You Again? (Yuujin/Erika)

"I admit, I've thought about asking if I could participate, but I'm not a member, so I've always shied away."

He frowned at his own behavior, knowing anyone else probably wouldn't have cared and butted in anyway. Maybe he wouldn't have gotten called out as a creep if he did do so. It would have made his intentions clear to everyone. However, he could have just ended up in just as much trouble since he's an outsider. Maybe it's just him overthinking everything though.

"Sensei always joked I did more fantasizing than working at times. Something to work on."

Though, that's probably just criticism than anything to laugh about. He has a list of things he needs to work on. It's about time to work on it a bit, ain't it?

"A shot in the dark, but would it be out of place to ask for your assistance? You're an excellent Shinigami, are you not? I wouldn't want to make assumptions, but you are a Vice-Captain, and people seem to respect you, even Sensei."

He paused and coughed into his fist, talking a bit more hush hush since it's a little embarrassing revealing the little fact he then threw out.

"And you're the only person I actually know around here."

That says a lot, huh?

Why this little punk, asking her for help of all people. What was he angling for by asking for her assistance? Did he want her to beat him up or something or was he asking to follow her around like a weird lurker to watch how the Gotei operated. Both sounded equally unappealing.

"Whatever, just don't get in my way and if it keeps you from bothering the other shinigami."

She said with a bored expression. Maybe she should clarify what this kid wanted assistance with but if she didn't like it then she could just go on her way too. So really she didn't bother asking for more information.

Honestly, he had expected her to say no. The fact she agreed, be it in her own way, actually startled him, his eyes widening for the briefest of seconds. He couldn't help but let a smile pull his cheeks taunt.

"Great. I have a lot of questions then. How are the barracks? Do the Shinigami have routine training regimes? How often are you on patrol? Is the food good? What is the paperwork like for the average Shinigami?"

Well, he certainly came off as interested in mediocre things, but Yuujin found the day-to-day life of a person to be fascinating. Knowing such things is the difference to living a good or bad life, and he would find himself way more into the idea of working for the Gotei if he better understood what his day-to-day would be. Erika should probably interrupt him though before he continued asking more and more questions.

As soon as she said yes, her instinct would be proven correct when she was assaulted by the flurry of questions. What asinine questions he was asking her. They were all the kinds of things she thought were stupid to ask about when they could just be experienced.

"Ugh, don't ask me stupid questions. Now I see why you don't go talk to anyone."

She cringed like his questions cut her more than any blade could hope to accomplish.

She sees now? Wel, he couldn't help but sigh in relief and nod his head in agreement.

"Yeah. I guess I am kinda dumb, huh?" He mumbled, tilting his head and looking off into the distance as the fight he was watching had concluded.

Funny. No one really paid much attention to the two of them. He'd have thought someone would have looked this way and recognized Erika after she had kicked him. No one seemed to care, but that's probably because stuff like this is probably common around here.

"But the complacent man never gets ahead."

"Don't drag me into your self-pity."

She didn't appreciate being asked to verify if he was dumb. He was but if he wanted her to tell him that then she didn't want to partake. There was no point beating up someone who already was doing it for you.

"The complacent man is too busy sitting down asking stupid questions. Go do something protective if you want to get ahead."

"Drag? Well, I thought it a little comedic honestly. A jive at oneself isn't always a try at pitying."

She had brought up his self-pity before, but at those times, he was actually thinking hard about his life. Now, he's just being a little funny at his own expense. Is that not a form of comedy often used. Maybe he should deploy other tactics to try and tickle her funny bone.

"What would you consider productive? If it's to go train or something, would you be so inclined to assist me? I see that you lack your badge. Are you off duty, per chance?"

"Self-deprecation is the lowest form of humour, and I'm not required to wear my vice-captain badge unless it's a state of emergency."

This guy posed no real challenge either, she wasn't that enthusiastic about the idea of facing him. It would require her to hold back and unless he had progressed massively under the tutelage of Shaoling then Erika had no exepctation for him to prove interesting to fight.

But she could throw him about the training grounds for a little bit, perhaps.

"Is that so? Huh. Well, I'll be sure to find better material to lighten the mood with."

He's already pondering what kind of books to try to increase his comical capacity. However, he also didn't get a direct no. Erika seems willing to entertain him, and his curiosity about her fighting style may just be sated. With that said, guess he should prepare to get his ass handed to him. He has no chance, but any experience is worthwhile experience.

"Please don't dedicate yourself to something so stupid."

She asked him with every bit of politeness Erika could muster towards the dumb kid. The vice-captain walked into an empty space on the training grounds and drew her asauchi, her eyes directed at the juvenile fighter who she waited to follow. Erika had no strong feelings about beating him black and blue, she just hoped he wasn't going to expect her to go easy on him.

A student of Shaoling should be used to and expect as much. She would hate to imagine that Shaoling had a soft spot for her student when fighting was a battle of life and death.