With the Captains suffering casualties and heavy injuries on their side, all hope seemed to be lost... until Shinji Hirako appeared, along with the rest of the former Shinigami. Though the aid of the Vizards certainly helped to draw the battle in their favor, it seemed Aizen's power alone proved too much for them.
What Celia didn't mention was that she didn't drink with idiots. From the tone of her voice, it was evident that she meant something along those lines. She had no desire to share a drink with this man - she would rather finish taking notes before the last of the humans scurried away. But the streets were already growing barren.
"Yes, he's still alive."
Celia nodded. Good, she hadn't wanted him to die.
"However, he's quite the broken man now. He's missing an arm you know?" the man continued, in a way that made Celia think he wanted her to feel apologetic. This man wasn't that boy's captain, was he? She would have expected a little more anger if he was. "There's also several internal injuries that require tending. You really put him through a lot."
"Good," she said curtly. After what he did to Adela, she didn't care. She repaid the boy for his brutality with interest - anything he did to Adela, she had given back and then some. And perhaps Adela was alright, stronger in general and able to make a much quicker recovery, but had she been a second later Adela would not have been. No, that boasting moron deserved what he got. "I don't suppose he was your subordinate. You're far too calm."
Character List "Let's eat, Grandma!" "Let's eat Grandma!" Commas save lives.
"Well that's just no fun. How is a great lady like yourself supposed to have a little fun and cut back? Maybe you should give it a try?"
Shunsui looked up at the night sky. It was so much more beautiful in the World of the Living than in the Soul Society. He forgotten when he had last gone to the World of the Living to see such a sight. not even those that controlled the weather of the Seireitei could imitate the beauty of the stars blanketing the night sky. It was simply implausible to think of how something so subtle could make such a big difference.
"I don't suppose he was your subordinate. You're far too calm."
He frowned. No, he really wasn't. If he had, maybe he would have been in a bit more of a mood. As it stood, he was reluctant to fight. But, that was mainly his philosophy on fighting in general. Shunsui really didn't want to fight this lady. For one, he didn't believe that men should fight women. For two, he didn't see the point in fighting.
"No, I was not the man's captain. To be honest, I only met him once at a party his squad threw. He seemed to be a bit off; he definitely couldn't hold his liquor. I can only imagine that he must have somehow provoked you. That wasn't in the report, do tell."
The man didn't seem to understand - or care. Instead, he looked upwards sort of dreamily and tried to persuade her. It wouldn't work while she said that she did not drink, she meant that she would not drink with him. She clarified, "I don't enjoy it, Shinigami."
"No, I was not the man's captain. To be honest, I only met him once at a party his squad threw. He seemed to be a bit off; he definitely couldn't hold his liquor. I can only imagine that he must have somehow provoked you. that wasn't in the report - do tell."
As for this, Celia had a response. She narrowed her eyes.
"My fraccion ignored her limits and was outwitted by that boy," Celia said, glancing at her fingernails as though she suddenly found them interesting. Her answer would be curt and quick, not at all long or descriptive. She remembered what Adela described to her - and also what Neva had described. "By the time I arrived, he was about to slit her throat. She was also quite injurred, mind you, I sent her and her sister straight back to Los Noches."
She smirked. "They are also alive and recovering, and so I've no more quarrel with him."
Character List "Let's eat, Grandma!" "Let's eat Grandma!" Commas save lives.
Obviously she meant drinking. She apparently didn't enjoy drinking which was quite a shame indeed. He had never really met the women who had not enjoyed drinking. Honestly, he had never met the woman who didn't enjoy a good cup of sake every now and again. Maybe she just meant that she didn't want to drink with him. Letting out a small sigh he concluded that must be it.
Then he listened to her reasoning for hurting the young man. He began to wear a frown because it became apparent that she was just being vengeful. Shunsui didn't much care for revenge, or any fighting for that matter. To be perfectly honest, revenge accomplished nothing. She said that she was done with the young man now; however, anyone knew that if he could, the young man would want revenge himself. It was just a circle of violence that would only end when one of them died. It was really such a shame that people amounted to this.
"Might I inquire something Miss? It seems to me that you acted irrationally and simply wanted vengeance. You could have seen to the safety of your subordinates and sent the boy off. There was no need for you to do what you did to him. I am not condescending, but I fear you may have sparked a circle of violence from which there is only one way to escape."
"No," Celia corrected. "I did not act irrationally. Had I killed him, it would have been irrational. I gave him more of a chance at recovering than he would have given to my subordinate. This ensures that he will not harm my subordinates again."
"I am not condescending, but I fear you may have sparked a circle of violence from which there is only one way to escape," Shunsui said. Celia perked a brow. Was he implying that someone would actually kill her? But he didn't seem as if he wanted to. He had yet to put a hand on his sword.
"And what do you think that lecturing me will do?" the woman replied. She let her hands fall to her sides. It was absurd to think that her opinion would change, or that anything would change. Anyone who harmed her fraccion deserved to be paid in kind. "It won't change what has transpired, even if you do convince me. And if the boy comes after me, the results will be the same. I already know what his zanpakuto does, and it does not affect me because there is such a wide gap in power. I know that he is prideful, and arrogant. If he comes after me alone, he is a fool. If he sends others, he is a coward."
She began to walk again, frustrated that her time in the human world had been cut short by the man's lecture. To be more precise, her productive time in the human world had been cut short. She had to admit, she was fortunate that though this man was stronger he seemed disinterested in fighting. It would be easy for him as well - he only had to draw his swords and she would be finished. Her hand to hand was excellent, but it wouldn't hold as well against an armed opponent.
"As for you," Celia murmured, "Is it because I am small, or because I am female? Or does fighting bore you as it does myself?"
Character List "Let's eat, Grandma!" "Let's eat Grandma!" Commas save lives.
He listened to her rationalizations and sighed to himself. It was clear there was very little (if any) seeing eye to eye with her. Looking at his feet he thought of what he needed to do. Was he doomed to fight her now? No, there was always a way around that. Violence only bred more violence. It rarely accomplished anything and only left more problems. The man laying in the Infirmary was proof of that.
Shunsui further listened to her rebuttal. Parts were simply condescending and others disturbing. Again, he sighed. Why was it that the ones who were very beautiful also were typically crazy. Crazy could be okay, but on some people it wasn't rather cute. This Arrancar was one such example. She rationalized her behavior with whatever means necessary.
"Is it because I am small, or because I am female? Or does fighting bore you as it does myself?"
Looking up at her, Shunsui thought for a second as his answer. It was not really any of the options. He didn't believe that violence without purpose accomplished anything and that was all there was. He also didn't believe that anyone should attack a lady. As for being small in stature, he didn't judge. Nanao was rather small but could still be rather intimidating if need be.
"I simply don't believe that violence will solve any problems in this situation. On top of that, you're just strong enough such that a fight would definitely cause damage to the surrounding area, regardless of how careful I was. That would lead to problems for everyone involved and would result in a mountain of paperwork. I don't much care for paperwork."
He offered her only a small smile as he finished. This meeting was wrapping up and he felt that they both knew it.
The man looked to his feet, but did not outright respond to what she had said. Good, perhaps he had been dissuaded from talking philosophy with her. Normally, she would have enjoyed listening to people's ideas and opinions, as it would have been a window into their mind, another way she could learn about the people she met. But when it came to her fraccion's safety, she wouldn't play around - she would be harsh and unforgiving no matter what. This man didn't know - nor would he unless he was unfortunate enough to witness her fury firsthand.
"I simply don't believe that violence will solve any problems in this situation. On top of that, you're just strong enough such that a fight would definitely cause damage to the surrounding area, regardless of how careful I was," he answered, smiling softly to her. He was almost finished, she could tell. "That would lead to problems for everyone involved and would result in a mountain of paperwork. I don't much care for paperwork."
Celia smirked.
"Neither do I, but we don't have much need for it."
She folded her arms under her chest and closed her eyes - she would open a garganta in a moment and leave for home. After all, there was no point in sticking around the human world and keeping her fraccion waiting when she was not even working. Adela would bemoan her return, Neva would rejoice, but silently. Or perhaps Adela would be glad to see her return - that girl had been much meeker and calmer since her loss.
"What is your name, Shinigami? I would prefer know in case our paths should cross again," said the red-head with a straight face. She would not have asked him his name if she did not hold at least a begrudging respect - he had power, but he knew when its use was worthwhile and when it was not. She only wished her fraccion and colleagues had the same sensibility.
"Octava Espada, Celia," she offered.
Character List "Let's eat, Grandma!" "Let's eat Grandma!" Commas save lives.
She finally seemed to agree with him on something. That was...surprising to say the least. Shunsui admitted that he had never expected her to be the type to ever see eye to eye with him on something so philosophical as his ideas about fighting. Then again, it could always simply be that she didn't want to fight right now. That was most pragmatic of her to say the least.
Then she asked his name. He responded with a large grin. In all the excitement he had forgotten that he still had to introduce himself to this lady. With a small bow he slid the sake into his pocket and straightened back up. Obviously, this encounter was just about to end and he might as well begin packing.
"Shunsui Kyoraku, Captain of Squad 8."
As he heard the lady's name, he gave another small bow.
Celia did not return the bow, nor the smile. She turned away and held out a hand to the air, satisfied that they would not be fighting and that she knew who this man was. With a flick of her wrist, she opened a garganta. He wouldn't follow her in if she was correct in her assumption that he didn't find much enjoyment in fighting. Stepping inside of the spacial rip, she looked over her shoulder and gave a curt nod.
"Goodbye, Kyoraku," she said, slipping her hands into her pockets. Thinking to how he said it was a pleasure to meet her, she smirked and started to walk. "I cannot say the same."
The garganta closed, and she left for home.
Character List "Let's eat, Grandma!" "Let's eat Grandma!" Commas save lives.
