A Winding Path

Yuri sat quietly on a bench in the middle of the park. Rain fell around her still form, though she hardly seemed to notice, a large umbrella serving to keep the cold drops off of her and the long, cloth wrapped bundle that sat between her knees. Yesterday had been the aniversery of her mother's and her best friend's deaths, and so she was still feeling a little depressed. A year had passed, and she still hadn't even made penance for her failure.

A sigh escaped her as her eyes opened before she lifted them to the heavens that she could see through the transparent shelter of the umbrella. "Okaasama... Mizumi-chan... I know you told me that it wasn't my fault... but still... how can I make ammends for this?" she asked, her voice a hushed whisper. One would have to have had super hearing, or have been sitting right beside her to have heard.

Recieving no answer, she lifted the cloth wrapped object to rest across her legs. There was no one around in this horrible weather, so she unwrapped the object, revealing a katana and a wakizashi. On the sheath of both blade was a sakura insignia. She folded the cloth and set it on the bench next to her before standing and hooking both to the sword belt that was at her waist, obscured by a long sleeved black shirt that was tied there, likely for if she got cold in her sleeveless white shirt.

Paks cast a baleful stare skyward, glaring rather ferociously at the gray mass of clouds. Rain fell in straight droplets, attempting to pierce through her clothes and reach her relatively warm skin. Luckily the uniform, a school uniform which she had initially frowned at, was made of a thicker material than one would think. It had so far helped keep the worst of the rain at bay, though her legs were left to the water's tender mercies. For a moment Paks merely stared up at the overcast sky, watching as the rain seemed to fall from nowhere. Constant. While she disliked getting wet, rain itself was soothing to watch. The one time the sky fully met the ground.

Blinking water from her eyes, Paks brushed her hands over her hair in an attempt to get the worst of the water off. Picking up her pace again, she began to walk. She could have been up out of the rain if she had wanted to, but somehow it seemed like she would be shirking off if she stopped her search just because of some weather. So instead she found herself meandering the streets, not entirely sure that anyone else would even be outside in this downpour.

Finally tiring of the monotonous shuffling she called walking, Paks paused and reached out with her mind. It was easy enough to scan the area for other aura's. Easier still because there were hardly any people out to pay any attention to. Circling out in a spiral like pattern she looked until she finally spotted the bright shine of a special aura. Judging by the color and intensity, it was a gifted human. Just who she had been looking for.

Plastering a friendly and entirely harmless smile on her face, Paks focused for a moment until she was sending off pleasant vibes. It was an interesting skill that she abused perhaps a bit too much, but being able to project certain emotions into people so as to ease social situations did have it's benefits.

That done she quickly drew closer to the aura, stepping off from the dirt path and catching a glimpse of the girl standing near a bench. Trained eyes caught the fold of cloth that hid two oblong shapes, but she ignored the fact that her target was armed. No doubt she was also armed with other more "fabulous" things too, whatever her gifted stature proved to be.

Walking towards her, she met the girl's eyes hesitantly. "Uhm, hello? I couldn't help but notice, but you have an aura," she trailed off, as if at a loss for words, "Well that is... I mean, you have powers right? Gifts?"

Breaking off Paks cast a look down at her hands, tentatively looking back up, "You're probably wondering why I'm talking to you. Yeah, uhm, well, I've sorta been looking for people like you. Like us that is."

A hand drifted lightly to the katana at her side as she turned to look at the other girl, though nothing about her spoke of threat. Rather, the impression one got from her was a wish to protect. A single pale brow rose ever so slightly as the girl spoke. "Like us? You have powers as well," she said, her words a statement, more than a question.

"My name is Hoshizora Yuri. May I ask why you've been seeking girfted people?" Yuri asked, canting her head slightly. Her tone was calm and composed, but held an interested undertone. What were this girl's intentions? Did she seek to gather gifted people to protect humanity, or to make use of that power for selfish gain? She'd met a few gifted humans in the past. Most of them had, unfortunately, been human trash or greedy pigs seeking a strong bodyguard. Above all, Yuri was not a tool, and would not be used as such.

"Hoshizora-san, it is a pleasure to meet you," bowing deeply Paks came up blushing slightly, "I apologize for my rudeness, I am Saito Paks." Clasping her hands in front of her, she earnestly met the other girl's eyes. "I don't really have a reason... Well, I do, but it's not all that tangible. It is more like a feeling... A yearning for others like me. It seems that most of us are bereft of families, company. It can be hard to get along like that, knowing that you are the strange one in a sea of normal humans." Once she began talking Paks lost the flustered manner, a gleam entering her eyes.

"I wanted to find others so that perhaps, if they were willing, we could band together. Help each other. Be the contact that so many of us lose when we gain our powers. I know it's sort of silly, but I really don't want to be alone anymore." Her fingers tightened, knuckles turning white with the tension as she waited to see if the older girl would ridicule her.

In reality she needed to find the other humans so as to get information. To accomplish her mission. If she could rise to a position of power, so that she would know what was going on and actually be able to do something about it, then perhaps this mission would last longer than most of her undercover operations. Still, she was fully entrenched in the persona of "Paksennarion". And Paks was a lonely girl, who desperately wanted to be accepted.

A slight smile turned Yuri's lips up, making her appearance even less threatening, despite the swords at her waist. "Saito... Pakusu-san," she started, stumbling over Paks' given name a little, the name coming out in Japanese syllibles. "It's an honor," she finished, bowing. She was glad that Saito-san seemed to be a good person. She didn't sense any bad intentions from her either. "Well then, I suppose that we could be seen as allies from this point on, Saito-san. Or, perhaps, friends? It would be nice to have a friend who is gifted in more than just spiritual awareness."

Yuri lapsed into a moments silence, frowning in thought before smiling again and pulling out her cell phone. It was sleek and pitch black with white trim. Dangling from a thin cord attached to it was a pale pink charm. Looking a little closer revealed that it was a sakura, like the insignia on the sheath of Yuri's katana. "Do you have a cell phone? We should be able to keep in touch, so..."

Paks grinned at the girl, not even wincing at the reminder that her name was so very strange. "Eto...," her fingers released themselves only to grip together tightly a moment later, "Friends then?" she asked tentatively, calling up enough nerve to meet Hoshizora's eyes after asking. Deep down, she felt a strange trill. It had been... A really long time since she had been allowed friends. Perhaps... Leaving some minor details out of her reports wouldn't bother so many people...

Clamping down on those thoughts before they could get out of hand, Paks clenched her teeth, the only tense action she could make that wouldn't ruin her current front. Seeing the girl pull out a cellphone she nodded, a small smile curling her lips. Reaching into the book bag at her side, she felt around for a moment before pulling out another slim device. It had no ornamentation, but looked top of the line. Paks blinked down at the unfamiliar cell, trying to recall the number she had been assigned when it was given to her.

"Uhm," she blushed again. After a few seconds more of trying to remember, Paks' mind finally latched onto something, and she opened her mouth to recite the number. Hopefully that was correct...

"Mm, friends," Yuri replied, smiling a little more as she flipped her phone open and inputted the number as Saito rattled off the number. Once she had it saved, she rattled off her own number, then slipped the device back into her pocket. "Is that a new number? You looked like you were having a bit of a hard time remembering it," the pink haired girl said

After another moment's thought, she wordlessly moved to hold the umbrella over Saito as well. The rain had slowed a bit, but the other girl was still getting soaked. "You're going to catch a cold, wandering around in the rain without an umbrella."

[OOC: Sorry for the short. DDDX]

OOC - Hehe, short is fine. ^__^

Paks quickly clicked the proper buttons to put Hoshizora's number in. The small beeps seemed a bit at odds with the otherwise lack of man-made sounds. They were far enough from a street that the sound of cars had long ago faded away, even with her advanced hearing she could only pick up a quiet rumbling as vehicles passed by. Slipping the phone away, she blushed again.

"Yes, I only got it a few days ago," her blush worsened, "You see... I sort of... Well, I... sort of dropped my last one in the ocean," Paks hurriedly spoke, face imitating a tomato. The blush slowly faded as the older girl shifted the umbrella enough so that it covered Paks too. Blinking in surprise she looked back up at her, "Uhm... Thank you."

Yuri smiled a bit more as she looked up at the sky for a moment. maybe this was the answer she had been waiting so long for. "I've done some silly things with cellphones before as well. Probably everyone has, so it's nothing to be embarrassed about," she said, her hand finally leaving the hilt of Sakura-no-Ame to tuck a stray lock of hair behind her ear as her gaze returned to Saito. "Look. The rain is stopping," she said, tone a little absent. It was as if she was speaking more to herself at that moment than she was to Saito.

Paks nodded at her words, peeking out from beneath the umbrella's protection. Warily she stuck her hand out, palm up. A few drops of water condensed on her palm but it was definitely abating. Waiting with her hand still outstretched she held still until it was only lightly misting. Stepping out from beneath the umbrella, Paks spun in a short circle. Smiling slightly she turned back to Hoshizora and bowed deeply, "Thank you."

She didn't elaborate, for the two words encompassed more than just one action. Canting her left foot, Paks lightly prodded the top of a small puddle with her shoes, watching the small ripple that traversed over its surface. She couldn't think of anything to say. Nothing to bring up. But instead of reinforcing the fact that they really didn't know each other and had just met, it only served to show Paks that silences were not awkward on her part.

Yuri giggled quietly as Saito spun in a circle before turning and closing her umbrella, flapping the transparent fabric a bit to shake off the worst of the water. She then leaned the umbrella against the side of the bench, unconcerned by the light misting that hit her now that the shelter was gone. The sun was peaking through the clouds by this point anyway. The storm was over.

"Saito-san. Allow me to be your sword from now on. If you ever need me for anything, just call me, and I'll come," Yuri said softly, her tone serious, but calm.

Paks jerked her head up to meet the older girl's eyes, her own wide with surprise. "My, My sword?" she asked shakily, as if the idea was a strange one. And indeed, for a normal person it would have been. Her face grew serious, somber, and Paks nodded slowly. "I would be honored Hoshizora-san," she returned, her indecision vanishing. It it's place stood a serious girl. Because the air felt heavy and formal, Paks dipped into a deep bow, rising slowly.

OOC - Sorry for the shortness, I have a lack of time.

[OOC: It's okay. I was shooting out some pretty short posts myself last night. XD;]

Ignoring the fact that the ground was wet, Yuri knelt on one knee, her head bowed and her fists resting on the ground for balance. "I am a samurai of the Hoshizora clan, Hoshizora Yuri. From this day forth, I pledge my loyalty to you, Saito Pakusu-dono," the pink-haired girl intoned. The air around the two of them seemed to be very formal, but at the same time, held the same calmness that Yuri usually carried herself with, making it so that it wasn't a stiffling formality.

Inside, Yuri wondered what exactly she was doing. Something like this wasn't to be taken lightly. It was impulsive, which was pretty far out of character for her... but at the same time, it felt right for her to be doing this. Her thoughts clashed with her emotions, though none of her inner turmoil even came close to touching the surface, her face a carefully kept mask of blankness and her form as calm and relaxed as it most always was.

"H-Hoshizora-san!" Paks exclaimed in surprise, taking a step forward to wave the girl up. However she paused mid-step, staring down at the kneeling girl. Setting her foot down, ignoring the small splash that ensued she lightly reached out to grip her shoulders. "Please, Hoshizora-san, get up," Paks said quietly.

Blinking down at the girl in surprise, she couldn't help but think that this meeting had certainly not gone the way she had been planning. Nor even in any direction she had been able to foresee. She was sincere, Paks could tell even though there was no visible sign. Had she overdone it with her powers earlier? Something like this had never happened before, and she wasn't sure how to react. This would be a fortuitous situation if she planned on staying in Karakura and building up a position of power certainly, but not knowing if that was currently possible it left Paks confused. And who willingly pledged themselves to people? It was bad enough when one was tied to someone, pinned to them. To willingly place yourself in such a position?

Mentally shaking herself, Paks drew her mind back down into her persona. "Hoshizora-san, thank you," she paused and looked up at the sky. The sun was beginning to show, beams of light slipping past the clouds. "I plan on forming a group, to protect people. But also, to act as a family of sorts. I... I don't have one anymore, and I know many others are in the same situation. We need to band together, work together, to make the world a better place. I know that sounds idealistic, but I truly believe, that if all of us who have gifts try our hardest, then we can change things. Perhaps only a little bit, but that is more than nothing right?"

Looking back down she met the other girl's eyes, her own flashing passionately. "Will you join me Hoshizora-san?"

Yuri stood at Saito's request, then waited silently as the dark-haired girl spoke, absently wiping her damp knuckles on her hakama pants. Once Saito was finished, Yuri met her passionate gaze with an intensely pleased look, her own brown eyes shining. "It's not idealistic. I believe it can be done," she said, smiling. "Of course I will join you, Saito-dono. Even if I had not just pledged loyalty to you, I would still join you. It is my wish to protect the innocence of this world, and to bring justice to cruelty and evil. That is the purpose of my sword," she said, chocolate-coloured eyes flashing in the faint light of the sun.

Paks smiled, a true full-fledged one instead of her normal hesitant mockeries. Opening her mouth to speak, she suddenly snapped it shut, head swiveling to the side to stare off at something in the distance. There was a burst of heavy reiatsu out there, somewhere. Definitely Hollow, yet stronger than the normal run of the mill ones.

Turning back to Hoshizora she allowed some of her anxiety to show, "I can sense the auras of several groups of Hollows. Strong ones though. I believe that means we may need to start working sooner than I'd planned."

OOC - Ahhhhh. T.T This post absolutely hates me, with a horrid horrid passion. Forgive the utter lack of anything remotely resembling skill.

"Mm... I sensed them, too..." Yuri replied, her hand enclosing around the hilt of her katana before drawing it from its sheath. The blade glinted in the sunlight. It was obvious it was well cared for, as the metal was bright and devoid of scratches or chips, and the cutting edge appeared razor sharp. It almost looked as if it had never been used, though this obviously wasn't the case. The way she carried herself, and held the sword spoke of the years of training she'd gone through. "Shall we go, Saito-dono?"

[OOC: Forgive me for the short. DX]