After Visit Summary [Social]

[Celes Castellanos]

It had been a few days since Celes had her fight with Shizuka. Overall, she was feeling a lot better without half of her skin seared and the internal hemorrhaging that Shizuka had inflicted upon her. Unfortunately, the same could not be said for the guilt she felt. Her Inner Hollow had taken possession of her body throughout the fight and was not nearly as restrained a Celes. Without a single shred of remorse, Yukito attacked with reckless abandon and untold destruction in his wake. Even so, Celes felt some level of responsibility for the bodies that were buried that day. In fact, she let out a soft wince as she thought back to the event.

Soul Society's prodding was another factor that concerned Celes. Yukito practically wreathed the surrounding area in Hollow reiatsu which naturally produced a Shinigami response. By the time they arrived, however, Celes was alone amongst the rubble. During her stay at the Fourth Division Barracks, the upper echelons of Soul Society wanted to know all they could about Celes' encounter with her mystery assailant. Without much of a choice, the Captain fabricated a story about a vicious Hollow who was far more powerful than she had anticipated. It had blindsided her before the Captain dealt it a serious enough wound to cause it to retreat. It was dubious at best, but Celes remained their only eye witness account so it was their only reliable source of information.

"It's okay. I just need to play it cool for a while until this all blows over...", Celes tried to calmly reassure herself. The girl continued walking down the street. Before long, however, she'd find herself at the steps of a familiar place. The doors of XCution lay before her. She sighed and walked up the steps with a cautious rhythm. After all, it wouldn't be a good luck if Soul Society found her hear. This was the belly of the beast. The dragon's lair. The base of the enemy. Or at least of people who generally didn't see Shinigami in a favorable light. Hell, Celes was an exception to Shizuka's ire toward the Shinigami.

Nevertheless, she had resolved herself to check on Shizuka. As she entered the familiar building, the green-haired girl walked up to the front desk. The brunette receptionist looked up at her and asked the girl how she could help her. Her tone was fairly bubbly. Celes nodded and took a deep breath. "Yes, I'd like to see Shizuka Sanamizu. I'm a friend of hers.", the Shinigami curtly replied. Celes wasn't really sure what state that Shizuka had been left in after their brawl. She was a tough cookie but Yukito rarely left anyone without some level of injury. She could only hope that her friend had recovered since the incident.

[Shizuka Sanamizu ✮]

She didn't remember much outside of waking up in Felicia's arms as the obnoxiously strong woman carried her boss back to the offices. It was apparent that she had been asleep for quite some time because the area where the fight had taken place wasn't exactly super close to Xcution, but it was close enough for the trip home to support a good nap. It wasn't as if Shizuka had much of a choice on the matter, anyway. She'd gotten knocked out cold due to her Inner Power failing - something she wasn't familiar with at all. Of the two times now that she'd called forth such a technique, she found herself unconscious for both after not very long. She supposed that meant she had some work to do.

Amongst the other things that tended to give the blonde a headache, she found that the clothes she'd worn that day were almost entirely destroyed and her hair had been singed. In fact, she had to shave some of it off, so the right side of her face sported a buzz cut that she hated despite every effort her stylist made to make it fashionable. The rest of her hair hung beautifully down the left side of her head and face, framing it with choppy layers. One thing she couldn't do with her abilities was make hair grow faster. She much preferred for it to be long, but this would have to do.

Scars that were still in the process of healing thanks to the Fountain of Youth remained on her skin, but with every short dip she took, they faded more and more. She learned quickly that the fountain worked best with prolonged uses, but Shizuka was a busy woman. Prolonged uses didn't come easily. So with the few breaks she got during the day, she'd go down to the Fountain and simply bathe in it for a few minutes while Felicia kept watch over her boss. She'd occasionally offer a piece of unsolicited advice every now and again, so Shizuka did her best to pretend to listen. She knew she was in over her head.

The phone buzzed. "Madam, you have a visitor."

"Describe them for me?" Shizuka was too tired to even attempt to sense anyone. That ability was hard enough these days.

"Green hair-"

"I'm on my way."

As quickly as she could muster, Shizuka limped over to the office doors. Felicia had gone to do some other work, so she hoped she'd be alone for the time being. A few strides later brought the Fullbringer to the elevator where she stepped in, closed the door, and sighed. She hated how tired she still was and wished it was easier to heal. Weren't Fullbringers at her level supposed to be super durable? Kind of like those Shinigami. That was what she'd always heard, but the other side to this was that Celes - or rather, Yukito - had really done a number on the poor girl. Even Celes would see pretty clearly that there was still work to be done before all of the wounds were gone, but Shizuka covered herself up in some black dress pants and a long-sleeved blouse to try to hide it.

Once Celes was in sight, Shizuka smiled widely. "You back for another round?" She tried to laugh but coughed instead and held her side. This was embarrassing.

[Celes Castellanos]

The brunette who had been attending Celes nodded and gripped a phone that sat behind the desk. It would take a few moments, but the woman would get someone on the other line. After noting that the CEO had a visitor, the receptionist quickly followed up with Celes' most defining feature. The Shinigami had natural lime-green hair. It was an oddity, but it made her easily identifiable for better... or for worse. Nevertheless, the line had been cut and the receptionist looked up at Celes with intrigue. "She'll be right down, Miss Shindazu. You can wait here or take a seat in our waiting area." The woman offered a big smile before her eyes drifted back to the computer screen.

The Shinigami nodded and made her way over to the waiting area. On her way, the girl poured some water from a nearby cooler into a cup. Taking little sips, Celes plopped herself down into the nearest chair. Her body practically creaked as she moved. Accompanying the subtle sound of bones cracking, her muscles ached and her breathing hastened. She gently supported the side of her waist as her bow furrowed. "Damn...", she muttered under her breath. "Guess the Fourth isn't perfect, either.", she softly chuckled.

Thankfully, the Captain of the Tenth did not need to wait long. Shizuka left the elevator and approached the lime-haired woman. The Captain rose from her seat, a big smile plastered across her face. She was quite pleased to see that Shizuka was not in some critical condition. Upon a second glance though, the Shinigami picked out the slight limp as she watched the CEO walk. The smile would become a momentary frown. As she had suspected, Shizuka had some lingering injuries. In truth, she had gotten off easy. Her Inner Hollow seldom left a body intact, but Shizuka wasn't like the rest. She had fought Yukito to a draw! It was quite the feat.

"You back for another round?", Shizuka quipped briefly. Celes' eyes widened in response before she just shook her head. "I don't think that either of us are in any conditions to entertain another fight, Shizuka." Her features softened as the girl smiled at Shizuka once more. "It's good to see that you are still in one piece. I had a feeling that you were a tough cookie, but now I am convinced." Her hand rose and gently nudged Shizuka's shoulder playfully. "So... would you like to retire somewhere? Where there's not so many prying eyes?" The Captain was not one for mystique, but the last thing she needed was for someone to find out that she was here.

[Shizuka Sanamizu ✮]

Celes' smile was comforting. Between the two, Shizuka felt like she'd received the worse beating. She had literally given that fight her all, and it still ended in a draw. Shizuka would be lying if she said she wasn't a bit disappointed in that, too. While she knew and understood that there existed people who were stronger than she was, she supposed it was still a tough pill to swallow when she came into contact with one of them. It hit her pride pretty hard. Actually, she didn't remember the last time she won a fight against someone at her level. They seemed to be surpassing her faster than she was able to properly develop herself. Oh, well.

"It's good to see that you are still in one piece. I had a feeling that you were a tough cookie, but now I am convinced."

"Ah-hahaha... yeah..." Shizuka laughed awkwardly and agreed with Celes despite the fact that the light shoulder punch was still enough to cause some pain that she desperately tried to stifle. Celes' gentle touch mattered very little when everything hurt.

"So... would you like to retire somewhere? Where there's not so many prying eyes?"

"Oh! Yes. Yes, absolutely. We can go..." Shizuka trailed off as she thought about the best place to go before finally coming to a conclusion. "Wanna go for a walk?"

The Fullbringer stiffly led her Shinigami friend over to the main doors as she waived in dismissal to her receptionist. Poor Shizuka was mentally screaming with every step. She wasn't sure when she had been so physical last and this was horrible. The soreness in her muscles was akin to that of millions of small bruises getting pressed by sharp knives. She'd over-exerted herself and it showed, though she was greatly attempting to not let that leak through. She was already fighting to hold back tears from the discomfort, but she knew that moving around was going to be the best thing for her to do. A walk would help tremendously.

Once the two had walked out of the doors, Shizuka took a deep breath and let the fresh smell of cut grass and clean air fill her lungs. She was impressed with how much the world could adjust her mood just by existing. The sun was bright, birds were chirping all around, and she could have sworn she even heard the sounds of a fountain close by that she never noticed before. It was all so serene that it made Shizuka's worries wash away, and she almost forgot about her guest until a tint of lime green caught her attention from the corner of her eye. Shizuka wondered if Celes ever experienced the same kinds of feelings that normal humans would get from things like nature.

It was true that all of the races were similar in that they had some sense of being alive, but since Shizuka had never been anything but human, she wasn't sure what kinds of differences existed. Normal senses and everything seemed to be consistent, so all of the woman's curiosities were likely moot points. Still, she guessed it kind of developed from things like how dogs and people were similar but different. What did dogs see? Or even bees having a stronger ability to see color. What was that world like? The same shower thoughts popped up every now and then about other races. Did Shinigami see in black and white?

Despite the brief mental distraction, Shizuka found herself leading Celes to an open park. Since she never knew whether or not these people used a Gigai, at least this area was large enough so that no one would hear Shizuka "talking to herself" if that ended up being the case. The fountains that Shizuka heard earlier flowed endlessly, adding another layer of privacy to the walkers and runners enjoying the beautiful day. Anyone who was on a call or listening to music would find themselves feeling as if they had the entire place to themselves, which was why Shizuka liked coming here so much. The grass was so green and well-maintained, the trees rustled in the wind as it blew the leaves around effortlessly, and intricate benches occasionally decorated the edges of pathways. This was comfortable.

So Shizuka wasted no time. "Celes, I want to be able to keep you safe, but I know you don't really need me to do that. I know I had made an offer before, but now I'm practically begging you." She turned and looked at her friend firmly in the eyes. "I want to formally present a couple of options. I'd like to give you a place to live where you can feel secure, and I'd like to propose you join my organization. You don't have to agree to either or one over another, but they're here for you to think about. I wasn't kidding around when I talked to you about this before."

[Celes Castellanos]

"Oh! Yes. Yes, absolutely. We can go...", Celes let Shizuka trail off as she peeked around. Perhaps they could meet in her office? Or that private room she had. Maybe they c- "Wanna go for a walk?", Shizuka chimed in. Her blood went a little cold at the thought. What if a stray Shinigami caught her with Shizuka? How would they react? Hell, how would Celes react? The Captain shuffled in place ever so slightly before calming herself with measured breaths. "Calm yourself, Celes. It's okay.", she reassured herself.

"Sure. I'd love to get some fresh air.", she beamed happily.

As she followed Shizuka past the receptionist and out of XCution, Celes felt the gentle breeze touch her face. She did have a certain fondness for Karakura. While she had never grown up there, the girl found herself walking through its streets on less stressful days. Hell, she even found herself coming by every few weeks to meet with the Captain Supervisor, Sieglinde. In hindsight, compared to that, this little stroll with Shizuka would seem very innocuous. "Guess we'll cross that bridge if we get there...", she hummed. The Captain continued to follow Shizuka along the street.

Eventually, after a short hike, the pair found themselves in a park. There were plenty of people strewn about the grassy fields. One couple was having a picnic, a pair of kids were playing frisbee, and several cyclists biked along paths that stretched throughout the park. Unfortunately for the Captain, this place didn't awaken the most pleasant memories. After all, this was where she had first met Orobas as a Vice Captain. The sadistic Akki tried to tempt her with promises of power and turned his Sasei Oni against the masses to prove his point. Her fist tightened as she recollected her encounter.

Thankfully, Shizuka would be able to break this spell. "Celes, I want to be able to keep you safe, but I know you don't really need me to do that. I know I had made an offer before, but now I'm practically begging you.", the Fullbringer suddenly said. The lime-haired woman turned towards Shizuka and raised an eyebrow. "Okay...?", she cautiously replied. Why had Shizuka gotten so serious all of a sudden? She had intended to just check on her friend after their vicious battle, but it seemed that the CEO had ulterior motives.

"I want to formally present a couple of options. I'd like to give you a place to live where you can feel secure, and I'd like to propose you join my organization." Celes' eyes widened at the proposition. Her? Shizuka was actually offering her a place at XCution? This was... surreal. Shed decided to hear the Fullbringer out first before she gave a response. "You don't have to agree to either or one over another, but they're here for you to think about. I wasn't kidding around when I talked to you about this before."

The Captain set her hands in her lap and let out a puff of air. "Wow, well... I guess I just wasn't expecting all... this." In truth, Celes was incredibly appreciative of her friend. Shizuka knew that Celes was deeply worried of causing unnecessary havoc within Soul Society. If he Inner Hollow took over, it could prove disastrous. However, the fate of the Human World may not be too much different. Yukito surely demonstrated to both the Shizuka and Celes that the Hollow had no qualms over causing collateral damage. She couldn't allow it.

"I appreciate the kind offer, Shizuka. I want you to know that I am extremely grateful to have a friend like you." She paused for a moment before continuing. "For now, I will take your offer under advisement, but I cannot accept it. Soul Society... is my home. I'm not naive though." , she clarified. "I'm fully aware that Soul Society would have me executed if they knew of my condition. There may come a time that I'll have to come to your doors and I am grateful to know that I have options." The girl smiled brightly.

"On the topic, though. I know that XCution has a reputation for assassination. I've met one of your number before. A Dia Cuir." Her lip curled into a small frown. "What opportunities could someone like me find at XCution?", Celes asked candidly. It would be plain for anyone to see that Celes was not a murderer. She was no assassin. She always tried her damndest to avoid killing, if possible. Occasionally, someone would force her hand, but she had enough discipline to restrain herself.

[Shizuka Sanamizu ✮]

She'd be lying if she said she wasn't disappointed. Even if this was a tentative 'yes,' Shizuka felt like she was being rejected by Celes. That was a tough pill for anyone to swallow, especially since the Fullbringer didn't think she had anything else she could possibly offer to her Shinigami friend. The emotion was likely painted all over her face, and she knew it, but that didn't stop her from trying to hide it as much as she could. Celes was free to go back and do whatever she felt was best for herself, but Shizuka didn't like it. Even if Soul Society was her home, Celes shouldn't feel pulled back to it.

But Celes surprised the blonde without much time passing. She mentioned meeting Dia, who Shizuka remembered, and that brought a genuine smile to her face. She could only hope it was a positive encounter, but knowing the reputation Xcution had - that Shizuka never made any effort to change - it was entirely possible that their introduction was less than pleasant. Shizuka made a mental note to ask about that at a later time since the curiosity was killing her. Until then, the focus needed to stay on this lime green-hair woman.

"Opportunities, huh?" Shizuka's eyes drifted a bit as her gaze lifted up to the left.

She started thinking. Celes, though entirely capable, wasn't the type to blindly kill someone the way Shizuka would. And had. With a brief hum, she tried to think about something that would make Celes happy. Could she be a Gun? Yeah, easily. Would she want to? Well, maybe not. Actually, that would be a bit tough on her since the primary function of the Guns was assassination. In fact, that's who Shizuka would send out to take care of targets. When she was a Rifle, that was her primary responsibility. That's part of why she was so numb to it now.

But Celes wasn't that way. She was kind, and Shizuka knew that even more so after their fight. There were several times she could have been entirely annihilated even without Yukito's interference, but the whole thing ended in a draw because the Fullbringer got lucky. That was a tough pill to swallow. Celes was that strong and had to hold back because she knew Shizuka wouldn't be able to handle it. But she isn't the type to kill people... So this was a difficult decision. If she truly didn't want to paint herself as a bad guy but wanted Xcution's protection, then...

"Oh, wait! Protection!" The blonde's eyes lit up as she felt she'd come up with a passable compromise. "Celes, next to Felicia, you're one of the strongest people I know. Like, at all. What if I need protection? What if you became, like, kind of a body guard?"

[Celes Castellanos]

Shizuka had earned a head nod from Celes as she ruminated on the opportunities that Celes could find in XCution. As the Captain waited for an answer, she briefly reflected. Here she was, a decorated officer of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads, scouting out what kind of position would suit her in XCution. I was almost comical, in hindsight. However, Celes knew that Shizuka had her best interests at heart. She had known that Celes' Inner Hollow would leave her marked for death if Central 46 ever found out. The Captain Commander, despite not being cruel, was a traditionalist. Celes have find a hard time swaying him that she was an asset rather than a liability.

The girl let out a soft sigh as she contemplated her situation. She'd be taken back to reality as Shizuka suddenly exclaimed, "Oh, wait! Protection!" The Shinigami raised an eyebrow for a moment as her amber eyes met Shizuka's. "Excuse me?" Thankfully, Shizuka would quickly clarify. "Celes, next to Felicia, you're one of the strongest people I know. Like, at all. What if I need protection? What if you became, like, kind of a body guard?" The girl briefly chuckled at the compliment. "Felicia, huh? Someone else with my type of strength, I imagine."

Returning to the topic at hand, Celes brought her hand up to her chin. "A bodyguard, huh?", she mused. "I mean, I am the current Captain of the Tenth Division. Effectively, I'm the head of security within Soul Society.", she clarified. "Though, I think you don't give yourself enough credit, Shizuka. You are not the type of person who I feel needs protection. You're strong yourself. After all, you did beat Yukito to a draw. He hasn't brought it up since, but I can tell that it bothers him.", she joked.

The girl gave it a little more thought. Upon reflection, she acted as a bodyguard in an abstract way. When Orobas and Alastor came to assassinate the Captain Commander, she and her fellow Captains formed the vanguard. They needed to push past them before they could even hope to take a shot at the old man. It did prove another point. There were always bigger fish. Nobody was invincible and perhaps Shizuka understood that. "I guess we could make something like that work. I once knew an Akki who headed the Envainar. As they told me, they served Kouhai and were his trump cards. Even stronger than the Espada themselves."

Comparing herself to Orobas, even abstractly, put a bad taste in Celes' mouth. In fact, it wouldn't be hard for the Fullbringer to tell that Celes did not hold Orobas in the highest regard. Nevertheless, it got her point across. "Though I'm sure, I can be more than a bodyguard. The Gotei has plenty of roles that need filling by the thirteen squads. Are there any of XCution's interests which are not being spearheaded by a department, at the moment? You've offered me so much so I would like to return the favor.", the Shinigami said with a genuine smile.

[Shizuka Sanamizu ✮]

"Oh, you!"

Shizuka giggled and blushed at Celes' compliment towards her power. It never got old. Sure, she'd gotten her butt kicked when they fought. It was a massive difference compared to the first time they met when Celes was just a baby. She'd been so timid, at least from what Shizuka could tell, and that was the teachable moment that pretty much melted the Fullbringer's heart. This was what started their friendship, and it primarily was due to Shizuka's desire to make sure Celes could protect herself. Now that she could, she'd be safe. She didn't really need any help from Shizuka anymore. While that was relieving in its own right, she couldn't help but feel a little sad.

Still, there had to be something she could do to give Celes a home. As the green-haired woman spoke, Shizuka thought for a moment and tried to brainstorm. Celes mentioned the Envainar, which was an interesting team that Shizuka knew absolutely nothing about, though she had heard about Kouhai. She could put two and two together in some capacity and that suddenly gave her an idea. There was another part of Xcution that was originally meant for Rogue Shinigami once her partnership with Douma had been secured, but after his disappearance, it effectively evaporated into nothing. Bringing that team back... That could work.

"Actually, Celes, we have a group in Xcution that handles certain... tasks. They don't necessarily deal with assassinations since the Guns take care of all that. I wouldn't be able to tell you much about the team unless you fully enter the organization, because their entire purpose is to remain in the shadows. It's supposed to be a haven for people who defected from Soul Society. People like you." Shizuka looked off to the side for a moment as she continued her thought. "We don't have very many defective Shinigami anymore - or, I guess you could call them Rogues - so the group was all but disbanded. But if you wanted to revive it... I think we'd have a good thing going."

It was a long shot since she couldn't give Celes more details. It was part of her contract not to. Only certain people were ever allowed to know about Team Josai, and since that group was Douma's baby, Shizuka figured they might as well rename it, too. If something like this was enough to spark Celes' interest, they might have a deal. If it wasn't, then she was out of ideas. She didn't want Celes to feel like there wasn't a home for her, but Shizuka wasn't about to force something on her that she didn't resonate with either. This could be the answer to all of their problems if she agreed.

[Celes Castellanos]

The Shinigami took note of the glint in Shizuka's eyes as she brought up the Envainar. Did XCution have such a group? Shizuka did elaborate, "Actually, Celes, we have a group in Xcution that handles certain... tasks." Celes couldn't help, but raise an eyebrow. "Okay...", she said with a hint of apprehension in her voice. Tasks was such a vague and strange term for Shizuka to use and the girl would make her confusion rather visible. Thankfully, Shizuka fed her a bit more information.

They don't necessarily deal with assassinations since the Guns take care of all that. I wouldn't be able to tell you much about the team unless you fully enter the organization, because their entire purpose is to remain in the shadows. It's supposed to be a haven for people who defected from Soul Society. People like you." Now this was certainly getting interesting. Shizuka's description briefly reminded the Captain of the Onmitsukidō. A highly covert outfit that operated in the shadows. However, unlike the Onmitsukidō, they did not seem to specialize in assassination. "Something to discuss at a later point, I guess."

"We don't have very many defective Shinigami anymore - or, I guess you could call them Rogues - so the group was all but disbanded. But if you wanted to revive it... I think we'd have a good thing going." Celes hummed softly in response. "I see. Though, I won't fully know what this outfit is responsible for until I integrate myself into XCution as you have said." She chuckled briefly. What a gamble. However, it was a ray of hope that the Shinigami looked for. A place to stay should Soul Society ever find out about her Inner Hollow.

She took a deep breath and met Shizuka's eyes. "Since it is defunct, I imagine that I would be it's only member? That I would take command of this squad?" Celes was definitely not opposed to the idea, but she was curious if there were any other personalities she'd have to contend with. Nevertheless, she continued, "I'll certainly take the offer under advisement, Shizuka. As it stands, I've no reason to abandon Soul Society. Especially given recent events." In hindsight, Celes likely should not have referenced the Hell invasion to Shizuka. It was a security risk, but Celes really didn't care. Shizuka was a friend and she did not make it a habit of letting her work interfere with her excursions in the Human World.

"As I said, there may come a time when I am forced to come to your doors. Perhaps then we will be able to discuss this team in more intimate detail. Hopefully, by then, I will have had a chance to deal with Yukito." She sighed contently. "It's... frustrating, y'know. The Captain of the Tenth Division, the heart of Soul Society's vanguard, is simultaneously among it's biggest threats." A frown spread across her lips. "I have a friend in Soul Society. Roughly my height with spiky hair. He's pretty strong, but I know he wouldn't kill me if he could avoid it. I'm fortunate that you are willing to do what needs to be done, that I don't need to fear living my life as a monster someday." The Shinigami had not quite realized how somber she had gotten until it was too late. She rubbed her eyes and chuckled.

"Enough of that, though. What have you been up to, otherwise?"

[Shizuka Sanamizu ✮]

Shizuka listened to Celes and nodded along as the girl spoke, yet towards the end she felt her heart sink a bit. She didn't want Celes to feel like she had absolutely zero problems dealing with potential issues related to her Inner Hollow. In fact, it bothered the Fullbringer more than Celes probably realized. Contrary to popular belief, Shizuka didn't always enjoy hurting people and sometimes killing them even made her pause. Granted, there had been quite a few times where she felt absolutely nothing towards it and she's trained herself over the years to become a bit numb to the guilt. What makes that easier, though, is that her targets deserved death. Celes doesn't.

It seemed that the likelihood of this becoming a problem was slim, so despite all of her worrying, Shizuka probably didn't have a ton to actually concern herself with. It sounded like this other friend of Celes' would be a good alternative even if he didn't have the same drive that Shizuka did to finish the job, but he was definitely another good person who could help Celes in her time of need if she ever came to it. Maybe he'd have an easier time since Shizuka failed to really prove much to Celes despite what the latter had said a moment ago. It made her feel a bit inadequate, honestly. Like she wasn't enough.

Shizuka wanted to comfort Celes since it seemed as though her mood had dropped significantly, but her sudden question about what her human friend had been up to made the blonde think about it for a second. She wasn't sure she could suddenly gush about her personal life as if the weight of Celes' words meant nothing, so she tried being as casual as she could. She glanced around the park and thought about the answer she wanted to give for a few seconds, humming as she did so while making an attempt to get some words together. Looking back towards Celes, Shizuka smiled and did her best to come up with something true while also giving her friend some time to process what she'd just talked about.

"Work. Ha! Just a lot of work, girl. I don't mind it and this was something I'd wanted since forever ago, but it can get busy. Thankfully, I have friends like you who can pull me away for a while and we can do things like walk around this park. But you do seem kind of tense, and maybe it was because of our conversation. I didn't mean to hurt you if I ended up bringing up some harsh old memories or stirring the pot with your, uh, condition. You know you can always talk about it with me."

Soon enough, Shizuka realized she'd been wandering around quite a bit. They weren't in the same area of the park that they'd been earlier, and voices from other people filled the air once again. No one was close, so that was good and it gave them the chance to speak freely. The water decorations were all working perfectly, as well. Rubbing the side of her head that was now buzzed, Shizuka was reminded that she'd had to do a bit of work to fix the singed hair and quickly removed her hand. The action she'd done out of muscle memory now made her feel weird. She was excited for it to grow back properly.

"What about you, though? I mean, outside of all of this stuff. You don't need to spill your guts if you won't wanna, and I'm certainly not going to push it. So if you want to just be normal people, then let's do that! And you can start with talking about your fun hobbies. Or maybe what food you ate last night. Or do Shinigami not eat?"

[Kitai Yoru]

Celes: 26 paragraphs, 20% bonus awarded
Shizuka: 25 paragraphs, 20% bonus awarded