Sea's Greetings [Catherine, Ulquiorra]

It was easy to imagine the shock for the living. Those without the experience of endless, eternal conflict. Even hollows succumbed to it, but they simply did not survive. Those that did were the ones who could endure such an existence. The humans here were in that very process of being selected by this new pressure. Ironic that she would take up a task that was so very commonplace in hueco mundo on earth. To cull these beasts. But perhaps, did the finer details hide the devil?

Was the fact that she was acting in the interest of these humans make the act distinct from the cold calculated task she'd undertaken in her past. The motions felt so very similar. Perhaps, if she had more of a heart, she'd be able to feel the difference. The gratitude from humans had been numerous.

Would she one day feel some sense of joy in response?

Her thoughts were interrupted by Catherine. Though her mind had been distracted, she had still registered the familiar taste in her pesquisa when they had come in on their vehicle. Dark green eyes slid toward the human. A familiar humans. Not particularly the friendly type. But that suited Ulquiorra just fine. They got along without her having to emulate.

"It is not." She replied calmly, before sliding one of several drinks infront of her toward Catherine.

"If you would be so kind. I have received a number of drinks. I've also determined that they are not drugged." The arrancar prompted. Humans certainly became more friendly in the wake of gratitude. She'd saved a group of hunters from an Adjuchas. This has resulted in a fair ammount of gratitude, both verbal and material.

She took a sip of her own drink. The effects of alcohol on her were reduced, but still present. Even, so, she paused her sip to glance at Catherine as the woman removed their helmet and tested the drink. Eventually deciding that it was safe. Of which she made no comment. She was hardly familiar with the practice.

"The Inn Keeper also attempted to supply my room without charge." She added, taking another steady sip of her drink before her attention turned toward the woman. She was getting better at looking at people when she talked to them. "They seem well meaning enough. These are 'thank you' drinks. IT would be rude to decline them." Her statement was tailed by another sip as she took a moment to shift her attention pointedly at the woman's spoils. And then the state of their outfit.

"There is a medical tent just north of here as well. She added casually.

This One certainly was not one to pump herself up. Though she did attribute some value to the tokens. They were symbols of affection. An act that certainly was co-oped by individuals with nefarious purposes. But for the majority of these individuals, it was a genuine expression of thanks and connection. Recognition that she had changed their lives in the act of halting them from being suddenly ended. She felt nothing. But at the very least, she understood that hopefully someday she would.

"You did not strike me as the type of woman to allow herself to be emotionally coerced. The possibility has occurred to me. But consider yourself in their shoes. I imagine had someone saved you, you would wish to provide something so that you yourself do not feel indebted to them. With these.....offerings, they can feel in some small way as though they have repaid my coincidental kindness." She stated simply, taking another sip of her drink. "I've seen your handiwork." She noted, but did not offer an opinion along with the observation. She was fully sure that Catherine would be well aware of the quality of her own work, she was a big girl.

The passing venture in regards to the spaciousness of her room was not lost on her. "Oh? And to what will this act of kindness entitle me? Will it be you who next busy me a drink? The room is large enough, if you don't feel up to camping." Her question entirely serious. Curious if indeed, Catherine would find herself in the very same situation of feeling indebted.

Hm.
"Then I am giving the intended impression. ."

The woman's stances on such notions was noted, but otherwise she made no further comment. She had no particular 'skin in the game' as it were. It did not matter to her what motivations the humans had in their offerings. Her accepting them was for entirely selfish reasons after all. She had no feeling one way or the other of the reasoning varied from expectations. A glance to the side was given when Catherine halted and seemed to slow her drinking a little, whilst Ulquiorra had herself another measure sip.

"Then you had best be sure to clean up and redress your wounds to ensure an infection doesn't undo your hard work." Another statement before pausing as Catherine promptly seemed to him and haw about the situation. "Not in the slightest. But you're free to offer a compulsory reward if you wish." She took another steady sup before setting her glass down and closing her eyes. Hm. Three and a Half more drinks would be sufficient for a buzz. Six would mean partial intoxication. Thankfully, Cath seemed intent on making up the difference.

"If you make yourself sick you'll be sleeping on the floor." She warned, but otherwise made no attempt to dissuage the woman. A pause as she pulled out her phone and took a moment to glance over her messages. No notifications of work for her. Hm. She supposed she was being made to rest. She'd informed the supervisors she only needed sleep once every 72 hours. But it seemed they did not intend to encroach upon such a limit. It seemed she would not be called on for another few days, until she was 'back on rotation'. she glanced toward her associate, and then toward their belongings. Hollow remains. Well, at least she was keeping herself busy.

"I'll make sure to remember your preferred method of sleep aid."

"The rooms are equipped with bathrooms and showers. I would advise a shower given your plans to be drunk." She paced out the rest of her little sips, listening as Catherine griped and slowly sank deeper into the warm welcome of her inebriation. She would make sure that they didn't get themselves in trouble, her concern was mostly feigned, intent on softening the woman's inevitable crash than anything else. Less vomit on the floor.

It wasn't that far along that Catherine would clearly be ready to collapse soon enough and the two women retired to the suite that Ulquiorra had secured for herself. Catherine's announcement was taken note of and she briefly had a glimpe of a shirtless redhead stepping into the bathroom in order to clean herself. Leaving Ulquiorra in the main area of the room itself. It seemed more akin to an apartment now that she looked at it. It was a nicer Inn. This seemed to be part of an extension, one that perhaps would have eventually had this place set on eventually becomming some sort of miniature hotel.

Is was sufficiently spacious.

She glanced down at her own outfit and pondered washing herself. Simple and durable more than anything, she was wearing cargo pants and a leather jacket over a cropped top. With how long her hair was these days, it was almost perpetually in a ponytail for ease of handling. And finally, a little red bandana tied around her neck. A far cry from not only her uniform of old, but also a bit more practical than what she'd been used to in the city of lights. Killing hollows hadn't been particularly kind to it. Peeling off her jacket, she meticulously folded it and set it on the counter, glancing toward the nearby window, inspecting her reflection.

And those piercing green eyes stared right back at her.

She looked more human. But.....was she? She supposed in the objective sense, she had accumulated human tendencies. Accepting gifts. Protecting humans. Slaying hollows. Attempting to make friends. And in some cases, succeeding.

Did she feel different? She had expected her change of heart to be a shock. Something sudden and revealing as had been that moment where she had held her 'heart' in the fading grains of her hand in her once final moments.

But all the same. It was progress. She had all of the patience in the world. Slipping out of her boots, she promptly made her way to the couch and laid out across it's length. A light sigh escaping her as she stared up at the ceiling.