A Place of Too Many Fish [Catherine, Alvah]

Three nights in, waves crashed as a quiet dusk finally settled on the pristine sands, waves hardly rising past a small yawn of rolls across them. Even within shadow and pale light, her striking sun-colored hair remained the most vibrant feature within a sea of deep blue. She'd been doing research or conducting work non-stop for two days straight, having begrudgingly taken to trying to have some... "fun", at this resort. The partygoers were nasty and drunk, definitely not taking well to a bunch of undignified animals trying to hit on her and probably roofie her drink, thus she was out here. Alone.

People.. Stood in the water when it was this calm, right? Or splashed around? She'd seen photos, but never bothered to partake of it herself - she didn't grow up by the sea or anything, not that she would've had anyone to even take her there at the time. Yet, here it was, beckoning to her as it did hundreds before her... Fine. Fine, it wasn't like there was many people around.

Her work shoes were neatly placed under the umbrella she had used as shelter for the day, socks folded next to them as she'd approach the water, cautiously curling her pants so they don't get drenched with sea water, peering into the rising and retreating spread of waves. A scarred foot meekly reached to poke at the waves, as if the water would turn and bite her if she didn't enter it carefully, until she had finally treaded some way into the water. Staring down, she'd kick at the wet sand underneath...

...

This was stupid. She sucked at having fun anyway.

"Do a dive!" Came his deep poetic voice, rolling over the slow cold waves like a spear piercing the dark veil of night.

Yellow eyes peered from under the moonlight, white hair glistening under its lofty glow. The serene light and dark atmosphere turned his pale skin ghostly, and his whole form stood there with a mighty sinister air. The only particular thing to note would be the unusual dark blue jacket that hugged his bare chest and the black swimming trunks around his waist, the outline of a palm tree etched in blue stitching.

In his hand, a sketch pad, his eyes studying the woman who so carelessly left herself wide open, hand scribbling the comedic scene before him. A suitable title is needed. Maybe something akin to a newborn child. Either way, his expression, only somewhat mocking, seemed to appreciate the very notion that someone like Catherine would ever entertain the sea in this manner. Alvah's impressions of her slowly shifting as her value kept changing.

The sound of an unidentified voice caused the young woman to instinctively stance herself for incoming danger, looking around for the source, only to realize she knew that voice, her eyes giving her proper confirmation: Oh, it was just him. She looked unamused and seemed unwilling to entertain his antics, even turning away dismissively for a moment... Before suddenly whipping back around with her hands spread below her, running with little hesitance toward the imposing figure sitting atop the sand, some of the waters seeming to twist and churn, running alongside her until a part of the tide was following her beyond it's natural expected range, and with the swing of just an arm, he'd get a small spray of seawater his way.

"Someone's looking dorky," A mean smile was on her pale features as she unruffled her pants, hands on her hips upon fixing her attire, "Of course you're here, that's barely a shock. My question's more why aren't you off getting drunk and your ears blasted out with loud music like those dodos?"

A hand gestured to the greater part of the resort, lively even into the dark of night. A click of teeth followed a shrug, "So caught up having fun they don't got any idea what's around em."

He shielded the pad in his hand as waves crashed into him, leaving his already long hair heavy and plastered to his back. His expression darkened for a second, checking on his handiwork to ensure it sustained no damages and lightened only when he saw it had remained intact. His eyes peered at her from over it though, his gaze lingering as he pondered her pointless badgering. Did she expect so little from him?

"It is best to entertain the lofty spirit of the air around us. What is stranger on a beach: a man dressed to party or a woman in slacks?"

He deposited his question to her with a raised brow before turning his head towards the ruckus not far away. A gleam flashed from the corner of his eye as memories of his exploits came to the front of his mind. He'd not give Catherine ample time to answer. The question was rhetorical anyway. Of course he's normal, and she's out of place.

"I have already enjoyed the festivities plenty. Some space and air is not bad. This life is fun but tiresome if not paced. It is easy to lose oneself, and I have already seen plenty do such that."

A brief curl of the lip led her eyes to roll, though even she felt a little embarrassed with her attire being pointed out, arms crossed as her gaze followed him. It wasn't worth making a retort, especially about such an uncomfortable subject, merely huffing in exchange and allowing a new subject to take over before speaking,

"I don't get it. It's just people being loud and stupid for hours when they could be doing other things," She had quite a raw scowl on her face from just imagining it, "How could that be fun? I, I don't get it, people do such dumb shit for fun."

She shuffled uncomfortably, her gaze looking sideways to the man's damp hair. Fingers flicked, with the use of Fullbring a considerable amount of the water that dripped from his hair suddenly pulled away and sprayed out into the sand behind him. An apology was held back.

"What else should they be doing?" Alvah asked, curious.

He does remember Catherine's disinterest in casual affairs. She's a woman who does everything in a purposeful manner. If it has no benefits, there is no reason to participate. However, was she not ankle deep in the cold waters of the ocean? For what gain would she?

"No one asked you to understand it. They simply ask that you leave them to their own devices."

He began to flip through his notepad, his eyes scanning what he has been up to these past few days. The party life is new and exciting, but it is all somewhat predictable. There are drugs, booze, and people of outlandish nature. After a day or two, nothing of note came to his attention besides what he had already learned. However, it is not his place to force his ideology on them. It is their normalcy, not his.

Her lip curled, eyes darting to the side, only seeming to get more irate in response to that question, instead letting out a low growl and, a rather surprising action, plopping down in the sand near him, not quite next to him but definitely closer than one would have anticipated after such a frustrated display.

"Maybe I want to, ever considered that?" She'd reply with a gruff voice, side eyeing him as she'd lower even further, feeling the cool sand touch her skin and go through her hair, "..Maybe I don't get what's so fun about it and I want to understand how."

Her arms rested on her stomach, staring at the sky obscured by the occasional night cloud covering the heaven's glory, her irritation cooling off into wistfulness, "..Like, why is all of that so much fun to them, but I don't feel it? Why is it so easy for them to ease into the whole mood but I just feel like i'm swallowing rocks trying to do stuff? The hell even is 'fun'?"

"Fun is what we make it. If you do not share what they find fun, then you go find your own fun. I am sure our fun is just as different."

He did not sit next to her, instead letting her have her moment of impatience infantility. He is a creature of insatiable sin, so it only makes since he would blend in with debauchery, but he does not expect the next Arrancar or Hollow to be the same.

"I am also sure many of them would be ashamed of their actions. Alcohol is the perfect tool for bringing out the wretched filth underneath one's shell. Why, a woman was very pushy just a few minutes ago, but she was swept away by many others before I even had a chance."

He smirked to himself as he remembered the scene. There is little doubt that woman will awaken later in a horrible position or feeling like shit, but that is of no concern to him. The world is a place full of sin. If you walk around without any guards, you'll be broken and tossed to the wayside.

She suddenly sat up with his recollection of events, appearing shocked for a moment, "What, you didn't try making sure she... No, nevermind. Nothing," The color that rose up in her eyes noticeably drained and dulled away back into that typical darkness those pools held.

"..Well, I didn't get a chance to show you this last time," With an idea sparked, she'd calmly push off the cool sands, her bare footsteps leading her to the lapping waves. Hands spread out and focused given to the fluctuating tide, something strange would occur - the water would seem to bubble and churn from it's hold of gravity, a small pillar forming as she pulled the souls of the liquid up, and away from the rolling tides.

Little glimmers flashed in the water uprooted and gracefully set to dance serenely through the night air, slowly rotating into itself, tiny fish caught in the grasp of that flow.

"Took forever to get this right. Just keeping them in a stationary ball just gets them to want to jump out like idiots. Ever seen anything like this before?"

Despite her dark expression, she looked expectant in a way.

Is she that surprised that an Arrancar like himself didn't care about the happenings around him? He is no saint after all, and he has no obligation to help someone because of their own error. If that woman still lives in the same manner or not is not his problem. Though, he wouldn't be too uninterested to know what had happened to her. His curiosity is now peeked, but that is something to indulge later.

Catherine has, once again, shown him something unique. It is different than what she had done before, but after knowing of her abilities, he is not surprised that she is capable of such. What is it again? Soul Manipulation. Does everything have a soul? Even the great sea? Interesting.

"I have not seen anything like this, but I do know of an Arrancar who wields the power to manipulate water. It would be a privilege to one day have her grace me with her presence."

Wasting little time, he walked forth, placing his hand right into the floating mass of water, letting his fingers brush against the fish within.