Well Earned R&R (Open)

Shakaku limped, putting most of her weight on her good leg. The wound in her left leg was closed with stitches. Sitting down at the edge of the pool of hot water, she stripped off her Shinigami outfit, underneath her plain, black bathing suit. She took some water proof bandaging tape out of her book bag and wrapped her wound tightly. She then lowered herself into the water slowly, sighing with contentment as she felt the warmth of the water taking all the pain and stress out of her muscles. She sunk into the water till she was under water. Taking a gulp, she held her breath and sat at the bottom of the pool, feeling the comfortable stress in her lungs. Holding her breath always allowed her to think and clear her mind. She felt the hot water swish around her, taking her hair with it as it twirled and spun around her. The battle against the hollows left her feeling depressed and tired. She had a brother. Why didn't she remember that? The more she thought about it the more the memories flooded into her head. Memories of him, her and their parents. All sorts of memories of family trips and her first day of high school that he helped her get through. Tatsuya was her brother. Then the most painful memory crashed upon her. The memory of the house fire that she died in. She began to feel the uncomfortable pressure or suffocation on her chest. She rose to the surface and took a gulp of air as her head broke through. Sighing heavily, she leaned against the edge of the pool and closed her eyes.

Ezrachek walked down through the locker room with the small lockers and the showers as he heard someone splashing around in the water, or what sounded like someone raising out of the water with speed. He took off his Shinigami Kimono, as he threw it into a small locker. He was still getting used to the new Pasque flower insignia that was tattood onto his chest, to mark the Squad's division. He had just finished his meeting with Kuro and getting everything he needed to begin his work as a Squad 2 Shinigami. He was excited and couldn't wait to take some time off in the hot springs. He walked outside and could instantly breathe better as the hot steam entered his lungs. He noticed the exquisite Shakaku gasping for air as she rose from the surface of the water. Excited to see her he ran over to the edge and dove into the water. He swam around along the floor of the springs for a bit before coming up quickly right in front of her as he wrapped his arms around her, giving her a big hug. "Shakaku! I'm so happy to see you! I was so worried about leaving you in the town. I wanted to help, but I was sure that if I had gotten in either Auryuu or the other shinigami's way, that I would have certainly sustained critical damage! I'm glad you alive!" He said as he released his hug. He looked into her eyes and was amazed and the everlasting beauty. He stepped back a few steps, getting distance between them before he pointed to his chest. "Hey! Look! Its 2nd Squad's insignia! I'm a shinigami now! And a member of 2nd Squad nevertheless! How great is that?" He said excited about his new accomplishment, but overly excited about getting to see her again. He swam over beside her and looked at her unflawed face, as he waited for her reply.

Shakaku grinned widely. "Wow! Ezra I'm so proud of you! Congratulations!" She laughed and wrapped her arms around his neck. After holding the hug for just a bit, she let go and leaned against the out rim of the hot spring. "Yeah I'm alright. Still haven't quite recovered." She raised her leg to show him the bandaging. It was holding up a lot better than she had expected it to. "A hollow caught me right there and it still hurts." She winced. "It's healing real well, though. I just got back to training a couple days ago. I have some stitches in it so it won't open but I popped out a couple from working on some zanpakuto training." She felt a pinprick of jealousy but she hid it under a large smile. "How did that meeting go? Were you nervous?" She asked eagerly. She was curious to know how the process worked, though she was positive Squad 2 wasn't the one for her. the steam swished as Ezra leaned against the edge with her. She smiled and put her weight on her elbows so her legs floated to the top.

Ezrachek smiled widely as she spoke and felt sorrow for her pain. He looked at her face and sensed some tension as she spoke. He felt bad as he saw that in hindsight, he was kind of rubbing it in. That wasn't his intention at all, and he hoped that it didn't come across like that. "Well I was really nervous, because I forgot to set up an appointment, so when I ran up there to talk to Captain Kuro, he wasn't there. Then some woman came to talk to me, and made me jump 'cause i hadn't heard or sensed her coming. Mid-conversation, Captain Kuro came to talk to me as he scared me too, but he asked me a few questions regarding my loyalty to the squad and the Gotei 13, but I passed with excellence, well, i think i did. haha!" He laughed as he explained to her the process. He thought back to the first time they met, the odd day that it was, and he wished that he could have another night like that. Well, without the spar and all the hollows attacking.

Shakaku sighed dreamily. "You're so lucky!" She rolled over and rested her head on her folded arms that were on the bank of the pool of hot water. "I should make an appointment sometime. Maybe I'm ready." She felt giddy excitement rise in her stomach at the thought of finally joining a squad. "I'm still not sure which squad I want to be in, though." She stuck out her tongue and giggled. "How did you figure out which squad to be in?" She tilted her head towards Ezra and stared at his tattoo. I'm going to get a tattoo, she thought. "Because I'm having such trouble..." She propped her head up on one hand. "What squad do you think I would fit into? Maybe I just need some outside opinions." Her leg was starting to hurt but she didn't feel like getting out of the water. It was so warm and comforting and talking to Ezra was taking her mind off of some of the troubles that have been bothering her lately.

Ezrachek frowned when he heard her question. He hadn't been in Soul Society for very long, and the only reason why he graduated so quickly was because he was a natural at being a warrior. He turned to her and got closer to her to really be able to admire her beauty. "Well I'm not sure what all the squads really stand for. I was able to pick Squad 2 and Squad 11 for my final choices because of my keen ability for battle. Squad 2 specializes in Stealth, and that's probably one of my best abilities! However, I think I could see you in perhaps Squad 4, or Squad 1. You care enough about your companions to be a Medic Shinigami, and You are beautiful, skilled, and have a hard determination, so I could see you as one of the Nobles. Honestly, I think you could go up for any squad you want! I don't want to be the one to make that decision for you though." he said as he smilled as he moved behind her, as he started to massage her back, trying to relax her and get her minds off of such stressful things.

Shakaku sighed as she felt her muscles relax. "I was thinking about Squad 1. And I do enjoy helping people and healing people. But I do love a good battle." She closed her eyes as she felt the rhythmic movement of Ezra's hands on her back. "I should go and talk to the captain..." She remembered the battle on Earth. It seemed like it was forever ago. "That man and woman... do you know who they are? The ones that healed us..." She was referring to her brother. She was sure something was up, something he did that everyone knew but didn't want to talk about. She wasn't sure if Ezra knew anything about him but there wasn't any harm in asking. "He was quite a peculiar man. Now that your in the stealth force I was curious to know if you found out anything about him. He wasn't wearing a Shinigami outfit but somehow Auryuu and him knew each other..." She said out loud. She was talking half to herself and half to Ezra. It felt good to get the question out there and off her chest without revealing too much.

Ezrachek continued to massage her back as he heard the question. He stopped for a moment, as he pondered his question. He wasn't sure if his information that he heard from a member was correct or not, so he didn't really want to give too much info in case that it wasn't all that accurate. "Well, I did hear something about that he used to be a captain, and then something happened with the entire Gotei 13, which is probably why there are so many rebellions and rogues happening. However, to what extent this info is actually accurate, i couldn't tell ya." Ezrachek explained to his beautiful friend as he moved his hands to her shoulders and continued to massage her muscles.

She opened her eyes and stared off into space. A rogue... it would make sense. She never remembered her brother as being a bad person and he did risk his life for her. She groaned when Ezra hit a tight muscle. "All this studying and training and thinking! I feel like I have bees in my brain!" She growled and shook her head. "That's the beauty of this place. I get to lay here in this water that is devils piss hot and rid myself of everything." there was silence between them for a while. "I hope you don't get too busy that we can't hang out anymore. who knows the next time you see me I just may be a squad member." She smirked. "And then we can have another spar and see who's the better Shinigami." She heard him chuckle. She laughed too and watched the steam twirl in the air. It made all the surrounding area foggy and mysterious in a tranquil way. She enjoyed this spot. It was one of her favorite. "Don't forget about me now!" She laughed but it was half-hearted.

Ezrachek laughed as she explained her reason for loving this place. He agreed with her, he did love this place, but for different reasons. "Welll You better be a squad member now! haha! but who know's maybe I will be a third seat or even a lieautenant by time we see each other again. I'm planning on going on a mission soon, so I can get some battle experience." He said as he grabbed her shoulders and turned her around so that he could see her face. He loved looking into her eyes, beautiful and pure. Beauty in it's rawest form. Ezrachek could easily get lost in her eyes, staring into them, as if staring into his soul. The last time he had done that to someone, it was just before ending their life. Ezrachek shook his head as he noticed that he was making himself so soft over her. He had really begun to like her, and he wished that he could talk to her about it, do something, maybe establish a relationship, but he didn't want to have a repeat of the awkward situation of when he was shot down after kissing her the first time. He shook it off and decided once again, that some things are just better off not brought up, to save from awkward situations or worse.

Shakaku tilted her head, a little confused by the look in his face. "Is something the matter?" She was genuinely concerned. She wasn't sure if it was something she had said but she hoped he wasn't thinking about leaving. She missed talking to someone that she was close to besides the mindless drone of the students in her classes. She has hoped that the dynamics between them weren't hurt or ruined. "Why do you hate the idea of someone being better than you?" She blurted. She wasn't quite sure why she asked such a question. It was obvious why she did but she was curious to know what he thought. She couldn't help feeling that she was underestimated for something stupid like her looks or because she was a girl. She knew Ezra wasn't like that but she still didn't trust his ever changing opinions and attitudes. One minute he seemed like he liked her and the next he seemed like he thought she was weak and useless. He was emotional and chaotic, which contrasted sharply against her calm stability. They pissed eachother off well enough but she assumed that was why they were friends. They had a natural, unusual attraction to eachother.

Ezrachek smiled as he heard her question, and thought about it for a while before answering. "I hate the thought of anyone being better than me, because in a world of kill or be killed, If you're not the best, you are dead. It's not the same here, i know. I have been beat twice, but they were both by shinigami, much higher of levels than me. Don't think I underestimate you though, I really didn't hold back on you with the Kidou spar. I wanted to test your abilities at first, and yeah sure, I was holding back on you, until you started winning, and then I got serious, and you still beat me, so I know you are a worthy opponent. Never forget that. Now I figure before I make more of a fool of myself, I should check myself eh?" Ezrachek said as he got this bad feeling in his gut, and decided to get his distance. He moved to his previous location a few feet from her and rested his head on the edge. He let out a heavy sigh as he wondered why he was here, or why a monster like him wasn't turned into a hollow, or why a monster like him was even allowed to feel the way he did towards her, but it didn't matter. Ezrachek was confident that nothing would ever happen between the two of them, and that was life. His sigh marked his realization of it.

Shakaku mused over his response. It was a logical answer and very true to say the least. She wasn't raised in the same environment as him so she didn't quite grasp the idea of dying at any second. "Being the bast has always come naturally to me," She shared. "But joining the Soul Society proved that it wouldn't remain that way for long. My parents always held me to a high standard so I was always expected to be the best. And believe it or not, I'm extremely bitter when someone is better than me." She shook her head. "Status means a lot to me. I could be a Noble and if I fail at a game of checkers, I feel like I fail at everything." She laughed. It sounded stupid coming out of her mouth but she knew there was no better way to describe the feelings she had for failure. It was more of a fear to her than an essential element like it was to Ezra. She smiled in Ezra's direction. He was shrouded by a fine layer of mist so she couldn't make out his facial features.

Ezrachek laughed at her explanation, he couldn't quite say that he could relate, but he understand what she was talking about. He decided he needed to clear his mind completely, so he dove under the water, swimming to the far side of the water, and then blowing out all of his oxygen so that he would sink to the bottom. He layed there on his stomach and thought about everything. His life before and after his death and entrance to the Soul Society, his graduation ceremony, the fight in the city below the springs, and the night he was with Shakaku, it upset him that he wouldn't have the ability to have that night with her again, but it was probably for the better that he stayed away from his feelings. They were only distracting him and would end up getting him killed. He rose from the surface, gasping from air, sending mist in a sprawl around his face, hiding his facial expression even more from anyone. He took the last seconds he had to regain his composure as he walked back towards Shakaku. "Sorry, I had to get away and regain my thoughts for a second."

Shakaku smiled slightly. "Holding my breath always helps me clear my head, too." She sighed. The silence was a little too much for her to handle. Climbing out of the water, she walked over to her bag. "I gotta start heading home now. I had a test tomorrow and I gotta clean my room and I gotta re-bandage my leg and..." She groaned. What she really wanted to do was go home and take a nap. Hiding her exhaustion, she grinned. "I'll see you around sometime Ezra. Hopefully sometime soon." She walked over to the edge of the pool where he leaned against it. Squatting down, she planted a kiss on his forehead before straightening. "Good luck. Not like you need it." She winked and walked out towards the showers and changing rooms. She stopped before getting there, only when she was sure that Ezra couldn't see her. She suppressed the horrible ache in her chest before walking away.

(OOC: Ezrachek leaves, Topic is over)