Small Fountain, Beautiful River [Shishiyuki, Yumichika]

Shishiyuki had taken the return to the Gotei in rather remarkable stride, given the duration of her time away. Re-acclimating to it wasn't terribly difficult, after all, though she still felt at least somewhat that her position as Vice Captain had been sudden. Either way, she wouldn't dispute it, and she walked through the Gotei's halls with confidence. The Kido Division wasn't her division, but it was home to one of her former compatriots from those long-past days. She would have gone to his office, but it seemed he was already outside. Shishiyuki supposed that was hardly surprising. Who would see him if he were shut in there, after all?

"Congratulations on finally reaching Third Seat, Ayasegawa. And happy birthday, as well."

Holding out a hand with a small box, neatly tied shut, Shishiyuki offered a faint grin as she looked to her former superior from the 11th. Within was a gift she idly suspected he might like. Flower ornaments for one's hair, ornately made and worth, frankly, a relative fortune. She personally considered them a touch gaudy, but they weren't for her. She doubted most would even have bothered to bring something like this to Yumichika Ayasegawa, given his demeanor. But Shishiyuki was hardly one to speak on matters of unapproachability, was she?

"Ahaha, thank you Shishiyuki~"

He sang from his spot, eyes a little bit distracted with the fact that there was just the most splendid reflective surface over there and he turned to gaze upon her. A small pout at her appearance, well it wasn't exactly what he was expecting from her given their relationship but we all had secrets now didn't we? T'was honestly just a wee bit of the beauty to have that mystery about you.

Unfortunately he thought those scars were just the biggest marks on the beautiful woman he had gotten acquainted with prior but not everyone agreed with his appreciation of aesthetic, even if those people were wrong and deluded to think they knew better than he.

"Fufu. My my these are just the most splendid ornaments, I shall be sure to incorporate them into my look- and oh my, three of them at that? You are too generous."

"Too generous? Oh, I would hardly say that. It's only natural that I should be so grateful to a superior who taught me so much, hm? I wouldn't wear the scar you've given me with pride, otherwise."

Shishiyuki's grin grew just the faintest touch more, as her finger idly tapped one of the long gashes through her arm. Not every bout she'd had with her former superior had been quite so spectacular as that one, but to leave even one scar on her body was a sign of respect unlike any other she could give.

"You certainly seem to have taken well to this position. I would have been surprised to see you avoided the Combat division, but I could hardly imagine you ever being in the 4th. And, besides..."

Her grin fell a bit, her distaste for the division rather evident even if she didn't choose to speak any further. The modern Combat division was hardly even a fraction of what it had once been.

"It certainly isn't the same as it was under Captain Kenpachi, to put things lightly."

"Hoh?"

He looked at her scar that she was referencing, admittedly finding it awfully distasteful but there was also a little bit of pride in the fact it was done. For every awful scar on that body none was more beautiful than the gash he'd inflicted with his Kujaku.

"Of course, while I'm sure Ikkaku and the Captain would be appauled at my decision to take the post here it's just that simple really. Until he sees fit to return to captaincy I shall remain in my position here, a shame really because this division is just sooooo boring. Challenge them to a fight and they recoil like babes fufu."

"Con-grad-u-lations on your promotion to vice-captain by the way. Maybe if everyone was still together I'd be one myself but I doubt I'd ever get past Yachiru for it fufu."

He chimed praising her own growth but certainly going out of his way to compliment himself as well. Such a shame that he refused to show off his gorgeous bankai that turned everything around him into something as beautiful as he was.

"Well, if you ever feel as though you need a proper fight, you're welcome to visit the 7th Division any time. I'd certainly welcome another bout with you, particularly after so long."

Of course, Shishiyuki would also, admittedly, have rather liked to see him face down her Captain, but she wasn't going to state that openly. Not necessarily on account of any desire to avoid the conversation, though. She'd long since stopped caring about those sorts of trivialities. She'd simply prefer that he face her, first.

"Even if you thought you might be able to best Yachiru, I'm sure it would have been an even more difficult endeavor to get her to seriously entertain a challenge for the position."

She laughed herself at the thought, rather fond of those days. In a way, she wished she'd been so open then, but Shishiyuki didn't intend to have any regrets about the past. She would simply live differently in the here and now.

"Hehe. Perhaps but I think I'd only earn the ire of the captain so best not, sometimes it's good to settle with what we have. Right?"

He mused while mulling over the option to fight the people in the Seventh Division. Deciding not to answer for the simple fact that he could tell the difference between him and his quarry, wouldn't be much to win against those two alas he could surely get a few opportunities to ensure he lost in a pretty way.

Then again, he did wonder how she'd fare going up against his proper shikai since the game was up with that. A shame really that those pesky demons and hollows got him to such a spot. At least he still had the other secret which he would not dare to show anyone.

“Settle? I suppose that has its value for some, but I would not think to do it. I’ve already spent quite enough of my life setting aside my ambitions. I would prefer never to settle if I can avoid it, but I can hardly force Captain Kenpachi to return to service, either. Rest assured, when that day comes, I would not think to challenge you for third seat.”

That much was entirely true, of course. Shishiyuki, despite her fondness for her days in the 11th, would not abandon her current position simply for that. The past was something she could not return to, and frankly, she would never wish to do so. Her life at present was worth far more, and was infinitely more rewarding. Leaving the 7th, simply for the sake of fighting as she saw fit…well, that wouldn’t do in the life she currently lived.

“Regardless, I doubt that my captain would much mind seeing you come by for a bit of a challenge. She rather enjoys the thrill of a good fight now and again. And as for Captain Kuchiki…well, she served with us in those days. I imagine she understands the itch to fight that many of us still have.”