[O] Ephemeral Moments

[Lilith]

Lilith was constantly looking into the mess of colors that was the sky, and thus failed to notice any of the Shinigami's actions. She pondered what to say--as of now, there really wasn't much she could do that was very fascinating.

"Yeah, I suppose my case is odd. Since I was trained as a Quincy, my Advent was never awoken and never will, so I imagine I'm like your average Quincy . . . minus the information they hold about all things spiritual." She brought one hand up, balancing on the other, and flexed it a bit as she stared into it, as if it had the answers she was seeking, "I was found by a Quincy . . . my master. As a child I was obsessed with martial arts--hell, I still am." She gave a little chuckle, "But his reibuki--spiritual weapon, that is--was an array of fist weapons, much like mine. Er, like mine . . . will be. As of now, I can only create a brass knuckle and utilize spirit particles in the air in elementary forms."

She stood after the rather long explanation. Assuming the Shinigami followed, which was most likely, she continued, "I can perform a maneuver similar to your . . . shunpo, I think it is. We use the spirit particles to slide, allowing for instantaneous movement. But, in general, I can manipulate spirit particles in the air for different effects."

Again she tightened her fist and the pale-blue glow returned, leaving her reibuki. She held her hand out for the Shinigami to examine the pale glow of her brass knuckle.

[EvilAngel]

Akimoto nodded understandingly during the explanation. It was all very new to her, and very interesting. She peered at the weapon held in front of her with fascination. It was quite a remarkable little thing, such a clever little thing. Though small and light, and perfectly combined with her preferred choice of combat it was in its own way a very brutal looking tool. She certainly would not like to be on the receiving end from a hit from it.

“Wow, I see…” she said in awe. She looked up as she listened about the high speed movement technique.

“Ahh, Shunpo, yes” she said nodding fondly. She stopped “Not very good at that” she said shaking her head with an embarrassed smile. “I’ve only ever done it like, a dozen times, max I should think” she said cringing at her own words. There were shinigami a third her age who could do it easily at will, but it was something she found particularly difficult.

“Sorry” she said apologetically for no reason in particular “I’m pretty simple when it comes down to it. I’m just good with this” she said running a hands softly and fondly across her sword. “I’m not too good with or at anything else. To be honest with you”

She looked up, just noticing the beautiful array of colours that were stretching across the darkening sky

“Wow” she gasped “I’ve been around for over 300 years and the sun setting still takes my breath away” she said, her smile little smile returning.

[Lilith]

Lilith laughed a bit, "Yeah. I'm really no good at hirenkyaku either. I guess I'm similar to you," She said as her reibuki dispersed into tiny, glowing spirit particles that vanished as they floated away, "I'm really only any good with these." She held up her fists as she leaned forward from her previous position, crossing her legs.

"Well, I can't say I've been around that long." Lilith looked about to make sure no one was listening to her speak to "nothing." "But, yeah, I agree. And the way the water looks especially at this time of day . . . "

She gave a sigh and fell back against the soft grass. This was a rather peaceful meeting with a spiritual being. A change, really, most meetings with spiritual beings were either hostile or full of intense training.

"It's amazing that this world can produce things as beautiful as this, and then create things like Hollows to destroy everything . . ."

[EvilAngel]

“Heh, I guess we are. Which makes sense, after all, great minds think alike, isn’t that what they say?” Akimoto laughed. It seemed both amusing and ironic to her that by random chance the two would come across each other. Both masters in their weapon, but weaker in other area’s. Both with the same appreciations and the same views on the strangeness of the contrast of the worlds nature.

“Heh, well I haven’t been around for that long either. I mean, I’m probably in the top 90% these days in terms of age, but the ones older than me, are MUCH older than me so. I’m still a whelp to the captains atleast” she said absently. To be honest she never gave her age much thought. She wished she was older, more experienced. But then, she thought looking at Lilith, humans were sensitive about their age, weren’t they? She remembered. The contrast there seemed funny aswell.

“Yeah, I have to say, it is…. It’s a funny old world.” She sighed

[Lilith]

Lilith just laughed more, "Yeah. Great minds!" She punched at the air as she lied there, emphasizing 'great minds'. As she listened to the Shinigami speak about age, it fascinated her how long the Shinigami lived. Normal days seemed to last so long to Humans, but they lived comfortably so long. Lilith didn't know if she could do that.

"Yeah, well I'm twenty. Two digits." She chuckled a bit, "I'm a little far behind."

For a moment she simply sat there, still staring at the sky. Then, a question came to her mind, "Oh. So, why are you here then? I mean, on Earth. Did you have a mission or something?"

[EvilAngel]

Akimoto smiled and chuckled softly at her new found friend.

“Don’t worry, you’ll get older before you know it” she said, having already forgotten humans were age sensitive. She shuddered at the thought of only being 20. It wasn’t like age meant anything in soul society really, but to her it was something she was rather proud of. She was proud that she had lived for so long doing what she did. After all, most shinigami could not make that claim.

“Shinigami often get ‘guard’ assignements, to simplfy it. It’s just a few months of ‘protecting’ an area for a period of time. Most shinigami find it annoying, and for most I think it is. After all, I wouldn’t want to get stuck guarding Rukongai” she said with a shudder.

“But I LOVE the real world” she said very happily “I make requests to be here all the time, though there’s a stupid rules in place so you can’t spend over so much percent of your time here. But I do what I can. Besides, I make things easier for the squad, I know the world, I know the landscapes, and I’m very good, and keeping damage control right the way down” she said proudly

“But most I come for the cosmetics and hair style idea’s” she said with a cheeky grin, and a wink.

[Lilith]

"Well, I don't know that getting older as a Human is really such a great thing . . ." Lilith commented. She listened and held off her questions until the Shinigami finished and gave her a wink, "That kind of stuff isn't common in Soul Society? Make up and hair styling and such? I suppose you must not have time, huh?"

It was an odd thought to her--a world without cosmetics and materialistic ideas and . . . they didn't need food, did they? It was all so odd. Still, Lilith supposed it was normal to them. What was odd was Earth. Here. There were huge differences . . .

"Oh, what's Rukongai? I assume its a place, by the way you were talking, but . . ." Lilith began to wonder if all the questions she asked were becoming a nuisance. Her lack of information was a nuisance to herself, though. She did admit, however, that she asked the questions more out of personal curiosity than anything else, but she couldn't help it.

It was Human nature. It made her wonder if Shinigami understood things like that. She imagined so--they had personalities and such much like Humans. It was an interesting thought, though she wasn't sure if it would be rude to ask, and simply held off.

[EvilAngel]

“Oh, right, of course” Akimoto replied with a blush “You guys get all wrinkly” she said dumbly. “Forgot about that for a second” she said with a nervous grin. Her expression turn into a regretful one when the mention of hair styling and the like came up.

“Nope, nothing like it back there” she said grimly shaking her haid “I have to get it all here; Idea’s, products, even combes and brushes” she said listing them off on her fingers “Well we have combs and brushes back there but, not as good as the ones you have here” she said with a smile.

“Well I think it’s just not viewed as important. That and it’s allot more… traditional” she explained “I mean, back home it’s all about life and death, strength, training yada yada” she said twirling her hand around. “They don’t get how making yourself look good, is personal empowerment” she said with a defiant grin, her fist clenched in front of her. Her expression broke upon the mention of Rukongai

“Ehhhh…. Rukongai is a series of villiages, all a part of a massive area of living quarters. Some area’s are nice, the quieter ones. But others are very rough, and very dirty and messy. And the people are so rude and aggressive that it’s really not a very nice place to be.” She explained. She leant back letting herself lie down along the wall.

“I love it here” she said softly with a sigh, as she looked at the various colours that lit up the sky as the suns final light was leaving the sky.

[Lilith]

"Only bad combs, huh? How interesting . . . still, I think I could deal with it. It's not that important to me, really." Lilith said, "My hair just falls down. That's about it." A chuckle escaped her mouth once again.

"Is Rukongai for the Shinigami, then? If some areas of it are rough and such then I can't imagine it is . . . are there other beings living in Soul Society? I only got some of the basic information, as you can tell . . . I'm so sorry I ask so many questions."

At any rate, I'm not so sure you'd really love it here if you had to interact with the people that live here. They're mostly rude, selfish, and uncaring. Don't get me wrong--there are those who aren't, but the majority of people are. Sometimes, I wonder if the Shinigami would really protect them if they knew how they actually were."

Lilith gave a sigh as she glanced back at the town in the distance. Cars and people and . . . irritation. Lilith found that that's what she thought of most of the things that this world held. Irritating or terrible, "I'd love to see Soul Society . . . It seems so much more orderly."

[EvilAngel]

Akimoto laughed, and shrugged

“My hair falls down too if I leave it, but I like this better” she said touching the bottom of her curls. “Besides, doesn’t think suit me much better?” she said posing for Lilith, with her tongue sticking out and a wink. She broke the pose with a laugh.

“No, Rukongai is for everyone else” she explained “It is broken down into 99 districts. And it surrounds Seireitei, which is the Shinigami residence. Shinigami stronghold if you will. Seireitei itself is surrounded by a white wall that goes all the way around, every so often there are gates. But Rukongai as you can guess can be a very rough, even violent place to live. There are people there who are as bad as hollows. Hence there’s always Shinigami presence there to try to keep as much order as is possible.” Talling about Rukongai always made her uncomfortable. She remembered the short time she spent there very vividly, and wish she didn’t.

She sighed and paused before responding.

“I think people are the same, no matter where you go.” She said looking in the direction Lilith was “I just think here everyone is younger and more light hearted. Quarrels here tend to be pettier and threats more civilised. Here people care about what you’re wearing, and how you present yourself. In soul society they care if you can throw a punch and how you handle yourself. Here if two people fall out they stop speaking. In Soul society it often means a fight, sometimes even to the death.” She said sadly. Her world was not a place she was proud to speak of. It had its ups, but she had seen all the downs.

“It is a beautiful place, but there are people. And people are all the same.” She said in a trance. It was a grim though to think that a person would be forever cursed to exist surrounded by such people. But then, there was always the up side.

“But don’t get me wrong, there are equally nice people there. People who will help you, and stand up for you, and friends who stand together to whatever end. Soul Society has its ups and its downs. I guess I’m just a little too familiar with the downs” she said with a forced nervous laugh.

[Lilith]

"It's true, those curls do suit you more than having your hair fall straight down." Lilith smiled as she agreed. She really couldn't imagine the Shinigami girl with her hair left down.

"So there are those kind of people wherever you go, huh?" Lilith said after hearing the woman out. She supposed it made sense. Why would the people act any differently in Soul Society? At least, the normal people. In Rukongai. Especially if it's as bad as Akimoto made it sound.

"I think everyone looks on the downs of their own world more than the ups. The ups are always taken for granted." Lilith pondered why that was, but she did believe it to be true. Things that were good seemed like they should be as they are, but the bad things were always wrong. That was Human nature to look on things that way.

Human nature . . . and yet the Shinigami seemed to feel that way, as well. Perhaps they were more Human than Lilith had imagined. Perhaps there was more in common between them than Lilith had thought possible.

Perhaps Lilith was closer to all of this than she had thought. Again her gaze fell to her hands as she curled them into fists.

"I still want to see it." Lilith glanced back up at Akimoto, "I want to feel it. I suppose that time may come . . . or it may not."

[EvilAngel]

Akimoto laughed at the girls comment, She had never spent long with her hair down. It always felt so plain and boring. Even before she was into human hair styles she had it held up in some way, to both keep it out of her way and to make it look a little different.

“Yeah, well trust me I does not suit me” she giggled. She remembered looking at her reflection when it was down now. In comparison it just looked odd on her. She blinked and looked over at her friend after hearing what she said next. She waited for her to finish everything she was saying before responding.

“You want to…. See it?” Akimoto repeated unsurely. She frowned. She sat up, looking at Lilith both curiously and uncertainly. She wasn’t sure how to respond. She wanted to agree that people were typically all the same. But couldn’t take her mind off the girls last words. She wanted to see it? Why?

Akimoto had heard about Hueco Mundo, and had to admit it sounded kind of cool, but she did NOT want to go there. She still wouldn’t even if it wasn’t hollow infested. After a moment she shook it off. It wasn’t all that surprised really. How many Shinigami wanted to see the real world after all? It should only be natural the reverse was true for Quincy and Advent humans.

“I wish I could say I could take you there. But it’s a crime to take Ryoka into Soul Society. One that I could never risk, I’m sorry” she said regretfully but also firmly. This was something she could not be lenient about. If she was caught the punishment would be very severe.

[Lilith]

Lilith looked at Akimoto as if she had just noticed her for the first time. She tilted her head as the Shinigami finished and Lilith spoke, "Is it odd? That I want to see it?" She brought a finger to her chin.

"At any rate, I never expected you to take me there, so don't worry about it. I imagined there was some sort of law against it." Lilith responded. It wasn't likely that a place like Seireitei would simply let any spiritually aware being into their realm. That was likely far too dangerous and risky. "I'll see it eventually, I just have a feeling."

She stood and dusted her pants off a bit, "So . . . is there anything you Shinigami do for fun? I imagine there has to be something, after all, you all live for years and years . . . and years . . ." She said as she turned to her friend, curious. Shinigami were intriguing beings--their society was so different from Humans. Their personalities, their existence, their ideals . . . and yet they protected Humanity with their own lives. It all seemed like an odd circle . . .

[EvilAngel]

Akimoto sighed in relief upon hearing Lilith’s response to her words about Soul Society. She closed her eyes and let the wave of relief flow over her. She was just glad that her new friend wasn’t expecting something, or upset at her reaction.

Her eyes opened suddenly when the young woman asked what they did for fun. A smile returning to her lips.

“Of course!” she said warmly “We have lots of games and thing we do to relax and have fun. Just like people do here. Though obviously we don’t have quite so many things. Our technology is generally a few grades lower. I mean, we have the same level as here really but, it’s not accessible to most, mainly only division twelve use it. And it’s always for scientific purposes and such.” She said gesturing a shrug with her hand, her other still supporting her.

“Mostly I think we train” she said with a barely visible nod “I know how that might sound” she said with a glance at Lilith before returning into looking in the great beyond in the direction of the grass “But for some of us at least, it is very soothing in it’s own way. With it we can test our bodies and minds, yet there is no risk, and no failure in it. When you train with others you form bonds of friendship I believe are deeper than most that people form here. You help each other grow, as a person, and as a shinigami” she said with a warm fond smile. She looked at Lilith with a flick of the eyes.

“What about you? What is it a person who is more than human, does for fun?” she asked, turning her head slightly to one side.

[Lilith]

Lilith's eyes lit up with a certain fire as she went on about training. Lilith couldn't help but beam and create a fist in front of her face, exclaiming, "It's perfect!"

Oh, s-sorry . . . " Lilith apologized and let the woman finish, grinning the entire time. The girl didn't ponder even for a second when asked what she did for fun, "I train, of course! Train, train, train! I completely agree--that kind of relationship with another person builds bonds stronger than a relationship created out of leisure. Unfortunately, I have none of those relationships remaining . . ." She trailed off for a moment, her eyes wandering to the setting sun in the distance, before whipping back to her friend, "But that's long gone, now! I don't really have many friends here, most people are a bit frightened of the way I am."

Still, it seemed her golden, wandering orbs made their way somehow back to that purple-orange orb in the sky. She seemed distant, though her attention was on the Shinigami next to her. The youth lingered in that moment for only a short time before she snapped back to the world before her and beamed once again at Akimoto.

"Seriously," She threw a few punches once more, "I love training."

[EvilAngel]

Akimoto looked at Lilith wide eyed with a big smile. The girl’s energy was quite something. She watched her reaction, and listened to her response with a smile. She reminded her somewhat of herself. At least she would like to think she had the energy. The attitude however was a given. They were both passionate people.

“I’m glad you agree” she grinned “You know ever since we first met it feels like I’ve felt a kindred spirit here on earth. I think you might be a little braver and have a bit more energy than me, but I really feel like we are two people on the same page.” She said with a grin.

“I think we should organise a date” she said, standing up, stretching her legs, unaware of the alternate meaning of her statement improperly explained statement. “I would love to train with you sometime. Even spar if you would be up for it” she said with a devilish grin.

[Lilith]

Lilith took a moment to process the Shinigami's request, though her face showed no sign of it.

"That sounds wonderful! I always love a sparring partner," Lilith said. She doubted that these words came as a surprise to the Shinigami.

"But I don't know if I'd say I'm braver--perhaps more headstrong? Foolish?" Lilith chuckled a bit, "I really don't feel fear of anything much. It's going to get me into trouble . . . Well, it almost already has. But it is getting rather late. Is there something you need to attend to? I have some small things, myself."

The sun's last rays were finally reaching out to the Earth as the orb was dragged beneath the horizon. A sort of darkness came over the area, before Lilith's eyes adjusted to the comparatively dull moonlight.

[EvilAngel]

“Well, fear is to doubt, and to doubt is not to have faith. Having faith in ones own abilities is the key to true strength” she said, holding a finger up, her other hand on her hip. “In being as you call it ‘headstrong’ you have a rare gift. Well, it’s a gift since you have something in-between your ears to keep you from being outright stupid” she said cheekily, but in good humour.

“Just let me know whenever might be a good date and time for you, and it’s done” she said enthusiastically “Well, assuming no hollows show up of course, after all it’s sort of my duty to be watching out and killing them” she said with a little laugh.

"Well not as such to be honest. But if you have things please do not let me keep you" she said smiling still

[Lilith]

"I suppose so--though I don't know if my fearlessness truly stems from my belief in my own abilities nor not. At any rate, I do wish it turns out to be an asset." Lilith meant what she said. She really didn't know why she didn't feel fear, even in the face of strong, intelligent Hollows.

"Well, I can't say I've ever planned with someone that might have a schedule like a Shinigami . . . I'm free most of the time, so I'll leave it to you to pick a time."

The pale-haired girl turned to face where the sunset had been, where its last dying rays had finally fallen beneath the line of the horizon. "Yes, I must tend to the small things in life, as a Human. Whether I like it or not." She laughed a bit.

[EvilAngel]

“Of course it doesn’t” Akimoto said with a amused expression “It comes from belief if yourself!” she said with a grin “There’s far more to a person, a battle, a life that your abilities. Strength and speed count for naught against one drop of determination” she said with a confident look. A knowing look. “Jeez, how many times have I said that already?” she laughed “Guess I’m a one sentence-pony!”

“Well my schedule is subject to change. At the moment, technically I’m free from now until eternity. But what with hollows, shinigami calls and the like, it’s subject to change at any given time.” She said with a shrug

“Let’s just say a week from now then, Same time as we met, so… an hour before now.” She said checking her own watch. She looked up from it to look at Lilith again

“Now now, it’s the small things in life that make the big things happen” she smiled