Beach Woes

The sun is bright; hanging in the sky without a care in the world. Why, what an ideal life? All you do is float and everyone is forced to acknowledge your existence, for without you, there is no life. Its issues are the world’s issues, for whatever is wrong with it, is sure to affect all around it. It is nothing like the lone woman standing on the beach staring out into the infinitely spanning sea. Yet, even the sea ends at some point. That is an eventuality that is unavoidable such is life. Nothing cares for this lone person though. There are a few that show concern, but her problems affect the world around her none. What a frustrating feeling. For someone who wished to be an important individual realizing you impact little stings and burns one up inside. However, it is also inspiring. What better motivation is there? If one wants to be known, they must work, and, one day, if they have worked hard enough, the world will have to acknowledge them.

“Such thoughts… You’re getting to me a bit, huh?”

Elyss can feel it; her Zanpakuto’s presence within her mind. She knows her thoughts are being a bit influenced by him. He seems all too focused on getting her stronger, yet, he rarely tells her much besides calling her simplistic desires to help others a waste of time. He mostly mouths off about how growing should be their main focus. If they’re stronger, they can help whoever whenever, or better yet, influence the world so no one will ever need saving. Those are big dreams, but she can’t deny how he makes her feel more sure of herself. Still, his aggressiveness startles her.

Elyss sighs and drops down into the sand sitting. She is not worried about her clothing since she has on black tights and a simple black sports bra. She was going to practice today, but she lost the will for training. For now, she watches the waves go by and ponders.

The sounds of sand crunching and shifting underneath one’s feet does not stir Elyss from her thoughts as her eyes focus on the crashing waves, and in tangent, her ears focus on the sounds of the ocean’s surface. It isn’t till the nearing individual is close enough that their feet upon the coarse ground drums out the waves due to proximity that Elyss actually turns her head right before they speak.

Wait. Ulv? When did this large woman get here? How did she get the drop on Elyss so easily like that? Surely, even this novice should have felt the presence of such a powerful individual. Actually, Ulv felt a bit empty. Elyss couldn't help but look her over wondering what is up with her Sensei. Though, when concentrating a bit more, Elyss did happen to feel some energy within the woman which strangely made her think of herself. Those mannacles are noticed, but Elyss didn’t put the two together and just thought it one of Ulv’s weird fashions.

“Despondent? I don’t know…”

She turns her head back to the Ocean looking out at the sea frowning a bit. The event where Ulv showed her a possible fate that she could fall into is still fresh in her mind. Elyss also couldn’t shake the disappointment she has for letting Ulv down. It’s the exact reason she has stayed away from the woman for a bit. Despondent is right. Seeing Ulv not angry confuses her more. Why is life so confusing?

“Why run with someone like me?”

Ulv’s cheeriness is startling; strange even. Elyss is used to the woman having a semi-serious air about her, but right now, that smile looked like it could compete with the suns bright glow. It contrasts greatly against Elyss’ current disposition. Yet, it didn’t brighten Elyss’ mood much at all except make her feel worse for being in such a soppy state. Though, of course Elyss finds herself blushing, just a bit, when Ulv begins going on her tangent about wanting her to succeed. This stubborn determined woman wasting her time with someone like Elyss… How infuriating sometimes. Maybe Elyss would prefer if Ulv were still mad at her for her stupidity instead of so easily brushing it aside and coming back to her with such open and warm arms. That’d make feeling sad more acceptable and less unnecessary.

“This isn’t the time to mope you stubborn mule! Why, I can’t believe you'd pass up such a grand opportunity to grow! Moping is for the weak and sickly. I don’t like her, and you’ve disappointed her, but here she is wanting you damn fool. The past is gone, and now, we only have a future ahead of us so get up and start moving. As if I’m letting you drown in your own despair and rage.”

Elyss could feel the mental kick in her head as the words of Wiglaf causes her actual pain, and she hopes she doesn’t get a headache from his angry rants. However, this is the first time he’s spouted anything about her growing and accepting the help around her. Then, Ulv speaks again, and she recalls her blunder into accepting her Zanpakuto right after being told not to. Growth is a complicated and tricky road. Sometimes you have to take risks in order to achieve anything in life, and Elyss disliked the slow progress she was making. It all felt like a waste of time working on her mind. What’s the point of that kind of training if she doesn’t have the uncontrollable power yet? How could she train to control something she knows so little about? It was why she took that unsteady step like she did, so she, herself, could learn more about her inner spirit… And, he is quite old and cranky, but his words reflect her mental thoughts so well at times. He voices what she does not.

“Fine… Let’s not bring up Arkin though. I just... “

She slowly rises and looks up at Ulv; her eyes a bit watery. Dammit, now she’s more frustrated and saddened. How did Ulv find out about that? Well, she was out for a whole week, and Ulv probably had some way of keeping up with her considering how Ulv wishes to watch her progress and control this rage within her. It wouldn’t make sense to not keep tabs on someone who could lose control at any time. But, now Elyss’ mind goes back to that fight and remembers how she was so easily dominated in battle. She had come to terms with the fact that Arkin was just a stronger and more trained opponent despite their similar fighting style of throwing themselves at one another. Maybe Elyss just needs more training and a better style about her. She can’t just rely on her instincts like that. And, Ulv saying that she’s going to make Elyss stronger than that man suddenly causes her to feel a bit warm inside. Not warm enough to smile, but her face changes from its mopiness to a more hardened seriousness.

“I’m sorry, Ulv… for being a dumbass. I can’t say I’ll be smarter next time because I’m an idiot that throws herself at pretty much anything that catches her interest, but I won’t let you down in the end. We do share this Mirja lady’s soul. I don’t know how she was in the past, but I won’t make you regret having something in common with me. I promise…”

She looks down at her hand and flexes it into a fist and back before sighing and rolling her shoulders.

“You said something about a run?”

And, she gives Ulv a small devious smirk before taking off down the beach knowing she’d not get too far before the other caught up, but she just felt like she had to take off and work herself out. Yeah. Keep running forward. That sounds right.

Elyss is just a thoughtful person at times. It shouldn’t be too much of a surprise that her mind goes through quite the traffic before making a decision. It’s just how she’s always been to try and help keep her contradictions down to a minimal. Though, sometimes in life, one just has to dive, and Elyss finds herself having to just dive more and more as she meets new interesting individuals and makes more friends. Well, they call themselves friends, but Elyss has yet to get into any situation that truly required one to prove their relationship with her. The only one who seems to be there for her during her good and bad is the woman who is now after her as she takes off down the beach. It is strange to have a connection with someone so outwardly different than her that their thoughts clash all the time, but it is also nice to know that someone such as Ulv cares for her; even if that care causes her to want to punch down a house.

As Ulv catches up quickly, she listens somewhat to the other’s words knowing that sand makes running harder and is mostly good for building some muscle in one’s legs and feet. Some may run on sand to help their body condition more for better running situations, but yeah. Ulv is right that doing this would help one train more for any situation that requires the use of leg and footwork. If you’re fast in the sand, no doubt you’ll be faster off of it. And, Ulv is sort of saying a bit of useless information to Elyss. Of course the redhead knows she can’t just focus on a single half of her body. Elyss doesn’t want to be the best kicker or best puncher. She wants to be an overall powerhouse that can adapt to any fight and come out on top. She wants to cover her weaknesses with well rounded ability. Maybe she has ideas of certain things she wants to specialize in, but she won’t let herself have blatant weaknesses to be abused. A king has to have everything covered.

After a bit of running, she feels Ulv stop her with an arm that runs into. What a masculine woman Ulv is at times. Elyss is a bit jealous she doesn’t have such muscles yet. What is this? Elyss couldn’t help but feel Ulv is referring to her fight with Arkin again. Remembering that battle once more, Elyss couldn’t say Arkin outskilled her. That man seemed to abandon any plan or tactic for brute strength and power. Though, Ulv speaking of having a form and such has her thinking. Arkin may have just been purely stronger than her, but what if she had used some sort of technique in their confrontation? Would she had fared better if she could have dodged all his attacks easily?

She frowns and clenches her hands into fists before throwing a few punches herself in curiosity.

“Find what is comfortable for me? So, are you planning on showing me different fighting styles, Sensei?”

She questions raising a brow and steps closer to Ulv watching her a bit closely at her movements. They seem familiar to her, but she can’t quite place it. It’s like she’s remembering doing such things before, but the particulars of it are lost to her. Maybe she’s remembering a past life or something where she was a fighter of sorts. She’s learned that Pluses are just ghosts, so that means she used to be alive at some point in the human world before somehow losing her life. Maybe she’s always been a fighter, and just needs to remember and return to the way she was. If so, Ulv is probably the best to help her. Even if Wiglaf has some issues, Elyss is sure her Zanpakuto wouldn’t turn down an opportunity to grow.

“I would like to be better at fighting… if you’ll help me.”

The hell?! Elyss actually has no idea what Ulv is going mad about, but she couldn’t help but put a hand over her mouth to stifle a chuckle and shake her head. This is madness. She has never seen Ulv so energetic which is surprising considering the times they’ve been around each other. It’s actually a bit refreshing. It’s different from the cool headed woman who seems to sweep anyone off their feet with her swag.

Elyss watched Ulv move wondering if she’d be able to copy such moves as precisely in the future, but there’s no time for her to think to hard about it as her hand is grabbed, and away she goes with Ulv once more through the beach with wide eyes and an unexplainable giddiness within her. This is actually insane. Elyss finds herself nodding and finding it a bit of a workout to keep up with Ulv listening to how training on sand helps one in battle. Then, Ulv calls her kitten getting a sigh out of her before Ulv laughs.

This woman is actually mad. Elyss wonders if she’ll end up as… crazy as this when she starts getting stronger. She prefers the cool headed Ulv to this rabid creature, but she simply enjoys this moment because it keeps her from thinking of anything too depressing. A great distraction.

“So, You’re going to make me quite formidable, huh?”

She calls out hoping the woman would slow down a bit after Elyss slipping a bit.