To Honor A New Generation [Closed Social]

[Celes Castellanos]

"The First Division huh..." Celes had made sure to read over the official letter a few times over the past few days. It had been a formal request signed by the Head Captain of the Gotei Thirteen, Kyousou Ningen, and herself. Written by the old man, it detailed her transfer to the First Division as Vice-Captain. Celes was not surprised to see this. After all, Miranda had grown. She did everything that was asked of her. It had become time for her to show her mettle as a Vice-Captain. The green-haired Shinigami would've liked nothing more than to promote Miranda herself, but unfortunately, the spot had already been claimed by returning lieutenant, Arantima Kawada. 

Regardless of the Captain's own personal feelings on it, she was proud of her former Third Seat. The position of Vice-Captain already carried some prestige, but a completely different level of honor and respect stood behind the First Division. Miranda would effectively serve as the Captain Commanders' right hand. Not only that, but the letter was signed by the Captain Commander himself. This meant that he recognized Miranda's ability and achievement. In some ways, Celes was jealous. She had a unique opportunity to learn from one of, if not, the strongest Shinigami in Soul Society. Hell, one of the strongest Captain Commanders to ever serve.

The transfer had occurred a few days ago. It had been a somewhat painless procedure. After all, Celes had dedicated some of her own Division exclusively to helping the former Third Seat move all of her belongings and personal effects. After all, this was more than a simple promotion. The Tenth Division was losing a fine officer, but Celes wanted to do her best to show support. It only felt like yesterday since she first met Miranda. Back then, she was merely an Academy Student. The white-haired Shinigami gave her courage and direction. Even when she finally became the Captain of the Tenth, Celes still had much respect for Miranda due to those early days. 

Celes sat back in her chair, sighing. There wasn't much paperwork to be done, no Squad exercise to carry out. She could feel at ease. Just as she was about to close her eyes, she heard a knock on her door. The Captain's head shifted for a moment. With a small groan, she called out. "Whoever it is... come in." The doors opened as Celes straightened herself. A man came in. Wearing a Shihakusho, he was clearly a Shinigami. A bag resembling a large satchel hung off his right hip. His face was partially covered, and other garbs decorated his otherwise normal appearance. Celes sighed briefly. "Oh great... a courier. What do they need to tell me on their day off..." Her amber eyes peered at the man who gave a polite bow.

"Good afternoon, Captain Shindazu.." Celes gave a dejected groan. The formality was always something that annoyed the Captain. Regardless, she raised her hand. "Yep, I know who I am. What news do you have to share?" The courier stepped forward and gently placed a letter on her desk. The Captain looked down and briefly gave him a look of surprise. She was expecting some grander than just a simple letter. After all, they took the time to send a courier out. "I was merely told to deliver this to all Captains." Celes nodded and waved her hand. "Thank you very much. You may see yourself out." The courier nodded and gave another bow before leaving the office, the doors shutting behind him.

Tapping the desk briefly, she leaned forward and took the letter. Tearing at the top, she gently tapped the envelop as the letter fell onto her desk. Discarding the torn envelope, Celes took the note into her hand and cleared her throat. "Let's see..." Looking upon the letter, she immediately recognized it for what it was. A promotion notice. This was traditionally sent out to each Captain at the time, detailing a new addition to the highest rank afforded to the average Shinigami. Someone had been promoted to Captaincy. Celes eagerly read through the congratulatory note. Upon reading the recipient of the promotion she screamed. "Kimiko!" She rose from her seat and excitedly jumped up and down. "HAHA! I knew she could do it!" Her stomps were strong enough to rock the foundation of the Tenth Division Barracks. 

She roared with passion. "Oh, this is cause for celebration!" The Captain immediately pulled out a piece of parchment along with a pen. She quickly drafted up not only a letter to Kimiko, but also to Miranda. They both stated relatively similar details. Both congratulated the respective women of their corresponding promotions. Celes' excitement would be clear in her writing. She wanted to celebrate! No. They needed to celebrate! She knew of a small bar located within the Seireitei. There they could properly celebrate over a drink or two. Celes detailed both the bar and time. It was set to be tomorrow in the evening. This would give the Captain enough time to prepare. 

After writing up the two letters, Celes summoned two of her own Division shortly after. As they stood in her office, Celes was positively burst with energy. "Okay listen here. This is of utmost importance. I need one of you to deliver this letter..." Celes pointed at it briefly. "To Kimiko Nakajima." She then pointed at the other. "I'd like this one delivered to Miranda Frost." She smiled briefly. Both women were known quite well within the Tenth Division. Miranda being the former Third Seat and Kimiko was well known as Celes' personal disciple. The two women before Celes nodded. "Yes Captain!" Shortly after, both of them departed to deliver their respective messages.

---

The time for celebration would finally come. The setting sun along the horizon created a soothing ambience. Standing in front of the bar, Celes wore her traditional shihakusho & haori. Part of her was tempted to wear a dress, but she ultimately decided against it. Beneath the white jacket, along her hip, rested her twin Zanpakutō as always. The Captain of the Tenth had to listen to Yunorashi whine and complain about not being able to come into the physical world to celebrate with them. The closest alternative she had, as always, was to carry her twin swords with her. In some ways, it was a little amusing to Celes that the Zanpakutō Spirit even wanted to join along, but she was a rather sociable young girl.

Waiting for her two companions to show, Celes had taken the time to already enter the bar and give the woman who tended the bar two bottles of saké. She had asked for them to be stored in ice. After all, they were better chilled. Celes did not usually drink, but this was a special occasion. She had gone to the World of the Living and gotten a bottle of plum saké & yuzu saké. The former was a sweeter alcohol while the latter was savory. She just thought she'd bring along her own bottles to accompany whatever options the bar had. Additionally, they had a variety of small foods such as gyoza and takoyaki. Leaning against the outside of the bar, Celes patiently waited.

[Miranda Frost]

 When she had woken up from her weeks long coma, she had wiped out a potential third of the squad 4 medical facilities when she tapped into her bankai for the first time. Quickly, defensive forces were on the scene, not police forces. This had surprised Miranda, just as what had happened surprised all of them. Miranda was afraid she would be reprimanded, but no, it would be as if never happened. Sure the nurses scolded her and took her zanpakuto away until she finished her treatment.

 After a few weeks of being put under the knife, put in and out of conciousness, and mediocre hospital food she'd recover and be released back to her squad. When she got to her barracks she'd find a packet of orders waiting. Immediately she remember recieving something similar when she returned from the infermery after her first mission and recieved orders to transfer to squad 10 from 7. When she picked it up, she'd find that the packet was rather hefty, with more than just paper within.

 Miranda opened it up and let the contents spill over her bed. Within was her orders and a lieutenants badge and a promotion certificate. It seemed unreal to her. She'd pick up the certificate and read it to herself.

 "This is to certify that the Captain Commander of the Gotei 13 has reposed special trust and confidence in the dedication, valor, resiliency, and professional excellence of

Miranda Frost.

In view of these qualities and her demonstrated leadership potential and dedicated service to the Sereitei, she is therefore advanced from Third Seat to Lieutenant effective immediately. 

Signed, 

~Kyousou Ningen, Captain Commander".

 Miranda looked up from the papers and set them down, picking up the badge, her thumbs running over the knotches  etched into the badge. It was used, likely by a lieutenant before her. She could feel traces of foreign reiatsu lingering on the surface, confirming her theory. She'd tie the badge around her arm and review the orders. She would be reporting in the following days, granting a generous transfer time to move her personal effects to her new office and quarters as well as to meet the rest of the squad.

 It was a bit intimidating. Miranda knew a lot more responsibility would fall upon her shoulders due to her being the 1st squad lieutenant. The captain commander's job was to oversee the Gotei 13. While it is true that he still owned that squad, Miranda would have to step up and relieve him of a bit of that burden so that he may properly perform as Captain Commander, a step between a normal Lieutenant and Captain.

 She was excited but there was something saddening about it. The men here looked up to Miranda. When the seated officers were coming and going, Miranda remained, watching out for them. She couldnt help but feel as if she were letting them down, but she knew they didnt see that way. They'd celebrate. Captain Celes and Arantima would likely have some reservations about it as well, but orders are orders.

 Besides, its not as if she were being put into the third squad. She'd be within shouting distance and she'll never be too hard to find. The amount of paperwork coming in would likely keep her glued to the desk much of the time. Miranda smiled and left the orders on the bed, noticing another envelope, one from Captain Celes.

 She red through it quickly, a smile stretching across her face at the invitation. "I wonder if this is a trap. She knows how much trouble ive gotten in from a little drink. Still, this is probably as good of a time to do it than any." Miranda set it down. She didnt have to pack now. It was time to celebrate.

 _____

 Miranda stepped into bar, half expecting Captain Celes and Kimiko to beat here, yet here she was as second place. Miranda smiled and pulled up a seat and sat beside her, gloved hand shaking the captain's shoulder in greeting. "Hey hey! Didn't expect to see you in a place like this. Don't think I've ever seen you drink once", She'd chuckle, materializing  a small mug of crystal in her other hand and one before the Captain.

 "Also didn't expect an invitation to celebrate after dealing with all my problems with good drink. We must have gotten hit hard.", her smile faded slightly at the mention of the attack. Given how she was missing during the event, she was curious on what happened. It was easy to see a shift in attitude and behavior after the fact. "Bah, too early in the night to bring up the morose topics. I heard your pupil made captaincy! Wasn't that long ago that she was just an unseated, I'd say you did well with her!"

[Nakajima Kimiko]

It was yet another day for the people of the Soul Society. To many, it would be nothing more than a typical day of autumn, one which happened to be slightly hotter than usual. The sun which eternally remained in the blue skies above shone brightly in a cloudless skies, spreading its light onto the many edifices of the celestial realm, and the wind blew a quiet breeze which was barely felt by the busy people below. Wanderers wandered about in search for a place to visit, shop owners and various commercial establishments sold their services to those who were interested, and others rested in favor of enjoying the climate for that was something one without innate motivations or a potency for spiritual energy can simply do in this afterlife. But those who did possess this energy, of course, could not rest. They never could, not by a long shot, not with the many threats that constantly loomed on the horizon. This was why the holy city which stood behind the great cardinal gates remained as busy as ever.

All across Seireitei, the people would work. Some more than others, of course, but it would at least appear as such at a first glance. The marbled streets were filled to the brim with an amount of people that was almost shocking at a first glance, all of which were heading towards one edifice to the other. Unsurprisingly, the greatest majority of these people wore the Shihakusho. Men and women of the Gotei 13 of various stature and positions, each of which seemingly heading towards one destination or another in order to accomplish one clear purpose. One may wonder why there were so many of these officers wandering about, and it would be quite the fair thought to possess; after all, the holy city most often appears empty at a first glance. To this, they would receive many answers, though one of them would be more curious than others. Indeed, it was curious because some of these officers were not heading to work. Instead, they were heading towards the barracks of the Eleventh Division.

The headquarters of the infamous squad was usually a loud, yet reserved edifice. The people there trained hard and expressed them with the greatest pride, but the most of them were well-aware of the reputation the Gotei 13 had set upon them. Bandit, barbarian, savage. Terms to give to people who preferred to act like they had nothing to lose in combat, all in favor of eliminating threats to the Soul Society. The goal was positive, but the words were not. Worse yet, these were words the officers of the squad would often hear in casual conversations whenever their squad was the main subject. In time, they would become used to them. They were just words, after all, and they were used to face things that were much more dangerous on the regular. However, getting used to them did not mean that they simply accepted them. In so doing, they would remain away from those of the other squads, with the only exception being those from the Tenth.

But not today. Today, they could not do so, for Kimiko - their strongest so far - had other plans. It had been quite some time now since the Third Seat had began teaching swordsmanship to others. For years, she would make the journey to the 40th western district of Rukongai, head towards her great dojo, and teach others the basics of the blade under the Nijū Kanmeki-ryu. But today, she had other plans. Well, they were not quite her own as it was somebody else who pushed her to do so, but they were plans nonetheless. They were simple too. From 10 AM to 2 PM, she would remain within the Colosseum in order to spar with an officer. At the end of the spar, she would then tell them what they had done right and what they had done wrong, and would have Gideon - one of her trusted squadmate - make a note for them to remember. Those who wished to spar Kimiko could come from any squad of the Gotei 13 and use everything at their disposal, barring magic. Naturally, with the rumors circulating about her growing school, many wished to see how her lessons would look like.

Two hours after this little event began, the sparring grounds were filled with people. There were spectators of many squads, even those which specialized in magical abilities, and they each eagerly watched the latest battle unfold in the middle of Colosseum. On one side, there was Kimiko ready to unsheathe her blades at any time. She looked motivated as ever, excited, anticipating what this person had to offer to her and what she would have to offer to him in return. On the other side stood a male officer holding onto a dao. He was about as tall as the Third Seat, with his hair tied in a braided ponytail. From his stance, one could tell he was already experienced with the blade and very much knew how to wield his weapon. The way he held his weapon to his right side and kept his left arm open, like he was asking his opponent to come to him, staid as much. However, unlike his opponent, his gaze was not excited. Rather, it was hesitant, perhaps even a bit careful.

The two of them would remain quiet for a moment, staring themselves down as they analyzed one another. Eventually, however, the first move would come from the man with the dao. Taking a deep breath, the man would quickly rush onward towards Kimiko before attempting to deliver to her chest a rapid swipe. The scarlet-eyed woman would rapidly dodge by leaning backwards, making sure to not grossly surpass the man's own speed as she did so before she would then watch as the man then spun his blade and attempted to swipe left. It was a stylish flourish, one that could confuse an opponent at a glance and leave them hesitant to strike back, and for a moment, it almost seemed as though it surprised Kimiko as well, seeing as she did nothing to prevent what was to come. It was as though she was merely observing the man for the time being rather than fighting him, noting what his fighting style was and what was good in it.

The man would attempt to deliver another swipe, then another. His flourishes would continue to grow in intensity, with various spins of the blade he held. In fact, it almost seemed as though he specialized in spinning the blade, creating in turn a sort of area around himself that almost seemed impenetrable in hindsight. For all intents and purposes, it was a defensive work of art, a fortress of flourishes that no one could ever penetrate. Even the spectators seemed to be floored by the way he handled himself, especially given that Kimiko appeared to be struggling. She would unsheathe her blades a few times to the left and to the right, which would always cause them to collide with the man's weapon. Sometimes, she would even find herself attempting to swing downward and upward. However, none of these hits of hers would appear to be serious maneuvers. If anything, it was as though she was testing the man's defenses, giving it the attention it deserved.

Then, suddenly and without warning, the woman suddenly approached and lightly struck her opponent's stomach with the tip of Shizukakane's hilt. She did so right as he was flouring his blade away from his chest, and she did so at such an exact moment that the man let out a yelp of surprise and keeled over. The moment after, Kimiko would unsheathe Taishokukane, raise it reverse-gripped above her head, then let out a sharp cry before lowering the tip of the blade towards the man's shoulder. This would cause the man to cry back in shock and horror, mainly because he feared that she would actually strike him. However, just as the tip was about to hit him, she would stop. Just as the man would realize that he was not going to get hit, she would retreat her blades, then return them to their respective scabbards. "Good fight. You definitely know how to use that thing," she would compliment respectfully as she stood away from the man, letting him return to his senses as he slowly stood back up proper. "Do you know what you've done wrong?"

"I... believe I was... overestimating you," the man would attempt to respond, though it was clear from his tone that he was not really sure his answer was right. However, it was not entirely wrong.

"Kinda. You were too hesitant, so you weren't actually trying to attack me. Instead, you were trying to intimidate me so that it could give you the confidence to strike me. Those flourishes of yours are nice and they can confuse someone who's never seen them before, but they're not gonna work on everyone." Her explanation was clear and precise. She did not mince her criticism, but none of it was mean or extremely critical. It was clear that she only wanted him to understand the flaws of his fighting style. This was only accentuated once she fully tensed down from the spar, then spoke again: "I'd suggest to do them only when needed, and to keep them in the direction of the opponent that's fighting you. Don't leave yourself wide open in hopes of scaring someone." Once she was done speaking her mind about the man's fighting style, she would give him a smile and a nod. "If you ever wanna check it out, you'll always be welcome at the Nijū Kanmeki-ryu."

Though the man had been beaten, he seemed to have appreciated what has been told to him. He did not cuss or act in an insulting manner despite being visibly disappointed of having been beaten in such a way, instead simply nodding as he quietly took the information he was given into account. Eventually, he would respectfully bow to the woman, and then go join the spectators where he would be given a note from Gideon for him to consult during his next training sessions. As to be expected, the taller man's appearance was as frightening as ever, but fortunately, the dao-wielding man did not flinch. After all was said and done, the Third Seat would let out a brief sigh of satisfaction, unsurprisingly happy to see that her lessons had been taken by another optimistic officer. Once that was done, she would then look on towards the crowd with an energetic smile before calling: "Alright, we still got plenty of time left! Who wants to go next?"

Before anyone could step forth, however, the gates of the Colosseum would suddenly open, causing Kimiko and the spectators to look back with curiosity. At first, they believed that yet another Shinigami wished to be apart of this little event; however, it would not take long for them to realize that this was not a normal officer. Though she wore the Shihakusho, her face was partially covered by a large traditional hat and she had a satchel attached to his left hip. Upon noticing this, the Third Seat would raise a brow. This was a messenger of the Gotei 13, someone who was tasked to deliver messages to a particular individual. The scarlet-eyed woman would analyze the courier for a moment, wondering what was this was all about, though eventually, she would notice the woman simply heading towards her. By the time she was nearest to the officer, she would bow and speak respectively: "Good afternoon, Nakajima Kimiko-san." 

"Good afternoon...?" Kimiko would simply reply in return, both taken aback by the woman's modesty and use of honorifics. At this point, that particular cultural concept was almost starting to become a foreign thing to her. More importantly, she was surprised to see that she apparently was the one receiving a message here. "Do you have something for me?"

"Ichibantai taichou Ningen Kyousou is awaiting you in the First Division headquarters. Please cease all of your current activities and join him as soon as possible."

With that, the messenger would then suddenly vanish with the aid of Shunpo, leaving Kimiko and the spectators simply standing there, stunned.

---

The rest of the day would be quite the questioning one for many people of the Gotei 13. All so suddenly and without warning, the event that had been planned by Kimiko suddenly had to be cancelled due to the visit of this messenger. It was quite the surprise for some, and a shock for others, one that was intense enough to gather the attention of many. Just what was the meaning of the messenger's visit? Had the Third Seat somehow got herself in trouble in one way or another? It wasn't often that someone was convoked by the Captain Commander, especially someone like Kimiko who was not a Captain and therefore was not quite part of his entourage, and therefore, many rumors would begin to be spread around the holy city during the time she was gone. But then, an hour or so after her disappearance, the young woman would return the headquarters of the Eleventh. This time, however, she did not just wear the Shihakusho: she now wore the haori branded with the yarrow of the Eleventh Division.

Apparently, Francis Grin had been demoted from his position as the Captain of the Attack Squad, and Kimiko had been promoted in order to take his place. Just like that. Many had been taken aback by this news. There had been absolutely no warnings about how such a thing could happen, not even a clue. Hell, even Kimiko herself was taken aback by this sudden decision. She had not been expecting the Gotei 13 to be somehow aware that she had actually achieved Bankai and therefore had been eligible for Captaincy for all this time, especially given that she had never used it in public and had never really been wanting to use it as of yet. Despite this, the decision went ahead regardless, and so she now had many new responsibilities to fulfill. She was not sure of how to react to this, though there was one thing that would be clear throughout her day: everybody else seemed quite happy to have seen her be promoted.

Despite the cancellation of her sparring event, the people of the Eleventh made sure to congratulate Kimiko for her promotion with all of the energy to be expected from such a bunch. It was like a party of sorts. There was food, a lot of it, and there was also alcohol. Frankly, the fact that this was happening in the middle of the day was rather concerning on an administrative standpoint, something which Jin made sure to remind, but at this point, none of them cared about such a detail, not even him. The woman, powerless to this immense burst of energy from her comrades, simply accepted it all at one point and would go on to celebrate with them. Of course, she did not drink any alcohol. She still had another place that she needed to go to after this wild and energetic celebration, and though she knew herself to be strong against many things, alcohol was not something that she had dared herself to brave just yet. Knowing where she needed to go to after this, and with who... it was perhaps for the better that she readied herself for it.

After a time, the afternoon would come to an end, and the sun would begin to set above the Soul Society. Just as the cool breeze outside would begin to blow just a little bit stronger and cause the realm to take on a slightly-colder climate, Kimiko would find herself exiting the headquarters of the Eleventh Division - the one she now literally was supposed to lead from now on - and head into the streets of Seireitei. Her swords were still resting at her hips as she moved on, hidden beneath the haori that now rested on her barren shoulders.  This is... so weird...  she found herself thinking quietly as she walked down the streets, passing by a few people who would give her widened eyes and quick bows of respect. She was not sure if she wanted to be proud of the fact people were now looking at her in such a way, or if she wanted to instead be unsettled by the fact that they did. It was one thing to be treated as a master of a dojo, and another thing entirely to be treated almost like a noble.  I wonder what my students will think about this... 

Eventually, the scarlet-eyed woman would reach one particular establishment. From the outside, it appeared to be a traditional bar or pub using some of the modern technology to be expected from Seireitei. This was mostly apparent due to the electrical wires passing over its rooftop and the small neon signs that had been installed in front of it in order to better display the name of the place over the door. For a very brief moment of hesitation, the former Third Seat wouldn't move, though after a time, she would take a small breath and push herself forward to enter the bar. Inside, the bar looked both modern and traditional at once, with wooden chair and tables, and a few modern apparatuses behind the bar, such as a mixer. There were many bottles behind the counter, many of which appeared to be pricier than the one that stood nearest to it. Just looking at them was enough to make Kimiko imagine a crater appearing in her wallet.

Considering that there was only another person who wore the haori nearby, it did not take long for her to spot the other Captain in the room leaning against the counter. By her side was another Shinigami, a white-haired woman who simply wore the Shihakusho, albeit with a shoulder pad that displayed the number and insignia of the First Division. This must be Miranda Frost. Good thing Celes wrote her name in that latter, else Kimiko would have outright not recognized her. It has been far too long since she last saw that person. "Uh, hi," she would try to get the attention of the two as she approached the bar, then sat onto the other seat nearest to Celes, as the other one was occupied by Miranda. She was admittedly a bit nervous, and it showed, which was almost uncharacteristic of her ever since she became a dojo master. It was perhaps strange to admit, but not once had she ever thought she would actually reach Celes' position and properly classify herself as being her administrative equal. Now that she was as such, it felt... simply surreal.

[Celes Castellanos]

Standing outside the bar, waiting for her companions to show, was actually fairly soothing. The cool evening breeze blew gently, and it gave Celes a brief moment to reflect. How many years had it been since she met Kimiko? Since she took on the shy young Shinigami under her wing? Or had it been decades already? Celes was not sure anymore. Regardless of such, she could not believe how much had happened in that time. Her disciples' rise to Third Seat and eventually Captaincy. She developed her own style of fighting. Took on a personal disciple of her own. Even opened a school to teach others. In some ways it was so overwhelming just how far Kimiko had come in that time. She had really come into her own.

The Captain sighed briefly, her eyes scanning from side to side. The occasional officer walked by, filtering in and out of the bar and other nearby buildings. As per usual, Celes got the typical greeting as a Captain. Celes didn't give it much thought as she spent a few more moments looking. She muttered to herself. "Still haven't arrived huh..?" She gently pushed her back off of the wall. "Oh well. Guess I'll wait for them inside." As Celes walked into the bar, greeted by colorful lights and smiling faces, she shifted over to the counter. Pulling out a chair and taking her seat. The woman who tended the bar finished cleaning out a glass and looked at her with a bright smile. "Still waiting on your party, I assume?" Celes briefly nodded. "Yeah! Two of my friends were recently promoted. Thought we could celebrate." The woman nodded back. "Just let me know when to bring out the saké you brought." She'd wink briefly and return to her cleaning.

Celes started to tap her fingers on the wooden countertop, her haori proudly presenting the emblem of the Tenth Division. Suddenly, the girl felt a hand touch her shoulder. A familiar voice came to life and Celes turned her head to see Miranda. "Hey hey! Didn't expect to see you in a place like this. Don't think I've ever seen you drink once" As Miranda took her seat next to her, Celes gave her a look over. Her former Third Seat look cherful. She wore the Lieutenants Badge that was given to her by her promotion. As the small mug of crystal formed in the Lieutenants' hand, Celes chuckled and shook her head. Creating things using her Shikai is a skill that Miranda displayed during a past training. She was surprised to see it used so casually here again. 

"Also didn't expect an invitation to celebrate after dealing with all my problems with good drink. We must have gotten hit hard." Despite hearing the teasing in Miranda's voice, the Captain would appear deflated for a little. It hadn't felt that long since the last invasion by Hell. While Soul Society endured, they did so at great cost. In some ways, Celes still blamed herself for some of it. Not only over her officers who died in the invasion, but also her general carelessness in properly preparing for such an attack. Thankfully, Miranda would pick up on the sore topic and shift gears. "Bah, too early in the night to bring up the morose topics. I heard your pupil made captaincy! Wasn't that long ago that she was just an unseated, I'd say you did well with her!"

A clear glow returned to Celes as she closed her eyes and chuckled. "You flatter me, Miranda. While I am proud of her accomplishments and she does me great honor as my student, I don't take credit for it. She had to put in the work. She had to prove herself. Me? I only tried to keep her accountable. Make sure that she knew there was someone who had her back." The Captain briefly chuckled, still tapping her fingers. "It's not just about her though. I'm quite proud of your accomplishment as well. You've shown remarkable resilience and are doing quite well for yourself." She'd wink briefly. "Vice-Captain of the First Division... that's quite the accomplishment!" 

Celes enjoyed banter between herself and other Shinigami, but today was truly a night to honor the accomplishments of a new generation of officers. Speaking of which, the other woman of the hour would show herself as she heard a bit of a shy voice behind her. "Uh, hi," Turning her head, Celes' amber eyes met Kimiko. Watching the newest Captain take a seat next to her, Celes immediately took note of the haori that marked her position. Celes gave a hearty laugh. "Well, well, if it isn't the newest Captain of the Eleventh Division. Captain Nakajima." Celes was clearly posturing in a teasing manner. Despite that, there would be a genuine warmth and care to her voice.

Finished laughing, Celes composed herself and smiled once more. "All jokes aside, how are you doing Kimiko? How does it feel to hold the reigns?" Waiting for an answer, Celes paused for a moment to allow the girl to share her thoughts. "Oh! I'm sure you still remember, Miranda?" Celes scooted backward just a bit to allow the two Shinigami to see one another. After a few moments, the woman approached the party of three. "Well then, assuming that you are all here, what can I get you three?" Celes wasn't normally one to drink, but she had a few ideas. Tapping the counter three more times idly, she spoke. "Could I start off with a Moscow Mule?" The beauty of Soul Society was that its people came from many backgrounds. Despite the clear Japanese influence, its drinks would be entirely diverse.

[Miranda Frost]

"Accomplishment, right. We'll see how this office is", Miranda looked ahead in reflection. Her own accomplishment had not been her own in its entirety. Every step of the way up the mountain another hand was there to lift her up. Truly the only door left for her alone was the last one, the decision to take the fight to her past and the cult that awaited there. Her victory had been painfully fought, but the rewards were worth it. A new office was hers and the power of a Captain began to grow within her. Though a lieutenant, there were many who'd honor this office as one would a captain. "Squad 10 had been my home for sometime. It was easy to keep fighting with our men and women keeping me on my feet. I can't say I've ever even met one from Squad 1"

 "Uh hi." , Said a familiar voice. Miranda would look at it source, spotting a grown up Kimiko sporting the Captain Hoari. They say that a good pupil is a reflection of the teacher, and Miranda could see it. It wasn't about the physical appearance, but the demeanor. It had been some time since she had seen Kimiko during a joint training exercise between the squads, but Kimiko's nature seemed to endure, or maybe she was just as shocked at the promotions as Miranda was. Whatever the case, the new Squad 11 captain reminded the new lieutenant of a younger Celes. "It's been a long time, Captain Kimiko. You've grown a good deal!"

 "Moscow Mule's got a decent burn.", Miranda nodded, holding out her palm, a crystal mug forming seemingly from nothing. This little trick would give the bartender's brow a rise. "Rum, if you would. Light on the rocks."  Miranda often drank from her own constructs to the point it had become a preference. A few establishments often regarded her coldly for this, seeing this as an unspoken slight against their cleanliness standards. This couldnt be farther from the truth. Why use a standard mug when she could gaze upon the beauty of crystal for no cost? Helped reduce amount needed to be cleaned as well.

[Nakajima Kimiko]

Being looked at by those who wandered the streets of Seireitei as a Captain was something that Kimiko considered to be strange and maybe a bit overwhelming. She had been expecting people to see her in a different light upon the moment she would find herself wearing the haori, as it was after all a sign of superiority in its own way, but she never once thought that this would translate into people beginning to nod and bow at her whenever she passed by them. A few did do such things before her whenever they could as she occupied the position of Third Seat of the Eleventh Division, though that was nothing in comparison to what she experienced outside of her division's barracks only a few moments ago. Those who were part of the aforementioned few were themselves mainly lower-ranked officers that were aware of her position, and even then, they mostly only did as such because they were downright afraid of her due to all the rumors floating about the way she does battle.

Somehow, however, she could tolerate this. The nodding, the bowing... At least, those two things were familiar. It was embarrassing, but she had seen before from those rookies, and so she could somewhat associate it all to that. The same could not be said about being referred to as "Captain Nakajima". Every time she heard those two words, it always made her slightly embarrassed. Really, how could it not? It was a very noteworthy title, one that carried great prestige across her own division and in many parts of the Soul Society. Hell, once again, she never once thought she would find herself actually gaining such a title herself, especially given everything she has been doing for her school in Rukongai as of recently, and the way she hid her Bankai from everyone for so long. Then, all so suddenly, she is given the haori of her division, and then she is referred to by everyone as a Captain. In a way, it was like a dream... A good one, that is. At least, she believed that it was good for now.

So, when she sat down and heard Celes and even Miranda call her with those two words, the scarlet-eyed woman simply blushed. She knew that her friend was teasing her, because she obviously was. At this point, that side of the Captain of the Tenth had long become a standard of their conversations. Still, she couldn't say much to the greetings at first. One reason why she behaved as such was simply that she was still somewhat weak against Celes' teasing. Even now, she sometimes fails to properly respond to her words, and as bothersome as it might be, she has long since gotten used to it. Yet there was another reason that was much more potent in comparison to the first. That reason was even simpler than the first: it was the fact that she had made Celes proud of her. Given that she was the person who taught her everything about the work of the Shinigami and how one must behave in order to become strong, she couldn't be happier of seeing her acknowledging her work with such visible warmth.

The new Captain was of course eventually spoken to proper with actual questions. They were both pretty direct ones, maybe even a bit bold, and she hadn't expected to hear them be told to her so soon. As such, once she heard them, she would pause for a bit before slightly smiling to herself amidst her embarrassment. "It's... been a lot," she would tell her teacher quietly, yet with slightly more confidence than before as she settled herself properly on her bar stool. "Honestly, I'm still thinking about what I'm gonna do tomorrow... I didn't have the time to do anything yet. The guys at the barracks decided to throw a huge party once they learned of my promotion. All I've been doing since I got promoted is, uh... eat, really. They bought a whole bunch of food for me." Those were honest words. Somewhat inconsiderate words, considering that she was in an establishment that served food and therefore would most likely not really be inclined to accept them, but honest words nonetheless. "I'll have to tell them to clean everything tomorrow morning."

That was probably not going to be an easy task. The people of the Eleventh Division are unsurprisingly a rowdy bunch, and so it would be easy to assume that they are rowdier whenever they are celebrating anything of note to them. Francis Grin has been a rather inactive Captain for decades, and so every member of the division was rather happy to hear that one of them - someone that the most of them could respect, even if a portion of her Shinigami career spent alongside them has unfortunately been stained by her anti-social behavior - was being promoted to properly represent them. As such... they made sure to express their happiness the way they saw fit. By the time Kimiko had left the barracks to go join Celes and Miranda here at this particular establishment, her barracks had been turned upside down. There were bottles of alcohols everywhere, ruined furniture, and some walls had even been broken. If it wasn't for Jin eventually telling them all to settle down, the whole place would have probably collapsed under the weight of their happiness.

But that was not something that the new Captain wanted to think about for the time being. Not now, while she is spending time here with friends. As such, she would push that thought away from the forefront of her mind and instead focus on Miranda who was being actually introduced to her by Celes at that very same moment. The white-haired woman hasn't really changed since the last time Kimiko has seen her, and frankly, the Captain was thankful that it was the case, especially considering that she could only remember blurbs of the last time they've seen each other. All she could remember was that it was long ago during a particular training exercise prepared for the people of the Tenth and the Eleventh, and that she was one of the coordinators then. "Heh, I guess. You got promoted to Vice-Captain of the First, right? Congrats," she would tell the girl with both politeness and friendliness, trying her best to behave as though she was conversing with one of the villagers of the settlement below her dojo. She noticed that she acted much less awkwardly whenever she did so. "I heard they only take the best for that kind of position."

The bartender then came to them and asked them all what they wanted. Upon hearing that question, Kimiko felt herself freeze. Damn it. No, no, NO! Not this again! Damn it all, she should have thought about this! Why the hell does this always happen whenever she's in a place that sells anything?! Quickly, the officer would compose herself as much as she possibly can, hiding away her absolute terror. It was difficult, extremely so, but eventually, she would look away from the bartender and instead towards the many bottles that were set on the many shelves behind him. She needed to choose. She didn't know what to choose, but she needed to at least pick one before the others start noticing if there's something wrong her. She couldn't just come to a bar and not drink anything! It doesn't work like that! Her eyes would drift from one bottle to the next. Eventually, however, she would realize that her inexperience prevented her from recognizing any of the drinks, and the feeling of panic that was becoming oh-so-bothersome within was starting to double up.

Fortunately, right before the panic reached a turning point that would force her to reveal it to everyone around her, a memory came to her mind. It was one of Charles speaking to her about certain beverages that he and some of his American friends in the division tend to drink from time to time. Among these beverages was what would soon completely clear away Kimiko's inner turmoil. "I'll start with beer for now. With ice, please," she would tell the bartender. It did not feel like an original choice, and the bartender even gave her a smile upon hearing the suggestion, but it was at the very least a choice that the Captain did not regret in the moment. Hopefully, it'll be something she could get used to until she finds herself drinking another drink altogether.

[Camila Adaronde]

17 from Celes; 10% bonus!
26 from Nakajima; 20% bonus!
13 from Miranda; 10% bonus!