Where Dead Dreams Sleep

[Celes Castellanos]

"Well... the last time we had to go somewhere fast, I was almost as fast as you," Kimiko admittedly did bring up a good point though Celes had already considered that. She was impressed with the progress of her disciple. She clearly had her own set of skills, honing them to the point where she felt that she could teach others. Celes silently nodded her head. After teasing and prodding the Third Seat for her challenge, the response she received in return was surprising. "Maybe I'll be faster than you this time. Who knows?" Some may have taken it as a hit to their pride. Others may have snapped back in response to such a bold claim. Celes on the other hand only grinned in response. 

She had to admit that she loved the confidence of her student. It was as if she wanted to prove herself that she was equal to the Captain. Whether that was a true assessment or not remained to be seen, but the Captain enjoyed the little banter between them. It kept both of them on their toes. Always striving for more. Having met as a Vice-Captain, Celes found herself having easily surpassed Kimiko many times, but as time flowed on, the Captain found that her student began closing that gap faster and faster. Especially after having achieved Bankai, Kimiko was already rivaling Vice-Captains. Hell, perhaps she could even hold her own against a Captain.

The very thought excited her. Celes would allow this excitement to show itself as she proposed the terms for the loser of their little race. Challenging Kimiko to a Hakuda match. It was something that Celes had wanted to do for a while. She knew where her students' strengths resided. Her excellent swordsmanship and agility. Both rivaled those of Celes. While Celes one of the foremost Hakuda masters, Kimiko was a master of Zanjutsu. With this dojo of hers, Celes was sure that Kimiko would excel and eventually easily surpass her in Zanjutsu. Speaking of her dojo, Celes was not opposed to the idea of enrolling in a class as a student. In fact, the idea seemed somewhat appealing to her. Unfortunately, the idea of sparring with Hakuda seemed too great to pass up. Besides... she could always do both if she won... 

After hearing the terms, Kimiko seemed to find them agreeable. As she agreed, however, Celes smiled. That smile would soon become a grin. This grin, however, would be a little different. It was joyous and excited, yes, but it also seemed... predatory. As if the prey had just sealed its fate as the hunter watched from afar. It would reveal itself for mere moments before the feeling faded away and Celes closed her eyes, smiling once more. "Fantastic! Then allow me to wish you best of luck!" She'd give Kimiko a friendly bump on the shoulder as she moved to the middle of the road. As if on demand, Kimik would begin the preparations. "Alright, let's start in three seconds," The Captain nodded.

Taking a much lower stance, sliding one foot backwards, Celes' form mimicked that of sprinter. Keeping the form was not difficult at all given her incredible strength. Despite that though, her form would not be rigid. Quite the opposite. Celes would appear somewhat relaxed as she took several deep breaths in. Almost as if totally synced with her disciple, Celes' breath punctuated each number as the countdown hit. "Three..." As if performing her final checks, Celes gave her muscles a quick jolt, flexing them. "Two..." Rising alongside Kimiko's excitement was the Third Seat's spiritual pressure. It would become quite evident due to the proximity... besides, Celes knew that she had difficulties with keeping it under control at times. Regardless, Celes chuckled and decided to return the display though utilizing her own skills.

Flexing her leg, Celes gave the ground beneath her small kick. Seemingly inconspicuous, Celes was controlled and disciplined. A low, localized tremor soared through the ground around them. Almost nobody else would be able to feel it but Kimiko since she was nearest. The shockwave, entirely harmless, would resonate through the Third Seat's entire body. It was like a low rumble that shot through her for a moment. Looking over, the Captain smirked for a moment before focusing her attention back on the road before them. "One..." They were almost there. Every second felt like an eternity at this point. Celes closed her eyes, eagerly waiting for that final announcement. Finally, Kimiko would announce the magic words. "GO!"

Just as quickly as they had closed, Celes opened her eyes and together with Kimiko executed a high-speed Shunpo! To the eyes of spectators, the two of them would just disappear from sight. The only sign that remained as proof being several foot-sized indents that rested in the otherwise pristine path. That and a bit of spiritual energy which softly crackled from their starting locations. Otherwise, the two Shinigami would be off, moving at supersonic speeds that others could only dream off. Among the Captains, Celes only heard rumors of two comparable speedsters. Among Soul Society as a whole, they were certainly the minorities. It was hard to find another fast Shinigami. They had to have fun where they could...

Speaking of speed, Celes' Shunpo would move at a speed of 6000, entirely comparable to that of her disciple. As she moved, she could feel the air rush past her. The Captain always did love the sensation. This feeling of freedom as she rushed from place to place at unimaginable speeds. This would be no different. Unfortunately, she was in a competition. However, Celes wanted to have some fun with it. Since the two of them had their encounter within the Third Seat's Inner World, Celes had undergone some improvements. She had become much faster. For now, however, she was going to have some fun. Having come out of their comparable speeds, Celes would not speed up all too much. In fact, she'd match her speed with the Third Seat's before pushing it just a tad bit higher, doing her best to stay just a hair ahead of her. She could go much faster, but then again... where was the fun in that!

[Nakajima Kimiko]

There was a split-second there as Celes and Kimiko settled their agreements with this little contest of theirs during which the Third Seat noticed something. For that very brief moment, a time which probably only lasted a second or so at best, the smile that the Captain was giving to her turned from a friendly grin to something that was a bit more different in comparison. It was more intense, maybe even a little bit... predatory. Needless to say, seeing it was enough to cause Kimiko to feel a bit taken aback at first, as she was after all still not used to her friend's portray any emotion but soft kindness. Of course, as her instincts shot up from the sudden emotional pressure she felt, she didn't just stand there and took it. Instead, she would stare and grin back at her with a look that radiated power, much like the one she sported back then when they were both in her Inner World. She was not sure what the Captain had in mind for this race, but she wanted her to know that no matter what is thrown at her, she will win.

Shortly after this moment solidified the competitiveness of the situation, the both of them would ready themselves for the race to come. This would cause a few of the people passing by them to turn their attention towards them in brief confusion. Some would briefly talk to one another to express their bewilderment, openly wondering what this was supposed to be about and why they must do it here, while others - namely the younger folk of this particular district - would simply quiet down and watch in anticipation. It was very clear that the Third Seat's countdown was causing them to experience the rising tension which started to build around the two Shinigami officers, and for some, this phenomenon would cause them to be a fair bit excited by the prospect. Only the children would be so bold as to begin openly wondering about who was going to win between the two. Well, them and the vaguely-interested adults who had nothing else to do.

The talking should have somewhat discouraged Kimiko. In a way, it was a bit embarrassing to actually hear what they were saying. She would hear a few complain about the fact they were going to potentially cause trouble, while she would hear others actually bet on who was going to win. However, the more she found herself listening to them, the more electric the atmosphere around her became. None of this was serious or had any sort of prize at the end of it that could be considered as important, yet it reminded the Third Seat of the time when she went at the arcades. It reminded her of the times when she would go at certain arcade booths with some of the people she met there to compete against them, of the cheering she would hear from the spectators who would watch her play, of their excitement. This was obviously not quite as comparable, but it nevertheless held a similar energy. That was enough to excite her just a bit more.

As she further prepared herself for the race, she would feel the tremors going through her body, which would cause her to briefly look towards her friend for a split-second. It was subtle, so much so that nobody in the vicinity would be able to notice that there have been any tremors to begin with, but the smirk that her friend gave her was enough of a hint for Kimiko to guess who was responsible for it. She was not quite sure of what Celes meant when she showed off that monstrous strength of hers. For all she knew, it was just a means for her to further show it off. However, the Third Seat was now definitely starting to believe that her friend was going to do something in order to win this race, something that was probably going to be a bit unfair. What that something was going to be, the scarlet-eyed officer currently had no idea, but she was going to make sure she would be slowed down by whatever the Captain had in mind.

Eventually, the time would come for the race to begin. Kimiko's countdown would reach zero, and from that point onward, all of the spectators that were previously merely standing near them would not be capable of following them anymore. All they would be able to hear was a sound akin to a small explosion as the Third's spiritual pressure was very briefly released onto the area where she previously stood, and all they would see would be the crater this release of energy has left behind alongside a few footprints that apparently had been smashed into the ground. Though some of the younger folk would attempt to gaze upon the farthest end of the road to see if they could somehow still follow the racing Shinigami, with a few even going as far as to reach the rooftops, they would not be able to see them anymore. They had gone supersonic, a speed that far surpassed theirs, and so they would be physically unable to even see them anymore.

But for as many bystanders they have potentially disappointed by going so fast, the Shinigami's shared excitement exploded tenfold. Kimiko, in particular, was exhilarated. As she rushed forward at a speed of 6000 with the aid of her Shunpo, she would feel the air flowing past her body and through her hair, causing it to appear disheveled. She would pass building after building as she remained onto the rooftops for maximum mobility, going at a sheer unsurpassed velocity that could be considered to be unmatched by many people of the Soul Society. It was nothing short of absolutely liberating and amazing, and to see herself having grown to such a height in a more positive context was definitely filling her with a bit of pride. A long time ago, back when she was a Human, she would have considered such speeds to be ridiculous and downright nauseating. However, now, it just made her feel like she was invincible.

Yet there was something that wasn't quite right in this race. While she would move onward with absolute velocity, she would notice that... Celes was faster than her! Yes, the Captain was indeed just a bit faster. Even as they flew by so many buildings so quickly, she could still see the lime-green hair of her friend flowing by not far from her position. The distance between one another was nothing that could be considered to be remarkable, but the mere fact that the Captain was still faster than her was enough to cause Kimiko to pout.  Come on... Faster!  The Third Seat would declare then as she boosted herself forward with two Shunpo in a row, blasting herself at even greater speeds forward in an attempt to go past her friend in what could only be considered as a brief burst of childishness. She was going to win this, damn it! She definitely was! And there was nothing in this world that was going to stop her from doing so!

Meanwhile, as she attempted to move so quickly towards the 40th, the people that filled the streets below would find themselves looking up as they would feel the wind somewhat rise where they stood. It was nothing to speak of, but it felt as though two figures passed over them on the rooftops above. Some even believed for a brief moment that planes had actually flew by, even though planes simply are never used within the Soul Society. They were not the only ones who were affected by this speed, as within Kimiko's Inner World, a certain old man would find himself suddenly facing a very sunny, yet windy day. It was quite a peculiar event, and needless to say, it was enough to garner his attention. To his interest, the Third Seat's thoughts would reply quickly with a brief summary of what was going on. He found the idea to be quite pleasantly interesting. Perhaps this could lead to a very interesting chain of events.

[Celes Castellanos]

As the race began, both women immediately shot forth, leaving a gust of spiritually charged wind in their wake. It was impressive really. Many Shinigami chose to pursue the spiritual arts. A potent spirit that could specialized in Kido. By comparison, Kimiko and Celes strove for a different kind of expertise. While others honed their spellwork, the two women trained their bodies. Agility complemented both teacher and student. Kimiko with her Zanjutsu expertise and Celes as a Hakuda specialist. Both had the agility to close the distance between them and their opponents before dealing a lethal blow, all before the opponent even knew what was happening. 

Among their peers, the two of them were incredible close quarters combatants. This race, however, would allow for a different side of them to be expressed. The fiercely competitive and playful sides that would make itself quite evident as they progressed further and further into their race. Coming out of the first burst of speed from a Shunpo, Celes found herself and Kimiko tied in positioning. Soon they'd race forward using their own natural agility. Despite her enjoyment in finally racing Kimiko again... despite her desire to be a good sport... there was a flame burning within Celes. The spirit of competition which steadily grew with each passing moment. She was fiercely determined to win, but... nobody said that she couldn't have some fun while doing so!

As they ran, Celes began to push forward. Her speed would increase ever so slightly above Kimiko's own. This would result in Celes slowly beginning to overtake her student. It would be so gradual that it may not be noticed at first, but after a few short moments, the additional speed would add up. Soon, Celes would have advanced just enough for Kimiko to notice the subtle increase in speed. Celes would maintain this speed, slowing down just enough to keep pace with the Third Seat. She could kick it up a notch. She could go much faster if she desired. After all, she put in the training. She had slacked on her strength conditioning in favor of focusing on both speed and strangely enough her reiatsu. The results had shown. She could easily surpass her movements from before.

Despite this miniscule difference in speed, Kimiko was not discouraged. Actually, quite the opposite. The Third Seat was invigorated and as such, she'd push herself harder. Just like that, Kimiko would excecute another Shunpo and the Third Seat suddenly disappeared from sight. The Captain blinked for a moment before grinning. She muttered to herself for a moment. "Oh, this is going to be good.." Celes executed a Shunpo of her own, but unlike before, this one would not be equivalent to Kimiko's one. Quite the opposite. She'd kick it up a notch. In a flash, she'd disappear in a puff of spiritual winds. Utilizing severa steps, Celes' speed would accelerate to a speed of 7000 for each one, easily eclipsing that of her student.

This Shunpo executed over several steps was not intended to overtake the Third Seat. No, she'd merely intend to use these two movements to catch up with her as she blazed past countless buildings in a flash, especially given that she had executed her movements after the Thid Seats'. Assuming that she caught up with Kimiko after the latter's consecutive Shunpo, Celes would appear next to Kimiko, a smile on her face. She did not bother speaking as the high speeds that they were traveling at likely would have distorted her words. Instead, the Captain merely gave a wink to her disciple as she maintained the same speed as Kimiko for a moment. 

As they kept moving, Celes sighed. She did not feel it yet, but ultimately the two of them would experience the consequences for such continuous movement if they kept it up. Such high intensity movement was incredibly straining, and it only grew worse the faster that beings of such agility moved. It was the price that had to be paid for such incredible speed. Short bursts of movement wouldn't be too bad, but it was those long stretches that would result in body aches and labored breathing. As they drew closer and closer with each passing moment, Celes excitement for the race regardless of her own condition would increase. It was now that her playful side would emerge.

Keeping in stride with her student, Celes would disappear for a moment. Among Hakuda practitioners, there was one notable technique that stood out among the rest. One that was more akin to Hohō. This would be that technique, Shukuchi-Ho. A movement that allowed the user to draw in closer to an opponent, dodge high speed attacks or even withdraw if needed. This made it ideal for mving in directions other than straight lines. Besides, Celes was not the average Shinigami who merely dabbled in Hakuda. She exceled in it and had a mastery that was rivaled by few others. With this mastery, she would rotate around Kimiko's body at a speed of 2400 before hopping upward ever so gently at a speed of 650. The result would be quite elegant if not childish.

Celes would be floating in the air for a few moments, facing Kimiko while still traveling at an impressive of speed of 650. From this elegant floating stance, she'd give the Third Seat a wink. In that short moment, Celes would been acting much more like Yunorashi than anything she had done thus far. It all seemed so childish for a Shinigami of her stature to do and yet she did it anyway. Shortly afterwards, she produced an Air Ground underneath her feet. All she needed was a modicum of reiatsu and a moment of contact. From there, she'd execute another Shukuchi-Ho. Assuming that Kimiko came into contact with the Air Ground, she'd likely find herself tearing through the spiritual footstep with little effort. In the meantime, Celes used the heightened speed rotate around Kimiko once more, touching the ground next to the disciple once more. As soon as she did, Celes began running at a speed just above Kimiko's again in an attempt to stay just a hair ahead of her. She had the biggest grin on her face.

Just as Kimiko's Inner World seemed to be a reflection of her own emotional state, a light and soothing breeze began to blow in Celes' own Inner World. Among the countless trees that stretched on and on, the young Zanpakutō Spirit sat atop the crown of one of many. Largely experiencing the outside world through Celes' own experiences and emotions, the young girl fell onto her back, elegantly laying upon the bed of leaves that was beneath her. She'd be laughing like crazy, unable to control herself as she had a small vision of Celes, her partner, performing the little wink. The laugh would echo throughout the Inner World, being carried upon the wind as she simply lay there, amused over the current circumstances.

[Nakajima Kimiko]

Speed has always been an important variable for the Shinigami of the Gotei 13 to consider during a fight. For many, it alone is something that can turn what appears to be an impossible fight at a glance into something that is much more manageable in hindsight. Some even consider this variable to most likely be the most important attribute a warrior may possess. Kimiko was one of those people who believed in such a thing. In her eyes, if you are capable of achieving such speeds that your opponent cannot see you, then you can brave even the mightiest of warriors without ever being touched once. It was why, despite being initially shocked by Wynne's ultimate strength, she was ultimately unimpressed by everything else that she had to offer and attempted to encourage her to focus on becoming a faster warrior above all. However, even the Third Seat was able to acknowledge that great speeds come at a cost. That cost, in this instance, was stamina.

During the course of her career, the scarlet-eyed woman has come to understand that, although the body can reach supernatural speed rather easily thanks to its spiritual nature, there will come a point where it will be unable to do so without asking for significant effort. She didn't have an accurate value to attach to this threshold, but every time she passed it in some way or another, she would be able to feel its toll on herself. The legs would start to hurt a bit until they potentially begin to develop cramps or strains, and the lungs would feel a bit heavier, which eventually would cause breathing difficulties. Considering that higher speeds tend to bring you into situations where you have access to less air, it is needless to say that this can be quite the detriment on top of the leg pain. Although one may be able to train as much as they can to avoid this problem, they cannot really do so in any physical fashion. There is simply no way, unless your spiritual metabolism is downright abnormal.

The only way to somewhat bypass this problem is to use techniques that enhance speed in an unorthodox fashion. This includes the likes of Shunpo and everything else that could be considered as being part of the Hohō repertoire - which really always just boil down to the application of spiritual energy onto the body more than anything else - and whatever it is Hollows can use to travel so quickly between realms. Mastering these techniques can allow one to accurately learn how to both use them at their maximum efficiency while also mitigating the disadvantages that come with breaking through the aforementioned threshold with them. This was why there are a few people within the Soul Society who can use Shunpo seemingly without any limit at all, causing them to both appear as though they have long since transcended the threshold and as being so far above that they do not consider the threshold has being something to worry about.

Kimiko herself has not reached that point yet and, in a way, perhaps she never will. She is most definitely knowledgeable in the likes of Hohō and knows much about it, but she has not totally dedicated herself to it unlike a few other key individuals within the Gotei 13. Hell, there are quite a few techniques that are simply inaccessible to her within the Hohō repertoire because they solely revolve around the use of Hakuda or Kidō in one way or another, the first being a fighting style that she has deliberately ignored in favor of Zanjutsu and the second being something that will seemingly be forever impossible for her to access. However, even if her mastery over Hohō is incomplete, her limited knowledge nevertheless allows her to move forward with the aid of Shunpo without requiring as much effort. This was why she appeared less tired than Celes as they moved onward towards the 40th, and why she still believed she had a chance to overpower the Captain in time.

With that said, this overpowering was going to take some time, as the race really has just begun. The Third Seat could tell that, for as much as she boasted about potentially being faster than Celes, the Captain was still faster than her. She was not quite sure if the difference in speed was only marginal or that she was outright just holding back an even greater ability, but regardless, the difference was there. The fact that that difference even existed caused her competitive heart to be set ablaze. Her eyes grew wider, shining bright with a will to win, and her teeth clenched against one another as she attempted to boost herself forward just a little bit further. She was not going to let herself accept defeat so easily! Definitely not! It was thus with this confidence that her feet smashed themselves against the grounds and rooftops she covered, bringing in as much strength as she could out of her powerful legs to make sure she could muster as possible.

But then, as she headed onward, her friend did something she would have not thought to be possible at such velocities. With a supreme amount of confidence that somehow surpassed Kimiko's, she would suddenly approach the Third Seat with the aid of a Hakuda technique. Though she has obviously never used it herself, she was able to recognize the technique Celes used in the moment thanks to the many spars she has had with Binita back at the quarters of the Eleventh Division: it was Shukuchi-Ho, a maneuver designed for those who wish to directly invade someone's space as quickly as possible. At first, the Third Seat was not sure of why the Captain would want to use such a technique, as after all, they were heading onward with such speeds that she could accidentally crash into a building if she was not careful with it. However, it would not take long for the poor Shinigami officer to understand why she was doing this.

It took Kimiko a moment to properly register all that's happened once the Captain returned to a more favorable position for this sprint. In this moment, she would simply stare at her friend with an incredulous look, as though there was seemingly a glitch in the machine. Eventually, however, a blush would come, and soon, the brightness in her eyes would turn into a blinding fire. Her right eye would then start to twitch, and a vein could be seen on the left side of her forehead as she smirked more angrily. It was quite the face to make, one of utmost comical fury.  Oooooooh, okay, so that's how it's going to be? Alright. Alright.  The thoughts in her mind would pile on rather quickly as she immediately started wondering about what she would do now as she would stare at Celes with that angry smirk of hers. Eventually, she would push herself up towards greater heights before grabbing onto Shizukakane's hilt. "Quieten, Shizukakane!"

A burst of white "ink" energy would then suddenly surge from the Shinigami as she maintained her pace behind Celes. It followed behind her like a drawn veil, a touch that hummed quietly with great spiritual energy and, from the looks of it... Shizukakane's own competitive spirit somewhat breaking through. If it didn't, the sheer amount of "ink" surrounding Kimiko wouldn't be so omnipresent, and her body wouldn't suddenly jut forward so rapidly as the energy flowed through the Third Seat's body. For all intents and purposes, she was now most likely moving at a base speed of 900, making her Shunpo jumps go to 9000. This was obviously nothing short of an exaggerated response to Celes' taunting, especially given that this was supposed to be nothing more than a friendly race, but Kimiko really did not care about any of that in the moment. The Captain had asked for it, and so she was going to deliver! "I'm going to beat you, Celes!" She called proudly with that angry smile of hers as she rushed onward, doing so with such strength that her voice carried over the winds. "I'm going to beat you so haaaard!!"

Needless to say, it was a good thing that she wasn't on the ground anymore, else all of those Shunpo jumps that would follow this burst would be noticed by practically every citizen of Rukongai walking down the streets below.

[Celes Castellanos]

Executing her Shukuchi-Ho with flawless efficiency, allowing her to taunt the other Shinigami as she gave her a knowing wink, Celes would return beside the Third Seat before breaking into a sprint once more. In Celes' mind, it was all in good fun. Her spirit of competition had turned into a playful attitude akin to her Zanpakutō Spirit, Yunorashi. Much like her, Celes thought nothing of it in the moment. She merely wished to play around with Kimiko, allowing her free-spirited side to emerge. As she looked at Kimiko, giving her a smile, the Captain would only be met with incredulity. It was as if something had short-circuited within the Third Seat. As if she could not believe that Celes would ever do something such as this. 

As a blush suddenly touched Kimiko's cheeks, this shy response would begin to heat up. Soon, it would begin to boil over. Before Celes knew it, the Third Seat was now giving her an angry smirk. An eye twitch. The whole nine yards. In fact, for a moment, Celes was wondering if Kimiko was about to hit her... Fortunately, this was not on the Third Seat's mind. Unfortunately for Celes, Kimiko would grab hold of one of her Zanpakutō. Celes' eyes widened. The Captain gave her a look, muttering just loud enough for Kimiko to hear above the soaring winds. "You wouldn't dare..." Suddenly, Kimiko exclaimed her release phrase. "Quieten, Shizukakane!" A torrent of ink leapt forth from Kimiko as they raced atop of the roofs of the Rukongai. 

The white ink would converge upon Kimiko, flowing across her body, creating something akin to a wispy trail. Suddenly, Kimiko's accelerated. Celes' eyes widened as Kimiko began to outpace her. She quickly sped up. Once more, Kimiko increased again. This back and forth would continue until Celes was forced to run at her maximum speed. Still it wasn't enough. As much as she pushed herself, Kimiko was still racing ahead of her. Suddenly the Captain heard the Third Seat. Her voice was furious and determined. "I'm going to beat you, Celes!" The Captain's eyes widened as Kimiko roared once more. "I'm going to beat you so haaaard!!" Then with a sudden burst of spiritual energy, the Third Seat disappeared, committing to her Shunpo jumps that rocketed her forward.

Celes looked onward, still moving at a speed of 800. She softly growled, muttering under her breath. "Damn her. That was not part of the race!" Celes' own spiritual pressure began to surge as the Captain heard a voice. It was the voice of Yunorashi, her Zanpakutō Spirit. Experiencing what she could through the shot glimpses of insight and Celes' own emotions, the assertive Spirit had an idea of what happened. Suddenly, her voice roared to life as she exclaimed. "Hey! That's cheating! She can't do that?!" Yunorashi pouted for a moment as her voice seemed to address Celes. "Well don't just stand there! Go ahead. Catch up with her!" Celes blinked, shaking her head.

The Captain yelled. "She's too fast. Rhythm Beat will take a moment to execute, and my movements would have to be practically perfect." The Spirit rolled her eyes. "Use your Bankai, silly! She used her Shikai. It's only fair that you use everything you have!" Celes' eyes widened. She was hesitant. Bankai was not merely a toy to be used! Then again, Yunorashi did have a point. Kimiko did resort to using her Shikai. Besides, she had her Zanpakutō's blessing. What more would she need. Celes simply nodded, her resolve suddenly bolstered. She gripped the hilt of her Zanpakutō and breathed calmly. Her Bankai was not a power she called upon often, but perhaps it was time. "Okay, let's do this!" As she spoke, her voice and Yunorashi's would suddenly intermingle as they spoke seemingly in unison. "Unfurl your Wings and Fly as a Tengu, Kishin Yunorashi".

As she finished, a burst of spiritual pressure leapt forth from her. It quickly sped outward, able to be felt by others seemingly miles away. The Zanpakutō she once held glowed a crimson red, quickly disappearing in a flash of light. As the projection formed around her, however, it would feel quite different. It felt more compact. Denser. As the armor reminiscent of ancient, mythical creatures known as Tengu formed, it clung to her skin more like traditional armor. It swiftly shrouded her torso, extending to her arms and legs. Traditional spectral robes suddenly covered her Haori and Shihakushō. A masked visage formed around her head. Fiery red hair sprouted from atop the head and a long nose formed. Finally, paper-like wings rose from her back, flapping once. Despite being a projection, this suit of armor would be appeared incredibly solid and while it did not look it, it was as hard as steel. Celes exclaimed in utter surprise. "What is this?!" Suddenly, the Spirit giggled and spoke. "This is merely a form that your Bankai can take. Consider it like a condensed form. Anyway! Go!" Celes nodded, running along the rooftops like a mythical demon of old before she resolved to reach Kimiko.

Suddenly, the Captain felt herself accelerating. First 850... suddenly 900. Soon she was moving at an astounding speed of 1000. It was as if the armor fortified her moments, allowing her to accelerate to even higher speeds. That wasn't it though. As she pushed herself to move faster, it felt easier. It was as if she was moving at much slower speeds in terms of the amount of strain she felt. The armor further reinforced her body to be able to move at higher speeds for much longer stretches of time. For a moment, as she reached 1000, her own vision began to blur. She was not used to it. She couldn't relent. She had to push herself. Her speed suddenly increased again. Soon she was moving at speeds of 1100. Finally, 1200. This was the peak. She felt a rush unlike any other. It was time to catch up! With a sudden burst of reiatsu, the Shinigami accelerated to speeds of 12000!

It was faster than anything she had ever done! She'd execute Shunpo after Shunpo at this overwhelming speed in an attempt to catch up with Kimiko. If she did, the Captain would slow down to a speed of 900 to match that of her disciple. In that moment, the masked Captain clad in armor, looked over at Kimiko. Her visage would be menacing as she grinned. The spirit of competition once more blazing within her soul, the Captain roared. "Let's see if you can keep up!" With that, Celes pressed forward, quickly accelerating to speeds of 1000, then 1050. By this point, the Captain's movements would be blurry to even the Third Seat. Finally she'd push herself to 1100, keeping this pace and striding ahead of Kimiko. No longer would she merely try to keep pace. Victory took initiative. She'd win this no matter the cost!

[Nakajima Kimiko]

All it took was a single bout of taunting. In what appeared to be an instant, what was meant to solely be but a simple and amicable race between two friends had turned into something much more competitive. No longer was the atmosphere surrounding the two officers as they rushed from rooftop to rooftop cheerful; rather, it was now electric and fierce. It was such that, as they passed by countless civilians who merely minded their business down in the streets of Rukongai, they would find themselves looking up in wonder from what caused the whole mood of the area to change so abruptly, to turn from something akin to peace after a storm to the passing of a brief blast of condensed wind. For a moment, some would believe that some kind of important battle that would decide the fate of the Soul Society as a whole had suddenly occurred in the blink of an eye. Of course, that was ridiculous, and so they would rapidly return to their daily activity. However, for Kimiko, it might as well have been.

The "ink" that coursed through her veins shot her forward at what could only be considered to be an intense velocity. Refined over the last few years due to its countless use within her Inner World as she trained with Shizukakane, it brought with it the exact same emotions she once experienced during that faithful battle against the infected who invaded the celestial realm: both calm and excitement at once. The difference between now and then, however, was that her adversaries were different. At the time of the invasion, her enemy was the infected, the ones who had fallen and turned into terrible, unsightly things. Now, it was Celes, the attitude that she has shown to her, and the speed that she has shown which was somehow superior to hers. These were two vastly different times, and the methods of which used to confront the two were both vastly different. Nevertheless, she was going to confront this much like the previous encounter: with great power.

The Third Seat was obviously aware of how childish this emotional burst of her was. It was ridiculous. Absolutely, utterly ridiculous. She was using her Shikai in a very irresponsible fashion right in the middle of Rukongai right above who knows how many civilians. Sure, it wasn't really a Shikai that could endanger their lives, but the release of spiritual energy was definitely noticeable. Worse yet, she wasn't even using it in a conventional battle or for something serious, just for a little race between herself and the Captain of the Tenth. Despite this, as the burst of absolute supernatural speed she experienced launched her straight forward right past Celes, she would find herself not even caring in the slightest about the possible consequences she might suffer from this after this reaches its conclusion. She wanted to beat Celes, to prove to her that she was the speedier warrior now, and that she would not accept any disrespect from her part!

For a while, as she passed rooftop after rooftop shortly after blitzing right past Celes, it seemed as though that was what was going to happen. Though Celes may indeed be somehow faster when it purely came to the physicals, Kimiko's Shikai easily allowed her to surpass that number. The "ink" was simply too beneficial for the Captain to surpass through normal means, too great of a boost. In a way, even though she had now taken the lead, having to rely on it and her boosting technique to actually win here wasn't really something that satisfied the Third Seat, as she would have much preferred being faster than her through those aforementioned normal means. It would have been a greater reflection of her evolution as a Shinigami. That, and she also couldn't help but feel as though having to rely on her Shikai at all could be counted as cheating in this race, even if Shizukakane was telling her that it didn't. In the end, though, she didn't care. She was winning right about now, and that was what mattered to her.

In this blissful moment, the Third Seat went on. She would pass rooftop after rooftop with such great speeds that it made her feel freer than ever. At one point, she even began to wonder about potentially going at such speeds during other occasions as simple tests all throughout the Soul Society. In any case, at the rate they were going, they must have actually already passed at the very least dozens of districts. Perhaps they have even reached the 22nd or a district further beyond, like the 25th! If so, it was only a matter of time now before Kimiko would win this. No, it wasn't a matter of time: it was a matter of endurance. Being used to such speeds, she knew she would be able to hold on without collapsing from exhaustion, at least longer than Celes. As such, with this in mind and perhaps too much enthusiasm, she found herself pushing forward with even more Shunpo jumps. She felt great! She could win! She could do this!

Then, Celes appeared right in front of her.

It took a moment for the Third Seat to properly understand that her adversary had actually passed by her once again. Perhaps it was because she wasn't sure it was Celes to begin with, as she wore something that she had never actually seen before. Perhaps it was because she simply could not believe that she has actually been overtaken so easily despite having used her Shikai. Either way, once the Captain turned her head towards her, Kimiko would just stare at her before she blurted out: "... Huh...?" It was a soft mutter, one of absolute sheer confusion as she tried her hardest to understand what was happening before she would then go on to balk as her friend sped forward once again. It was happening again. Once again, she was being subjected to that awful situation where she was just a few steps behind her opponent! "Argh, noooo!!" She tried to shout over the winds as she clenched her teeth from the sheer effort she was preparing to unleash. "Why do you have so many Bankai suits?!"

In her comical outburst of emotions, the poor swordswoman would attempt her hardest to go faster. She would use further Shunpo steps, all of which would launch her to a ridiculous 9000 speed. Unfortunately, none of them would even compare to Celes' own Shunpo. It was very clear that the Captain's physical speed had been elevated to such an extent that, no matter how hard she tries, the Third Seat was never going to beat her. The woman was already hearing Shizukakane starting to tell her that her friend had played a good hand against her, that she had responded well to their strategy. Kimiko was, however, comically not as generous. "A-Ah, Shizukakane, don't compliment her, damn it! She's using her literal Bankai against me! That's too much!" She would complain loudly as she heard his voice, trying her best to keep up at the pace as she did so. "I don't have a Bankai that makes me go faster! I only have you!"

[Celes Castellanos]

She was unstoppable. That was the only thought racing through the mind of the Captain. "I am unstoppable... I will win no matter the cost!" It echoed in her head almost hauntingly. The fierce competition had pushed her to the point where losing was no longer an option. Her friend had utilized her Shikai to heighten her own agility and as such it was only fair that Celes utilized the power granted to her for her own advantage. This advantage would present itself in the form of an incredible layer of armor that clung closely to her skin. It had transcended traditional skin defenses such as Hierro or Blut. It was a suit of armor that reinforced her body, allowing her to achieve unthinkable speeds. A speed that transcended even that which Kimiko was able to achieve with her Shikai. 

This would become abundantly clear as the Captain caught up her with disciple. She had sped up to such a point that even a few Shunpo were enough to reach the Third Seat. Upon catching up, she'd be beside Kimiko for a moment. She gave her a grin that appeared utterly demonic beneath masked visage as two ghostly orbits seemed to peer at her directly. It would be clear that this was Celes despite the armor that obfuscated her form. Suddenly, Celes heard one word emerge from the Third Seat. A single word that perfectly detailed her reaction to this display. "... Huh...?" This was all that Celes needed to hear. Without a second thought, the Captain accelerated past Kimiko. Speeds that made her vanish to the eyes of most. At this point, Kimiko would likely have a hard time just tracking her movements.

Even as Celes sped past Kimiko, the Captain heard the angered cries that had sounded from Kimiko. "Argh, noooo!!" There was anger behind it, but Celes gleaned more disappointment from it. It was as if the Third Seat felt that she was cheated. As if a well-earned victory had been pried away from her. To a degree this was true. Once more, Kimiko called out to Celes. "Why do you have so many Bankai suits?!" This one was special to Celes. Part of her hated to admit it, but she derived some satisfaction from this. The honor-bound side of her was actually quite disappointed not only with Kimiko, but with herself. This was supposed to be a friendly competition. A bout between friends to see which one of them was faster. 

This race, however, had turned into something much different. It was a spite-filled encounter that had pushed both of them to the very edge. The time for regrets had passed, however. It was time for the both of them to show their true capabilities. Personal honor had flown out of the window the moment that Celes had chosen to taunt Kimiko. She understood this and she regretted it deeply, but the only thing that mattered now was winning..right? Celes was not so sure anymore, but what choice did she have?! If she forfeit or slowed down after displaying her clearly dominant speed, this may have frustrated the Third Seat even moreso. It would be an insult to her honor. Celes couldn't allow herself to do that. She had too much respect for her friend.

This in mind, she advanced. Everything that her friend utilized a Shunpo to pull ahead, Celes would use her own to match it. Not only that, but Celes' would be far faster. She'd match each and every one to ensure her lead while her heightened speed allowed her to pull even further ahead. Unless Kimiko had some other trick up her sleeve, it seemed that the Captain would push further and further ahead with each passing moment. One thing was for sure. She was not stopping anytime soon! Her Bankai allowed her to only achieve such high speeds but maintain them for far longer periods of time. Sure, her muscles began to hurt somewhat, but it was far less than she knew they could.

Amongst the strain of her muscles, however, was feeling another sensation. A light pain that burned in her entire body. It had started as soon as she unleashed her Bankai. she was unsure of what it was, but it grew as time went on. She'd grit her teeth... furrow her brow... she'd change her breathing, but nothing could alleviate it. It was small enough to endure, but she had a feeling that it would grow over time. Right now, it was like a light tingling that occasionally burned. Was this the price of forming such a potent avatar? She was not sure, but she did not care either. They'd blaze through district after district, their Shunpo only accelerating the process. The adrenaline was kicking in. She'd push her body to the brink of agony if she had to. Another district zipped by.

[Nakajima Kimiko]

Kimiko had the feeling that this race was already over. The feeling was faint at first and wasn't really anything to worry about, but as the Third Seat saw Celes' armored figure progressively become smaller and smaller as she reached impossible speeds, it became more noticeable by the second until it started turning into absolute despair. There was no way she could win this, she just knew it. Absolutely none. All the distance she had covered between herself and her opponent with the help of her bright blade had been crossed in the matter of maybe a minute or so, and now, that value was being reversed to an impossible standard she simply could not reach. She had not at all expected the Captain to be able to reach such speeds, let alone use her very own Bankai to actually do so. In fact, she wasn't even sure of how great the difference in speed was between them now. All she knew was that Celes was going so quickly that it was making her seem blurry.

But even so, she didn't give up. Even if her friend was going so much faster than her, even if it was only logical to presume that the winner was already being declared in this very moment, she couldn't find the will to simply give up and allow Celes to take this. She wanted this win, to prove that she was at least better than Celes at something after all this time! And so, in this explosive outburst of childishness and immaturity, she tired. Oh, she tried. She would let the white "ink" surrounding her being flow through her even further so as to make herself become swifter for much longer, launch herself with further Shunpo steps and run as fast as she could from rooftop to rooftop. At one point, her efforts were so demanding that she had purposefully made sure to ignore every cry of help her body was attempting to communicate to her. On one hand, it was admirable. On the other hand... Well, let's just say she will most likely be feeling the cramps after this.

This ridiculous showcase of absolute competition would go on for a bit longer. During this time, the two officers would be unable to notice that the rooftops they were crossing had begun to shrink. The more grandiose constructions of the first districts would become more quaint and reserved, and the citizens that would find themselves affected by the winds which followed them would appear slightly more disheveled. Kimiko did not notice this at first; after all, she was much to preoccupied by the goal she had set upon herself in this moment. However, after a time, she too would begin to notice the differences. It would be enough to cause her competitive spirit to lessen a bit.  Wait... oh, shit, where are we?  Her thoughts would begin to ask as she tried looking around, an act which was somewhat difficult to execute due to the speeds she and Celes have both long since reached. Eventually, as she analyzed her surroundings the best she could, she would blink in shock.  I think we're past the 35th.

Upon making this realization, the Third Seat would attempt to look onward towards the speeding Celes. She was not sure if the Captain was actually aware of where they even were, as it seemed she was still going at that ridiculous speed. Noticing this was a bit worrisome. Yes, it was true that their goal here was to reach the 40th as quickly as possible, but the speeds they have both reached have made it so difficult to focus on anything else but passing one another that they were losing track of that goal. She wasn't too astonished by the fact that they were doing so; after all, this competition of theirs was pretty intense. Moreover, it's not like there were any giant billboards or anything of the sort that informed them of where they exactly were. Nevertheless, it would probably be a good idea for them to stop now. If they don't, they would most likely fly right past the 40th without even actually realizing it and head straight into the latter districts. Shizukakane, of course, agreed with this notion.

Once this conclusion was reached, she would look onward towards the blurry figure of her friend, then scream as loud as she could in order to be heard. It was a good thing that she was rather used to constantly use war cries in serious battles, else the lack of air available to her in these increased speeds would have most likely tired her out fairly quickly. "CELES, STOP!" The tone of her voice would carry onward through the winds, hopefully reaching the Captain. Unlike the previous fits of shouting, it definitely wasn't as competitive; rather, it held a more urgent connotation. "WE'RE GOING TOO FAST! WE'RE GONNA GO PAST THE 40TH!" She was not really sure if her words were actually going to be heard, as after all, Celes was literally going so quickly that she could barely even see her properly. Either way, at this point, this race didn't matter to her: she had lost, and so she would go on to accept her defeat and stop.

And so, this was exactly what she did. Following the making of this decision, Kimiko would clench her teeth and rapidly use another Shunpo step to bring herself towards an empty spot on the road below. As her feet touched the ground, her Shikai would dissipate with one final burst of white "ink" before she would find herself sliding for quite a fair distance due to the ridiculous speed she had reached prior to the Shunpo stop. In fact, she slid for so long that, at one point, she would remove the scabbards of her Zanpakuto from her obi sash before smashing their tip against the ground. It obviously hurt her arms a little, but considering that she was in a populated area, she needed to stop immediately before she collides into someone. She had heard of what happens when someone collides into somebody else at a very high speed; hell, she has even seen it occur in one of her comic books a long time ago. She was not going to let that happen now!

She would finally stop sliding a few meters after her point of contact. By then, she would just stand there for a bit while panting quietly, immobile as she held onto her scabbards. It was very clear that now that she had stopped, the exhaustion had hit her in full force, and now she was paying the price for having gone so quickly. Yes, she had anticipated this tiredness and knew of how hard it was going to hit her, but being able to anticipate it doesn't mean that she is capable of completely negating it. She would recover quietly with her eyes closed, taking a few breaths before she would find herself hearing the voice of a woman nearby asking her if she was alright. Kimiko didn't really need to look at her to know that that was the voice of a civilian, most likely a nearby resident. "Y-Yeah, I'm okay, just... give me a moment," the Shinigami would tell the woman in a brief tone before she would take one deep breath and force herself to stand back up. Eventually, she would open her eyes and take a look at her surroundings.

The Third Seat appeared to be standing on a road of the countryside. The road itself was just located just outside of what appeared to be a small village, and from the looks of it, it was heading towards what appeared to be a rocky area with a few mountains jutting from a forest here and there. By the right side of the road was a rock wall placed in front of what appeared to be a large plantation of sorts, and on the left side was a single building that appeared to be quite old. It would not take very long for Kimiko to understand what this place was meant to be.  Huh... It's a farm,  her thoughts hummed quietly in response to it. At first, the mere fact that a farm existed within the Soul Society was simply surprising to her, as most souls simply don't need food to survive. She has barely even see farms in the first districts, and more often than not, there were none in sight during her patrols. However, after a while, she would obviously begin to realize that the food she has been consuming must have been coming from somewhere. It was doubtful that all of it was made by whatever the scientists of the Twelfth Division could reproduce with technology.

In any case, once she finally understood where she was, she would turn her head towards the woman that spoke to her, then towards the road that she had slid onto. The road's condition would instantly make her wince a bit. She could see that there were marks on the road now, with the most notable ones being two lines her scabbards had left behind. She had fortunately not actually done that on the plantation itself, but seeing this definitely bothered her. "Oh, man... I'm very sorry," she would tell the woman with regret in her voice.

"It's alright, dear. Quite frankly, this is nothing in comparison to what we have been dealing with lately. Besides, it's not everyday you see a Shinigami in these parts, especially not such a spectacular one! It makes the day more exciting," the woman would laugh it off, though it was hard not to notice that there was a bit of a melancholic tone in her voice. She was most likely eluding to the demon invasion, though Kimiko couldn't help but feel there was also something else in there. Either way, she would not push it, instead letting out a sigh of embarrassment before she would briefly rub her left arm.

"Can you, uh... please tell me where I am? I'm heading for the 40th district." 

Upon hearing Kimiko's destination, the woman's laughter would quieten. "Oh, you're heading there." She'd look to the mountainous end of the road as she spoke with a bit of a worried gaze. The area in question obviously bothered her, which did not surprise Kimiko; after all, there have been rumors going around about it. Either way, she would eventually let out a sigh and nod. "Well, this road here is what ties the 39th and the 40th together. My son calls it the "39.5". I think he got that from one of those fancy magazines someone has been bringing here. Anyway, just follow the road until you reach the village there. It shouldn't take you too long." 

"Thank you," the Third Seat would nod before she looked onward. Now, she just needs to wait for Celes.

[Celes Castellanos]

Striding past Kimiko felt good. Really good! The Third Seat had attempted to use her Shain to attain even higher speed than what Celes was capable of without any enhancements. While the raw potential was impressive, it gave Celes an excuse to use her own release. In this case, it was her Bankai. She was not sure how long it had been since she begrudgingly trained with Yukito to attain this new power. Had it been months? Perhaps it could have been years... Celes was no longer sure. The unnatural life of Shinigami gave her a rather timeless view of the world. No longer did she consider time to be a factor in most aspects of life. In some ways it was liberating. It truly took the anxiety out of everything...

Regardless, Celes had to refocus her mind on something else. This race for instance. She had long since passed the Third Seat, continuing forward without little concern for the position of her friend. She was determined. Her eyes narrowed as she focused on the road ahead of her. She would for a few moments before a voice resonated within her. "Good job, Celes! We can continue onward! We can win this easily!" The Captain smiled. She'd think about Yunorashi's words carefully, the smile fading for a moment. Had this race really become worth that much to her? Had her mind been so focused on winning that she could think of nothing else. The Captain sighed and gradually slowed her pace down.

Slowing down ever so much, the Captain began to slide to a stop. The spiritual armor that protected her feet began to glow a hot red as she came to a screeching halt. Kneeling atop the wall, smoke seemed to emanate from her armor as she remained there for a moment. As she looked behind her, the childish voice of her Zanpakutō Spirit roared within her, seemingly angered. What are you doing Celes! The 40th is just a short run away!" Celes sighed, shaking her head. She spoke with disappointment in her voice. "Oh Yunorashi... it's the principle. We've shown ourselves faster, but... I don't wish to win like this. Not when it must grow so heated..." She had a moment to ruminate, and her conclusion remained the same. This friendly race had escalated.

That being said, the Captain made the choice to wait. So, she waited. And waited... and waited, kneeling upon the wall. Her eyes narrowed with confusion. The occasional passersby began to accumulate. Kids playing out in the field, travelers and merchants moving between districts. They all came to gaze upon Celes' form. After all, the Captain's armor took the form of a yōkai. A Tengu. Small mutterings emerged within the crowd, seemingly confused whether this was their mind playing tricks on them... whether Celes represented an omen... so many theories and questions arose from the confused residents. Celes' mind was set on something else though. 

She had been sitting here for a few minutes and yet... Kimiko was not in sight. She did not feel the remnants of her potent spiritual pressure approaching either. Besides the gentle breeze and the continued mutters of bewildered residents, the ambience was still. Something seemed off. She knew that she had run far past the Third Seat, but she should have easily caught up by now. Was something wrong? Threats appeared more commonly the further one moved from Soul Society. The occasional mugger. A petty pickpocket. More rarely, news of a stray Hollow had reached the reports of the Tenth Division. Even so, Kimiko was well trained. She was skilled. Celes was sure that she could handle almost any threat that came her way. Regardless, the Captain did not want to take any chances. 

Breathing in slowly, the Captain rose to her feet once more. Taking off at a speed of 500, the Captain left a gentle wind as she disappeared from the naked eye of the commonfolk. Her pace, even her stride would be far different from just minutes ago. Instead of a rushed sprint, she'd opt for a relaxed run, retracing her steps just so she did not accidently run past Kimiko. She wanted to check on her student. If not for Kimiko's sake, then for her own peace of mind. Within what felt like a minute or so, a small village came into view. It rested in the distance. Far closer, however, was the quaint view of a little farm. Well, little was an understatement. The plantation was quite large. A stone wall rose along its perimeter along the road. Speaking of the road... Celes focused as she saw two figures come to life. There she was! Kimiko!

Her reiatsu would somewhat reflect the joy and ease she felt. It leapt forth, gently emerging from the armor that clung to her skin. As she got closer and closer, the Captain suddenly hopped down onto the road. As soon as she did, her movements created a small dust cloud that followed closely behind. Approaching closer and the closer, she'd slow down more and more. Coming to a sudden stop, she grinned, her visage somewhat twisting it to be more intimidating than she perhaps wished. She'd speak in the same motherly tone as usual. "Kimiko! I was waiting for you, but you never showed up. You had me worried!" It was like a mother incessantly doting upon her child. Of course, Celes did not know any better. This was just the way she was.

Before she could continue onward through, the Captain heard the soft chittering of teeth as the woman that spoke to Kimiko not more than a few seconds ago looked upon Celes with concern. The Captain looked down, looking upon the armor that shrouded her. She chuckled with light embarrassment. "Huh... I guess I do look a little bizarre, don't I?" She gently scratched her head, allowing her spiritual pressure to diminish. As it did, the armor grew far more translucent. Celes' form steadily revealed itself behind the monstrous form. After a few seconds, the armor began to break away from head to toe as two katana nestled themselves comfortably within Celes' sheath. The embarrassed blush now visible, she'd open her eyes, addressing the woman. "Please do forgive my former appearance." She'd give a small bow, smiling brightly. "Celes Shindazu, Captain of the Tenth Division. It's a pleasure to meet you!" Her smile became a look of confusion as she looked around. She had to admit... she had no idea where they were. "W.. wherever here is... umm.. Kimiko? Where are we exactly?" Once again, a nervous blush touched the Captain's face as she closed her eyes, rubbing her head, showing her much more bashful side.

[Nakajima Kimiko]

The people who wandered the path between the 39th and 40th western districts of Rukongai were mainly farmers and travelers who came from other districts. Like the many people who resided within these lands who were so disconnected to the squabbles of the lesser districts and the spiritual worries of the first districts, they were concerned about nothing more than their commute. They thought about simple things, such as the amount of time that remained in their travels, and at times more pressing issues such as the quality of the crops that they have been raising. In a way, this simplicity of theirs was remarkable, perhaps even exemplary. Even though the Soul Society had been invaded by the demons of Hell only but a year ago, these people still held on to their lives as though nothing had actually happened. Maybe it was the country that had shaped them as such; after all, since they are situated at such a distance from the Soul Society's main installations, the most of them found ways to reside in this celestial realm in peace.

But this peace of theirs could only last so long. With the rumors of the 40th district now having reached their fullest potential, the majority of these people have started to believe that whatever is occurring there may spread to its surroundings. It has been said by the travelers that the water they retrieved from the village near the supposedly-haunted dojo tasted strangely foul, and that the people who passed the village with food in their baskets saw this food lessen in quality once they had fully gone past it. The grand majority of these rumors were of course nothing more than hearsay. There was no tangible proof that these things were actually happening, and quite frankly, even what was happening at the dojo was nothing more than a rumor; after all, only travelers talk about it. Well, them and some residents of the 40th, that is. However, in times so hostile and strange, it would not be unsurprising to find truth in these sayings. Besides, upon what has been a peaceful day so far, some of these people would find themselves witnessing a strange sight.

Somehow, for a reason they could not quite explain, a tengu had appeared on the aforementioned path between the districts. Yes, a tengu. The villagers who had a vague knowledge of the creature were able to identify it almost immediately as such: an avian beast carrying a suit of armor once worn by a warrior of old, and great paper wings that were grander than even a few owned by the beasts of the wilds beyond Rukongai. They did not understand its coming nor why it simply stood there near the rock wall that guarded the plantations, but many of them found themselves simply staring at it and both shock and awe. Unsurprisingly, there was also fear. For as stunning as the sight of this creature was, the tengu was a demon, a malevolent spirit. Its presence was, in every sense of the word, ultimately negative because it meant that something was amiss. Some of the people near it wondered as they spoke to one another. Is something going to happen to the crops? To our lands? To the Soul Society? Is this in regards to the haunting of the 40th district?

The villagers would obviously not actually receive any response to their questions; after all, the winged demon was not here to answer them. In fact, this demon was not even a demon at all, but rather just the Captain of the Tenth Division who happened to be wearing a suit who resembled a tengu. Unfortunately, this fact completely flew past the heads of the bystanders, and so once she disappeared out of their sight, they began to speak to one another once again as more rumors would then begin to spread alongside the others. For many, the failing of the crops and the strange quality of the water within the 40th western district would now become true all thanks to the appearance of this tengu, and for many months to come, these people would begin to add another worry to their daily commute, one that was far less believable. Perhaps it would have been better for the Captain to actually explain she was not a demon, especially considering the times they were living in.

But it was too late now. The Captain had already left her position, and she was now retracing her steps towards Kimiko. Being completely unaware of what was happening with the villagers, Celes' disciple patiently awaited her arrival, doing so with crossed arms as she neared the rock wall. She and the farm woman spoke to each other rather casually. In the time it took for the higher officer to realize that the scarlet-eyed woman would not actually reach her position, Kimiko would actually a pleasant conversation with the woman, which was quite surprising given that she made quite a mess of the road she landed on. Together, they spoke of various things, namely the aforementioned rumors but mostly the state of the crops and how her son was doing. It had been a while since the Shinigami actually has had a conversation which had no important topic whatsoever, so it was needless to say that she appreciated this conversation quite a fair bit.

All things, however, come to an end, and by the time Celes arrived, the Third Seat's conversation with the woman sure did. The way the Captain arrived from seemingly out of nowhere at such incredible speeds did not take Kimiko by surprise, but it alongside Celes' looks was enough to surprise the farm woman even further. In fact, she was so surprised that she actually lost her voice for a moment, which caused a drop of sweat to fall down the side of the Third Seat's forehead. "I was okay... She and I were talking about things before you arrived," she would first respond in embarrassment as she realized she was being treated like a child again by the Captain, then find herself just staring at her friend for a brief moment. Now that they were not moving at blazing speeds anymore, she could actually get a full view of the suit. "Bizarre" was indeed one way to describe it. It was so bombastic that Kimiko couldn't help but feel like Celes has frightened a bunch of people without really wanting to just by wearing it. If only she knew how right she was in this instance.

In any case, the Captain would then go on to remove her armor and present her apologies to the farm woman. After Celes introduced herself proper and sealed her swords, the aforementioned woman would find herself sighing, shaking her head in disbelief of the situation. "Oh, you Shinigami really can be scary sometimes," she'd find herself commenting to no one in particular before she regained her footing. "Well, it is quite nice to meet you now that you're not wearing that blasted thing anymore." Surprisingly enough, she didn't seem to be at all intimidated by the higher officer's position. It seemed that there were already so far away from the first districts that the positions granted to those of the Gotei 13 have already begun to lose their significance. "Like I told your friend here, you're on the 39.5. Miss Nakajima here has told me you were heading to the 40th. It's at the end of the road over there, though I think you already know that now. You did seem to come from there."

"Yeah, what she said," Kimiko would follow shortly after the woman finished talking, which was more than enough to answer Celes' question. With that said, it seemed like everything here was settled, and so the two could now leave the area. To this, the scarlet-eyed woman would let out a quiet sigh as she properly finished recovering from the sheer sprint she has gone through, then would give out a smile to the woman. "I think we've wasted enough of your time. I'm... sorry again for the road. I know it looks pretty bad..."

"Oh, no, please stop worrying about that. I'll take care of it myself. You be on your way now," the woman would reassure the Shinigami with the warm smile you would typically expect from these parts of the realm as she started walking back to her farm. "Just be careful over there, alright!"

Once all was said and done, Kimiko would then nod to the woman and begin walking down the road that Celes had just ran back onto. From the way she proceeded, she seemed to be quite relieved, which was rather unsurprising; after all, the marks she had left within the road she slid onto were probably going to be a bit difficult to get rid of. If anything, she had been fully expecting to get shouted at by the woman for having made such a mess. Then again, perhaps it was because they haven't spoken of the fact she and Celes had attempted to race towards the 40th. Maybe the conversation would have gone on differently if she had. Anyway, as she headed down the road, the Shinigami would look back towards the Captain to see if she was following her. After her friend would supposedly reach her and the both of them would be quite a fair bit away from the farm, she would find herself pouting almost childishly. "I should've totally won that race..." It was a quick comment, one that did not harbor any strong feelings aside from petty jealousy. However, she would soon find herself staring at her friend with a bit of a more curious look. "Really, though, how many Bankai suits do you have? First, the spartan suit, then the weird spirit skeleton thing, and now a tengu suit...?"

[Celes Castellanos]

As she allowed her spiritual pressure to rest, the Captain breathed out calmly once her armor simply began to fade away. Reiatsu faintly trailed from it as piece by piece, the armor peeling off of her body and revealing the almost green-haired Captain underneath. The pain she had begun to feel in her body quickly began to subside. With every layer of reiatsu stripped away from her, muscles ached less. Her head was not pounding as much. Her cells did not feel as though they were beginning to be strained anymore. Over the decades she had built up a notable resistance to pain. While others would be brought to their knees, Celes could rise up and keep fighting, but there was something so ominous about the strain of her Bankai. It started out gentle but had begun escalating. Thankfully now the ordeal was over, but she shivered at the idea of sustained use in Bankai.

Thankfully that was neither her nor now and Celes would simply introduce herself to the woman next to Kimiko. While her greeting was courteous, there was a certain formality to it. Stating her full name and rank, Celes looked at the woman with a bit of a grin. At first, the women merely began to comment on the situation. "Oh, you Shinigami really can be scary sometimes," Celes' blinked for a moment. She did not give a response simply waiting to see if the women had any more to comment. The Captain would look at her with curiosity as she finally addressed her greeting. "Well, it is quite nice to meet you now that you're not wearing that blasted thing anymore."

For the briefest of moments, Celes would find herself in a state of shock. The woman had a sincere lack of formality. It was as if the Captain's rank and mantle meant nothing to the woman. Others, in positions of power, would likely give some form of talk back. Some lecture on how important that their title was to them. Celes was not one of these. Instead, upon recovering from her own shock, the Captain merely had a smile on her face as she stared at the woman. She would be borderline mesmerized. Celes was so used to others groveling because she was a Captain. They'd drop whatever they did to greet her and act incredibly stern around her in an effort to impress this. This woman, however, had no such plans. It was a breath of fresh air for Celes. She was... excited!

"Like I told your friend here, you're on the 39.5. Miss Nakajima here has told me you were heading to the 40th. It's at the end of the road over there, though I think you already know that now. You did seem to come from there." Celes simply nodded. She was glad that she finally had some context as to where they were, but she gently gripped the back of her head and laughed somewhat nervously. A blush touched her cheeks. Always as if to drive the point home, Kimiko added, "Yeah, what she said," Celes giggled nervously as she nodded once more. "Well.. the help is appreciated regardless. I've to admit that I don't come out this far usually. Such a long trek but..." She'd look around for a moment, taking in the sights before smiling at her. "It's quite impressive what you've been able to build here!" 

There was genuine sincerity in her voice. Suddenly, Kimiko interjected to announce their departure. "I think we've wasted enough of your time. I'm... sorry again for the road. I know it looks pretty bad..." For a moment, Celes would merely blink. "The road? What is she talking abouuuu-" Having focused on the woman, Celes idiotically did not take notice of the road that rested behind Kimiko, but as soon as she did, her expression darkened. She'd give Kimiko an incredulous look before murmuring out. "Kimiko... you did that...?" The Captain's mind raced. She was shocked. "AHHHH. We're gonna be here forever!!" She screamed internally. 

Celes was never one to shirk work nor try to wiggle her way out of responsibilities... but this was crazy! Suddenly, the woman spoke, putting Celes at ease in mere moments. "Oh, no, please stop worrying about that. I'll take care of it myself. You be on your way now," As the woman turned to walk back to the farm, Celes felt a little guilty. After all, it was a lot of work to be done. Regardless, she'd let the matter sit. Perhaps they could come to help with repairs later. Much to the Captain's surprise though, the two of them would be issued a small caution. "Just be careful over there, alright!" Celes simply nodded in response. As Kimiko began to walk down the road that led to the 40th, Celes would follow without much complaint. In fact, she'd silently walk beside Kimiko as they continued on to the 40th.

After a few minutes of light walking, creating a bit of distance from the farm, Kimiko gave a childish pout with a huff. "I should've totally won that race..." Celes could tell that there was no spite behind it. All she gave was a soft chuckle. A few moments after, Kimiko continued, looking at the Captain with an inquisitive look. "Really, though, how many Bankai suits do you have? First, the spartan suit, then the weird spirit skeleton thing, and now a tengu suit...?" For a moment, Celes blinked at her, a little perplexed. "Bankai Suits?" Her mention of the spartan armor, the skeletal projection and now the tengu armor cleared things up though. Celes sighed for a moment. As she spoke, her stride slowed for just a moment. 

"Oh... well um, I am sad to say that the spartan armor is no more..." As they continued walking and Celes explained herself, she'd look forward. Her voice was not melancholy, but it was definitely not as bright as before. "I told you before that Yunorashi was brutalized by Yukito... well. That is true, but it wasn't just for mere satisfaction." She'd grip her fist a little. "Yukito offered to train me in exchange for Yunorashi's safety... He wanted to pull out the power that you've now seen. As you can see... he was successful." She shook her head for a moment. She groaned and tried her best to relax, looking back at Kimiko with a smile. She was not truly okay since her last experience with Yukito, but... she could try and fake it at least. Unfortunately for her, she was rather bad at it. Regeardless, she continued.

"That spirit skeleton you are referring to is actually my Shikai, Kimiko." Continuing to feign her idle smile, she'd pause for a moment before going on. "The tengu suit as you refer to it... that is my Bankai, but it is merely a form it can take. In truth, Yunorashi was the one who actually convinced me to use it and I did not even know that it could appear as such. It's not a power I hope to call upon often." She briefly gave herself a reassuring nod. As they continued to walk, the two Shinigami would likely happen upon the gathering crowd from before. Idle conversation and small mutters arose from so many of them. Suddenly, Celes caught one particular detail. Talk of a tengu. Another blush touched her cheeks and Celes kept her head down, trying to walk past the crowd as quickly as she could without drawing too much attention. 

[Nakajima Kimiko]

Some officers may find the behavior of the country woman to be incredibly disrespectful, especially given that she was talking to a Captain of the Gotei 13, but it was difficult to blame her for speaking in such a familiar fashion. Here, so far away from Seireitei and the districts surrounding it, the greater Shinigami tend to never be seen by the populace. They who are but mere farmers and folk that only sought to live in peace mostly did not matter to these officers, and in turn, they barely returned any attention to them. In a way, this was a favorable outcome for those of the Gotei 13. Though it was hardly respectable of these residents to not show any apparent care to an officer's rank, said residents did not do so out of hatred or malice. They were not like those of the lesser districts who act the way they do out of retribution for their lack of attention or those of the first districts who instead often showcased constant - and perhaps tiresome - respect; rather, they were merely indifferent.

This behavior should have nevertheless bothered Kimiko. As a member of the Gotei 13, it was her duty to defend this people and assure their safety, and so it was only natural that she deserved a modicum of respect for her duty. However, she was not at all bothered by this. If anything, the fact that the woman was acting so naturally with the both of them without constantly trying to please them in one way or another was what she wanted out of her interactions with the people of Rukongai. Despite having once put great importance in ranks back when she was nothing more than a student of the Academy, the warrior's time within the Eleventh has long since taught her that ranks are, in the end of it all, nothing more than organizational positions with fancy titles. You can respect them and see them as achievements in their own right, but their existence does not force you to prostrate yourself before the ones who hold them. As such, to see this woman seemingly share this philosophy of hers was good. It somewhat reminded her of the people of her division, quite comically enough.

Unlike the majority of the people who were part of the Eleventh, however, this woman was much less intense. A common member of that squad would have reacted quite strongly to the damages Kimiko has done to the road, and would have also consequently been very annoyed with the two women, but she instead simply appeared happy with the fact that something different was happening in these parts of the land. In fact, she even appeared happier once Celes spoke of her plantations. "It's a beauty, right? My family has been working on these plantations for generations. To be honest with you, I don't even really know how old it is. My father told me it was about three-hundred years old, but my grand-father told me it was a thousand years old!" She would chuckle quietly from the Captain's sincere curiosity in the matter. Unsurprisingly, she appeared to be quite glad that someone of Seireitei was even talking to her about the plants with such great regards. "I'm just glad it's alright today. With all the work we've put into it, it better be."

Again, the scarlet-eyed Shinigami appreciated this. This woman was truly the personification of hard work and she absolutely respected her and her family's achievement. In her mind, she even saw a bit of herself in this woman. The only difference was that the woman handled farming equipment while she instead handled tools of war. For a brief moment, this realization would make her wonder what would have happened should she have not ended up as a Shinigami. It even made her look back even further, far enough for her to recall memories of the Living World that are now becoming somewhat blurry. What would have happened should she have not been murdered by that man? What would she have become? Would she have ended up a doctor like her father so wished her to become? Would she have instead followed her wills and become a professional fighting game competitor? Would she have just ended up an office worker? It was hard to give an answer for any of those things, but perhaps it did not matter in the end of it all. She was here now as a Shinigami, and that was what mattered the most.

In any case, shortly after Celes almost made a fuss about the road, the two officers would then go on to tell their goodbyes to the country woman and begin their leave. By the time the distance between themselves and the farm had become ample, Kimiko would begin a conversation with her friend. It was perhaps needed; after all, there was no reason for them to remain quiet on this road. Quite unfortunately, however, this conversation would not appear to be entirely pleasant. What was once nothing more than a curious topic the Third Seat wanted to tackle had rapidly turned into something that was a bit darker. In short, Celes' did not really have plenty of "Bankai Suits", as Kimiko referred to them as, but had rather only replaced the one from before with the one she currently had after an encounter with her Inner Hollow. She did it to protect Yunorashi from harm, something which made the scarlet-eyed officer frown in discomfort. How relatable.

 "Right..." she would let out in a brief sigh as she gazed at her friend's fake smile. "Well, at least it looks cool. I think I saw something similar in sentai." It was clear to her that the Captain, despite her smile, was not at all happy about what happened. Her Zanpakuto spirit and dear friend had been potentially greatly hurt by this malevolent entity, and it was seemingly only to learn some kind of new power. There had been no reason for the violence he had showed to the younger-looking being. Not in the slightest. It was a clear reminder of how selfish these Inner Hollows were and how they appeared to really only care about themselves in the end of it all. With that said, she couldn't help but be somewhat interested by the idea of Inner Hollows apparently allowing them to change their Bankai. Perhaps one day, she will be able to meet her own Inner Hollow in one way or another, and have her change her Bankai to something that is more suitable for them than the one she possesses now. She just hoped that such a procedure won't demand Shizukakane's blood to be spilled.

In an effort to not mention this topic, however, Kimiko would take on a more resolved look and gaze onward. She did not want the possibility of Shizukakane's death to affect her any longer, and she was going to make sure it would not do so even if she is reminded of it. As such, she would force herself to gaze at her surroundings in hopes of finding something else to talk about. Naturally, this would cause her to turn her eyes towards a small crowd of people who had gathered on the side of the road opposite to the officers'. It would not take long in the slightest for her more serious expression to turn into one of comical disbelief as she heard what they were talking about. "Are they talking about you?" She would ask Celes in the moment as they passed by the crowd, looking almost as embarrassed as her friend was as they did. It was quite obvious, in all honesty; after all, it wasn't like there was anything else that could have passed by here who looked like a tengu. "Let's... just hope this won't become a big deal..."

The two of them would then go on to walk for a bit longer. As they proceeded, they would continue onto eponymous "39.5", passing by a countless amount of crops situated behind the rock wall. At times, they would witness a few more buildings on the side of the road, all of which appeared to be either part of or related to the country woman's farm. It truly appeared to be quite the historical monument, and seeing it gleam with such splendor under the bright afternoon sun was enough to make Kimiko smile some more.  Man... It's probably the biggest farm I've ever seen. Maybe it really is a thousand years old,  she would find herself thinking over as she and her friend moved along. If all of this was really just owned by one family, that family must be pretty damn enormous for them to be handle all of these installations. Well, either that or they have a lot of people working alongside them. Considering where they currently are, it wouldn't surprise her to learn about some kind of collaboration between the 39th and the 40th western districts.

By the time the two women reached the end of the "39.5", the area would begin to change, which was a telltale sign. It was becoming quite clear that they had begun to move into into the 40th. The rock wall disappeared, instead replaced with a small collection of trees placed here and there onto the earth sprawling away from the road, and said earth began to become less grassy and instead rocky. In fact, much like the road, it appeared to be slanting slightly upward, which unsurprisingly made it rather difficult to conduct any farming on unlike the flatter lands they have just passed. It was no wonder the family of the country woman had not expanded their installations here. This progression would become more accentuated as they moved forward, with the trees steadily becoming surrounded with many stones and even cliffs. Frankly, the sight was quite mesmerizing for Kimiko. It was not often that she had the chance to witness a forest that appeared to be slanting upward in person; usually, she only sees those on TV. Either way, it sure made the road more annoying to cross.

Eventually, the number of trees would begin to lessen, and at a certain point, the leaves hanging onto their branches would part, allowing both Celes and Kimiko to notice that they were approaching what appeared to be surprisingly-large mountains. Their location was somewhat strange, given that they were located near flatter land, but their summits reached for high altitudes. Kimiko was already quite impressed by the view, but as the trees then finally made way, her eyes would widen as she and Celes both found themselves at the foot of what appeared to be a large mountainous village. "Woah," she muttered under heat breath as she briefly stopped, gazing at the village. It was, to say the least, quite the sight. The buildings were old, seemingly even a bit ancient, with many having been built onto large wooden pillars to stand onto the slanted ground. There was quite a number of them as well, signifying that the area had a respectable population number attached to it. Alongside them were a few terraces specifically built to contain paddy fields for rice farming, all of which appeared to be connected to a a few small waterfalls located not too far away from the village. Combined with the many trees surrounding the settlement, it indeed made for quite the sight.

The scarlet-eyed Shinigami would continue staring at the village before she saw a single building located away from the main village, only connected to the latter with a number of steps made of grey stone. It was big, enormous even, with a large wall that appeared to guard a courtyard and a great pagoda built in the middle. In fact... the pagoda almost appeared to be too great. It was as though it had been specifically constructed to shadow over all that stood underneath it in a fit of maliciousness. It wasn't just the tower that felt wrong, but also its surroundings. Kimiko couldn't quite tell what she thought was wrong with them, but they just felt off. Even though she was located so far away from it, she could feel the energy that stemmed from the building wash over her. There was no doubt it. "I guess that's the cursed dojo," she would tell Celes as she stood there gazing at the building. Her tone was a bit quiet, a side effect of her shock and awe. "It kinda looks like a temple..."

[Celes Castellanos]

Walking past the crowd admittedly left Celes a little embarrassed. The Bankai she had used to win the race again Kimiko had left a small crowd of people wondering whether she represented an omen. In her worry for Kimiko, she had not considered the group that was gathering around her, commenting about her. They had no idea that it was a Shinigami. Her meeting of the woman not more than a few minutes ago showed her that superstitions grew rampant the farther away that the Rukongai stretched from the heart of Soul Society, the Seireitei. These seemed to be good and honest, hard-working people, but they were utterly inept in the spiritual arts. At least so it seemed at a glance.

As Celes tried to make her way past them, the Captain overheard the Third Seat's comment. "Are they talking about you?" Her cheeks reddened even more, and Celes glared at Kimiko before placing her finger in front of her lip as if to tell her to quiet down. Thankfully the crowed was so enamored by claims of seeing a yōkai that they did not notice the two Shinigami passersby. In truth, Celes much preferred it this way. After all, she had a look of utter guilt on her face. As they made their way past the crowd, Celes relaxed for a moment and raised her head. She was clearly elated. Then another comment arose out of the Third Seat. "Let's... just hope this won't become a big deal..."

Celes sighed and nodded, rubbing her head. "Yeah, let's hope. Damn. This certainly was a blunder on my part... I'm sure it will blow over assuming that there aren't any more sightings of this alleged Tengu." To take the tension off of the situation, Celes would laugh somewhat. The notion of yōkai or hauntings was one that Celes did not understand. They were all in the afterlife after all. Or at least an afterlife. Superstitions were an effort to explain that which could not be understood. As Celes thought about it though, the claims made more sense. These were, after all, a superstitious bunch. They likely did not understand the intricacies of reiatsu or even the spiritual realm. These were people so far removed from the Seireitei that their interactions with spiritual phenomena was rare. This in mind, she was curious about what awaited them at this dojo. What curse could have befallen the building?

As they walked farther and farther along the road merely dubbed at 39.5, the two Shinigami would be able to gaze upon countless acres of farmland that resided between districts. Just as with the other farm, Celes was in awe over how much land that it covered. Just as she had said, this truly was the work of generations. It truly showed the hard work and dedication that was poured into maintaining and growing these crops. Celes did not come out here often. In fact, she usually only ever sent patrols out here recently. After seeing what they had built her. The life that they had provided for themselves. Celes was glad that fate had led her here. It gave her a new perspective of the people she had sworn to protect.

Soon the two women would arrive at their destination. If Celes had not been in awe before then she certainly would be now as they stood at the foot of a village that stood among the mountains. The buildings were a relic of the past, but impressive and enchanting. Some actually seemed to be built into the rock itself while others stood that platform to keep them stable unlike the slanted ground. It seemed that Kimiko would also make her feelings known. "Woah," Celes nodded, standing next to her. "You can say that again..." Enamored with the sight of the village, Celes would completely forget about their original objective until the Third Seat made note of it. "I guess that's the cursed dojo,"

Celes tilted her head, looking in the direction in which Kimiko was seemingly motioning at. Her eyes widened for a moment. It was enormous. Even as they stood a fair distance away it was imposing. The stone wall that barred access to the courtyard along with its remote location away from the village made it seem so solitary. Kimiko spoke once more, her tone notably quiet. "It kinda looks like a temple..." Celes blinked. The Third Seat seemed far less excited than what Celes felt she could have been. Regardless, they had arrived for this dojo and Celes would continue staring at it for a moment. She could not explain it, but a chill ran up her spine. The Captain gulped for a moment.

There was something ominous about it and Celes did not like the feeling. Was it her instincts that told her to turn back? Was it fear? She was not entirely sure. She took a deep breath and steeled herself. "Well... we can't stand here staring forever... Let's check it out..." There would still be a brief moment of hesitation in her voice before Celes began to walk towards the mountainous abode of the 40th District. The road had turned to a mixture of gravel and other stones. It would be far less comfortable to travel up the mountain than the stable road that Celes was accustomed to. Regardless, she pushed through it and after several minutes, she'd find herself entering the village. Some residents would be walking around, but it seemed disproportionate to the number of houses that could house families. Celes did not try to think much of it. She'd turn her attention that the dojo that loomed in the distance.

Now standing far closer to its ominous shadow, Celes felt the feeling in the pit of her stomach grow. It made her uncomfortable. She was a Captain of the Tenth and she felt herself cower before a building. Beginning to walk along the stone path that would eventually lead to the remote dojo, Celes felt as if she had several eyes on her. The residents who were outside gave worried looks and murmurs as she began to draw closer. Suddenly, several figures came into view. They were small, not more than children. The most notable thing about them though were screams of terror. They were incomprehensible for the most part, but beneath the hysteria, Celes would make out a few remarks as they ran past her. "I saw it! A ghost! I swear it!" They ran past her, unwilling to stop for anyone as they descended deeper into the village. The Captain suddenly looked back the dojo, narrowing her eyes. "What the hell is up with that place..."

[Nakajima Kimiko]

Kimiko would somewhat appear hesitant after Celes spoke her comment about the rumor potentially blowing over. She understood where she was coming from; after all, if something strange appears only once to a single person, it tends to lose its luster rather quickly should it now appear before multiple people, and eventually turns into nothing more than a simple local legend or urban myth. The problem is that the Captain has been seen in her tengu armor by more than just a few people. Not just any people too, but rather residents of what was the equivalent of the Rukongai countryside, all of which most likely did not have access to the latest news from the Soul Society or Seireitei. Even though she was trying her best to have an optimistic view over this whole matter, it was hard for her not to outright tell her friend that this will most likely become a great rumor within the 39th and beyond. All they could hope for now is that it doesn't somehow degenerate.

In any case, the two Shinigami would eventually proceed forward onto the "39.5", passing by the vast plantations and the many trees until they would finally reach the 40th western district. By then, the both of them would be offered an impressive view of the village and the dojo that shadowed over it all. Having stopped to have a good look at it all, the scarlet-eyed woman remained still for just a bit longer. This really was a wonderful village, one of strength and perseverance. This could be told even at a first glance. The age of the many houses and businesses that have been constructed onto the slanted ground, the richness of the paddy fields that were being tended to, and the lushness of the greenery surrounding it all told together the tale of a people that held strong against the test of time for generations. If anything, the dojo itself was perhaps the greatest showcase of the people's resolve and ultimate determination due to its sheer splendorous size.

But unfortunately, whatever it was before had been soiled. What should have ideally been the perfect representation of the aspects previously mentioned now instead appeared as a dark monument. Again, Kimiko could not tell what it was that made the dojo appear this way to her, but she could feel that something was wrong with it. It was not normal for her - someone who quite enjoyed ancient Japanese makings and constructs - to feel repulsed by such an impressive feat of historical architecture. The worst part about it was that the strange energy that it gave off not only affected her, but also Celes and even some of the inhabitants. As they eventually found themselves moving forward into the village, stepping up the slanted road as they did so with increased effort, there would be many citizens who could be seen appearing somewhat gloomy and worried near their homes. Their appearances left Kimiko frowning ever-so-slightly.

This discomfort of hers was only accentuated later on as they climbed the road and approached the stone steps that would lead them towards the dojo. After they were able to reach the center of the village, several figures would come rushing down from the steps. At first, they were difficult to perceive, but they would rapidly reveal themselves to the Shinigami as rather young souls. Though the concept of age within the Soul Society was rather difficult to even comprehend even for the Third Seat, she could not think of these souls as being any older than ten or perhaps twelve years old in appearance. All of them appeared absolutely terrified, with one of them even claiming that they had seen a ghost. Kimiko wasn't sure of why so many children had gone on to the cursed dojo altogether in such a way, but she wouldn't be surprised if they had gone there out of curiosity or sheer childish innocence. Either way, she was glad to see that none of them were harmed.

Celes was definitely taken aback by this, something which did not surprise Kimiko. At this point, everything that apparently made this dojo had added up rather quickly. The rumors that the travelers from before had shared between one another, the way the country woman of the 39th appeared worried when they spoke of it, the frightened residents that appeared so intimidated by the dojo, and now terrified children... It was clear that there was something wrong with the building now, and it was enough to make the Third Seat frown seriously. The tension in the air around her had grown slightly heavier, more electric. "I don't know... but we should have sent someone to check this place out sooner," she would reply to her friend as she began to climb the road further towards the direction of the stone steps which would lead them towards the dojo. It was very clear that she was unhappy about the state of the village and wanted to cleanse whatever was afflicting the dojo to return this place to normalcy. "It must be the work of some Hollow or whatever."

Before she could actually reach the stone steps, however, a voice would be heard from one of the nearer buildings. It was a rough, coarse voice, one that appeared to be as aged as the village itself. "This isn't a Hollow's work. There ain't no way." it would tell the Shinigami the very moment they would attempt to approach the dojo further. This would naturally prompt Kimiko to stop and turn her head towards the source of the voice. It came from a bald, dark-skinned man who was currently sitting on the first step leading to his own home. He was bulky, enough so that his physique easily stretched his emerald green robes, and was relatively intimidating. Perhaps it was the iron gaze that did it, or maybe it was instead the scars which lied above his light grey beard. You would not expect someone in what appeared to be such a peaceful place at a glance to appear to be so experienced in battle. Whatever it was, it caused Kimiko to look back at him with a calmer look.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean what I said. What's happening in that damned place isn't the work of a Hollow. It just can't be," he made sure to ascertain almost immediately with the most serious tone that he could muster. This would briefly cause the Third Seat to stare at him in incredulity. She was not sure of why this man who appeared to be nothing more than a normal resident of Rukongai seemed to be absolutely certain that the culprit of the dojo's current state was not a Hollow. He did not seem to hold any spiritual energy at a first glance, meaning that he wouldn't be able to sense if this was the work of any creature, but the way he spoke of the matter made it almost seem as though he actually had experience. Of course, her expression would not be unnoticed. It would be noticeable enough to prompt him to sigh quietly and calm down to a degree, especially once he got a good view of Celes' haori. "My apologies. The times have been rough for us lately. I'm Emile."

[Celes Castellanos]

Keeping Kimiko attached to the hip was not the problem as the Third Seat walked beside her, seemingly fascinated by the nature of the dojo just as Celes was. Unfortunately, despite her training, Celes was ill-prepared for the rush of four kids that raced away from the Dojo, seemingly caught in a fit of absolute terror. As they ran by, they had claimed to have seen a ghost. In truth, Celes knew the curiosity of children well. In fact, these pluses seemed no older than maybe ten or eleven. They probably got curious with all the ghost stories that seemed to circulate around town. Despite their sheer terror, it did much to excite the otherwise bleak and dreary town.

In response to Celes' confusion, Kimiko was already somewhat on edge. "I don't know... but we should have sent someone to check this place out sooner," Celes definitely recognized some truth in this. The Gotei Thirteen operated largely within the Seireitei. Serving as the heart of Soul Society, it normally demanded immediate call to arms in the case of emergency. Celes had seen it first-hand. They were ill prepared for the coming invasion from Hell as leagues of seemingly endless demons poured in. Assaulting the Rukongai, the Lower districts and the gates of the Seireitei received the most punishment, but the outer districts were not spared any pain as fledgling hellions spread out farther and farther. As such she was not surprised that word of this dojo had not reached her ears sooner.

Suddenly, Kimiko proposed a theory. "It must be the work of some Hollow or whatever." At a glance, Celes felt it was sound. After all, Hollows were some of greatest sources of mischief and mayhem in the Rukongai, dwarfed only by the general crime of locals. Before the two women could tread further, it seemed that someone had something to say. It was an older voice, coarse and aged. Turning her head, Celes looked at the source after he spoke. "This isn't a Hollow's work. There ain't no way." Sitting upon the steps of his home, the man was certainly a sight to behold. His voice suggested that he was middle-aged at minimum, but his physique was something else. He was bulky. If nothing else, he was certainly intimidating. He did appear to be able to knock some heads if he so wished. 

Just as Kimiko decided to inquire more, so would the man hold firm to his earlier statement. "I mean what I said. What's happening in that damned place isn't the work of a Hollow. It just can't be," Just as the woman the two had met earlier, his answer was rather harsh and direct. Celes narrowed her eyes. He did not appear to be a Shinigami. No, he did not carry himself like one. While Celes was pitiful in her ability to sense spiritual energies, she felt nothing radiate from him. In fact, Celes could only judge his physique due to her experience in strength training. He seemed like just an average Rukongai citizen and yet he spoke with such firmness that Celes could help, but feel that he knew what he was talking about. 

As Kimiko offered her expression, the man shot back a sight though his own expression would dull somewhat. He'd seem calmer for some reason. Celes was a fairly decent judge of emotion, being able to tell off of just a few interactions. Suddenly, he introduced himself. "My apologies. The times have been rough for us lately. I'm Emile." Celes nodded briefly, bowing her head respectfully. For a moment, she look upon the town. He had a point. It appeared incredibly dreary, lifeless even. As if every ounce of joy has been brutally squeezed from the residents one bit at a time. They weren't just somber. They seemed almost hopeless.

After her brief glance, Celes would return her eyes to Emile, approaching him slowly while giving a polite bow of her upper body. "An honor to meet you Emile. My name is Celes and I am the Captain of the Tenth Division... not that it seems to mean a lot around here." She'd chuckle slightly, lightening her tone. It would be clear that she did not take it personally and that she found it more amusing than anything. She was not the type to take offense to it. Regardless, she found it wise to defer to him for now since he was their only lead. "You seem quite sure about whatever machinations are at work. Though it seems that it's taken its toll on the townsfolk here." She'd look to the side for a moment again before returning her gaze. "We've only heard of this Dojo not more than an hour ago. Any insight that you can provide would be more than helpful." She smiled, not speaking with much authority. In fact, her voice would not come across as if she believed that she owned the place. She was merely a worried Shinigami, looking for help from the local townsfolk.