Touring the Seireitei (Shioshi)

Cass looked around his eyes wide with awe and wonder as he took his first steps into the Seireitei. Today was a sort of field trip for the academy students, it was meant as a way for them to get to know each of the squads and what they specialized in. Cass had been looking forward to this trip since learning about it last week. He took in every detail from the gate they entered to white walls that the buildings. In the distance he could see a tall white tower that he knew to be the final place of rest for those sentenced to execution. This is truly amazing, just the shear size of this place, to think they they house all of the shinigami, that if anything ever happens that plunges this world into a war this would be the center of everything. The 13 captains all live here in their own barracks, I wonder if we will get to meet any of them? I mean I know the chances of that are slim to none but you never know. Looking up at the sky Cass smiled, the sky was cloudless and blue and the sun was just reaching its zenith, the sound of one of his instructors talking snapped him back to reality.

“You all will be aloud to tour on your own for today only, however there are a few rules that I must ask that you follow: Please do not disturb any shinigami that are going about their duties. Do not under any circumstances disturb any of the Captains or Vice Captains, they are very busy and cannot be bothered with the distraction of a curios student. Finally, if there is any grounds marked out of bounds or forbidden are under no circumstance to explore further.” With that the instructor waved his hands like he was trying to shoo them away, immediately groups started off in every direction all of them chatting together.

Cass was the last one to leave the entrance, he didn't have many friends in the academy since he appeared to be so much older than the rest of his class in the academy, but he didn't care he was used to being alone. Finally he started off in the direction of the tower, thinking that if he could somehow find a way to get to the top of it he would have a nice view of the entire Seireitei.

Eyes furrowed in concentration, Shioshi barely noticed the many, many lines of sweat that ran along his body as his training continued. Standing stripped to the waist in a secluded little grove near the center of the Seireitei, he proceeded onward in a complex series of snapping twists and sweeping slashes, his Zanpakutou a blur. While it would be quite a while before he could unleash such skilled techniques in actual combat, getting them down before hand through training would certainly help the process, and it wasn't as if he didn't enjoy the training. He felt the approval of his Zanpakutou sweep through him like a wave, and he allowed himself a little smile as he finished the last move of the sequence, a leaping spin that ended with a pirouette and an overhand thrust that would have skewered an opponent in the skull.

Letting out a sigh, the 11th Seat finally came to a stop, realizing that he needed to clean himself up and get something else productive done with his day before it was too late. Moving over to the small pond near the center of the small grove, he quickly splashed water on his face and body, before laying out long enough for the water to dry. Then, returning to his feet, he sheathed his Zanpakutou with a lamentful sigh and then slid the top half of his uniform back on. Rolling his shoulders to release a bit of built up tension in his muscles, he headed for the path that would lead out from the grove and back out onto the main road that wound back towards the center of the Seireitei. Shioshi glanced there now; it was where the 1st Division was housed and the tower that protruded up higher than anything else into the sky was where the worst of the worst were held until their execution, although Shioshi couldn't remember the last time someone had been executed in such a way.

Turning his attention back towards the path before him, he came out into the street and immediately found his gaze falling upon what appeared to be a solitary wandering Student from the Academy. Raising a brow, his interest piqued, Shioshi decided to see what brought an Academy Student so deep into the Seireitei. Moving cautiously, not glancing too much at the Student, he followed several yards behind. It wasn't as if it was uncommon for Shinigami to be out and about at this time in the day, and also, he wasn't really trying to hide. If the Student noticed him, he'd happily engage him in conversation. He'd been meaning to pay the Academy another visit soon anyways; he may have graduated a while ago already, but that didn't mean the place no longer held a warm place in his heart, having been his home for so long.

Cass had been walking for what seemed like an hour and still when he looked towards the tower in the distance he seemed no closer than he had been when he started. How far can this tower be; to not be able see any change in height? How big will this tower really be once I get there? Cass was lost in his own thoughts as he followed the path. After another fifteen minutes of walking Cass finally stopped, something was wrong, he knew it in his gut. It felt as if something was watching him, like a mouse knows when there is a cat following them without having to look behind it.

Picking up his pace Cass sprinted for the next five minutes, by then he was huffing and puffing. His hands on his knees he had to stop right now he was sure that if he didnt keep his hands there bracing his legs he was sure they would collapse under him. Cass' legs were on fire and it felt like his lungs were too, he had never had to run all out for so long. “I don't know who was watching me but I am pretty sure that unless they think me an intruder they wouldn't bother following me.” Cass huffed aloud as he feel backwards on the edge of the path.