Fresh Air's the Best Air

"Hato-kuuun~" Narue tossed her plus up and down in the air, catching him every time as she hummed to herself. She wasn't headed anywhere in particular, just going for a walk after a nice day's work. It felt good to get out, with as much time she spent in libraries or offices she loved getting some fresh air every now and then.

As she was walking, she noticed someone in the distance.

"Who's-" At the realization that it was none other than the captain of the seventh division, Phiona Meleous. "Phi-channn!" Narue waved at the woman, tending to call her Phi-chan as she had a bit of trouble using her last name, plus, Phi was a cute name to Narue.

Phiona sighed, glaring down at the reports. How she loved reports. Oh, reports were her favorite thing in the world. Filling out a week of reports that her 4th seat botched? Marvelous! She couldn't think of ANYTHING she would rather be doing then filling out these FUCKING reports! She chucked the clip board on the ground... Ugh... She needed a walk... She got up from the bench and began walking along the path, gracefully lifting the clipboard on the way.

It had only been a few minutes when she heard a voice. Phi-Chan? Who would... Oh... That Narue girl. Of course. She looked up and stopped in her tracks, doing her best to put on her polite smile face. "Hello Narue-San... How are you today?" She asked, ever so daintily.

Narue gave a smile at Phiona's greeting, "Mmm-great! I was just out on a walk after finishing up some work. Hato-kun and I definitely need to get out more, the weather's been so pretty these past few days."

Clutching Hato closer to her she added, "How are you, Phi-chan?"

She smiled politely. "Ah. How could I forget Hato-kun. How are you, my birdie friend?" She asked the doll pleasantly, reaching out to pet it before stopping and retracting her hand, not wanting to violate Narue's personal space. "I'm.... Well, I've become... Vexed with reports and wanted to clear my head... So, a walk it is" she clasped her hands together and gave a nod. Would they go their separate ways now?

Narue's eyes seemed to sparkle a bit at that moment, "Heeeeh, so you're out on a walk too? How about we walk together!" She suggested with a small giggle before looking down at Hato and then returning her gaze to Phiona shortly after, "Though if you'd rather be alone I don't mind. I needed to head into the Rukon later for some candles, well certain kinds. The ones the stores sell here in the Seireitei aren't well...Hmmmmm, they're just different from the ones I like to use y'know?" She said with a grin.

"If you want to though, we could walk together!" She enjoyed company, so in a way, she was silently hoping Phiona would say yes to her suggestion. Hato-kun was great company but having other people around was always great too.

She looked over her shoulder. That paperwork wasn't getting done on its own. No, she became captain by being responsible, not gallavanting off into the Rukon in her down time... Her eye snapped a little at the candle bit. What... What made the candles special? Her foot tapped as Narue danced around the subject... Ugh... She wasn't going to say? She remained calm, although her foot tapped faster and faster until it stopped. She took a deep breath and placed her glasses from her pocket onto her face. She announced, rather officially. "Very well, miss Narue. I shall accompany you to the Rukon district for these candles..." She said with a nod.

"Yayy!" Narue brightened, "Thank you, Phi-chan! I love having company on walks." She added before turning on her heel, "Well, let's gooo!" With that, she started walking, heading at a normal pace towards the gates that led out to the Rukon.

"I was running out, in a last ditch emergency I'd buy them from the stores here but they just aren't the same...Y'know, like...when you have a certain brand of something and then you try a different brand? That kind of different. The ones I buy in the Rukon Districts just seem....I dunno, I just like them more." She gave a small laugh.

Phiona watchef the girl gallop away. My, the energy youth had... "W-wait, Narue-San!" She said, catching up. "These heels are a pain to walk in.". She tore the things off and slung them over a shoulder. "It's hard keeping up with others in them." She said, a little sheepishly, though she refrained from smiling. "And I... Think I understand... "

Narue slowed so Phiona could catch up, watching her toss her heels over her shoulder, "Eeesh, I don't know how you do it, Phi-chan...I'd break my neck walking in heels." She said, moving one hand from Hato-kun to rub her neck a little, "Are they that much of a pain though? If you can barely keep up with people...I tried some on once and it felt so funny." She gave another small laugh.

She sighed. "Well... They're... Important for posture... And professionalism... Aaand...". Well she wore them because they were lady like and that was really all. She got used to them but she still didn't like them all that much .. "Well... I've heard that they make your legs look nicer? I don't know if that's true though. I wear long skirts specifically so that guys WON'T look at my legs."

"Ohhh, I see." At the mention of skirt's, Narue looked down at her own, as she'd fashioned her shihakusho's pants to be a miniskirt because well....she wasn't fond of pants in the first place. "Ehehe, I never thought about the boys thing...I just wear skirts because the pants bother me."

She didn't really care that her legs were showing, she'd never really thought about people staring at all if she were being honest with herself. Though, she was proud of her body, so she didn't mind that her legs were showing.

Her eyes glanced down to Narue's skirt. Huh. That was so pretty. She looked down at herself. Ugh, she could never wear a skirt like that... Her fat ass wouldn't stay in it. She looked back to Narue suddenly, realizing she was visibly lost in thought. "O-Oh... Yes, they are comfier... I just could never wear one...." She said, only sounding a little dejected.

Narue tilted her head slightly, "Aww, c'mon." She said with a smile. "I'll bet you have great legs! You've got a really nice physique if you don't mind me saying. One girl to another? Hee hee. Most would kill to have a body like your's, Phi-chan!"

She knew the inevitable compliment would come, but she didn't expect such glowing praise. She repeatedly found herself about to reply only to find her body complimented again. She quickly was red in the face. "Ah... W-well thank you, Narue-ch..san.." she corrected her honorific quickly. "That uh... Means a lot from someone as...pretty as you.". There we go. Respond politely without being an idiot. You've GOTTA get better at girl talk, Phi...

Narue smiled brightly back at Phiona, a small tint of red on her own face now at the compliment. "Thanks, Phi-chan!" She never really received compliments herself, so hearing one actually...made her feel really nice inside.

Once that was said, Narue looked head seeing the gate to the districts just ahead, "I wonder how the shopkeeper's doing, she's always such a nice lady."

When shopping, she always exchanged small talk with the shopkeeper, the old woman loved hearing about her stories about how she gives the new recruits a good spook when they join. She was happy to share them, seeing how they could make the woman laugh made her happy in return.

"Last time we went Hato-kun got dirty though, so I had to give him a nice bath that night!" She said with a laugh.

She walked along, still dangling the heels over one shoulder. "You gave your bird a bath? That seems appropriate. Did you have a tiny bathtub for him?". She asked with a bit of a smile. She didn't hate cutesy things and Narue's bird was definitely cute. She looked up at the gate to the Rukon. She doubted they would be going anywhere near her old home but the place still made her nervous.

"He he, I wash Hato-kun in my bath sometimes, not often but whenever I have the time and he's dirty." She usually used the sink or other normal methods when it came to cleaning her plushies but, Hato-kun was special and he deserved prime treatment!

Soon, they were out of the gate, the view ahead being exactly what a person would expect of the Rukon district. Narue smiled, although she hadn't had a great...start when it came to growing up here, she had many great memories to cherish.

"The store's just up ahead, Phi-chan! Just a few buildings down!"

She remembered the route well, it was just passed a few restaurants and flower shops.

"O-oh. I didn't think uh... Nevermind" she hadn't thought about the obvious. Who would have a tiny bath, Phiona... Silly captain... She was shaken from her self inflicted chewing out by Marie's cry. "Hey... Hey wait!". She sprinted after Narue, glad she took her heels off. "Come back and put these heels on so I can even keep up with you.". She joked, catching up with her. She looked around. Well it was a relatively nice neighborhood, she had to say.

Narue laughed, "Sorry, I got a little excited." She gave a sheepish grin as she slowed her pacing once more. "It's nice to be out here again, it's been awhile."

She glanced over to see the owner of the flower shop putting out some new flowers, they were bright and red, 'Ahhhh, pretty...' She thought to herself, she'd never been much of a plant person, but that didn't mean she couldn't admire the pretty ones.

"Ahh! There it is!" She pointed ahead of her to a medium-sized, wooden building. "The lady here makes the products she sells herself, they're always really nice too!"

She slowed as Narue eyed up a flower shop. She supposed the flowers were pretty, if you liked that sort of thing..."It's okay... I haven't been back in the Rukon for a while either..". She eyed up the homey building. Aww, sweet. "Oh? What all does she sell besides candles?"

"She makes pots, dishes, wind chimes, she knits too so she sells scarves she makes in the winter time. It's mostly those little nick-nacks for pottery and all that though, she's been at it for years." She then lifted the back of her hand up to her forehead and gave and exaggerated huff, "Oh how I hope I can be as spry and active as she is when I'm her age..." Saying that she smiled, "I don't want to give up plushie-making in my old age, neeeever." She shook her head before opening the door, the ding of a bell ringing as she did so as they entered the shop.

"Please... I wish I was as spry as you are at MY age...You make your own plushies? that's so cute." She said with a polite smile as she stepped inside the store. She turned to the front counter and gave the proprietor a little bow. "Hello. It's nice to meet you!" She said politely. "My colleague says you make everything in this store."

"Hiii, Hana-chan!" Narue greeted as well, waving to the older woman who smiled at the both of them.

Hana gave a laugh, "Yes, I do and it's always good to have visitors like you two coming to see." She responded to Phiona with a kind smile. "I'm surprised though, I didn't know Narue spoke of me that much."

"But your stuff is so nice! Of course I talk about you, Hana-chan." She responded with a smile.

"I suppose you're here for more candles? Already run out?"

"Mhmm! They go quick!"

"I see, I see." Saying that, Hana turned, "I'll be right back, there are some in the back that I just finished today. I'll bring you some of those."

"Thank you very much!" She reached into her shihakusho, bringing out her wallet and taking out the necessary amount she'd need.

Phiona continued to look around the store at all the knick knacks, odds and ends, knits... It was overwhelming and... Okay maybe she was a little bored. She walked back up to Narue. "Narue-chan" she said without thinking about it. "Is there anything fun I can ask her to make me? I don't want pots and pans or old scarves... But I like her handiwork..."

Narue gave a nod, "Mhmm! She loves taking requests! It makes her really happy when people request things from her."

She was glad Phiona liked the things she saw, Hana's works were some of Narue's favorites and it made her happy to see the woman getting such positive reviews or compliments from people.