allow it to sink as her tone grew sharper at the end. Strangely enough, instead of her voice rising to a crescendo, Celes' voice would grow inquisitive. "You know... she checks in so rarely that sometimes I wonder what she's doing day in and day out." Without really having an answer, Celes simply shrugged her shoulders.

In the hopes of avoiding further concern, Celes tried to divert the Third Seat's attention "Oh well. Now's not the time to focus on that. I'm excited to hear about this dojo. Will you be focusing on swordsmanship?" A lighthearted grin touched her lips as she asked about the dojo and made a slight teasing remark towards the Third Seat's Hakuda. Kimiko, unsurprisingly, answered in with a hint of excitement. "Yeah, that will be the focus. I'm not that bad in Hakuda, but it's really not my thing. I'll teach people the basics and show them how to use Iaijutsu like I do to an extent," Celes chuckled briefly as Kimiko continued after digging into another piece of chicken. "It's gonna sound weird, but I want people to kinda like... do their thing. I'll show them the basics, but I want to... I don't really know how to say this... express themselves? I'm not sure I can use that term here since, uh... it's from the games I played back then, but yeah."

Celes nodded, speaking in a rather pleased tone. "That's not weird at all! You want to establish a foundation from which they can work off of? Am I correct in that assessment?" Grinning regardless of whether she was correct or not, the Captain took another piece of chicken into her hands as she winked. "As for your Hakuda skills... I'd certainly love to test those out someday." Taking a bite from the chicken and swallowing soon after, she'd continue grinning. "While I definitely would love to see and perhaps even experience the curriculum, I am curious to see if you've been keeping up with your Hakuda training." Placing the piece of chicken down, she'd smirk as she gently pressed her fist against her palm. "In their quest to master the art of the blade, many forget how to fight when deprived of their weapon." She'd grin and give the Third Seat a teasing wink. 

[Nakajima Kimiko]

Kimiko would enjoy her piece of fried chicken quietly as she pondered about her choice of purchase. Cocoa Tea... The more she found herself thinking about it, the more she admittedly thought that the idea sounded rather strange and maybe even a little bit disgusting. Cocoa, which she still was theorizing as being more or less similar to chocolate, was typically associated with sugar in order to create the taste that is typically found in most sweets. Meanwhile, tea is usually bitter and not as welcoming to most who drink it for the first time in their lives. Considering this, it would thus be rather reasonable to believe that combining those two tastes would most likely not be a very good idea; after all, it is quite literally the combination of two opposites. At first, once sh reached this conclusion, she tried to tell herself that it was fine, that it was really just a possibility, that it was nothing to worry about. However, as time went on for a bit longer, her thoughts slowly found themselves beginning to cry out from the pressure. Ah, damn it all! She really should have just taken a longer look at the menu! It would have been better, no, safer!

Then, the drink arrived. It came alongside Celes' Iced Tea right after she had finished speaking her opinion of her reputation at the Academy. Naturally, the Third Seat immediately gave it a glance once it arrived. The presentation was modest, yet refined at once, the kind you would expect from a shop with an affinity for European aesthetics. Its white ceramic was simple with a little handle and a plate below it, and its light brown content fumed delicately at just the right temperature. In a way, its color was downright almost reminiscent of coffee. Unlike coffee, however, Kimiko admittedly preferred the scent that this particular drink left off. Instead of caffeine and cream, this instead smelled like... well, chocolate. It reminded her of those Kat Kit snacks she'd purchase for herself from time to time whenever she was at Akihabara at the arcades. That was enough to slightly settle that previous stress of hers down. "Thank you," she would simply tell the waitress after the drink was served, then stare at the drink for a moment as she left with further hesitation.

Eventually, a boiling point would be reached and she would simply reach for the cup. One hand would grab the handle while the other would instead hold onto the plate, all so that the drink would not spill accidentally. Shortly after, her lips would be pressed against the cup before she'd tip the cup back to let the tea flow down. Like any hot beverage, the first feeling Kimiko felt as she took her first sip was a light burn. It was normal, after all, for tea to be hot. A few seconds later, though, she would then finally be granted the ability to taste the drink. It tasted... nice. No, not nice. It tasted good, great even. It was kind of like hot chocolate, only richer, tastier. "Huh," she could only let out as she finished her first sip and put the drink back on the table. She wasn't really sure she could call this tea in the slightest, given the people of this shop probably are not using leaves to make this particular beverage, yet she had to admit that it was nonetheless a lot better than she thought it was going to be. "That's... not so bad, actuall-"

She would find her comment interrupted as she raised her head and saw Celes quite literally chomp down on the literal bone of one of her chicken wings. It was a very sudden process, as seconds before, she was simply eating the meat that was surrounding the bone. Looking at this whole process occur before her eyes was enough to make Kimiko just stare at her friend in comical shock for a brief moment. "Did you... just eat the bone?" She would ask in disbelief, as though she was genuinely taken aback by what she just saw. Nonexistent table manners aside that even she didn't even really care much about, she had never actually seen anyone eat a chicken wing like that, not even back when she resided within the Living World. She had always believed that eating bones was generally unhealthy, as it was not only not very tasty, but also dangerous as the splinters could potentially cause internal damage. Now, it was safe to say that Celes probably pulverized that bone into pieces before she ingested it, but... it was nevertheless quite the shock for this poor officer, especially since the Captain then went on to do the same thing right after.

In an attempt to not be too shocked by this, the Third Seat would grab another piece of fried chicken to eat before she would then attempt to mentally latch onto the matter of Wynne thereafter. She really didn't need to think about anyone eating bones for the time being. Unfortunately, from the looks of things, the subject was a bit more worrisome in comparison, as not even the Captain herself was able to know of the noble's whereabouts. In fact, she was downright infuriated by the matter, given how high her voice was raised as they spoke of it. This would make Kimiko frown with concern. Celes had every right to be angry about this; after all, Wynne was a powerful warrior. It wasn't normal for her in the slightest to not actually report to her Captain at all. What could possibly make her so busy that she would be unable to contact her superior for so long? Surely, there must be a reason. "Yeah... I wonder too,"

the Third Seat couldn't help but hum quietly as she thought about it all before sighing quietly. "I just hope she's okay."

The conversation would then move on to the matter of the dojo. Kimiko did not mind this. She did not want this conversation to turn sour due to whatever Wynne was currently doing, and quite frankly, she just wanted less things to worry about altogether for the time being. She has been worrying about things and being generally displeased by those things for so long that she just wanted a break from all of it. Fortunately, Celes was able to get her back into the groove, especially once she was able to figure out what the Third Seat wanted to say when she tried to describe what she wished out of her future students. "Yeah, that! I want that." Her excited words were very quickly followed by an enthusiastic nod. "I want them to be able to figure out what's best for them and not feel like... limited or anything like that. I want them to be able to do whatever they want with the techniques I give them, like in the games I played back then... That's what I meant."

She would look into the fried chicken box rapidly to see how many pieces were left. Somehow, she had already emptied half of the box, and only two more pieces remained alongside a ton of chicken wings. She would grab the last two pieces before putting the first in her mouth and keeping the other in her hand, munching quietly. Naturally, once she heard her friend talk about Hakuda, her munching became... a little bit less quiet. This was only accentuated once she saw the Captain quite literally propose that they one day train together again in the arts of hand-to-hand combat, causing her to very quickly gulp down the fried chicken piece in her mouth before she tried to find an excuse to defend herself with. "I, well, no, I haven't... really been keeping up with that kind of stuff," she began on what could only be considered a shaky foot before she quickly raised a hand, "but I've been working on a technique that could allow me to still use my techniques without my Zanpakuto. Like that, I could still use a blade without a blade... kinda, at least."

Upon revealing this to the Captain, she would then put the piece of fried chicken she had been keeping in her hand before chomping on it quietly once again, looking away in embarrassment for having not worked as hard on Hakuda for so long. As she would do so, her eyes would spot a pair of men that was resting at one of the other tables. Judging by their robes and bags, they appeared to be middle-aged travelers from the latter districts. Well, physically middle-aged, that is. Honestly, even to this day, Kimiko sometimes has trouble recognizing the true age of the people around her. From where they were, she could hear bits of their conversation. They spoke of various subjects, namely the current state of the Soul Society, the duties of some people she had no knowledge of, and the efforts of the Shinigami to restore as much as they possibly could for the citizens. In other words, there wasn't much for her to really take note of. But then... they spoke about something in particular that caught her attention.

"Did you hear about the 40th district lately?" 

"No. What about it?"

"Well, there's this dojo there... People have been saying it's cursed or something. I haven't seen it myself, but the rumors say people have been seeing their dead ones there."

"Come on, Chris, you know that's bullshit."

"Is it? I mean, Hell literally fell on our heads not that long ago."

"I guess, but don't let that shit get to you. I bet it was some rumor an asshole spread to make some pocket change out of the rest of us."

"If you say so..."

The words they've shared about this supposed cursed dojo in the 40th district caused Kimiko to turn her head away from them and instead back towards their table as she thought about it. "A cursed dojo...?" She would find herself muttering as she enjoyed her piece of fried chicken. That was... oddly enticing. She hadn't even heard about a dojo in the 40th, let alone a cursed one.

[Celes Castellanos]

It seemed that Celes had the right idea as she described Kimiko's teaching style. "Yeah, that! I want that." The Third Seat wished to create a foundation for her students to build upon. She did not wish for them to rigidly follow the style of someone else. It was quite the opposite. "I want them to be able to figure out what's best for them and not feel like... limited or anything like that. I want them to be able to do whatever they want with the techniques I give them, like in the games I played back then... That's what I meant." The Captain chuckled softly in response to this. It was times like this when Kimiko really showed her age. Despite the fact that they were supernatural warriors... despite the fact that she was teaching others... she still likened it to a game. 

She simply shook her head, laughing soft as her expression easily showed her amusement. In a way, she was relieved that everything that had transpired in recent memory did not sour her disciple's mood. It had been a long time since Celes saw Kimiko like this and she felt that the advice given by her Zanpakutō Spirits was certainly a sound one. She gently tapped her fingers on the table still before shifting gears to something that she was curious about. Of all the styles of combat that the Shinigami valued, Kimiko was certainly an expert in both Hohō and Zanjutsu. Hakuda, the Captain's speciality, was a field that Celes hoped to see Kimiko excel in. However, as the Captain brought it up, Kimiko grew notably silent as her cheerful munching went quiet.

Kimiko did not even need to answer. Celes gave a knowing smirk though it seemed that the Third Seat would admit it. "I, well, no, I haven't... really been keeping up with that kind of stuff," The Third Seat nearly stumbled over herself in her reply causing Celes to shake her head in amusement. Despite this, however, Kimiko did have something in her defense. "but I've been working on a technique that could allow me to still use my techniques without my Zanpakuto. Like that, I could still use a blade without a blade... kinda, at least." Celes simply raised an eyebrow as she broke into a soft chuckle, her fingers tapping in rhythm to her chuckle.

As she opened her eyes, staring at Kimiko, she'd speak in a tone that burst with amusement. "Fair enough, though I believe you're missing the point. If you're replicating a blade while deprived of your Zanpakutō then that is hardly Hakuda. Nevertheless..." She'd move her hand to lightly cup her chin, staring at Kimiko. "You never did take to it quite as much as your swords." Her tone shifted from one of amusement to another of excitement. "Well. Perhaps you'll get a chance to test out that technique of yours. After all, in a Hakuda match, I'd have to give you some form of a handicap." She grinned teasingly, fully acknowledging the Third Seat's ineptitude in the use of Hakuda.

With a small wink, Celes peeked into her box. There was only one piece of spicy fried chicken left. She gave a small pout, taking it from the box and finishing the last piece as she did with the others. The fact that this was the last one made it far more savory. As she continued to gnaw the meat from the bone, A conversation arose that piqued the Captain's interest. Her eyes would dart over to the travelers as she'd pick out the information that was most interesting. Apparently, there was a haunted dojo that resided within the 40th District. It had scared off several thrill seekers and attracted interest since there were claims of seeing deceased loved ones.

As Kimiko muttered about it, the Captain looked at her disciple. For just a moment, she saw a glint in the Third Seat's eye. She chuckled briefly, biting down onto the bone with similar little effort, pulverizing it once more as she leaned in. Her voice would be soft. "Kimiko, I know that look. You can't be serious..." Shortly after, she'd continue lightly tapping on the table as she pondered for a moment. This would be the opportunity for her student to get a building of her own. There were several questions that needed to be answered first. First, Celes would test the waters though. "I'll be the first to admit that there is some appeal to it, but... do you really want to check this place out?" The Captain was not necessarily concerned, just cautious under the circumstances. 

[Nakajima Kimiko]

The grins and smirks that the Captain of the Tenth gave to Kimiko was enough to cause the poor girl to munch even more quietly as embarrassment filled her core. It was obvious that Celes was somewhat amused by the fact that she wasn't really an expert in Hakuda, and it was also clear that she wanted to test the Third Seat's ability to fight without her Zanpakuto now that they were talking about it. The scarlet-eyed warrior knew very well of how much of an expert her friend was in the art of hand-to-hand combat. She saw her fight zombies, mutated spiritual hulks, literal dragons and whatever knows how many other supernatural creatures with her bare hands, and every time she did, she witnessed the Captain quite literally crush them into a thousand pieces. Her physical strength was so ridiculously stupendous that you would think she didn't need Yunorashi and she was only carrying her around to activate her Shikai or Bankai from time to time. In comparison, Kimiko was just not as good, and there were plenty of reasons as to why she didn't attempt to pursue training in that particular field.

The first reason was the one Celes was most aware of, which was her liking for swords. Even if you remove the spirits within her blades out of the question, she generally enjoys wielding blades. She finds them to be the perfect tools of war, true weapons that have lasted for literal historical generations in multiple different cultures. It doesn't matter where you look: the countries of Europe have their straight swords and their rapiers, those of the Middle East wield sabres, the Chinese have used several different blades, and of course, you have the famous katana of her native country. Even here in this spiritual world, the sword is quite literally more effective in most cases than the typical handgun you would see in the Living World. It is enough to bring quite the fair bit of admiration out of Kimiko. Well, that, and she simply finds them to be cooler. What? It's much more awesome to see a monster being cut in half than simply shot in the head.

The second reason, however, was a bit more technical than that, as it involved her body and physical prowess. Ever since she began pursuing martial arts, namely in her Kendo classes back when she remained within the Living World, she always understood that her main aptitude was not strength, but rather speed. Since she was a woman, she was not as powerful as men due to how muscles work and what-not, but she was much faster than them due to the strength in her legs. This was what allowed her to battle several male opponents back when she was a Kendo practitioner, and in turn, recognize her weaknesses. Of course, now that she was a Shinigami, most of the aforementioned science behind muscles and body anatomy has been more or less completely thrown out into the stratosphere due to the addition of spiritual energy into the mix, but ultimately, even today, she can still apply the same weaknesses she has found then onto her current self.

It is true that there are a few Hakuda practitioners out there who do not rely on strength to actually battle others. In fact, Kimiko herself has actually read about these fighters and seen a few of them in action. Instead of punching their opponents or grappling them to destroy their insides, they instead rely on absolute speed and precision to strike down weak points and in turn leave their target unable to fight any longer. It's a rather elegant way to do battle with others, and quite frankly, the Third Seat does have a fair bit of admiration for the people who fight in such ways; after all, she wouldn't appreciate the works of Bruce Lee if that wasn't the case nor the many depictions of famous martial artists in popular entertainment. Nevertheless, to fight so elegantly and precisely is not her way. She is fast, sure, but she does not believe that being so precise will achieve anything in most combat scenarios. Moreover, she also finds it all much less demanding than simply punching someone.

She totally understood why Celes originally wanted her to master Hakuda alongside Zanjutsu. In most cases, it is unfortunately quite true that most swordsmen and swordswomen tend to find themselves in great predicaments whenever they are disarmed, so much so that they often lose their lives in the process. As such, it is theoretically important to at least know a thing or two in Hakuda in order to properly fight while unarmed. Still, Kimiko simply did not think of it as that important. She understood the risks of Hakuda, but she did not believe it was imperative to learn any techniques within the hand-to-hand repertoire so long as you had an alternative of sorts. Thankfully, she had an alternative, and she'll make sure to show all of its effects to her mentor once she perfects it... especially now that she has mentioned talking about her needing to handicap herself to fight her. "Oh, don't worry. Once I get that technique to work, you'll have to fight me seriously," she would say with almost comical confidence before she would take that confidence down a notch. "Well, not like... "hug me to death" levels of serious, but you know, kinda serious."

After this matter was fully settled, the Third Seat would then find herself listening to the pair of travelers at the other table before thinking quietly about what they were talking about. She'd even take a sip of her Cocoa Tea as she thought about it. Again, she had never actually heard about a cursed dojo before, especially not in the 40th western district of all places. If that was the case, she would have most definitely remembered having gone there before in order to have a look at it. The fact that it was now being talked about it near her just while she's searching for a place to potentially train people in was a bit of a random coincidence, to say the least, but she couldn't help but think about it; after all, it's not like there was anywhere else she was thinking of heading to right about now. If anything, she was very much planning to just walk forward through the many districts of western Rukongai until she eventually found a place she could eventually call her dojo.

Of course, the dual swordswoman made absolutely no effort to hide her curiosity to Celes, and in so doing, the Captain would go on to bring the matter up in their conversation. This would cause Kimiko to blink in surprise before she would look away almost innocently. "Maybe...?" She would first reply, going forward to pick up one of the fried chicken wings that were in the box she purchased for herself before she would go on to quickly gnaw on it. It was clear that she was interested in going there, as she chomped on the chicken quite rapidly. Unlike Celes, though, she would only eat the meat and not the bone, savoring the spiced taste as much as she could in the brief amount of time it remained in her mouth. For a very brief moment, she would almost entertain the thought of mimicking her friend and outright eat her bone, but every time she would even think about doing so, she would simply stop and eventually give up. No, she could not do that. Not now, at least.

Eventually, she would finish the first chicken wing, and as she moved onto the next one, she would give her friend a look. It was a very intent look, one that most definitely had the glint Celes saw before. "I do kinda want to check it out," she would admit as she ate the meat around the bone, talking in-between chomps. "I know there's a bunch of other buildings around Rukongai, but... I don't know if a lot of people will just let me get one for myself just like that. I don't even know if I could build one." There was a bit of a disappointed tone as she spoke there, one Celes might be able to recognize. It was the telltale sign of someone who had big ideas and the will to see them eventually become reality, but unfortunately did not have the capacity of making big expanses. Perhaps it wasn't that unusual; after all, the girl does go eat at restaurants practically every evening. "Also, I mean... we'll need to check that place out eventually. I don't think it makes a lot of sense for something in the Soul Society to be haunted..."

[Celes Castellanos]

"Oh, don't worry. Once I get that technique to work, you'll have to fight me seriously," After discussing a hypothetical Hakuda bout, this was the last response that Celes expected from her student. The Shinigami had to admit that she was somewhat enticed by the confidence. Unfortunately, such gusto would soon diminish as Kimiko added, "Well, not like... "hug me to death" levels of serious, but you know, kinda serious." Celes simply raised an eyebrow to this, not answering. As she gave it some more thought though, she could not help, but lightly chuckle. Over the course of their relationship as teacher and student, Celes had had countless bouts with the Third Seat.

There were very few of them in which Celes, if any really, in which the Captain had come even close to utilizing every aspect of her diverse arsenal. The closest she ever came to fully utilizing her skills was when she had fought Taishokukane and the occasional group lesson that Celes oversaw. The former was a matter of principle though. The Zanpakutō had shown himself to be a threat and needed to be dealt with accordingly. Besides, he had proven himself to be a worthy opponent. The group lessons on the other hand were simply in creating a fair challenge for the more experienced participants. The average Shinigami could not handle one of her serious punches. Her playful attitude in fights was usually to avoid outright killing her sparring partners. Kimiko was no different in this case. 

Nevertheless, the prospect of a serious bout with her disciple was exciting for the Captain. Kimiko had techniques that the Captain had never seen before. Techniques that she would be curious to face off against. Besides that, was the Third Seats Shikai and Bankai. Celes had gotten a taste of it during their battle with Taishokukane and it left the Captain hungry for more. She wanted to see all that the Third Seat was capable of. In some ways, Celes hoped that Kimiko would eventually take Captaincy of the Eleventh Division just as she did with the Tenth. It would have been the culmination of all her growth and experience, but at the end of the day, Celes knew that Kimiko would have to ultimately make that decision. For now, there were other conversations to be had.

That conversation would arise as the Captain addressed the interest that she saw within the Third Seat. It seemed that she had also overheard the conversation of the nearby men. Some haunted dojo. After asking her about it, Kimiko gave an answer.  "Maybe...?" Celes was not buying it at all. She knew that her disciple was interested in this location. Her bashfulness made it even more apparent. As she began to dig into the rest of the chicken wing, Celes thought about it some more. "Hauntings... in Soul Society? Given the nature of spiritual energy, I'm not going to discount it, but.. that's a belief reserved for the World of the Living..." Superstitions, in Celes' mind, was more of an idea brought about by a lack of understanding. They were all deceased souls. Ghosts in a way. Yet they did not refer to themselves as such.

Soon though, her pondering would be interrupted by the Third Seat. Seemingly eager as another glint sparked, she'd address the situation. "I do kinda want to check it out," She'd begin talking in between chomps, leaving Celes with a sly smile. "I know there's a bunch of other buildings around Rukongai, but... I don't know if a lot of people will just let me get one for myself just like that. I don't even know if I could build one." Her tone carried a disappointment with it. She had the resolve to pursue her goals... the burning passion and yet she lacked basic necessities to make a goal like this into reality. The Captain simply nodded in response. 

Regardless of her personal desires, Kimiko would bring up a fair point regardless. "Also, I mean... we'll need to check that place out eventually. I don't think it makes a lot of sense for something in the Soul Society to be haunted..." This echoed Celes' own thoughts which caused the Captain to let out a slight sigh. Stepping away from the table, Celes made sure to throw away the empty box which was at this point merely stained with the saucy leftovers of the spicy chicken. As she returned to her seat, she'd cup her cheek once more. She seemed to stare off into space, tapping her fingers against her cheek now, giving a small sigh.

She'd shrug momentarily before speaking. "Well, you do provide a good point... on both accounts." Her eyes drifted down to meet those of her student. "As you said, hauntings are not really something that is normal for Soul Society given that we are all... well ghosts. At least in some way..." Her own admission of it made it sound sillier than it actually was when she said out loud. With one hand, the Captain would straighten out her Haori and Shihakusho as she seemed that she was about to rise. Before she did though, the Captain pointed at the leftover box of food that the Third Seat was digging into. "You gonna finish those on the way or eat them now?" She gave a slight wink, taking the cup of iced tea into her hand and quickly downing it in several gulps, lightly slamming the glass cup onto the table.

[Nakajima Kimiko]

Ghosts have always been somewhat of a topic of contention for Kimiko back when she was a Human of the Living World. Back then, whenever she saw someone talk about a spirit or she watched a video showing a spirit online, she would think that it was a bit creepy, but she never really would think much of it. They aren't real, she would tell herself then, just stories made up from noises in the wind or strange light reflections. Now that she herself was a spirit, the way she sees that particular subject has completely changed, and now she obviously believes in them and literally almost every mythological story that has been written down in the past. All of them, without exception, were practically talking about either a normal spirit who unfortunately had the misfortune to find themselves in horrible situations with Humans, a Human carrying spiritual energy that allowed them to do incredible feats of strength or even miracles, and monstrous Hollows who were somehow seen by Humans while they wandered the Living World. For all they know, Jesus was a literal Fullbringer and his believers are none the wiser even to this day.

But all of that knowledge, all of those beliefs, were solely kept for events occurring within the Living World. At least, Kimiko thought of them as such. In essence, that world is meant only for, well, the living. If you are not a Human who is currently alive, meaning that you are still connected to your physical body by your Chain of Fate, then you are not supposed to remain within the Living World and need to return in one way or another to the realm you're supposed to be distributed to, which is either the Soul Society, Hueco Mundo, or Hell. This is why every soul who remain within the Living World - be they a Plus, a Shinigami, a Hollow, a Hellion, or somehow something else that is primarily of a spiritual nature - are all invisible to the eyes of Humans. This is also why it is very rare for Humans to actually witness these things, as the only way to actually perceive any of those things is to be in contact with them for an extended amount of time, which inadvertently leads them to make stories about them. That is how you get quite literally every pieces of folklore in existence, or that ghost show that is still is popular in Japan even to this day.

To summarize, this means that ghosts cannot exist in the Soul Society. In a world which is meant for Pluses to remain until their final end, the residents of the celestial realm cannot see or witness anything that could possess the attributes of a ghost or spirit, for they are all literally spirits. This is because all of them, without exception, are currently detached from their physical body, and so they are consequently capable of seeing everything that is spiritual, which is why most new Pluses tend to quite literally experience an existential crisis whenever they die and start seeing things they never have before. Moreover, once these Pluses actually die here, they do not become the spirit of a spirit yet again as that quite literally makes no sense; after all, a Plus is formed from the soul which resides within the physical body. instead, they simply join the cycle of souls or, if they were evil during their stay here, go to Hell and become demons.

If what the travelers were talking about was actually true, then that means that some residents of Rukongai have somehow actually been able to transcend death and live as "ghosts" within that dojo. Coincidentally, this could make them work similarly to a Demi-Hollow, a Plus bound to a certain location that cannot leave due to their eventual transformation into a Hollow. However, Kimiko did not believe that. Ever since she has become a Plus and arrived here in the Soul Society, she has seen many supernatural events occur. She has also been taught about how souls and spiritual energy work back at the Academy, and she likes to believe she has a good grasp over at least the main principles one needs to know about the both of those things. In so doing, she knows that the probability of these residents to actually be "ghosts" was quite minimal. If anything, it was most likely the works of something else... and though it was obviously true that she was interested in possibly getting that dojo for herself instead of purchasing a building with the meager budget she has, she also wanted to see what that was about.

So, she would explain her side of things to Celes as she continued to chomp onto her fried chicken wings, finishing the one that she was currently holding in her hands before moving onto the other one with evident excitement and insistence. She would tell her about her lacking choices regarding what to buy and the fact that they would need to eventually head there so as to check it out themselves. She would also tell them of the strangeness of a haunted location and what she thought about it. Of course, the Captain understood. Like the Third Seat, she too didn't believe that this whole haunting thing was normal, and she also seemingly had the same reasons as to why even if her tone about this whole thing was rather hesitant. It would appear as though, despite being interested by the matter herself, she was not entirely sure she really wanted to go, probably because she believed it could be dangerous due to the matter of their Inner Hollows.

For a moment, Kimiko would appear a bit annoyed by this hesitation, giving her friend a quiet stare as she munched on the meat of her chicken wing. They had talked about this shortly after the matter with Shizukakane and Taishokukane was settled, about how overly protective she was in some cases, and she wanted her to remember what they had discussed. It was okay to be protective, but it was not okay for her to be overly so; after all, that was what led them to the mess they were able to unravel together. Fortunately for her, Celes would eventually abandon her hesitation and prepare herself to leave. On one hand, this made Kimiko relieved and quite happy to see that her mentor was treating to treat her less like a child and more as a proper warrior. On the other hand... she hadn't finished her food. "Oh, yeah, uh... give me a minute," she would tell the Captain as she realized her current predicament. From there on out began what could only be called a very speedy consumption.

When the two of them eventually left the store, the swordswoman's lips and fingers were burning a bit from the spices and cocoa tea. In a spectacular showcase of speed, she had actually eaten absolutely everything that remained within the fried chicken box except the terrible bones and drank the entirety of her teacup's content. It probably lasted about a few seconds or so, and given how swift she was, barely anybody around her had actually seen her consume. The only one who could was Celes, and she would have been shown something the likes of which probably was better fit in those competitions within the Living World within which some people are encouraged to eat food as quickly as they possibly can. It was unfortunately a bit unsightly, but the way she sped through the remaining food and drink was more than just a bit superhuman. This was very literally the kind of speed that would easily surpass the ones shown by a few Captains.

Now that she was done, tough, and was heading down the path towards the 40th, she was feeling full. Very full. Maybe a bit too much. Though her body was quick, her digestive system was a bit less so, and it showed as she held onto her stomach. Good thing she has wiped her hands with the tissue the waitress of that coffee shop has left them before they made their exit. "Ugh, man... I'm never doing that again... That was too fast," she would mutter as she trekked forward by her Captain's side. Luckily enough, given that they were starting to walk, she was at the very least starting to burn a minimal amount of calories. All that food she ingested will most likely disappear by the time they would head further down western Rukongai. "Alright... They said the dojo was in the 40th. It's a bit far away, but we could maybe reach it in about an hour if we head there fast." She would continue to walk on quietly for a moment before she stopped and looked towards her friend with a smile. "We can have a race if you wanna. I don't know what kind of reward the winner would get, though."

[Celes Castellanos]

Even as Celes gave her reasoning for following Kimiko's train of thought, Celes kept a close eye on her disciple. She was not sure how or why, but she could tell that something about this was bothering her. The quite stare that was shot at her certainly was an indication of that. It was as if the Third Seat was upset about something. Though of what, Celes was not sure. She was agreeing with the Third Seat after all, deeming her rationale valid and her argument sound. Regardless of such, Celes would provide little pushback even if it did annoy her the tiniest bit. Downing her drink and preparing to leave, Celes noted the Third Seat's food, asking her if she was going to finish it with an idle smirk. 

It seemed that this along with her gradual acknowledgment would begin to lift Kimiko from her angry stupor. With a hint of shock, the Third Seat spoke. "Oh, yeah, uh... give me a minute," Celes raised an eyebrow, settling into her seat as she waited. She had to admit that the approaching display would be nothing less than both shocking and impressive. She would begin eating at incredible speeds, truly showcasing her supernatural agility even among Shinigami. While the movements would be difficult to keep up for anyone spectating, Celes' accustomed eyes were able to follow without major difficulty. Regardless, she would still be a little worried. After all... what happened if she choked? 

Sighing briefly after she finished, Celes rose to her feet, preparing to leave. Straightening out her Shihakushō, tightening her Haori, and gently shifting her Zanpakutō, the Captain would be ready to go. It seemed that the Third Seat would be ready to follow suit. Before leaving, Celes pulled out another set of coins to cover the drinks that they had ordered. Stretching with a grunt and an audible crack of her bones, the Captain began to follow along the tiled road that lay beside the dirt floor that made up much of the Rukongai. With a quick step, Kimiko made her way next to Celes, accompanying her to the 40th District. 

Unfortunately, it seemed as though the Third Seat had some lingering regrets as she groaned. "Ugh, man... I'm never doing that again... That was too fast," This certainly helped ease the tension and anticipation that the Captain was feeling as she laughed briefly, patting Kimiko on her back. "Well, that's what happens when you scarf down your food like that. You're lucky that you didn't choke!" She'd chuckle softly at the idea, wondering whether they could really choke from food. It wasn't really something that she encountered, but Kimiko's recent display perhaps gave her some reason to wonder. She had limited CPR knowledge. She had a vague understanding of the Heimlich and of chest compressions, but she was always too worried about outright crushing the chest of others. 

Celes shook her head, dismissing the thought. They had more important things to take care of at the moment. As Kimiko spoke, Celes groaned softly. "Alright... They said the dojo was in the 40th. It's a bit far away, but we could maybe reach it in about an hour if we head there fast." She'd mutter softly. "Damn... I keep forgetting just how big the Rukongai is at times. You'd think that we could be there in the blink of an eye with our speed..." She sighed briefly afterwards. The Rukongai truly was the residential area of the Soul Society. Tens... if not hundred of thousands... perhaps even more resided within the countless districts that spanned as far as the eye could see. 

Even despite her grievances though, it seemed that Kimiko would have quite the idea that may even make the journey move faster. "We can have a race if you wanna. I don't know what kind of reward the winner would get, though." Celes tilted her head up, looking at Kimiko with a sly grin. The Third Seat and the Captain had raced many times over the course of their relationship. Among Shinigami, they were some of the fastest around and it was fun to put that speed to the test. Even as an Academy Student, Kimiko possessed agility that was far beyond her peers. Among all of their races, however, Celes would typically find herself the victor. Occasionally, she'd slow down a little to give the Third Seat a chance, but it was more akin to sympathy or even pity at times.

Regardless, something about the prospect of racing Kimiko again, especially after all of the negativity that surrounded their recent activities, seemed rather enticing. As she spoke, a small wink accompanied her grin. "A race you say. Well. I suppose it would make it more fun. Are you sure you want too though? History suggests that the odds do not favor you." In an utterly childish display, almost mimicking Yunorashi, the Captain stuck her tongue out at the Third Seat. She'd lightly tap her own cheek. "As for a reward... Hmmm..." She gave it a little thought, mulling over some ideas in her head, she grinned. "Oh! How about if I win, you owe me one bladeless spar! Redeemable anytime I wish." She'd grin again, thinking it over. "And if you win... how about I attend one of your classes as a student. No Haori. No rank. Merely participating in one of your classes and seeing what you have to offer. Sound like a deal?" She'd lightly tap her hand against her arm, that same confident grin still plastered all over her face.

[Nakajima Kimiko]

When Celes spoke her remark to Kimiko about her potentially choking on her food while eating so quickly, the Third Seat would find herself blinking, unsure of what to say for a moment. Choking on food...? Huh... How long has it been since she actually did that? It was a rather unexpected thing to think about, but the matter was so curious that it compelled her to legitimately think about it for the time during which she remained quiet. Over the course of the last two decades, she has gone to a plethora of different establishment which revolve around food. From there, she ate whatever knows how many meals, ranging from simple ramen bowls to more intrinsic creations like exotic seafood. Despite this, she has never once actually chocked on any of the food she ate. Even the larger meals didn't cause her to cough while she gulped it all down. It was all quite odd, and frankly, it made her somewhat question whether they could actually choke, given that they were both spirits. 

Ultimately, though, it didn't matter. She might not be able to choke from food, but she can still very much get stomachaches from eating so quickly, and it showed. Her stomach felt heavy now, and at times as she moved forward, it hurt. Each time she felt the pain hit her stomach, the Third Seat would find herself almost lamenting about her excessive eating for a bit longer. I really shouldn't have eaten so fast, she'd tell herself as she headed onward with a look of slight displeasure as she tried her best to not actually complain in front of her friend. Of course, that did not stop her from actually voicing her complaints. She just needed to voice them elsewhere, namely in her head. If I can't choke, when can I still get stomachaches? Why can't I just eat food the way I want? Ugh... This is so unfair. Alas, none of her complaints would provide her any physical relief. She will have to endure this terrible pain for the time being, with thoughts as dramatic as they possibly could be.

Eventually, these thoughts would disappear - or rather, they would be pushed away by another matter entirely - as she told Celes about the time it would take for them to reach the 40th western district. The swordswoman was not surprised to hear her friend's disappointment after she learned of how long this travel time would be. Rukongai is quite simply an immense location. Even now, after having crossed it so many times before during various patrols for the Eleventh, she would find herself being surprised by its utter vastness. She could not quite remember the measurements that had been given to her back when she was a student of the Academy, but if she could remember at least a brief estimate of them, the totality of Rukongai was easily more than ten times the size of Tokyo. This was why most of the people within Rukongai would go around talking about how it takes about ten days to go from one of the Seireitei gates to the other at an adequate pace.

There was, however, a difference between the two officers and these people. The grand majority of the souls who remain within Rukongai are more often than not people who have remained within the Living World as normal Humans. If you ignore the people who have specifically dedicated their lives to something that is physically demanding such as heavy-duty construction work or sports, they will not physically remarkable. Even if a soul was indeed a dedicated manual worker or a sportsman, they probably are also part of the majority who cannot wield spiritual energy, and so they are forever incapable of going at a faster pace than what is to be expected from a normal Human. In comparison, Shinigami possess spiritual energy and so are endowed with the ability to surpass normal physical heights. Moreover, they also have access to the spiritual arts, namely Hohō, something which both Celes and Kimiko have access to.

This fact was what pushed Kimiko to suggest that they race to the 40th district. On one hand, it was indeed something that was rather childish in hindsight. She did somewhat want this to be a game, a test to see who was the fastest between the two, as she after all believed herself to be the most skillful Hohō practitioner between she and her friend. Well, that, and she also simply wanted to have some fun with her friend, which was something that regrettably does not happen very often anymore due to their duties and all that's happened between them lately. On the other hand, this was also the only way for them to reach that place in a relatively-reasonable amount of time. Should they decide to walk there at a relatively-tranquil pace, it will most likely them more than entire days to get there, which was probably what the travelers from before had to endure to even reach the coffee shop they've left as they reached the outskirts of the 8th district. Should they make this a contest of speed, they will most likely indeed be there under an hour.

The Captain was of course optimistic towards the idea. Even though it was merely a suggestion, she already seemed to be having with it, taking shots at Kimiko and taunting her just a little bit. Seeing her boast so childishly over the fact the Third Seat was usually the loser in these contests of speed would make this aforementioned Third Seat smile in amusement. "Well... the last time we had to go somewhere fast, I was almost as fast as you," she would shoot back almost cockily. This was in reference to the time they've spent in her Inner World, back when they had to reach Taishokukane's domain together. She probably should have felt bad about remembering that particular memory, but the moment didn't make her feel bad at all. If anything, the fact that she was recalling that particular element of it was enough to make her almost feel proud about the fact she almost bested Celes' maximum speed. "Maybe I'll be faster than you this time. Who knows?"    

Shortly after she spoke, a deal would be suggested. If Celes wins, Kimiko will have to fight her in a blade-less spar at any time the Captain wishes it to occur, and if Kimiko wins, Celes will have to attend one of Kimiko's classes as her student. The thought of imagining herself having to face her friend in hand-to-hand combat was enough to make the Third Seat sweat a bit. Again, her friend was much more superior than her in this field of expertise, and quite frankly, she simply did not want to spar with her in such a way until she masters her aforementioned new technique. With that said, actually having said friend enter her dojo not as a higher officer or even a mentor, but rather as her own student was extremely interesting. Just thinking about the potential of teaching something new to Celes was almost making her a bit prideful already. "Hm... Okay. Deal," she would tell the Captain with a bit of excitement in her voice.

With that said, she would then look forward towards the road ahead. Even though the race hasn't even started yet, she could feel the adrenaline starting to pump itself into her veins. In so doing, she would jump in place a bit as she prepared herself to move forward, then stretch. "Alright, let's start in three seconds," she would tell her friend before she positioned herself by pressing her shoulders downward and her right leg slightly behind her. Eventually, a countdown would start. "Three..." Her eyes grew wide with excitement as the anticipation of the challenge began to fill her mind. "Two..." Her spiritual pressure started to rise, causing the ground behind her to slightly crack underneath her feet. "One..." The ground would crack further beneath her feet as the pressure grew even more, then... "GO!" With a loud cry, she moved at maximum speed with Shunpo towards the road ahead, causing a small spiritual blast to occur where she stood. It was small, just about as big as where she stood, really, but it was powerful enough to cause a small crater to appear underneath where she previously was.

As they say, may the best win.