Where Dead Dreams Sleep

[Celes Castellanos]

This technique, the Killing Stroke, is one that the Captain did not like using. At all. It was a vicious technique that served only purpose. To kill its target as quickly as possible. Holding back any of its speed and power would merely make it a shell of its formal self. It demanded full effort and killing intent of the user. At least, this is how Celes saw it. As someone who had sworn to protect others, only rarely, if ever, taking a life in the name of protection, the Captain rarely used it. Regardless, she knew she had a responsibility and her targets had already perished. They had died a long time ago already. These were unique circumstances, and she could easily make an exception.

Her mention of the name of the technique was purely for dramatic effect and in some ways was more intended to tease Kimiko for their earlier conversation on the topic. Nevertheless, the slash would be dealt with absolute precision. She hadn't quite mastered the technique, but she was well on her way to doing so. Everything in her arc was cut in half with surgical precision. Everything except the French woman. More durable and skilled than the rest, she endured the strike with a stance and a loud, "OSU!" Upon this realization, Celes would quickly kick herself backwards, soaring through the air for a moment until she was a few paces ahead of her original position.

The Captain was impressed to say the least. It seemed that she would have to perfect it after all though Celes picked up on something almost after a few moments. The woman's stance crumbled ever so slightly as her legs twitched. It was clear that despite appearances, she had sustained at least some injuries. She was clearly an incredible martial artist. A tribute to this Dojo and surely a magnificent fighter. Celes lamented over never getting to meet her when she was alive. She would have loved to share some tea and talk. This was further cemented as a comment of the past complimented the Captain. "Très bien, très bien! You are good at this!" Now, however, was not the time for sentimentality. The Captain had a battle to win. She needed to create a moment for Kimiko to slip past her. 

Suddenly, the woman disappeared. In a flash, the woman reappeared right in front of her. Celes recognized this attack. It was the first one that this woman had executed against her. Now she was in her Bankai though. She had the armor. Instead of retaliating, Celes would show the woman her own durability. Slamming her foot into the ground, the Captain widened her stance, cracking the floor beneath her. It would allow her to maintain her balance far more. In the moment of contact though, Celes felt not one singular hit. No. She felt and even saw the woman utilize four hits that seemed to crash against her simultaneously. The brutality of the display was made even more fierce with a "KIAI!"

Strikes landed upon her chest, shoulder, hip and head. Upon taking the hits, Celes slid backward a few feet. The hits were indeed powerful. However, Celes' Bankai was no regular suit of armor. It was the true form of her blade. The right arm cracked slightly as did the visage. However, the torso that shrouded Celes' chest had taken some more, cracking more violently, but not breaking. She looked at the woman, giving a grin beneath the visage. The attack she had just taken reminded her of a Hakuda technique. The Wild Arts line. Specifically, Hundred Fangs. It was a technique that Celes had used many times. A technique that flowed reiatsu through the nerves to deliver a set of One-Hundred strikes over a few seconds. This ability seemed more like an incomplete version of it. This would show in the woman's form afterwards.

It was deteriorated. She would seemingly be stunned. Celes would not waste the opportunity, but she'd focus upon her Bankai first. Using her own will, the damaged pieces of the armor vibrated as a wave of reiatsu spread over them. In mere moments, the cracks would diminish. Shortly after, they'd vanish. Her armor shone like a stainless glass pane. Good as new. Thankfully, Kimiko would see this as her chance to go amidst the French martial artist's fatigue. She'd yell loudly. "Keep her busy. I'm gonna take care of that piece of shit myself," Celes nodded, muttering to herself. "Oh.. I'll do more than keep her busy." A master like this needed to be put to rest. Celes reconciled that she would not do this with a sword. No. Instead, she'd do it with her own martial prowess. It would be a sign of respect to the legacy of the woman.

Suddenly, as Kimiko raced past her and bolted up the steps, the martial artist turned her head to look in her direction. She was undoubtedly contemplating whether to follow. This was Celes' chance. Using a Shukuchi-Ho, she closed the distance once more, now in the air. Using her momentum, she'd rotate around her axis with her leg stretched out. A flying roundhouse kick! This was not all though as Celes would utilize one more Hakuda technique to hopefully end this fight. Among the Hakuda techniques, there is a line that begins with Rhythm Beat. A technique that allows one to not only change the pacing of their speed seamlessly, but also allowed them to push their agility further. This coming technique would be the end of that line.

Tensing her muscles, Celes breathed before releasing all the force at once! Suddenly, her leg accelerated to a speed of 1600. Not only that, but the sudden tension and release of her muscles gave it extra power. Both these factors would combine to create a devastating roundhouse kick with a force of 3200. It would be Celes' ace in the hole. A technique that could tear through just about anyone. Should anyone be able to endure this technique, they would find themselves being launched for what could be miles. This was known as Final Crescendo and Celes would aim to deliver the kick to the neck of this woman. She had shown impressive durability thus far, but such force applied to a vulnerable area would be, at least in Celes mind, undoubtedly lethal. Concentrating on her own movements, Celes did not even take note of the roar that descended through the tower. "I'M GONNA SEND YOU BACK TO YOUR LORD IN PIECES!"

[Nakajima Kimiko]

The technique which the martial artist used against Celes was most definitely not something that could be accomplished by anyone. With its similarities to the Hundred Fangs of the Wild Arts line aside, it was most definitely a maneuver that required not only great speed and precision, but also power. This was exemplified by the each strike of her fist caused a loud noise to resonate throughout the storage room. At that point, if a resident of Rukongai could actually possess all of these qualities to the point that she was almost capable of effortlessly executing a Hakuda-like technique that could usually only be executed by a superior Shinigami officer, then it meant that this individual was perhaps one of the strongest residents to have ever lived or she simply possessed spiritual abilities. In either of these cases, she was most definitely a worthy foe, one that could have potentially rivaled the Captain should she have been alive and at her prime away from the demon's grasp.

Unfortunately for the phantom, her servitude underneath the demon had most definitely robbed her of a few notable qualities that would have made her a greater fighter, namely her situational awareness. Although it did not seem as though she was under the creature's complete manual control, it seemed as though she was not entirely autonomous either. That is why she had allowed herself to brave the Captain's technique head-on rather than simply dodging it, and why she lost her attention on Celes when Kimiko passed by her without realizing that her attacks had no real tangible effect on the Captain. It was like fighting a machine, something that was told to react to things according to a number of set parameters rather than by using simple, conscious logic. In a way, the first analogy Kimiko's kind had accomplished when she analyzed the spirits of the basement was perhaps more accurate than she had thought of it at the time.

When the Shinigami officer began her next move, the phantom was still hesitating on whether or not she wanted to chase Kimiko. As such, her reaction to the sounds emitted by her opponent was later than it should have been. If she would have been in top condition, she would have perhaps been able to anticipate the move and respond to it with a severe encounter that could have damaged the officer's Bankai. However, this time, she did not do such a thing. She did not even adopt the protective stance from before. Instead, she merely turned her head towards Celes. In the first few nanoseconds that preceded the impact of the attack thrown in her direction, the martial artist would attempt to raise her arms almost as though she was aiming to grab the Captain's legs. Perhaps this would have worked in a time long since passed. However, today, this maneuver was simply too slow. It did not even reach the side of her head to provide it any form of defense, thus leaving her still completely open.

The result of this was her complete obliteration. In less than a nanosecond, the phantom was kicked on the left side of her neck. Her head would bend sickeningly upon impact around the Captain's leg as the demonic energy inside of what kept it standing was shocked to the core, then her legs would give way until the momentum would cause her whole body to follow suit. Shortly after, as the force ran straight throughout her whole body, she would be sent flying head first into a nearby wall before then falling down the stairs of the wooden platform. The impact against the wall was such that it left an imprint of the top of her head into it. As for the fall down the stairs, it was a violent one. The strength of the attack had ridden her of the control she had over her body, and so she could not reposition herself so as to not hurt herself further in the fall. Even as she fell, Celes would be able to witness the master's body break several times over.

Finally, she would eventually stop as she collided with another wall, preventing her from reaching another set of stairs on the wooden platform. She lied there, broken, immobile. Her legs were bent into twisted ways, and so were her arms, causing the entirety of her limbs to be entirely unusable from that point onward. As for her head, it was bent unnaturally due to the damage that had been done to her neck, causing it to bend backwards to the left. Despite the sheer internal damage she had received, the French woman's expression had not changed. Her eyes were still just as lifeless, and her smile was still there, eternally joyful. The phantom would remain still for a moment before she would move its upper body to position her face towards Celes' position. "You've grown so strong, Émile! I even felt that one!" She would speak out another memory with that happy voice of hers. "If you beat me, I promise you, this school will be yours." She would then let out a friendly laughter before, finally, the demonic energy would liberate itself from her body, causing her to vanish. Celes was now free to go join Kimiko on the upper floors.

Meanwhile, upstairs, the battle raged on. As the demon attempted to flee as fast as he possibly could away from Kimiko, he would continue to summon ghosts after ghosts to help him. From an outsider's perspective, it would almost seem as though the stairs leading up the pagoda were being filled with a massive crowd that was heading downward. The amount of ghosts was so absurd that, at times, some of them would begin to fall down and be stepped on by the other ghosts causing their eventual demise. It was nothing short of an absolute disaster, a ridiculous use of spiritual energy that would put even a first-year student of the Academy on the highest of pedestals, but the creature couldn't give a damn about it. All he wanted was to run. Run, run, run. He wanted to flee as fast as he possibly could away from that monster that was following him, and he was going to do so at all costs even if it was going to leave him exhausted beyond belief at the end of it all.

The Third Seat, of course, did not give an ounce of care about the ghosts. In her eyes, they had long since proven to her that they were weak and ineffective against her blades. They could not even rival Shizukakane's current state in the slightest, and the white "ink" that was previously surrounding him had been reduced in order to mend her previously-broken body. In so doing, as she headed onward, she swung her blades countless times, delivering Iaijutsu strike after Iaijutsu strike. It was, much like the previous time when she had to deal with many enemies at once back in the basement, an utter massacre fueled. However, unlike the one that had happened in the basement, this particular massacre wasn't committed solely out of anger and frustration. No, this one was committed by hatred for the demon and his ways, and it showed through the powerful screaming that resonated from her all across the dojo as she climbed further and further up the pagoda.

Finally, after an extensive climb, the two beings would reach the very top of the tower. By then, the both of them were exhausted. Kimiko had cleaved who knows how many of the phantoms that had been conjured at this point in time, which easily resulted in physical exhaustion, and the demon had used a copious amount of his energy, causing him to suffer from spiritual exhaustion. However, as the sun shone bright within the highest floor of the pagoda, the only one who could still stand was the one who had suffered this exhaustion time and time again in the past. That person was, of course, the Third Seat of the Eleventh Division, who stood on legs that were hard as wood while she panted quietly. The demon, in comparison, could only limp forward before pushing himself onto the railings of the pagoda. "Ugh... N-No...!" He moaned, exhausted, yet still deeply terrified of the scarlet-eyed woman as he turned himself towards her and fell onto his behind. "P-P-Please, no... Have mercy...! Spare me! Please!"

The officer would remain there in silence at first, staring him down like a predator looming over prey. The "ink" that surrounded her filled the entire top floor, causing the summit of the pagoda to almost appear as though it was being burned by a celestial artist, with heavy smoke and terrible mist. The sound in the area was slowly disappearing, and so was the color, leaving behind only a dead world with Kimiko in its epicenter. "Mercy...?" She would ask as she stood there not far from the demon. Her tone held great disgust with a hint of disbelief. "Why?"

"I-I..." the pathetic being would stutter for a moment, almost as he was believing there was a chance he might actually be able to escape this even though there was absolutely none. He was completely spent, so much so that he could barely run anymore, and he had used so much spiritual energy that he could not summon anymore ghosts. Nevertheless, his fearfulness pushed him to speak. "I-I know I did bad things... I know! B-But look... I didn't have a choice! Lord Dokuro made me do it! It was him who pushed me to come here! And... And I know you're mad at me for the people here, but... but they're already dead now! I wasn't bringing them back to fight you! T-They were memories! T-That's how my powers work! J-Just... Just please don't do this... D-Don't..."

[Celes Castellanos]

Celes' kick was nothing short of devastating. She saw the movements of her adversary. The martial artist was trying to retaliate in some way. Unfortunately, the surprise combined with Celes' raw speed would be simply too overwhelming for the apparition to react to. As soon as she got hit by the kick, the martial artist was launched. She had strength that rivaled Celes' own and yet she crumbled beneath the sheer force of Final Crescendo. The result would be nothing short of gruesome as the woman's body was flung to the side. This would lead her body to fall down the steps from the wooden platform, crashing repeatedly.

The entire experience would have been far more visceral had there been blood. There were no real bones to crack, no skin to break. Yet Celes could not help but look away. She could not explain it, but there was something about the broken body of this woman that made her feel uncomfortable. Soon she'd hear a loud crash and then finally... silence. The Captain bit her lip for a moment, moving down the steps calmly, she'd see the martial artist once more. Her body was contorted. Broken. She was merely a shell of her former self. Celes approached the woman and still, the woman twitched. She twisted her head to look up at Celes' position.

The Captain knew that she wasn't real. She was a memory of a time long ago. Her eyes were still lifeless, and she still kept that damn smile. It didn't anger the Captain as much as upset her. She must've been a kind woman once. Suddenly, she spoke. The apparition began speaking, as if to address Celes. The Captain knew that this was just another echo, but there was something about this that utterly disarmed her. "You've grown so strong, Émile! I even felt that one!" Behind the visage, her eyes widened. She muttered to herself just above the sound of a whisper. " Émile? He was your student...?" Celes knelt down just before the woman as her eyes sank to match her. 

She continued. "If you beat me, I promise you, this school will be yours." Letting out a heartfelt laughter, the woman's body went limp and not long after, her body vanished like the rest. Celes was the victor and yet... she did not feel like it. She'd kneel there for a moment. Her eyes did not drift from the wall for even a moment. She'd sit there in utter silence. This continued for a dozen or so seconds before Celes rose to her feet. She sighed and shook her head. She began to move to the ground floor of the tower. As she climbed the steps, passing through the halls and rooms, she began to think to herself. "I bet this place was one full of joy and hope..." 

Once she reached the ground floor, she saw the remains of the bodies that Kimiko had cut through. They trailed up the stairs, slowly disappearing one-by-one. Celes was put at ease. Kimiko didn't seem to have had trouble reaching the demon. Not that Celes doubted her, but she could often get worried about her. Just in case there were any tricks left up the demon's sleeves, Celes maintained her Bankai and began to climb the stairs that spiraled upwards. She'd slowly rise up them, watching the bodies disappear one by one. Suddenly, she heard a voice. Kimiko's voice. "Mercy...?" Celes blinked for a moment. There was disgust and confidence in her voice, so she knew that Kimiko was not on the ropes or in any real danger. Was the demon seriously pleading for his life? "Why?" 

Continuing upward, Celes began to hear more of the pathetic pleading. "I-I know I did bad things... I know! B-But look... I didn't have a choice! Lord Dokuro made me do it! It was him who pushed me to come here! And... And I know you're mad at me for the people here, but... but they're already dead now! I wasn't bringing them back to fight you! T-They were memories! T-That's how my powers work! J-Just... Just please don't do this... D-Don't..." As Celes rose the spiral staircase, her approaching spiritual pressure could easily be felt until slowly, but surely, the Captain clad in Tengu armor could be seen by the demon. Allowing the visage to dissipate for a moment, Celes' hair fell down her back and the Captain sighed. "Okay. She's been dealt with..." She seemed so melancholy, her voice sounding saddened more than anything. "Now then. What are we planning on doing with him, Kimiko? We've rooted out the infestation. Do we cut the weed?" Even as she talked about it, the fire that drove her actions prior. The anger that plagued her voice was now... dispassionate. 

[Nakajima Kimiko]

Kimiko's anger had yet to be quelled once she had reached the top of tower and found herself alone with the demon. She, in a way, had cut through dozens of people that were once students of this dojo. As the creature explained, they were indeed only memories, not their souls or their actual being. None of them were really alive, so to speak. Yet, despite this fact, they had all felt real to her in their own way. In the brief moment before she cut them down, she had seen their faces, their clothes, their looks, and even their weaponry in the case of a few. All of those things were what had made these people who they were back when they were still alive, and now, she was finally able to put what they once were to rest. There was a burden to that. It wasn't everyone who could just go ahead and put souls to rest in the spiritual way, not the official ways which the Shinigami follow when conducting their operations in the Living World.

This demon did not understand that. Not in the slightest. He was responsible for the deaths of these people and their defacement, and yet instead of showing any remorse for his actions, he pleaded for mercy. There was no guilt, no regret, only fear of being punished for his actions. This repugnant cowardice of his showed all the way through as he begged her to spare him. He did not even actually claim full accountability for his actions, instead attempting to shift the blame onto his commander as though he had anything to do with this. It was sickening, disgusting, and the further this little monster went on to explain his cause, the angrier the Third Seat became. Even so, she felt that the cruelty he had unleashed on the people of this school begetted hers. She wanted to hear about all he wanted to say to her in his defense. She wanted to hear him squeal and beg for his life, to listen to his cries as he realizes that he is about to return to the eternity of torment he so deserved.

By the time the demon had finished his begging, Celes had arrived to the top of the tower. At that point, she would witness Kimiko's anger made manifest in their surroundings. The entire floor had turned into a dead gray, and the noise had disappeared, leaving only behind the ringing of the Third Seat's blades. The scarlet-eyed warrior would notice the dispassion within her friend's voice as she revealed she had finished off the memory of the French woman, and upon doing so, she would look towards the demon with an even more furious gaze. It was a silent wrath, one that exhumed such power that caused everyone down in the village to look up in shock and awe at the top of the pagoda. "No... That's too easy." Her voice would sound louder within the silence that surrounded them. Not even the wind could be heard flowing around them. All that could be heard still was the ringing and the sheer weight of the vicious aura that surrounded her. "We're not the ones he hurt." 

The demon would simply lay there against the railings of the top floor, confused and unsure of what Kimiko even meant, but for a split-second, he almost believed that he was safe. His foolishness made him believe in that briefest of moments that he was not going to be killed and, therefore, returned to Hell to face his lord once again. However, just as he would drop his guard, the officer would then suddenly appear right in front of him at maximum speed before delivering two swift cuts. Shocked by the sheer speed of the attack, he remained immobile... until his limbs all fell off. Taken aback by the fact that his arms and legs had been cut off, the creature would first let out soft whimpers, almost as if he could not believe that something so horrible had happened to him. Eventually, he would begin to yell. He bled in great amounts onto the floor, causing him to appear as a pathetic mass of flesh and bone who had no other purpose in this world than to scream in agony.

As he screamed and screamed, the Third Seat would at first only watch. She would stand over him like a true grim reaper, awaiting the right time to further act. Usually, she preferred to simply defeat her opponents quickly. She never enjoyed basking in their defeat, even if she found much pride and accomplishment within them. However, this time, she wanted this demon's punishment to be slow. She wanted this moment to be etched in his mind as a reminder of what he was now and what he will always be in her eyes. As such, she would allow this terrible moment to linger a bit more, letting her terrible anger take the reigns of her logic before she would viciously grab him by the throat and left him up. He was light. Perhaps it was because of his current lack of limbs. Panicking, the creature would attempt to struggle free of her grasp before tears would begin to fall from his eyes. "Pl... ease... No...!" Its shrill voice begged again. In response, the scarlet-eyed woman stared back at him, clenched her teeth in great anger, then approached the railings before using all of her strength to throw him off the pagoda.

His cries could be heard all across the district as it fell towards the ground in the direction of the many stone steps that led towards the dojo. They were loud, incessant, and fearful, the sounds of a pathetic beast desperate for life. Unfortunately for him, there was nothing that awaited him down the tower but excruciating pain. A terrible noise of cracked bones and spilled blood would be heard as he landed right onto the first few steps up the dojo, then followed by many weaker noises in very quick succession as he barreled down the steps. Whether it would be from above or below, he would appear as a ball of blood red and yellow that hit earth and stone at a painfully-rapid pace. Eventually, he reached the bottom of the steps, causing him to bounce onto the main road of the village several times over before he would start sliding against the rock. It was all a terribly-gruesome process. However, for all intents and purposes, it was something that he thoroughly deserved.

When his body finally stopped, the villagers who had been observing the ongoing chaos within the pagoda found themselves staring at a mutilated demon. Somehow, the creature had survived the fall; however, it now experienced a lifetime of agony. Its arms and legs cut off, it could not flee or even stand up, causing him to lie there in absolute pain before everyone and all. The older folk hid the sight from the children, but every men and women would stare at the being and listen as it whimpered and cried in front of them in a deafening silence. Though they appeared confused at first, their faces would eventually change into something fiercer as they understood what this being was and what it had done for these last two miserable years. Kimiko, who was previously at the top of the tower, would find herself using Shunpo to travel down the pagoda and the steps. As her Shikai dissipated in a trail of light and dark, she would approach the crowd and watch alongside them. The villagers would understand her involvement in this immediately.

Together, they remained quiet still, staring at the demon still as his continued to whimper in his pain. Eventually, however, someone would appear from the small crowd that had formed. It was Emile, the man from before. He was standing tall above the others, with a large hammer settled on his back. At first, he was quiet, merely looking down at the beast from where he stood. After a time, he would raise his head towards the Shinigami. "Is this him?" He would ask with a serious tone.

"Yeah... It's him."

The Third Seat's response would cause him to stare back at her in silence again. Shortly after, he exhaled, appearing almost tired. "Thank you." Though there was clear relief in his voice that almost left him completely exhausted, there was also gratefulness. He was being truly honest with the Shinigami in this moment, and recognizing their efforts in this moment.

[Celes Castellanos]

The Third Seats' rage was downright palpable as this demon had finished pleading for his life. There was no regret in his words. No lesson to be learnt. It was the ultimate act of cowardice. He pleaded for mercy simply because he didn't wish to get sent back to hell. Despite her distaste for the hellion, she had to admit that his pleading was chilling. She could sense the fear that was rising from him at the idea of facing this Lord Dokuru. The Captain narrowed her eyes at the hellion. She felt nothing, but pity. Yet that alone would not be enough to spare him. Something had to be done and she brought it up swiftly with Kimiko. Would they pluck the weed out?

In response to this, Kimiko seemed to shake her head. Her Shikai had drained the color around where they stood and it became harder and harder to hear, but this time, her words would be unmistakable. "No... That's too easy." The silence made this even more eerie as Celes looked at Kimiko, awaiting to hear what she had in mind. "We're not the ones he hurt." The Captain nodded. She understood the Third Seat's train of thought rather quickly. He should be given to the townsfolk. The true victims of his antics. Celes simply stared on as Kimiko moved next to the hellion and in mere moments, rendered him without limbs. His screams echoed throughout the aura, growing more agonizing.

Celes understood the necessity for this and yet something about all this bothered her. She could not quite put her finger on it. She had no sympathy for the Hellion and yet as Kimiko grabbed the defenseless creature, lifting him high, the Captain had a suspicion where this was going. "Pl... ease... No...!" She averted her eyes. She breathed in calmly, simply nodding to herself as Kimiko tossed the creature off of the tower. The sounds she heard would not make it any better. The agonizing screams and grunts of pain continued. Blood stained the top of the tower and now each of the steps were also smeared in it. It was a gruesome display, but the Captain stomached it given the circumstances. 

Throughout the whole ordeal, she'd remain silent though. The foe was vanquished. With another exhale, she relaxed her spiritual pressure. Each piece of the armor that clung to her body slowly shifted before dissipating into a stream of reiatsu. She'd find her Zanpakutō restored, idling in the sheath which clung to her obi. Upon seeing Kimiko utilize a shunpo to carry herself down the pagoda and past the steps, Celes would follow suit. She'd utilize her shunpo to keep pace with Kimiko as they both reappeared at the bottom of the stone steps that rested before the ominous site of the tower.  "Is this him?" Emile stood before them, asking. 

"Yeah... It's him." It was a short and curt reply. More was needed. For the first time since they met, Celes noticed that Emile seemed more at ease. Even more so than when they first got introduced. "Thank you." Celes smiled briefly. She had learned quickly that these people, to their own admission, did not have much respect for Shinigami. They traditionally arrived demanding respect that they felt they deserved simply out of virtue of them being one of the Gotei. They did not care for fancy titles or ranks. It was for this reason that when Emile thanked them, she knew it wasn't just an idle comment. It was as genuine as they came.

Celes continues to tune out the light grunts that came from the Hellion. He had to pay for his actions. It was not the Shinigami that would judge, however. It would be up to the people. The Captain turned back to the Dojo, staring at it intently. It had become a symbol of fear and misery. It had caused great grief to the 40th District. She sighed, turning around to face Emile. She'd step forward, looking at him. She'd bow at the hip, curling her right hand into a fist and placing her left on top of it. A common greeting in traditional Chinese martial arts one that showed respect to a fellow student of the craft. "While looking for this troublemaker within the dojo, we came across a woman. French and a martial artist. An echo of the past. Just a few moments ago, I fought her." Celes paused for a moment. "In her last moments, she mentioned a name. Your name." She smiled for a moment and grinned before looking at Kimiko. "She's my disciple and I don't know many feelings greater than knowing that your student is safe and flourishing. I'm sure she would be happy." Celes continued smiling, truly meaning it from the bottom of her heart.

[Nakajima Kimiko]

The demon's descent down the pagoda had been agonizingly painful. What was once this thing that was terrorized many for two whole years, a creature who had turned a place of strength and hope in one's self into a beacon of darkness bringing fear to all, had been reduced into a mere lump of flesh that happened to be capable of speech. It was easy to put yourself in its place and to imagine how it would feel to experience such a terrible thing, and in a way, it made it rather easy for someone to pity the poor creature. Some of the children who watched the horrific event happen before their eyes would feel this way, mainly because the creature held a deceptive look that made him resemble an mischievous, yet innocent animal. However, if there was one thing that could be said as the adults glared at him, it was that the majority did not experience such pity. Instead, they shared the anger of the Third Seat of the Eleventh, and mutually agreed with what the fate that had been bestowed onto him.

As the source of the terror which could be felt all across the village laid there wimping in its infinite pain, Emile would remain quiet as he contemplated what has been achieved by the Shinigami. He could tell that Kimiko had cut off its limbs for a purpose. The arms were cleaved in order to prevent it from using its abilities any further, and its legs were removed so that he would not be able to run away. He did not seem to have any further emotional reaction from the time being, though even if his expression did not change, the scarlet-eyed woman could feel that he had plans for the being. What those plans exactly were, she could not quite say, but judging by the hammer on his back, she couldn't help but assume that it had something to do with them in one way or another. Not that she minded it very much; among the people here, he appeared to be the one man who was the most fitted for whatever he had in mind for the creature. 

Shortly after he thanked the two officers, Emile would turn his gaze towards Celes as she bowed to him. For a moment, he would seem to be a bit surprised, almost as though he had not actually been expecting to such a greeting from the Captain. However, after he was told about the phantom of the martial artist the officers confronted within the tower, he would look towards the tower with a bit of a sigh. "I see." The way he said those words made he seem almost as though he was hurt. He even remained quieter again after that moment, appearing almost somber and maybe even a bit regretful. Fortunately, he did not remain that way for long, as a few moments after he took in more of Celes' words, he would find himself showcasing the semblance of a smile. "I can't say that I'm much of a student anymore. She wouldn't have been happy about that at all... but wherever she is now, she'll rest easier with him out of her school. I'm sure of it." 

Kimiko would stare at the man quietly as he spoke those words, lighting turning her gaze towards Celes as she did so. Although she wasn't aware of what had happened down there between Celes and the martial artist, and previously didn't know that the martial artist was somehow connected to Emile, learning all of those things made her understand him. She now understood where his light bitterness came from, where his attitude was born, and why he was not fearful of the dojo, but rather hateful towards it. Whoever this woman was, she must have been important to him in one way or another while she was still alive, enough so that losing her must have changed him incredibly. In a way, it made the Third Seat briefly think about what would happen if she lost Celes. Losing such a close friend... Even though there was no way it could happen now or at least not in the near future, she couldn't help but feel as though she would become someone like Emile if such a thing were to happen.

In any case, their collective attention would eventually turn towards the creature again. It was still wimping in agony, crying with tears running down its furred cheeks and blood still spilling from his gaping wounds. It was, in every sense of the word, miraculous that he was somehow alive. Unfortunately for him, this particular miracle was nothing short of a curse, one that the villagers cruelly enjoyed watching. Their cruelty was not malicious; rather, it was vengeful. They felt he deserved this pain, with some even believing that he should have been in greater agony. With that said, after a certain point, the sound of his torture would begin to become tiring even for the harbinger of their rage which Kimiko had indirectly become. Even the Third Seat couldn't help but wish he would simply quiet down and pass on. In so doing, she would look on over to Emile and ask: "So... what are you going to do to him?" It was a simple question. "I don't think you just wanted this."

Once again, at first, the larger man said nothing. However, after a time, he would find himself gazing down at the demon. It was a simple gesture, though the more he found himself looking at the demon, the more intense his gaze become. There was no change in the way he looked in the time being, but anyone around him could tell that the sight of the creature was beginning to create a powerful emotional within him. Kimiko knew that emotion well. It was something that she was now incredibly familiar with. It was anger, rage, wrath, and they all seemed about to surge out of the man at any given moment. "No. I don't just want this," he would reply to the Shinigami with a response that was as simple as her question, then slowly grab his hammer off his back. He would detach the leather straps letting it rest there, grab it by the handle, then let the head fall down against the ground. The latter was so heavy that it instantly crashed against the earth, and its final destination would become clear once the man would turn and let it drag against the ground before it would collide against the demon's chest.

The cowardly beast would whimper again as he felt the cold contact of the hammerhead against his chest. Having previously only been looking at the sky as a means to combat the pain that fueled his body, his attention would now turn towards Emile's weapon. As to be expected, his eyes would widen greatly as he saw what awaited him, and once again, panic would fill his mind. "NO! NO!" His shrill voice screamed again despite all that has been broken during the fall. In absolute fear of what was going to happen to him, he would rapidly look on over to the people of the crowd. "HELP! HELP ME!! LORD DOKURO, HELP MEEE!!" But as much as he cried for help, all that would be returned to him would be a crowd that was now looking at him with an emboldened fury. Their eyes were hateful and their blood boiling. Eventually, he would find himself looking back at Kimiko and Celes, and stare at them right in the eyes in one last attempt to plead for mercy. The scarlet-eyed warrior only looked back at him with one final gaze that shot a final dagger at him, one final reminder of what would happen to him should they or any Hellion cross paths with her again.

In his panic, the demon would attempt to flee, of course. It would try to crawl away with small hops against the ground despite the intense pain his broken bones caused to him. However, he was much too slow. There was no way he could avoid what was coming to him... and eventually, it did. Raising the hammerhead up, Emile would hold the weapon with both hands. He stood there, inhaling and exhaling as the rage began to fuel his body before he let out a sharp war cry and lowered the head of his weapon straight onto the demon's skull. A powerful metallic noise resonated instantly, followed by a vicious crack as the beast's skull cracked and a small crater formed underneath it. Blinded by pain, the creature let out a quick yell before the man raised the hammer again and smashed the weapon against his skull again with another yell. Each hit would be more powerful than the last, up to a point that the rest of the creature's mutilated body would begin to raise itself with every hit.

As his skull was further damaged by the hammer, the demon's bloodshot eyes would look on over to Kimiko as she watched what happened to him. With fear having now reached a breaking point within his breaking mind, the terror that he felt for the woman would begin to be filled with anger towards what she had granted to him.  You... You bitch...!  His mind would cry out as it began to die and the energy tied to it would head downward beneath the earth.  O-One day... One day, you'll pay for this! I'll make you pay! I'll make you! I'll make you, I'll make you, I'LL MAKE Y- 

And with one final strike of the hammer, the whole village shook, and the creature's head burst into a thousand pieces.

---

A time would pass after the demon's execution was completed. With the villagers showing their eternal gratitude to both Kimiko and Celes, the two officers were offered several foods and drinks that they have been cultivating recently for special occasions. The Third Seat, having been quite hungry after the ordeal mostly because she had thrown up much of what she had eaten before a few minutes prior, had accepted the food with glee and enjoyed the delicacies these people had to offer. There wasn't much meat for her to enjoy in this place since it wasn't a land that allowed for the cultivation of many farm animals, but there was plenty of vegetables and rice. It made for quite the unique dishes, with some of the villagers being so happy with the elimination of the creature that they would make sure to even allow her to taste some of their best meals completely free of charge. It was a great time, one that the Shinigami thoroughly enjoyed as it allowed her to see the true face of the village for the first time since she arrived.

Yet once the evening came, she felt a need to return to the dojo. Casually, she had walked up the steps that led towards the school, stepped beyond the main gates, and wandered into the great courtyard. She would take a few steps into the place before she would look up towards the pagoda and simply look at it. Even now, after the demonic energy had been completely cleansed from the area following the Hellion's death, she felt the weight of the tower push onto her shoulders. It continued to darken the courtyard and then the rest of the village below, blocking out the sun and preventing it from appearing the way it should. With that realization, she couldn't help but continue to look at it with a bit of a disdain, especially given how many had been slain within it. "This thing... really sucks," she hummed quietly as she gazed at the thing she once - and still somewhat was - considering as a beacon of darkness. It was making her start wondering why it was even built in the first place.

[Celes Castellanos]

Standing before Emile and giving him a respectful bow was not required. Just from a glance she could tell that the man despite his physique did not practice much anymore. Being an expert in Hakuda, she had ways of sizing up others based on the way they carried themselves. Regardless, she felt that it would be fitting. As she briefly talked about her experience in the dojo, she noted the soft sigh that came from the man. "I see." There was some strain to his voice. Celes expected nothing else. After all, she was sure that it was a part of his past that he buried some time ago. Howveer, suddenly she got a bit of a smile. "I can't say that I'm much of a student anymore. She wouldn't have been happy about that at all... but wherever she is now, she'll rest easier with him out of her school. I'm sure of it." The Captain nodded her head, returning the smile.

After the warm moment, Celes shifted her gaze at the wriggling form of the demon. His chest rose up and down. He was surprisingly still alive though he would soon wish that he had died. "So... what are you going to do to him?" Celes looked at Kimiko and then again at Emile, not speaking a word. "I don't think you just wanted this." Her eyes drifting across the villagers, Celes could see that they were not satisfied. She could feel the bloodlust in the air. It was not malicious though. They were merely seeking retribution for what had been done to them. Celes understood it and she gulped softly as Emile spoke; his voice serious. "No. I don't just want this,"

It was time for this demon to pay his penance. The Captain watched as Emile slowly unbuckled the hammer that clung to his back. With it, he began to slowly approach the demon that still lay on the ground, unable to move. Already she could tell where this was going to go. The hammer heaved with every moment, dragging along the earth and shaking the ground. Celes bit her lip as she looked upon the demon. For a moment there would be silence. Then... CRACK, the demon's form contorted painfully as it crashed against his chest. There was a notable wince that came from the Captain as she witnessed the crushing of bones. The screams of agony that erupted from the hellion were deafening. 

As he turned his attention to the weapon that now rested upon his chest, he screamed with utter fear. "NO! NO!" He continued to plead for help from some master that likely would not come to safe him. "HELP! HELP ME!! LORD DOKURO, HELP MEEE!!" As he looked around, attempting to appeal to the masses around him, he would get only looks of hate. Even from the Third Seat as he turned to look at the two Shinigami. By comparison, Celes met his eyes and then averted her gaze once more just as she did atop the tower. It was not because of the demon, however. It was because she noticed the shifting the hammer as Emile lifted it once more. 

The Captain kept looking away even as the hammer came down, but nothing could stop her from hearing the cracking of bone and the utter screams of pain and horror that erupted from the Hellion. She was the Captain of the Tenth Division. Her duty was to protect e people of Soul Society. This duty bound her to stand by and allow this to happen. She did not condemn the demon any less, but she had rarely if ever resorted to killing. Even during the great invasion of Hell, her goal was to repel any major threats she came across until Alastor had made a cruel gesture towards her resolve to sacrifice her own body to take out Orobas and Alastor. It was in those times that her rage truly boiled. When she had to urge to kill. Even now, she knew the demon deserved to die, but she couldn't look. She wouldn't.

Time after time, the hammer came crashing to the earth, striking the demon until he was a bloody mess. His pleading had stopped and now the only sounds that came from him would be grunts of pain. Cries of agony. It was a visceral display. Even now, he clung to life. His mind fixated on only one thing. Kimiko. The woman who had condemned it. She who had effectively allowed the people of the village to sentence him to a painful demise. His every thought was focused on revenge. How he would come back and make her suffer for this. The hammer came up one final time and Celes winced as she heard the crack of its skull, the splatter of blood and his body finally go limp. It had been done...

---

After the public execution, Celes and Kimiko had been cordially invited to some festivities by the town. Food, song and dance. The recent events had certainly made the Captain a little hungry and so she happily accepted the food and drink offered by the townsfolk. It was a unique experience. For once in a long time, it seemed that the 40th District would be brighter. People dancing, children running around, it was the type of close-knit community that Celes could certainly appreciate. Everywhere she went, she had been greeted warmly and thanked excessively. A few kids had even run up to her, asking her about adventures that she had been on. She would tell some stories to children who sat upon the floor as if it was Storytime, dramatizing her stories to make them seem larger than life. There was a truth to them, but her experiences with Yunorashi had given her practice.

As the evening drew to a close and the festivities drew closer, Celes would find herself looking for Kimiko. She had lost the Third Seat in all the jubilations. Asking around, she was told that they last saw her retreating back to the Dojo to which Celes nodded. The Captain would elegantly move away from the crowds of townsfolk. With a little hop in her step, she slowly climbed up the stone path which led up to the isolated dojo. Even though the demonic influence had been taken care of, Celes was still made slightly uncomfortable by the tower that loomed in the distance, casting a large imposing shadow over the town which had been recently lit up with celebrations.

Approaching the gate, she saw Kimiko standing in the courtyard, looking at the looming tower. Opening the gate, creaking softly, she heard the Third Seat speak. "This thing... really sucks," Approaching slowly, the Captain chuckled briefly. "Always have had a way with words, haven't you Kimiko?" It was a gentle little tease at her again which she had been doing for some time now. There would be no malice behind it, only a childish playfulness. Slowly approaching the Third Seat and standing next to her, Celes sighed. "Y'know, I could always just knock it down in a swing or two if you feel it'd look better~" She looked around the courtyard and giggle. "This is a good bunch of people capable of compassion and joy. That Hellion robbed them of it..." 

She sighed briefly before composing herself, a smile forming on her lips. "When I bet the martial artist after you pursued the demon, her memory not only told me that Emile was her student, but that this could belong to him. For all intents and purposes, this is his dojo." Tapping her side, she hummed softly. "This district could definitely use some cheering up and I think your school would be the perfect way to do it. You could give people who are interested a passion. Something to pursue." She paused for a moment and continued humming. "Emile seems to be respected around here and I have a suspicion that he'd feel that you could be entrusted to give some long-lasting hope back to these people." Looking for at Kimiko, the Captain would grin. "Besides, I'd definitely be interested in seeing what you teach at this school. Who knows maybe I'll even attend a class or two as a student despite me winning the race." She'd give a wink with a very light and teasing smirk.

[Nakajima Kimiko]

Kimiko's eyes remained fixated on the pagoda for a time as she stood in the courtyard beneath it alone. Again, as she stood there under its shadow, she would think of it and what it now represented to the people of the village. She would understand the natural consequence of its existence, its spiritual representation as a pseudo-graveyard for all the men and women who have fallen while defending themselves against the demon's apparitions, and its psychological representation of something that was once meant to act as a beacon of hope now corrupted into something dark and grimy. Personally, she thought it was a nuisance. Beyond it hiding the sunlight and causing the whole town to be constantly dark, it was also something that had been stained. If it was up to her, she would have seen it outright removed. Nevertheless, for all she knew, there were probably people down there that still thought of it as something that should be kept.

Pondering on this matter, she would continue to stand there for some time on her own with her gaze immobile. This study of hers, however, would end once Celes appeared from the main gates and joined her side. With a blink, the Third Seat would turn her head from the tower towards her friend, looking over her shoulder. As she would accomplish this, her serious expression would turn into something that was more embarrassed again as she looked back at the tower. "But this thing does suck, though," she would bluntly reply as she looked up and down the tower like she has done several times, blushing a bit as she was criticized for her speech patterns. It was a simple response like many of the ones she has spoken ever since she returned from the pagoda with the dismembered demon, but it was a fitting one, all things considered. She's never been the best when it came to speaking altogether, and frankly, it was doubtful she was going to get better at it now.

With that aside, the Captain would then speak with her regarding many subjects, namely the townsfolk, Emile, and where he personally was regarding the matter of the dojo. Judging by the importance of the latter two, Kimiko felt it was more appropriate for her to give her furthest attention, which ironically made her completely ignore Celia's suggestion about her breaking the tower by herself. Apparently, she had guessed right about Emile: he was that French woman's student. Not only that, but they also seemed close enough as a master and student pair that the woman had been ready to gift the dojo to him. It made sense. If they were so close together, then realistically, this place really could have only been gifted to someone who the master truly considered as her successor, especially someone who was as strong as Emile; after all, the man was so powerful that he was able to make that demon's skull explode and leave a crater behind. Even now, the villagers were still filling up the hole that was left behind to repair the road.

It was why, when her friend explained this to her, the Third Seat could not help but feel that she did not entirely deserve this dojo. This place... It did not feel like it was hers to keep. The history that this place had, the significance it once had for the villagers, and Emile's place in all of this all made her feel as though she was better off establishing her school elsewhere. It just didn't feel entirely right for her to take something that, in essence, really should go to the man who was once supposed to be its rightful owner. "No... I think Emile should really just get it," she would thus say to the Captain as she turned her head away from the pagoda. "She wanted to give it to him when she was alive. In my mind, it feels... I'm not sure how to say this... It just feels better to let it take it and... choose whatever he wants to do with it." Those were honest words. It will most likely be difficult for her to find another place she could personally consider as her school, but if she ever does, it will at least not be so historically important to the people surrounding it in comparison to this one.

"Then I choose to give it to you."

Much to her surprise, however, as she would find herself beginning to turn towards the main gates, she would see the aforementioned man near the gates. His arms were crossed, and he was pushing himself against the wall rather naturally. For a moment, the Shinigami would just stare at him in surprise, seeing as he hadn't even heard him actually walk under the gates unlike Celes. However, just as she would be about to find the words to give to him, he would push himself off the wall and approach the two officers at a slow pace. "When I was a student here, I was impulsive. I just thought that the school was a way for me to become stronger for the village. Never thought of it as anything more than that. I didn't listen to her or even bothered to consider her thoughts about it. I couldn't even get her school back from that thing," he explained as he eventually slowed down and stopped near the two officers. His tone was just as familiar as before, brash and fitting of the country, but it wasn't rude. If anything, despite his negativeness, it was nostalgic. "No. A student like that doesn't deserve this. Not at all."

The scarlet-eyed woman would simply stare at the man in silence as she contemplated all that was told to her. It was admittedly a lot to take in. In a moment's notice, this place that she believed herself unworthy to own was downright being gifted to her on a platter. It was a bit surreal, enough so that she found herself just stunned for a few seconds. "You're... You're just going to give it to me? Just like that?"

In response to her questions, the man would give her quite possibly the warmest smile he could muster out of him, which was admittedly just average in comparison to most people. "It's what Gabrielle would have wanted."

Taking all this information into account, the scarlet-eyed warrior would stare at the man some more, then slowly look towards the rest of the courtyard. This was... This was strange. She felt happy. Thoroughly happy. Not only had she gotten what she wanted out of this trip, but she also believed that she had a chance to do something great with it. She could already feel the ambition slowly rise within her gut, and the motivation begin to course through her veins. It felt like the purest energy she had ever felt in a long time, one that was purer than even Shizukakane's. With her eyes eventually settling on the pagoda, she would find herself closing her eyes as she fully understood what kind of position she had found herself reaching in this moment. It was a lot. More than a lot. So much so that, as she took it all in, she would find herself taking a deep breath as what she would do next would take shape in her mind. "Alright, well... as the new master of this dojo, I want this tower-"

The body of the Third Seat would briefly disappear for a moment from view before, suddenly, bursts of white and black "ink" would surge from the inside of the pagoda followed by strident sounds of metal slashing right through wood. It would only last for maybe three seconds or so, but once the process was completed, the officer would return to her initial position with her swords unsheathed. As she stood there before the other two people in the courtyard, she would then return her Shikai blades to their scabbards. With a final "GONE!" shouted out of the new master's throat, each and every single support beam of the pagoda tower would suddenly be cut before, affected by the massive amount of spiritual pressure released by the woman in the act, it would be pushed backwards beyond the northern courtyard wall. The great looming structure would fall down in a wooden cacophony as it crashed against the rock walls, then down into the empty forest behind the school. By the end of it, the vast majority of the tower would be gone, leaving only about two of its upper floors still standing. 

As the evening sun shone bright against the courtyard and the rest of the district, Kimiko would then turn towards a shocked Emile with a look of newfound confidence and will. It was very clear that she had not forgotten what he had told to her prior, and it was also clear that she had not enjoyed his negativeness in the slightest. It reminded her of back when she had no knowledge of her Inner Hollow, and she was not going to let someone fall into despair like she has done, not while she was there with them. "As for you, Emile... become my student!" She would request loudly and powerfully. "Together, for as long as we stand, Gabrielle will live on forever!"

Kimiko knew that that was a horribly-cheesy line straight out of a cheap action flick. She knew, oh, she knew. However, she could not help it. She wanted to show this man that she was not going to let him wallow in his self-pity until he cannot take it anymore, and this was her way to express this will of hers... and somehow, it worked. The man - taken aback by the destroyed tower, the shining of the sun and Kimiko's ridiculous strength of will - would blink quietly as he saw the scene unfold, and for the briefest of moments, a small tear could be seen in his left eye as his warm smile widened a bit. "Heh... Alright. I guess I can maybe give this student thing another try," he would find himself letting out a quiet chuckle before, eventually, he would would push his right fist against his open left palm, and bow forward. "I look forward to training under you, master Nakajima."

This was exactly what the Third Seat wanted to hear. With a smile, she would nod to Emile, then look back towards the fallen pagoda. It seems like that she will have a lot of things to do from now on... but that was fine. This is her home now. She was going to make this place the best dojo the Rukongai has ever seen, and she is going to defend it as much as the Soul Society itself, no matter the time nor the hardships.

[Celes Castellanos]

There was a brief moment of silence between the two women. Celes had meant every word that she had said. She truly believed that Kimiko could provide some hope to the 40th District. Especially after the two years of hardship that they had faced as a result of the stray demon. She'd look at her student, waiting to see what she had to say. She was expecting Kimiko to jump at the opportunity. After all, it was the reason that they came here. At least originally. As the pause continued, Celes could sense the hesitation of her disciple. "No... I think Emile should really just get it," Celes' expression did not change. She simply nodded and listened. "She wanted to give it to him when she was alive. In my mind, it feels... I'm not sure how to say this... It just feels better to let it take it and... choose whatever he wants to do with it." 

The Captain wouldn't argue with this. She understood Kimiko's decision. Falling into silence once more, Celes jolted upward for a moment upon hearing a voice behind them. "Then I choose to give it to you." The Captain turned around to see Emile, sitting atop the wall just beside the gate. Celes was surprised to say the least. "How long has he been sitting there.. huh. I'm impressed..." Hopping off of the wall, the man began to approach the two officers. His pace was slow, but Celes kept her gaze fixed upon him. After all, she was intrigued to hear more. He had just made the choice to give the dojo to Kimiko. It put a small smile on Celes' face.

"When I was a student here, I was impulsive. I just thought that the school was a way for me to become stronger for the village. Never thought of it as anything more than that. I didn't listen to her or even bothered to consider her thoughts about it. I couldn't even get her school back from that thing," His voice was rough as usual, but as he explained her view on it, Celes could definitely understand his train of thought. There were times in the Captain's life where she was out of focus. Times when she believed that she wanted to get stronger for the sake of getting stronger. No purpose truly guiding her. She simply nodded her head before listening to him continue. "No. A student like that doesn't deserve this. Not at all."

There was shock on the Third Seat's face and rightfully so. Kimiko had just been given the school after deciding that she felt unworthy of it. Her response was expected. "You're... You're just going to give it to me? Just like that?" Emile's response was what truly caught the Captain's attention though. "It's what Gabrielle would have wanted." She smiled, not only with Emile, but for another reason. She finally had a name to put to the face of the woman she had grown to develop some respect for. She nodded, closing her eyes before sighing. "You might have been an apparition, but our fight is something that I will always truly cherish.."

Suddenly, Kimiko turned her gaze back to tower, catching the attention of Celes. She stared at her student who promptly declared that she wanted the tower gone. With swift and impressive execution, the Third Seat drew her blades and sliced through the support beams of the tower. It creaked for a moment before beginning to fall backwards. Celes would look with interest as the tower fell backwards, crashing into the rock face just outside of the wall and falling to the forest below. The sun was finally allowed to shine upon the courtyard once more. Immediately, the grounds lost their menace. Celes would no longer sense any sign of discomfort. It suited the new era of the dojo well.

It was, however, the next moment that Celes hadn't expected. The Third Seat spoke with an undying will, addressing the man that stood beside them. "As for you, Emile... become my student!" Her voice boomed with confidence and passion. "Together, for as long as we stand, Gabrielle will live on forever!" The Captain quickly turned her gaze to Emile. She desperately wanted to nod, trying to encourage him though she felt that it needed to be his decision. Besides... something deep down told her that Kimiko's passion was intoxicating. "Heh... Alright. I guess I can maybe give this student thing another try," Celes couldn't help, but smile at this. It was downright heartwarming. "I look forward to training under you, master Nakajima." The Captain grinned and turned to her disciple. "Well. I guess when I attend a class or two, I'll have to do it too." She grinned for a moment.

Looking at the sun that shone brilliantly upon the courtyard, Celes sighed happily. They had done much good here. They had weeded out the hellish influence that resided here, got Kimiko her dojo and even lifted the spirits of an entire district. The Captain chuckled, turning on her heel and facing the gate. "Well, I should be heading back down. I was telling some stories to all the kids down there." She grinned for a moment. "I was in the middle of telling them about the time when I slew a monster more than a hundred feet tall and saved the poor damsel in distress." She'd wink, clearly indicating the dramatization of her stories which children seemed to eat up. She giggled, heading through the gate and walking back to the town thinking about more events of her past that she could make better for dramatic effect. 

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122 paragraphs for page 1.

123 paragraphs for page 2.

146 paragraphs for page 3.

79 paragraphs for page 4.

Altogether, that's 470 total paragraphs. I wonder more and more how y'all actually do this x) Regardless! That'll be 2,345 total TP for both of you. I look forward to reading more of y'all's threads ^-^