Open Door Policy [Social]

[Celes Castellanos]

Training days! Among her many duties as Captain, it's one of the activities that Celes enjoyed the most. Usually, they'd focus on a single skill such as swordsmanship or teamwork. Today, however, they focused on open sparring. A time for her officers to embrace their individual fighting styles and test them against various opponents. Not only that, but it promoted comradery among her forces. Having endured the invasion from Hell, Celes felt that it would be an excellent time to boost morale. With the departure of Miranda Frost, it provided an excellent opportunity to scout for potential candidates to fill the position. Walking between columns of her officers, she oversaw the sparring to make sure that nobody got irreparably injured.

The Captain made idle comments as she walked past. "Pace yourself, Petra. No need to tire yourself out... Keep up that form, Shane..." She smiled brightly, weaving in between group after group. Finally, standing before them all, she continued. "Everyone. You're all doing such a great job! Keep practicing!" Everyone paused for a moment. They all looked at her perplexed. Celes had not noticed it initially, but her voice changed. "What's wrong guys? Aren't you going to listen to your Captain?" It grew darker again as now, even Celes heard the shift. Her eyes widened. "No... why now? Not with them..." Her body seemingly moved by itself as she laughed softly. 

Now now. It's been so long since I've been around. Maybe I ought to play with them. Celes felt a wave of reiatsu wash over her. Tendrils of white were drawn to her face as she was brought to her knees. The members of her division rushed towards her. Each one of them worried. The white reiatsu solidified forming a kind of half mask. Covering more and more of her face, the more notable features made themselves visible. A black curved horn rose from the side of her forehead. The teeth of the mask formed a wide smile with saber-like teeth. As Celes opened her eyes, her sclera darkened, and her iris took on a golden hue. The Captain could no longer feel her own body. It was as if someone had pushed her out of the drivers' seat.

Murmurs slowly formed among the crowd as Celes' face became seemingly adorned by a Hollow Mask. Rising to her feet, her hand descends to grasp her blade. She'd strike faster than anyone could react. To them, it wouldn't have even looked like her blade moved. In an instant, three of her officers spat up blood, dropping dead as their bodies had been bifurcated. Celes smiled more. "Oops. Looks like their dead. Shame. I was hoping for a challenge." The next few moments would be an utter slaughter. Blood stained the nearby ground and trees. Bodies were left utterly maimed, cut into pieces or flung violently into the barracks. Celes couldn't help, but scream, tears flowing from her eyes. Her Division. Her family was being slaughtered right before her eyes. There was nothing she could do about it. She pleaded. "Stop it! This is between you and me, Hollow! I won't let you-" 

Raising her head, she violently awoke. Celes felt her head pound. Cold sweat ran down her brow. As she looked down, her fist had formed a crater in her desk. Splinters had flown everywhere. The doors to her office opened loudly as two of her officers ran in, blades drawn. They looked around. There was no danger. Only the shattered corner of a desk. They looked at Celes, a hint of concern in their voice. "Captain! What happened? We heard a loud noise!" Celes was brought out of her stupor by this as she lightly shook her head. "There was-... I-..." She took a deep breath. "Just um... just a nightmare. No need to worry. Please. Just... return to your posts." Her tone would be deflated, but they wouldn't question their Captain, closing the door on the way out. Celes simply slumped back into her seat, whimpering softly as she was left alone.

---

That was nearly four hours ago. The memory of the dream lingered, assaulting her like a bad hangover. She'd be walking through the streets of Karakura on her way to potentially talk to someone. She had met Kaen, the Lieutenant of the Seventh Division, a while back and he talked about a former officer with a similar curse. A Zeich Yajuu. Apparently, he just went missing after a takeover that leveled an entire district of the Rukongai. Kaen knew nothing of his whereabouts or whether he was even alive. This left Celes... troubled. It would have been nice to talk to someone who understood what she was going through. She knew that Kimiko possessed an Inner Hollow as well, but the scarlet swordswoman was just as clueless as Celes on how to deal with it. 

Unfortunately, even if Zeich was alive, Kaen admitted that he was likely laying low. Finding him would be a hassle. As such, Celes turned to the next best thing. As she walked along the sidewalk, a building atop a hill with a staircase leading up to it. It appeared to be some big corporate building. Not quite as big as Uzaki Enterprises, but it had business written all over it. Walking up the staircase, Celes bit her lip as she approached. Being a Captain of Soul Society certainly had its perks and as such, Celes already knew it as a headquarters for XCution. Among its ranks was a person of great interest to Celes. The CEO of the organization, Shizuka Sanamizu.

She had met the woman early in her career as a Shinigami. There she became acquainted with the Fullbringer. Nothing more than an Unseated Officer at the time, Celes truly had no idea who she had been dealing with. It wasn't until some years that she discovered just who Shizuka was. Ruthless and with no love for Soul Society, Celes was surprised that she had gotten along so well with her. Celes even considered studying under Shizuka, but this never went anywhere. In fact, contact after that brief encounter would deteriorate with her increasingly more strenuous duties. The Captain was not even sure if Shizuka remembered her.

The Captain stopped in her tracks for a moment. She was beginning to doubt herself. What if Soul Society discovered her dealing with someone who was labeled the enemy? Was she betraying all she stood for? She gave it some thought, shivering a little. She was nervous. In some ways, she was scared. Moments later, she took a deep breath and steeled herself. She had a problem. This Inner Hollow of hers could take control of her body at any point with the appropriate catalyst. Unlike her, he was unrestrained by virtues such as compassion loyalty to anything, but oneself. If he so desired, he could deal a crippling blow to Soul Society from within. The destruction would be unlike anything that Celes could imagine. Even if Shizuka couldn't help. Even if she knew nothing about Zeich... it was Celes' responsibility as Captain of the Tenth to try and avert such a crisis.

With a renewed will, she continued onward. She walked up to the building, sliding the door open. Within was not quite what she expected. For an organization whose intel claimed to be dealing in assassination, it was not bleak and dreary at all. In fact, it would be full of men and women in business wear. All of them simply going about their lives. By comparison, the Captain stood out like a sore thumb. Using a gigai was still fairly foreign to her, but she did her best to make do with it. It was a summer day. The sun was shining, and it was beautiful. As such, she wore a lovely green sundress that she had bought while shopping with Camila. Now was a great time to wear it lest it sit in her closet for another few years, collecting dust. While the gigai helped cover some of spiritual energy, she took a breath in and let out a small flare of spiritual pressure. It rose from her form, filling the room and harmlessly washing over the workforce of Xcution. It was a dangerous game as it could very well be seen as a prelude to a fight, but Celes didn't think that she could just stroll up and talk to the boss. This was hopefully enough to get someone's attention.

[Shizuka Sanamizu ✮]

Several piles as tall as any library bookcase contained paperwork that Shizuka absolutely did not want to do. She had no idea that this job was going to be so annoyingly boring, or involve so much paperwork, or so many meetings, or whatever else that took up her time. She groaned audibly and one of her assistants entered the office from their post right outside, looking concerned as she asked if there was anything she could do for the Fullbringer. Shizuka looked up, borderline crying, then slammed her head back down on the desk in such a way that made one of the piles fall directly on her.

Muffled from under the weight of the papers, Shizuka responded, "Just leave me here to die, Hannah. I hate this. Everything is terrible."

"It can't possible be that bad, Shizuka!" Being on friendly terms with the CEO meant she could refer to Shizuka using her first name. "You can get through all of this. Why don't you hire someone to do the filing for you?"

That question made the Fullbringer pause. Have someone else do it? These stacks were full of classified information. They contained targets, information on targets, information on the strongest spiritual beings in existence, information on that information, and a ton of stuff that Shizuka admittedly never read. She was just so tired all the time! How could she be expected to keep up with everything? Maybe Hannah had a point. But she'd have to hire someone who knew about all of this stuff just like Shizuka did. They'd likely need to be one of the Guns... What were those guys up to these days, anyway?

"You know what? You're on to something here." Shizuka jolted up, leaving a massive mess on the floor from where more paper fell. "Maybe I have to hire someone. Or ask someone! Or voluntell them!"

"All excellent ideas! Shall I get started with candidates?"

"Nope. Let me headhunt this one on my own."

She dismissed her assistant and stomped on all of her paperwork as she exited her office, absolutely hell-bent on ignoring her duties completely and instead finding someone else to do them. She detested paperwork more than anything and missed being out in the field, but this was a goal of hers for years. Finally having it now was basically her biggest accomplishment to date, and she wanted to do so much more with it. But, of course, having to handle everything meant having to handle everything. That was a pain in the ass for sure. Shizuka made it only to the doors of the elevator before she suddenly felt a pulse.

The woman paused. Then she sniffed, an action that did nothing on its own. What it helped her with was focusing since being able to sense others was still new to her. She had been getting used to the ability, but going for the majority of her time as a powered being without the ability to sense people made it very unnerving at times. Eyes wide, a smile crept up on Shizuka's face as she stepped into the elevator, forgetting about how she had already pressed the button that started the trip downstairs. She knew this person. She was familiar with the Reiatsu signature. She wouldn't have realized it back then, but she knew now.

The elevator didn't take long, especially since Shizuka was kind of willing it to move along a bit faster. Safety meant nothing to her when she literally had nerves of steel. Once the double doors slid open, she very unprofessionally sprinted over to the lobby where she would be met face to face with Celes. It only took a moment before Shizuka tackled the girl, completely absent-mindedly acting on her own excited feelings. Contrasting Celes' green dress that looked adorable on her, Shizuka wore white denim pants with a pink blouse to accent her golden heels that so strategically sealed her Fullbring abilities.

"I didn't even have to go that far!" Shizuka picked herself up off of Celes so that her arms were straddling either side of the Shinigami's head. "You would be perfect. How would you like a job?"

[Celes Castellanos]

This was certainly thrilling to say the least. Flexing her reiryoku in order to draw attention to herself. Strangely enough, even as her spiritual pressure lightly crashed against countless people, none of them took notice of it. Even from the moment she began to allow her reiryoku to pour out, they just went about their daily business. Despite her surprise it was actually somewhat of a relief. She wouldn't have to fight anyone. At least not at the moment. XCution, after all, was involved in assassination. Celes had encountered it firsthand when she met Dia. The Mod Soul had assassinated an elderly gentleman right in front of her. This admittedly made Celes wonder whether she effectively had "snipers" already trained on her.

There was enough time to flee. To turn around and not look back. Besides, it had been some time since Shizuka, and Celes had met. Would she even be able to recognize her? Would she approach the situation with reason? The Captain wasn't sure. It was a gamble. She took a deep breath. It was how she usually dealt with her nerves. She had come this far already. Aside from her questions and wanting to reignite old relationships, Celes' biggest problem was the Hollow within her. The dream, which played in her mind repeatedly, taunting her of her own powerlessness. Turning back was no longer an option. She couldn't allow herself to faulter. She'd brave the storm, no matter how intense its wrath.

Standing there, continuing to allow her spiritual pressure to bleed, Celes would find the person she was looking for. A blonde woman wearing white denim pants and a pink blouse with golden heels to match. Shortly after the doors of the elevator opened, Shizuka would advance towards Celes in a sprint. Even while within a Gigai, Celes could likely sidestep Shizuka easily. She had trained her body to the point where she was nearly unparalleled in her speed with only a handful of another Shinigami either being able to match or surpass her. Instead of moving, Celes simply steeled herself. The suddenness made it difficult to identify the Fullbrings' intent. At the very least she could avoid being knocked over by Shizuka.

As Shizuka crashed into Celes, the Shinigami rooted herself. The Fullbringer wouldn't do much to move Celes, but it would become clear rather quickly that Shizuka had intended no malice. The Shinigami didn't feel any malintent. This was still very surprising to say the least. The first time they had met, Shizuka made her dissent towards Shinigami clear. Yet here she was, wrapping Celes in what could only be described as a hug. Shortly after, Shizuka spoke, "I didn't even have to go that far!" Celes blinked. She was even more confused. As the Fullbringer lifted herself off of the Shinigami, she took Celes' face into her hands. The Captain would do nothing to stop it, but this was still far from normal. "You would be perfect. How would you like a job?"

Suffice to say... Celes was speechless. Here she was worrying about how Shizuka would react and almost immediately after reconnecting she was being offered a job. Her mind raced. "A job? Here? At Xcution?" There was a lot to unpack there. Nonetheless, Celes smiled briefly before taking Shizuka's hand and using a modicum of strength to shift them. She wouldn't use so much as to hurt the Fullbringer, but just enough to effectively overpower her grip by just a little bit. "Well, that's certainly quite an offer. I'm flattered, but I already am in business elsewhere." Despite her predicament, she was still the Captain of the Tenth. Working for Shizuka wasn't really something she could consider at the moment.

The declination would be as polite as possible. After all, this situation would likely already seem weird to the everyday workers at Xcution. However, it was time to shift gears. Celes did have her own agenda for coming here after all. Thankfully, it seemed as though Shizuka had already recognized her? This was a good start. She gently cleared her throat and looked around the widened eyes of the Xcution workers. This likely needed to be moved elsewhere. Celes shifted her attention back to Shizuka. "I'm glad that it seems you remember me, Shizuka. It's been a while." She smiled brightly as she genuinely wanted to come off as friendly. "I'm here on personal business. Perhaps somewhere private would be more appropriate?" It was less of a demand and more of a suggestion. After all, this was not her jurisdiction. She did hope that the Fullbringer would see the value in discretion.

[Shizuka Sanamizu ✮]

As Celes took Shizuka's hands and effectively rejected her, the blonde couldn't help but smile anyway. She knew in the back of her mind that Celes was going to say no, but Shizuka understood that she needed help from someone like this Shinigami. Maybe not exactly the same type of person, but same general idea. She needed someone with a good spiritual reputation who could handle classified information. Judging by the fact that Shizuka knew Celes worked up in the Soul Society, she'd be a good candidate. But so could someone like Leon or Col or... oh no. Col! Shizuka quickly jotted down a mental note to reach out to him.

"I'm glad that it seems you remember me, Shizuka. It's been a while."

"Aww," Shizuka began, "I will always remember you! I recognize your scent!" The woman tapped her own nose lightly. Obviously she didn't mean Celes' literal smell. "What's the visit for?"

"I'm here on personal business. Perhaps somewhere private would be more appropriate?"

Shizuka thought for a moment and nodded. It only took a moment, but all she had to do was stand up straight, turn around towards the openness of the lobby, stomp her foot down to express her authority, and give her most no-nonsense look to those who bustled before the two of them. She took a deep breath and released it, simultaneously flooding the room with the powerful aura she worked to conceal daily. Only a small amount leaked out, but it would be enough for even the basic humans to understand that she didn't want a single body within hearing distance of either her or Celes. No one looked at her or even dared to try to meet her gaze. Shizuka meant business.

As soon as the crowd cleared out, the Fullbringer turned back to her guest and her expression changed right back to the soft friendliness she had before. Not wanting to risk anything, she brought Celes over to a side hall where it led to an office only Shizuka had access to. She didn't like people knowing about this room, hence the sudden clear out that she initiated. After touching her hand and expressing her Reiatsu signature to the scanner, the door opened and displayed a very comfortable lounge with drinks and snacks. These were often supplied by Shizuka, especially since it was her private office.

"Help yourself! It's all safe. I set everything up in the mornings. A lot of this stuff is packaged to last a while but I spend a lot of time in here when I want a nap," she giggled. She wondered if her employees ever questioned what she did in her free time, or really the time she turned into her free time. She didn't have real free time anymore.

"So," Shizuka began, taking a seat in one of the five cushioned chairs surrounding a large glass coffee table. "What is it that you wanted to discuss?"

[Celes Castellanos]

"I will always remember you! I recognize your scent!" Now this was rather endearing. Even after a sustained lack of contact between herself and Shizuka, the Fullbringer still knew her quite well. Shizuka's comment about her scent made Celes chuckle somewhat. Much about the Captain had changed since her early days as a mere Unseated Officer of the Eleventh Division. Back in those days she was undisciplined with far too much arrogance and far too little wisdom. Fresh out of the academy, she took on any Hollow who crossed her path without thought or strategy. If not for Shizuka's intervention, Celes may not have lived to learn from it. She owed the Fullbring a debt of gratitude. 

"What's the visit for?" Celes paused for a moment. The pair could always reminisce after. She was here on a personal mission. She would remain somewhat vague before suggesting a bit of discretion. As Shizuka nodded and began to turn around, Celes raised an eyebrow. The Fullbringer began to face the crowd and stomped her foot. Celes froze as Shizuka's energy became more palpable. Compared to the earlier display which might have normally cost the CEO a bit of credibility, this display of authority gave her an entirely different aura. From the bit that Celes was sensing; it wouldn't be hard to tell that Shizuka was monstrously strong. Suffice to say, it was enough to cause the workers of XCution to clear the area. 

Turning back to her with a sunny disposition admittedly left Celes shocked. To shift back from such an overwhelming force was impressive to say the least. The Shinigami couldn't help but smile at Shizuka. Being asked to follow the Fullbringer, Celes did so without hesitation. As an extra measure of discretion, Shizuka would lead them through a hallway and up to a door. Celes noted a device nearby which was quickly accessed by the Fullbringer. After a few moments, the door would open. The room revealed itself to be cozy lounge. Drinks decorated the shelves and snacks sat idly on tables. Several cushioned chairs surrounded a rather large coffee table.

"Help yourself! It's all safe. I set everything up in the mornings. A lot of this stuff is packaged to last a while but I spend a lot of time in here when I want a nap," Celes chuckled lightly at her remark. It was a sweet gesture, but she briskly shook her head. "Thank you, Shizuka, but I'm really not all that hungry..." The logistics of restoring Soul Society, bolstering its defenses and the nightmares left her incessantly worried. Hell had easily made their way into Soul Society and Orobas had even breached the Seireitei. On top of that, the Maggots' Nest had been blasted open due to Ludwig who promptly disappeared from the scene himself. The nightmares only served to torment her just as Kimiko had once described her own. 

As Shizuka took her seat, Celes would rest herself. "What is it that you wanted to discuss?" The Shinigami sighed and stared at Shizuka for a moment. "Well. There are two things that brought me here today, but one of then... well. It can wait." She idly ran her fingers along her long pale, green hair. "Simply put? I am looking for someone..." There was a calm intensity to her gaze. "They were once part of Soul Society, but there whereabouts are currently unknown. I'm... not really sure whether he's dead or alive." There was a bit of disappointment in her voice. Her information was either from Kaen or entirely through incident reports. She had little to go off of. 

The Shinigami paused for a moment. She knew that this wouldn't be much to go off of, but she had to address that whoever she was looking for possibly wasn't even alive anymore. Despite that, there was still a shred of hope. "I was told that if he were still alive, he'd likely do much to lay low." She moved her hands from her hair to her lap as her fingers danced on her thigh. "Enough ambiguity. Let me just get to the point..." The Shinigami took a deep breath. "Have you heard of a Zeich Yajuu?" There was an emphasis to his name. "He has knowledge and experience that would be to my benefit." There was a subtle hopeful tone to the Captain's voice. According to Kaen, he also had experiences with an Inner Hollow. He likely understood how to deal with one. How to overcome it. Unfortunately, she had little descriptors. She simply hoped the Fullbringer had coincidentally met someone by that name.

[Shizuka Sanamizu ✮]

It was amazing how different someone could be over such a short amount of time. It wasn't long ago that Shizuka met Celes, and now she's sitting here acting so mature and everything that it almost caught the Fullbringer off-guard. The fact that she was so willing to talk to a Shinigami as openly as this meant things had changed. Lost in her own thoughts, Shizuka considered for a moment how she used to be and how this talk would have never happened years ago. In fact, there would never have been any conversation to start. She would have just immediately been on the offensive and made attempts to kill.

The openness for discussion was also quite alarming. Celes obviously felt somewhat comfortable around Shizuka or else there wouldn't be any seeking her out. That made Shizuka feel a bit more calm, and actually quite honored. She truly didn't know how many people knew about her minor issues with Shinigami, but so long as there was one person who didn't judge her for it and actually got along with her despite being from Soul Society, that was good enough. So when Celes began speaking again, Shizuka listened very intently. It was the least she could do.

"Well. There are two things that brought me here today, but one of then... well. It can wait. Simply put? I am looking for someone... They were once part of Soul Society, but there whereabouts are currently unknown. I'm... not really sure whether he's dead or alive."

"Sounds eerie. I like it." Shizuka made a mental note to ask about the first thing later. Shizuka had gotten up while Celes began speaking and poured a glass of water.

"I was told that if he were still alive, he'd likely do much to lay low. Enough ambiguity. Let me just get to the point... Have you heard of a Zeich Yajuu? He has knowledge and experience that would be to my benefit."

The glass of water was suddenly crushed within Shizuka's right hand. The break caused her palm to get cut in a few places. Panicking, the Fullbringer quickly Soul Commanded the glass shards and water out of the wounds and stood up to find some napkins she could use. She didn't intend to have such an adverse reaction to Celes' question, but for whatever reason it startled her. Zeich wasn't necessarily a scary guy, but he was the only other person who Shizuka knew of who matched her in raw power. Sure there were others who may be able to take her on just by having more skill, but his aura felt identical to her own.

"Yeah, I know him. We only met briefly, but I have had a run-in with him before. What business do you have with him?"

[Celes Castellanos]

Opening with a little mystery and intrigue seemed to work wonders. "Sounds eerie. I like it." The Shinigami couldn't help but smile a little bit. In truth, the reasons she had sought out the CEO of XCution herself were fairly interrelated, but they had all the time in the world to get to that. As Shizuka rose from her seat to grab a glass of water, Celes would open with the one that was mostly on her mind. Ever since Kaen had talked about Zeich, the Captain had held that name close. It wasn't until now, when the nightmares started up again, that Celes felt that she needed to resort to outside help. She was strong willed. Capable. She could handle most problems that came her way. This was unlike anything that she had come up against and she needed help.

The Captain took a deep breath before getting into the specifics. She blatantly revealed to the Fullbringer that she was seeking out the exile, Zeich Yajuu. A soon as the name had escaped Celes' lips, Shizuka would have quite the reaction. The cracking of breaking glass rang throughout the room. Celes' eyes widened as the woman winced in pain. There would be a clear panic in her voice as she quickly rose to her feet. "What the hell?! You okay Shizuka?" She peered at the woman's hand which had suddenly suffered quite a few cuts. Approaching slowly, Celes frowned ever so slightly. The sudden reaction was a little too in sync with Celes' reveal. The Fullbringer definitely recognized the name to some capacity. Whether that was in anger or surprise was yet to be seen.

For just a moment, Celes' attention would shift onto the most remarkable thing. Celes' experience with Fullbringers was nearly non-existent. She really only knew that unlike a Zanpakutō, they carried around an item that could manifest into a fullbring. She was not prepared for the coming display. The shards of glass that had dug themselves into her skin not more than a few moments ago had slowly withdrawn from the wound. Celes blinked for a moment. The shards had simply moved as though by magic. "Huh. Well, that's certainly a neat little party trick. It seems that I have more to learn about her than I thought..." The Captain simply smiled as Shizuka shuffled around to get some napkins to clean her hand. 

The bleeding wouldn't take long to stop. Celes gave a resigned sigh as she found herself a little more at ease. As Shizuka went to finally address her question, Celes listened intently. She scrunched up her nose ever so slightly and crossed her fingers. She was hopping, borderline praying, that Shizuka had any information that she could use. Thankfully, it seemed that she would be in luck. "Yeah, I know him. We only met briefly, but I have had a run-in with him before. What business do you have with him?" The Shinigami's eyes immediately lit up. A sudden wave of positive energy overwhelmed her senses. She'd quickly close in on Shizuka. In some ways this could be seen as aggressive movement, but there was no malice behind her intentions. If allowed to, she'd throw her arms around Shizuka without warning, practically hugging the Fullbringer. It would be a completely sudden shift in tone.

"That's absolutely incredible! I knew I could count on you Shizuka!" She'd pause for a moment before addressing the Fullbringer again. "Is he alive? Where can I find him?"Her voice would be brimming with positivity, practically glowing. She'd hum for a moment. Unfortunately, the warm moment would end almost as quickly as it had started now that Celes had processed the trailing question. Pulling away from the hug, Celes stared into Shizuka's eyes. There would be a visible and quite serious feeling of contemplation. Could she tell Shizuka the truth? Could she reveal her most close-guarded secret. She mulled it over for a moment. Tapping her finger against her chin, the Shinigami turned around and begin to trail back to the couch before taking a seat. Shizuka had gone through the trouble of greeting her like a member of the family and even arranging the privacy of this conversation. This woman had made a genuine effort to revive a friendship with Celes. She could trust Shizuka! After all, the Fullbringer had little reason to report this to Soul Society. 

"What business do I have with Zeich?" She leaned her back into the couch and calmly stroked her own cheek. "I believe that he can be of assistance with a personal problem that I've been dealing with for a few years now." She closed her eyes and groaned. "Damn! Still too vague!" Shaking her head, Celes continued to elaborate ever so slightly. "I've been having nightmares lately. Recurring dreams of hurting those closest to me..." Once more, her she'd yell at herself. "No you fool. Just say it!" Straining for a moment, she finally found the will to say it. "Shizuka. I have an Inner Hollow... and I had heard that Zeich struggled with a similar malady." She calmly bit her lip. "That... is why I'm aiming to track him down." Even with the reveal off of her chest, there would be a melancholy tone to Celes' voice. It was clear tha revealing this took little to no weight off of her shoulders. 

[Shizuka Sanamizu ✮]

If Celes were a book, Shizuka would have had the easiest time reading her. She was obviously very excited by the answer the Fullbringer gave, which begged the question of why. Thinking back on it, there had been several times where Shizuka may have had a similar reaction when she was fishing for information, but it was all because the answer she received was positive enough to make her feel like she had some type of lead. That being said, if that was the case here, Celes was desperate to find Zeich for a specific reason. It's not like Shizuka wanted to pry, but... Oh, who was she kidding? Of course she wanted to pry!

"That's absolutely incredible! I knew I could count on you Shizuka!"

The Fullbringer waved her bleeding hand in dismissal and smiled before wrapping it back up in some napkins. "Oh, not at all! I just know tons of people. It comes with the line of work I'm in."

"Is he alive? Where can I find him?"

The boundless optimism practically vanished in the poor girl within seconds. Actually, the sudden change was a bit alarming, so Shizuka raised a brow in response and tilted her head to the right in question. It was more of a physical means of asking what was going on since she didn't feel as if she could interrupt Celes at the moment. It was a bit obvious that something was making her uncomfortable, but was it really polite to ask? Sure, Shizuka wanted to blurt the question out, but she was trying to be respectful. She didn't want to overstep. That, and she had really only started the relationship she had with this Shinigami. She didn't exactly want to do or say anything to disrupt that development.

"What business do I have with Zeich? I believe that he can be of assistance with a personal problem that I've been dealing with for a few years now."

Ah, avoiding the question. She was hiding something. "Mmhm, okay, because...?"

"I've been having nightmares lately. Recurring dreams of hurting those closest to me..."

That was a little more specific but still not perfect. "Well, I won't push you to tell me, but if you feel comfortable-"

"Shizuka. I have an Inner Hollow... and I had heard that Zeich struggled with a similar malady. That... is why I'm aiming to track him down."

Shizuka's grin was calm and caring. Her expression softened significantly, allowing Celes to understand that the Fullbringer knew what was going on. "I see. Zeich is a Vizard. I know how they're created, so to speak. I've actually considered jumping off a building before and starting my life over from scratch just to see if I had the ability to tame my own but I really have no idea if that's even how it works or if I'd just be throwing my soul into a pit of nothingness. So! Obviously I haven't done that."

A laugh escaped her lips for only a moment before redirecting her attention to a very nervous Celes. It likely took so much strength to admit something like that even if Shizuka didn't understand why. She typically didn't judge people based on small details like that, with Shinigami being the literal only exception to that rule over the years. Generally speaking, Shizuka judged people based on their actions. That was how she hunted down targets. They were given to her as an assignment for a reason and she knew it was because of some shady past that meant they had to be erased. Celes wasn't that type of person, and Shizuka could put her personal biases aside to help.

"I last met with him at Uzaki Enterprises. I was planning on challenging him, sort of, but something interrupted us and that never really happened. Ultimately, I think he's actually a nice guy. He just has a job to do like the rest of us and has to fulfil those duties. It can be difficult to get to him."

The bleeding had stopped by now thanks to the generous healing factor that spiritual beings seem to have. They could certainly be hurt, but they weren't just weak meat bags like normal humans. They had a strong resilience that helped keep their stamina up and a really weirdly strong amount of invulnerability. Some more than others, but all of them had at least a little. A few cuts meant nothing to her. She'd been stabbed and had bones broken and all of that fun stuff before. Breaking a glass was literally the least of her concerns. After stretching her fingers a few times to test the pain, Shizuka decided her hand was fine and got up to throw the napkins away.

"I also feel obligated to warn you about something. Zeich is like me. When I flex, I know you can feel something overwhelming about me. I can't say for certain that my abilities are the strongest, and I may hate admitting that people can always out-skill me, but it's true. On the other hand, the raw power contained within myself is different. Zeich has the same feeling about him. If he decides you're a threat to him or his allegiance, he'll stop you. Not everyone is as generous as I am."

[Celes Castellanos]

There it was! The truth. Celes had finally revealed what was plaguing her all this time. She had only ever told select individuals. Camila, Kimiko, Kaen and now Shizuka. Others inadvertently became aware of her Inner Hollow through facing the beast in combat. Even though it was, in some ways, a crippling secret, Celes felt good as she revealed it to Shizuka. She wasn't sure why, but Shizuka could be trusted. She was sure of it. She had little favorable ties to Soul Society and the two women shared a positive rapport. Shizuka's smile was equally warming which only served to reinforce the Shinigami's faith in the Fullbringer even further. 

Nevertheless, Celes was downright anxious to hear Shizuka's retort to it. After all, unlike Shizuka, Celes had a bit of difficulty reading others. She was extremely receptive to malintent and, thankfully, did not sense a hint of it from the Fullbringer. Then again, Shizuka's energy was difficult to read in general. Finally, Shizuka responded. "I see. Zeich is a Vizard. I know how they're created, so to speak. I've actually considered jumping off a building before and starting my life over from scratch just to see if I had the ability to tame my own but I really have no idea if that's even how it works or if I'd just be throwing my soul into a pit of nothingness. So! Obviously I haven't done that." 

A laugh escaped Celes' lips much in conjunction with Shizuka. In a morbid sort of way, it helped to ease the tension of the conversation. Aside from that, she'd only confirm further what Celes already knew. Zeich was, in fact, a Vizard. More and more, Zeich became someone that she had to meet. She was positive that his insight and experience would be invaluable, not only for her but for others like herself. Kimiko was the only other that Celes knew possessed an Inner Hollow. Unfortunately, there was one question that still burned in Celes' mind like a roaring flame. "Is he still alive though?" This singular question would either make or break this entire conversation. Thankfully, it seemed that her efforts would bear fruit. 

"I last met with him at Uzaki Enterprises. I was planning on challenging him, sort of, but something interrupted us and that never really happened. Ultimately, I think he's actually a nice guy. He just has a job to do like the rest of us and has to fulfil those duties. It can be difficult to get to him." Celes nodded in understanding. Despite trying to maintain her calm disposition, her lips would curl into what could only be described as a massive grin. She was obviously quite pleased with this new development. Was she disheartened that Shizuka described him being hard to reach? Yes. Was she shocked? Absolutely not. Someone in Zeich's position, after all, needed to practice discretion. He was, after all, still a criminal in Soul Society's eyes. 

"I also feel obligated to warn you about something. Zeich is like me. When I flex, I know you can feel something overwhelming about me. I can't say for certain that my abilities are the strongest, and I may hate admitting that people can always out-skill me, but it's true. On the other hand, the raw power contained within myself is different. Zeich has the same feeling about him. If he decides you're a threat to him or his allegiance, he'll stop you. Not everyone is as generous as I am." Almost as if to juxtapose the good news, Celes was offered a warning. Her eyes narrowed for a moment. Despite what one may have believed, Celes was not deterred by this one bit.

Easing herself into her seat a bit, the Shinigami would sit more upright. She briefly cleared her throat and looked in Shizuka's eyes. "I am grateful for your concern, Shizuka, but I can't turn back from this now." She'd pause for a brief moment, collecting her thoughts before continuing. "As you may or not know, Soul Society does not look particularly favorably on us. They consider us threats. This Inner Hollow will not go away on its own, but I can't do it on my own. Zeich may be the only shot I have to understanding how to effectively deal with this damn problem. The only path is forward, and I can't let concerns like that cloud my view." She smiled once more, her eyes filled with hope.

It was quite clear that this conversation was having quite the positive effect on her. She slowly tapped her chin. "My division is like a family to me Shizuka. These dreams I've been having have always ended in a massacre." Her disposition darkened once more, for a brief moment, as she began to recall the memory. Naturally it was a very traumatic moment to recall even if it was merely a dream. "I would rather give my life than be the one to cause them harm. Whether that executioner is Zeich or Soul Society matters little to me." Celes clearly wasn't suicidal. She wouldn't aim to tempt fate and yet she made her stance on her values rather clear. She wasn't going to back down from this even if the threat seemed insurmountable. 

[Shizuka Sanamizu ✮]

It was obvious now more than ever how determined Celes was to fix her plague. It made the Fullbringer feel bad. She couldn't do much to help aside from provide some information and that made things complicated. The information she had was so little and there was next to no point in sharing it without anything concrete, but Celes appeared to be acting fairly optimistic about the whole deal. This made Shizuka smile. Celes had a strong spirit that set her apart from other people. This was a quality Shizuka had to work on extensively to even have a hope of strengthening her own, but it seemed as though this Shinigami came about it on her own.

"Well, your executioner will not be either party. I'm not about to let anybody kill my friend! You're, like, the only Shinigami I've gotten along with after all these years. There have been a small handful of others but you were there first. You're so strong and positive and willing to do whatever it takes to make your life better, and I respect that! I just hope I can do something more for you, even if it's down the road." Shizuka stood up and knelt right before Celes, not in an attempt to beg or pay respects, but to level them both out. "This isn't going to be easy, but if Zeich could beat his Inner Hollow, I'm willing to bet you can, too."

The belief was not based on nothing, after all. Celes had risen and grown stronger over the years. She had virtually zero fear of Shizuka, which the Fullbringer liked. Celes also was determined to achieve her goal, and this was another quality Shizuka greatly admired and shared within herself. She was going to figure out how to help in some way. Unfortunately, she just didn't have very many ideas at the moment aside from reassuring this poor girl. That was worth something, wasn't it? Didn't people like hearing how much someone else believed in their causes or something?

"Bottom line is that I'm here for ya, and I think you'll be just fine! What all does it take to beat this thing, anyway? That's the part that I'm a little fuzzy on. It's not like Zeich explained anything to me."

[Celes Castellanos]

"Well, your executioner will not be either party. I'm not about to let anybody kill my friend! You're, like, the only Shinigami I've gotten along with after all these years. There have been a small handful of others but you were there first. You're so strong and positive and willing to do whatever it takes to make your life better, and I respect that! I just hope I can do something more for you, even if it's down the road." Celes' eyes widened in response to Shizuka. She was at a loss for words.

At this very moment, Celes had been anything but morose. Despite the conversation they were having, she was still remaining as optimistic as she could. She had endured much to get to this point. The threats to the lives of her Squad and to her being consumed by her Inner Hollow. Thankfully, Celes knew she had allies. Among the Shinigami, she had Kaen and Kimiko. Now, even in the Human World, Shizuka had proven herself to be a friend. It was a gleaming ray of hope for the Captain of the Tenth Division. She couldn't help but smile at Shizuka. She simply nodded her head before speaking in a soft tone. "Thank you, Shizuka. That truly means a lot to me."

For a moment, Celes would reflect on Shizuka's words. Was there anything more she could ask of the Fullbringer? She had already been a tremendous help. Then again if Soul Society ever found out about her condition, she'd surely have to flee. Perhaps...? Celes shook her head for a moment. She'd take it under consideration if it came down to it, but not now. However, perhaps there was something that Shizuka could do for her. They could always explore it later. For now, she'd dedicate her attention to Shizuka as the Fullbringer spoke. "Bottom line is that I'm here for ya, and I think you'll be just fine! What all does it take to beat this thing, anyway? That's the part that I'm a little fuzzy on. It's not like Zeich explained anything to me."

The Shinigami blinked for a moment. It was a fair question. Unfortunately, it was the one thing she was actually seeking Zeich out for. She hummed for a moment. "I would be lying if I said I had an answer for that." She paused for a moment. "It's what I hoped Zeich would have some insight on. Of course, I have my own theories. From talking to my Inner Hollow, it seemed as though it would require a test of strength. Perhaps needing to subdue them?" She'd solemnly tap her leg. "He is much stronger than me, though. I don't know if beating such a calamity is even possible, but I can't continue onward without having at least tried to defeat it. Knowing that such a threat looms inside me, just waiting to pounce upon anything."

[Shizuka Sanamizu ✮]

The path Celes was taking wasn't something Shizuka was envious of. It sounded like she was doomed to experience some severe hardships, and the Fullbringer wasn't sure she could help at all. The information she had was limited, too. It made her feel guilty. Celes was going to need to figure this one out on her own, including how to track down Zeich. Everything that was known so far was purely based on one encounter that was cut short by the powers that be. Was there anything Shizuka could say to help ease Celes' nerves? Unlikely. She never had to deal with these problems before. She hoped she never would.

"I see. I didn't want you to have to force yourself to deal with so much pain. I haven't really read up on what happens when people like you fight their Inner Hollow, but I also never did much research on Shinigami to start. I know, I know. It makes me sound ignorant... But I'm trying! And being friends with you helps tremendously. I just can't offer you much more than this."

Shizuka stood and made her way back towards the door, motioning for Celes to come follow. She'd exit on her own, regardless. Looking around the lobby, the CEO took in her surroundings and felt that her people had begun working once again. She supposed her absence was enough to make them feel comfortable, but no one was in the immediate proximity of herself. That was good. Most of her employees managed the business and were simply normal people. Some had minor spiritual abilities, but most did not. These days, her numbers were looking pretty slim. She was jealous of her past self being able to recruit so freely. She wondered if she'd ever get to that point again.

"I believe I have shared all I can with you for now," Shizuka called back, loud enough for Celes to hear no matter where she was. "I think you have a decent plan you can follow and I'm here for support if you need it. To me, though, it sounds like you're going to be on your own. I can help you later down the road, should you need it, but I know this will be a test you can't have help on."

Her shoes could be heard echoing through the lobby as she walked back to the front doors, allowing herself to exit the room entirely and breathe in some fresh air. At least the weather was nice enough outside to where she didn't need to worry about rain or whatever. This was comfortable, but she sniffed and guessed some rain might be heading their way soon. The air smelled of wet concrete, a scent she would have picked up even as a normal human being. It gave her space to keep her mind clear and think about what information she'd be able to gather down the road if Celes succeeds, especially since her own knowledge is so unfortunately not where it needs to be on this topic. That'd be something she'd need to keep in the back of her head now that she has someone in her corner who might conquer this Inner Hollow.

[Celes Castellanos]

The path forward wasn't very clear to Celes. She only had bits and pieces of information what vanquishing the Inner Hollow entailed. Yukito, of course, always implied that it would be some form of a duel. A fight that would determine who would be the driver once and for all. Yet... Celes knew that the Inner Hollow was of a totally different caliber. It had brutalized Yunorashi, someone that Celes knew to exceed her own capabilities. Would it truly be possible to fight something like that? Could she even hope to win this?

It was in that moment that she remembered Kimiko's stance on the matter. She couldn't let herself be brought down by this threat. She smiled briefly and shook her head. Finally, Shizuka responded. "I see. I didn't want you to have to force yourself to deal with so much pain. I haven't really read up on what happens when people like you fight their Inner Hollow, but I also never did much research on Shinigami to start. I know, I know. It makes me sound ignorant... But I'm trying! And being friends with you helps tremendously. I just can't offer you much more than this." The mention of being friends made Shizuka smile just a little more. She'd simply nod her head in response.

As Shizuka rose from her seat, Celes followed shortly after seeing her friend motion towards her. As they walked into the lobby, Celes saw the due diligence of the members of XCution. Her earlier display of reiryoku made her quite convinced that the majority of them weren't spiritually aware. If this is what XCution was like publicly, Celes was a little intrigued how they appeared behind the shadows. After all, Celes had seen firsthand an assassination by Dia Cuir. It was clear that XCution recruitment policy wasn't particularly strict. After all, Dia was a Mod Soul and a Hellion. If the situation wasn't so dire, Celes would've definitely liked to know more about its inner workings. 

Alas, this was not the time. "I believe I have shared all I can with you for now," Celes turned her head towards Shizuka. "I think you have a decent plan you can follow and I'm here for support if you need it. To me, though, it sounds like you're going to be on your own. I can help you later down the road, should you need it, but I know this will be a test you can't have help on." Celes tilted her head, following Shizuka outside to take in some of the fresh air. "Help me later down the road, huh...?" It was a sentiment that Celes was appreciative of. After all, with Priscilla knowing her secret and seeing how Cami was treated after something like walking out of a Garganta... it would be difficult to tell how receptive her Division would be or, Soul King forbid, the old man. 

Celes had friends in Soul Society, but that could only go so far. Perhaps it would be worth pursuing some of her other options if she survived the times to come. She hummed to herself softly. "Thank you for everything, Shizuka." Her lips curled into a smile once more. "I know it's been a while since we've seen one another, but I'm glad to see that I still have a friend I can rely on here." It was a truly heartfelt reply. However, there was one thing that was on Celes' mind. 

She tapped her shoulder solemnly. "You've done so much, but..." She paused for a moment. "There is one thing I would request of you before I take my leave." She'd sigh for a moment. The words tore at her heart. Would she asking too much? "Even in Soul Society, you are known for your strength. You are feared by many, for better or worse. It's why I would ask... that you fight me." It would seem rather antagonistic in the moment. However, Celes would waste little time in elaborating.

"I have a friend in Soul Society who I have asked to come and stop me, should my Inner Hollow ever reveal itself." She paused as she thought about Kaen. The Vice-Captain of the Seventh Division would never try to kill her as she requested. Instead, he offered to incapacitate her. It was good-hearted, but a little naïve. "But that's in Soul Society. I need to know that there is someone here that can stop me, even kill me if necessary. So... can I count on you to fight me this once?" Celes was normally the one to be excited about fighting another person. Especially someone strong. This time, however, her voice was melancholy. This wouldn't be for sport. This, in her mind, was a necessity. She needed to know that there was someone who could reasonably stop her. 

[Shizuka Sanamizu ✮]

Celes' words of gratitude made the Fullbringer smile. She felt very appreciated in this moment given that Celes was so kind despite her less than helpful information. Shizuka felt guilty for being unable to provide her friend with the world. She just wanted to exercise her generosity and this time it didn't go so well. Even so, the two of them managed to make this meeting painless in some way for Celes. Perhaps she'd be able to find what she needed from here. If not, she definitely had a place to go so long as Shizuka was around.

As the Shinigami continued, though, she had what was a rather interesting request. Shizuka's eyes widened only minimally, but enough to show some delight as her mouth twitched upwards into a smile she couldn't keep herself from. She was asking Shizuka for a fight. It had been a while since she went up against an opponent even remotely close to her basic strength level, and Celes with her growing Inner Hollow would be quite the challenge. Actually, she can't think of any time she ever fought someone like Celes since Zeich was already full Vizard by the time they briefly met.

"Are you sure that's something you want?" Shizuka asked, though her tone sounded more excited rather than questioning. "I wouldn't go easy on you. But if this is your only ask of me, I think I can oblige."

[Col Arana]

46 Paragraphs from Celes: +40% TP boost to next thread with Shizuka

40 paragraphs from Shizuka: +40% TP boost to next thread with Celes