~Caged like a Tiger~

Paks ran a hand through her hair in a relaxed manner before the limb fell to her side. She was leaning up against an old tree, time and growth pressing into her back while green leaves cast dappling shadows over her form. Eyes closed, she was merely feeling the people pass by. A part of yet not. Whole yet fragmented. Her mind flitted from person to person, feather light touches that no one would be able to feel for all that they lacked any invasive tenancies.

It was hard being amongst so many people for so long. Harder still seeing as many more people in this town seemed to have spiritual auras. Each glowing like novas in her sight, even the occasional supernova. That was why she was taking the time to immerse herself within the people. To adjust her mind so that she could function properly in and amongst the populace. It was a lengthy task, and an exercise in patience if nothing else, but piece by piece she began to see the results.

A warm afternoon it is. Shuei had been passing through Karakura to find his newly family as ages pasted from his previous family when he died. He couldn't find them. It seemed that the rest of his family had departed with the last member being a Setsuna dead. Yet a Shinigami who protects those in need from which it can't defend. His crimson eyes looked around the people below him. Shuei stood on a pole with one foot while the other dangling down with such ease. Though this Shinigami was still new to the job but has been dead for many centuries.

A small sigh escaped his lips. His dark long hair blew to the right with the wind as so did his black robes and the white scarf around his neck. This person carried a weapon. A katana in a dark purple sheath with the handle being the same color bit with a golden-yellow hilt. This katana was a bit longer than normal ones too that resembles a nodachi. A nodachi is a large two-handed Japanese sword. Nodachi approximately translates to "field sword". However, some have suggested that the meaning of "nodachi" is roughly the same as odachi meaning "large/great sword".

Shuei slowly hopped down the pole. Easily landing on both feet. Weirdly his attire of a Shinigami was very awkward in public but it seemed no one could see him. With that said and done Shuei walked among the living people remembering being once alive. A sudden Shunpo was used by him as he appeared sitting on a tree. A tree where a girl leaned on. Shuei sat there on a branch casually.

"Wow, it's been so long since I've been here.. Everything has changed!", said Shuei in excitement and dazzled by the new city appeal. Even all the people around seem to have some spiritual pressure all around within themselves! But he was overlooking on the girl below him. The one unnamed to him but cute.

Lethargically tilting her head back, Paks opened one dark eye to gaze up at the form above her. Shinigami. The word filtered down to her, something she had learned about, been told about. Perhaps she had even met one before, but the ever present whiteness in her mind made her leery of pressing that issue.

Instead she just watched him, knowing that he was content in his ability to remain unseen. Normal humans couldn't see Shinigami, the black old fashion clothes, the serious eyes nor the swords they all carried, just as normal humans couldn't see the monsters the Shinigami fought. Nor the spirits they returned to peace.

"Shinigami-san, what are you doing here?" her head titled down, both eyes opening so that she could once again observe the droves of people walking past, colored living rivers so loud and busy. She remained languid, body untensed even though she wasn't even looking at the Shinigami above her, and he in a prime area to swoop down and attack from. Even her words were calm, quiet and unobtrusive.

Shuei's eyes opened widely. Someone could see her! Was she a soul as well? A lot of things came to mind with the mysterious cute girl. He quickly came back down on the gound and looked at her curiously. He'd said nothing for a while while observing her. Sure it was noisy and all but it didn't distract him from her. Silly-like he waved his hand across her face.

"You can see me?!", he said out loud in surprise. He didn't see a chain anywhere linked to her. Nor a see through body. She wasn't a spirit. Maybe a Shinigami but the gigai wuld have a sort of mark on it to be confirmed. "Are you a Shinigami in a gigai?", he asked curiously getting too close while looking for a Soul Society mark. This was very strange for him! Though he had ignored her question to why he was there.

Cat-like her emerald eyes tracked the hand as it passed in front of her face, a hands breath too close to her teeth. Slowly her eyes rose to meet his own, "Yes I can see you, and no I'm not a Shinigami in a gigai," she pronounced the foreign word with aplomb, barely stumbling over it.

She blinked as her space was suddenly invaded, but other than that didn't react. A curious look crossed her face, forehead creasing lightly in interest, "What are you doing?" She didn't seem bothered by his lack of boundaries, just curious.

OOC - Short. XP Shu-kun, you can deal. This is my third time writing this post. T.T

OOC: Yesh I can deal xD
I've dealt with one liners for a long time when first RPing so no biggie :3
---------------------------------------

"Oh, I am here on standby on Hollow activities before I am placed somewhere in the Soul Society.", claimed Shuei while stepping back a bit to give her own space again. He felt like a pervert for dong such things to a young woman. It didn't bother him if she was pronouncing the foreign word awkwardly in his opinion.

"So what are you? A super human or something?", Shuei said curiously noticing that was the only option left. No hole was found on her revealing skin from what he saw for now knowing she couldn't be an Arrancar along the fat ehr spirtual pressure was not a hollow-like one.

OOC - One liner? twitchtwitch

Paks nodded understandingly, long black hair swishing as she moved. So he was the resident Shinigami for Karakura Town then? That was important, he would be one of those people she would need to watch then, to ensure that her mission continued flawlessly. It helped that he didn't seem all that antisocial.

"I am a human yes," she agreed softly, her voice a lilting cadence. Glancing around again, Paks tried to see if she could sense anything Hollow-esq nearby, upon failing that she looked back at the Shinigami. "I didn't know that there was enough Hollow's around to warrant a Shinigami..." she trailed off.

OOC: Oh yeah LOL Why? You hate one liners too?? o.o?
---------------------------

The white end tips of the scarf moved slightly. Due to the wind picking up around the area heading west. Shuei gave a small warmth smile to the human. "Like I said. Standby, so it isn't confirmed how many Hollows are here. anyways what's your name?", Shuei asked once again curious to the mysterious cute lady before him. His right eyebrow arched.

"Wait, before you answer.. My name is Shuei Setsuna.", implying his generosity towards the girl in a sign of respect. One does not ask for a name without giving your own first. A noble act was given from Shuei.

Paks smiled, the action softening her face as her eyes glittered in something akin to amusement. Dipping into a modified bow, she murmured, "It is a pleasure to meet you Setsuna-san, I am Saito Paksennarion." Nose crinkling at the sound of the long name, she sighed in a beleaguered manner. It really was an unweildy name, even worse as a first name. Ah well...

"So, do you need any help getting around or anything Setsuna-san?" she questioned innocently, smoothing the plated school issued skirt she wore as if the offer was made without any real thought put into it.

OOC - ...Yes.

OOC: Why? Do they just make you mad and stupid? xP
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Shuei looked away momentarily after he soften look. Somehow it was too much of a warmth feeling. Awkward to say the least for him. A small smile was given off to her. "Hey, let's go somewhere else, before people start to realize your talking to mid air and dazing off like an idiot.", insisted Shuei with a gentleman's bow. "Besides the long unique name, It's a pleasure to meet you too miss Paks.", he reverted her name short and more American wise instead of Japanese as she referred him too. Actually Shuei ventured to America during his newly ghostly death before entering Soul Society's Academy.

"Help huh? I'd love it if you could.", he replied with a bit of a hasty smile and effort to get to speak to someone alive for so long. Unlike in Soul Society he is rather reserved and antisocial. This girl could help him. Yet it seemed Shuei lacked something inside from the moment of death. "Also, call me Shuei.", he added on after a short pause from him.

She smiled brilliantly, "Shuei-san then." Pushing off the tree trunk lithely, Paks nodded while straightening her clothes. "It's a deal, I help you and you'll give me something not boring to do with my days." She grinned at that sentence, a happy lilt to her voice.

Observing him from the corner of her eye, Paks was internally calculating the usefulness of the current situation. Surely more so that her previous plan, which had been to just wander around until she stumbled on some form of information. Still, she would need to report in soon and make sure that this was an acceptable alternative plan. Sometimes they had strange rules and she didn't want to accidentally overstep one. Not at all.

Tilting her head back, the smile still gracing her thin face she gestured forward, "So where are we going?"

"Sunny sky and you know your gonna leave town..", Shuei said randomly while looking up at the sky and walking into another direction knowing she'd follow. He passed through some human bodies easily. Being a dead thing was cool alright but he missed something deeply. His sister. His mother and father. The family. His crimson eyes came to their corners by the right as he cocked his head a bit to look behind himself. Seeing where Paks was. He gave a small smile.

"Hurry up, we don't want to be late now do we?", he said a bit hasty to her while walking ahead into such crowds. The questioned still remained where they would go!

Paks grinned again, easily falling into the personality of Saito Paksennarion. It was a simple act, a convincing and reassuring act. Slipping between the stream of people that Shuei merely walked through she paused to excuse herself and apologize to anyone who had to go out of their way to avoid her. She kept a pace or so behind the Shinigami, taking her time so as not to jostle anyone in her path.

It wasn't all that strange to be calling out since she was surrounded by other people, so Paks didn't worry about responding to Shuei. No one would know who she was talking to anyway, nor would they be close enough to her for long enough to wonder at the lack of response. Sticking out her tongue slightly Paks yelled, "I'm coming, I'm coming!"

"Ne, you're so slow!", he said before turning around and sticking his tongue back at her! He saw that! So sudden he used Shunpo and managed to get out of the streaming rivers of people. He laid back on his lazy butt while looking at the clouds and sky again. A bad habit of his really to look up there. He knows he can't ever fully grasp it but somehow it meant something to him.

"All the time huh?", he spoke to himself not knowing if Paks could caught up with such a lowly Shunpo. This day was weird. It seemed too peaceful and funny at the most for him. Something wasn't right.

Paks grumbled under her breath as a large man in a business suit shot her a dark look after she nearly stumbled into his briefcase. Resisting the urge to shoot him her own dark look she continued on her way. It was almost time for the work rush to end if Paks was any guess. Just her luck, right before they stopped moving around the crowds were going to thin out.

Walking over to Shuei she stood next to him quietly, looking down at his prostrate form. Her brown loafers inched forward until she was lightly tapping him in the side, "Who was it who was talking about being late, hm?" she teased just as lightly.

'Tell me Shuei.. When are you going to learn? Honestly you're just a waste of space to everyone~! Just lie down and die!! Hehahahahhh~!', spoke the Zanpakutou of Shuei who had given off a small glow of a greena aura around the entire katana itself. His crimson eyes opened widely with Paks light touch. "Oh it's you.. Heh, I was talking to you silly.", Shuei suddenly gripped her right shoulder and used Shunpo again to appear on a tall building's roof. He smiled more than before.

"This reminds me of my life. The sky.. I don't know why.", hte smile went a bit faintly once feeling this was stupid. His left index finger pointed at the long blue sky covered in small white clouds. The sun wasn't too far off but it seemed the afternoon would end soon.

Paks looked over at the sword, easily able to see if from Shuei's reclined position. Hm. Zanpakutou. Another word she knew without really knowing where from. It was more than a sword. Idly Paks wondered exactly what Shuei's sword was capable of, then she glanced back at the Shinigami himself grinning again at his comment. She didn't jump, but only through force of will, when he touched her and moved to the top of a nearby building.

"The sky..." she asked softly, thin finger mimicking his by lifting to point up at the heavens. Curious eyes lifted too, blinking slowly in thought as she watched a puffy cloud skitter across the sky. Tilting her head to the side she squinted in an exaggerated manner, "Well... That one does sorta look like you Shuei-san..."

Shuei looked at the passin by cloud. Squinting his eyes it moved awfully quick. "That's no cloud.. That's a Hollow!", proclaimed Shuei as the figure made a screeching sound of a deep melody of pain. Not even being able to sense it made Shuei's eyes widen. [/color=violet]'what's going on here?! Why couldn't I sense it earlier??'[/color], asking himself over and over again. Until he finally looked a Paks with a smile.

"Are you ready?", a simple question was asked as it seems he was about to reach for his blade but he didn't. Last time that happened a few years ago the blade made him stop moving because of the wrench within it. Shuei's crimson eyes squinted more to see this Hollow had wings! A flying one!

"Oh." Paks blinked. Blinked again. That really was a Hollow. Strange... She couldn't sense his aura. Green eyes sliding towards the Shinigami besides her she nodded, "Yeah, I'm ready whenever you are." Her voice didn't sound exactly confident, but neither was it hesitant.

She took a second to glance down at her hands, wondering how far she should go in the ensuing fight. Surely she would have to show some form of supernatural ability, but to what extent? She needed to at least help enough for the Shinigami to believe she was helpful. Looking back up as the Hollow descended rapidly she decided to allow her instincts to figure that out. Whatever ended up happening would.

Shuei looked at Paks a bit worried about her. Of all times his own blade was dissing him out. The Hollow seemed to be getting away. "Paks, common. It's going somewhere else!", he screamed a bit loud wondering why this thing wasn't detectable! Shuei without hesitation gripped Paks right wrist and started running quick towards the roof's edge! A sudden leap was done! Shuei had just did the impossible with a human and no one seemed to witnessed it!

"Okay, you have to tell me what you can do!, Shuei asked a quick question for a qucik response while pretty much dragging her in mid air!

Paks nodded succinctly, easily keeping up with Shuei as he ran, her eyes trained intently on the moving Hollow. One slim hand slipped into the pocket of her jacket closing around cold metal before she drew the slender weapon. She gripped it expertly, the familiar weight of a gun in her hand a comfort as they jumped.

With her other hand she released Shuei's, a loose grin slithering across her face, "Don't worry Shuei-san, I can hold my own. You just focus on what you can do." With that she flipped in mid-air, kicking off the side of a building as she descended so as to make another leap. Stretching out her arm she pulled the trigger on her gun twice in quick succession, the bullets making no sound as they left the muzzle. They were normal bullets so they wouldn't do much damage, but they would still effect a Hollow or so she had been assured.

She landed lightly on the roof of the building across from their original perch, twisting to keep the Hollow in her sights and waiting to see what the Shinigami could do.

No way! Bullets!? The Hollow had been getting shot at and it's attention drew in onto Paks. It's wings vibrated like a large bee flying. The bones around it was awkward. A bird-like appeal was best to describe such a disgusting thing with a big bone head! It came down towards Paks swiftly and quickly without mercy from what it could do. Shuei was no where to be found. The Hollow screeched and attempted to rip off a limb from Paks as quickly as it could. The afternoon was turning into a midday. The sun seemed it was going to set after an hour or two.

Shuei was observing from a hidden angle. Waiting for the right moment to strike. But the Hollow was slow. Giving Shuei the impression that Paks was going to be all right. "You know I hate you.", he told his Zanpakutou while gripping it's handle firmly and gently. Giving a small leaning step back for leverage to leap high and attack the damn winged animal.

Paks watched as the Hollow flew towards her, growing closer and closer. She scoffed softly, steadily holding the gun up as she waited patiently for the perfect moment. Waited, waited. The Hollow drew closer, she could reach out and touch it now if she wanted to. Wait. It could reach out and touch her if it wanted to. And it did want to.

She pulled the trigger again, sending a bullet directly into the Hollow's head right as Shuei came down with his blade. Her hand slid back, the recoil from her gun a minor thing in the big scheme of things, a spiral of smoke rising from the metal slowly.

The Hollow screeched in pain. As suddenly his blade was covered in the Hollow's blood he couldn't move. His body didn't budge. The katana slowly drained the blood into it's blade. Thus Shuei moved again. Only because the blood was tasteful for the Zanpakutou. Shuei quickly sheathed his sword before anything else happened. [b]"Are you okay?"[/b, he asked softly. A bit worried if she was harmed in anyway. A burst of relief came out of Shuei once he could moved again. He walked up to Paks with both hands deep within his Shinigami robe pockets. He also noticed the blood had gone on his white scarf. But that didn't matter now.

Paks shook the hand with the gun in it, pulling the small metal weapon close as she snapped open the chamber checking that everything was in order before snapping it shut. Slipping the gun back into her jacket, Paks then turned her eyes on Shuei. For a moment she stared at the red blood staining his scarf and then her gaze drifted up.

"I'm fine Shuei-san, what about you?" she asked as if she couldn't already tell based on his appearance. Running a hand through her long hair Paks calmly watched the Shinigami, waiting to see what he would make of the situation.