The Deep Stacks

Hideki made it to the third floors, his chin starting to get more than a little wet from uninhibited doggy licks.  "Awww... You're so nice, I almost forget about all the yelling."  Almost.  He turned down a hallway and headed across to one of the library's many annexes.  Heading downstairs into the storage rooms, he headed to one that looked the least dusty.  "Well, princess.  Good news and bad news all around.  Good news is that you are fluffy and adorable like this."  He rubbed her head accordingly as he put her down.  "Bad news is you're going to have to go back to human form to get out of here."  He walked into the storage room.

"GOOD news is we still haven't crated up some of the costumes from the culture festival a month or two back."  He fumbled around in some boxes making audible clatter.

"The bad news is... we let the girls pick their own uniform without officer approval this year apparently, because this is all we have."  He held up... well...

THIS...

Forget about all yells! Zuzu didn't yell, she was kind and nice and fluffy. She noticed how the place was changing, and her tail wagged strongly at the words. She was adorably fluffy, yes. Perfectly fluffy.

Still, she whined softly as she was put down and told to go back to human form. Ears back, she sat and looked like the epitome of utter sad. Her big eyes wide, she then laid down, looking dejected. However at the thought of costumes, her ears perked up slightly.

That quickly turned into a low sad whine as she looked at the outfit. Noooo, her ears back, she rolled onto her back and pawed at the air. 'please no'

He almost wanted to cry at the sad doggy face he got. Noo... you NEED to turn back, silly doggy... I.. Wait... Damn it... This was the same person who had berated him thirty seconds ago. DO NOT BE LURED IN BY THE FLUFFY, HIDEKI! The reaction from Yuzuki, doggy or no was about what he would expect when he showed her the costume. He crouched down and scratched behind her ears. "Awww... I know... But it's the only clothing we have and you have to turn human to get out of here if you want ANY degree of privacy...I'm sorry doggy..." he paused. "I would promise I won't tease you... but if you start snarking me when you turn back into a person, I will." He said with a stern look on his face. Weird, split personality dog girl...

Doggy grin in place, she nuzzled the hand and pawed at his chest. She whined softly, wiggling gently on her back and baring her belly for him to rub to feel sympathy for. She was cute doge, not mean woman. There was no need for the mean costumes... She would be good dog.

Cute fluffy dog. Who was being nice. And kind. Belly rubs! No need for stern.

He frowned almost sad now. He wasn't sure if it was literally a split personality... he didn't THINK animal forms did that to people... and usually they could talk... He couldn't imagine her dog form was functionally any different... but she seemed like just an entirely different person. His frown tilted a little. She was being so nice and cute... His brow furrowed as she rolled on her back.

"Okay... You get belly rubs, but only if you PROMISE to turn back." He said, looking around before rubbing the doggy's stomach. He tried not to think about her as a person while doing it as that felt just SUPER weird...

After a pretty decent belly rub time, he pulled his hand away. "Um... And... you can have more once we get you out of the seireitei. Deal?"

Zuzu hated how sad or concerned he looked, so she whined slightly and wiggled on her back until the belly rubs were given. Barking lightly, she laid there with a panting puppy grin on her face as he spoke.

She supposed she could keep that promise. Her puppy stomach was soft and fluffy, very soft and fluffy and she loved belly rubs so much. As Hideki stopped the rubs, she whined but flipped over. Nobles kept their words...

Trotting to the boxes, her voice came from the dog mouth. "Would you please turn around so I can change?"

There had to be one in there in her size... Or maybe a larger one? Hm... With a poof of smoke she changed back, starting to look through the box.

He was stunned for a moment when she talked. He knew she could do that, but it STILL surprised him. "Uh..y-yeah.." He said before turning around and hearing the characteristic poof. Okay Hideki. Just don't think about the naked girl over there. That's all. He heard shuffling around in the box. He moved to turn around before catching himself. "Th...There's nothing more concealing in there, I don't think. I'm pretty sure there's only this one because one of the girls felt uncomfortable."

Sure enough, there was a somehow even sleazier cheongsam in the boxes.

"I was looking for a better size you dolt." Yuzuki mumbled as she went through the box, tossing aside ones with admittedly better colors... but none that even if it perfectly fit her would cover more.

As she picked up the cheongsam with obvious distaste, she sighed and tried to figure out how to get into it. It had no openings like Kimonos...nor none of the zippers of modern clothing. There were tassles to tie it and some ribbons... It also stretched. Wincing, Yuzuki finally figured it out. If she pulled it over her head...

With the blasted thing on, her hair pulled out of the back and the tassles tied, she coughed and pulled her hair over her shoulder. It clung so...tightly and she messed with the top. Would her breasts fall out? There was an indecent amount showing.

Bright red, with anger or embarrassment, she spoke rather high pitched for her imperious tone. "H-Help me with my hair again, it needs to be redone so I do not step on it, Vice Captain. If I have to wear this awful thing its the least you can do."

Her legs! Why... when she tried to walk so much showed. It felt drafty and she shivered in imagined cold.

He sighed, visibly sinking. Welp. It sure went back to snark town fast around here. He crossed his arms, waiting for her to finish. At one point it seemed like it was taking an awfully long time and tried peeking, but quickly snapped back when he realized there was still changing movements going on over there. It wasn't long before she called for help and he turned around, quickly turning to face the wall again as soon as he saw there. He took a deep breath and collected himself before spinning around once more and walked over to her. "Okay.." He remembered what she'd said about her hair last time and reached around from the front of her to start tying the knot she'd shown him. He could easily have done it from behind, but well... She was mean Yuzuki again and it's not like he'd come up with this idea to NOT torment her.

That face told her all she needed to know, as it looked away and then back. One arm covering her chest, the other trying to pull the fabric over her legs, her face turned almost the color of her tattoos as she offered many things to any gods she could. Anything to get her out of this embarrassing situation. He shouldn't be looking at her like this! "You shouldn't stare its rude! My body is sacred, it shouldn't be tainted with such looks from anyone but my husband."

As she grumbled her way through a loud reply, Hideki moved and was...right up next to her! He was reaching around from the front and fixing her hair. He... was so close she could almost feel him against her chest. "G-Go behind me! Don't...get this close! What are you even doing?!"

Her heart beat about a million times a minute from the proximity to another person, a man.

He sighed as she went on about staring, as if he hadn't looked away respectfully... and her husband, as if she were getting married any time in the near future. She was a silly one, if not for all of the screaming. Although the screaming was funny at the moment. "Oh please... I'm half done. If I went around I'd have to start over. You want a non-husband man touching your hair MORE?" he said with a small smirk, which would definitely be visible. True to his word though, it wasn't much longer till he finished and stepped away. "There. You um... Well... You'll just start screaming at me if I say anything about how you look."

"...You have made your point Vice Captain. Hurry then and finish this." Yuzuki glared at him in silence, her eyes narrowed at his smirk. He had had a point about his work on her hair. To have him this close wasn't as big of a deal if it was merely for such a thing.

As he stepped back, she tried to cover her body as she practically vibrated with anger. Still, she couldn't help pointing and speaking harshly at his teasing words. Which she did not think were teasing, merely awful and uncalled for. "Y-You were the one who had me don this garment!"

"Take me out of here! I wish to leave at once Vice Captain." His title, said in such a manner, was almost an insult as she moved toward the exit to this awful place.

Well at least she seemed relatively reasonable now. She couldn't be freaking out too much if she saw the logic to things he was saying. This could go pretty well and...

And nope...She was going to start freaking out. He sighed as she started heading towards the exit. He was following her for a moment before stopping. "Well, if we're playing it THAT way, you can walk yourself out of here." He had no intention of letting her wander around like that on her own of course. But he was getting really worn out on the volume of her shouting. He could deal with the attitude. Just not the volume and the storming.

"There's really no reason to be screaming at me... I mean... There's no other options for your clothing... Would you rather I poke fun, or just awkwardly try not to look at you?"

"W-What? No! I can't leave here like this... I have to have better clothes before I reach my home!" Yuzuki spun around, her white hair a wave as she turned to stare at Hideki in abject horror. If he were to leave her... she would be lost and alone...

As he spoke more her cheeks puffed out as she kept in her rather... unkind comments. Her face was in something that may be considered a pout as she thought for a few seconds... Sniffing, she crossed her arms and spoke, her voice at a much more normal level. "I-I suppose you have no choice in this matter, as much as I do not. Please lead me from this place, if you would be kind enough to."

It was begrudging, as she looked away. It was hard being polite to him...

Hideki's frown softened as she came over, sniffling. She was an odd nut to crack, alright... and it was awfully hard to focus when he couldn't let himself look even slightly down... He still didn't like... how begrudging it was. "Tell you what..." He uncrossed his arms and stepped closer to her. She seemed so ornery... but he knew that animal forms don't change people's personalities. Which meant that this wasn't... how she was inside. "I promised you some belly rubs once we get out. If I'm right, you still want those... And if you still want those... it means you have to stop acting like I'm prying your nails out just to be polite to someone who's helping you."

He lifted his hand and stuck it out. "So there's the deal. I'll help you out of here one way or the other. But it's either going to be as a friend, or without belly rubs at the end."

Yuzuki had listened to his words as he moved closer, not moving even a step back. As Hideki's words reached her, her face grew more and more horrified.

Her heart. It felt like she had been shot through the chest with a dark, a painful little dart. How COULD HE THREATEN SUCH A HEINOUS ACTION!?



He was evil... pure evil. Looking down at the hand he offered, she stared at it for a second before her own hand slid out to grasp his. "...I accept, Hideki. You may cal-I mean, friends call each other by first names. Thus, I am Yuzu."

She would do more for belly rubs, but as she spoke rather familiarly with the Vice Captain she turned red and stuttered. "T-This doesn't mean... a-anything like... it doesn't mean I'll... be nice a-all the t-time."

He could practically feel the dread pouring off of her. Ouch. Maybe he'd crossed a line? Note to self: Belly Rubs are sacred. He also recognized that it took a lot for her to NOT talk down to not just him, but anyone. Feeling a little bad, he gave her a smile. "Well then Yuzu... You'll be happy to know that friends? Don't have to be nice because they know they're friends.." He said, before reaching out and... well... clearly she still valued doggy things, so he rubbed her head. "And friends give lots of extra belly rubs." he said with a small smile. "Th-though not in human form, obviously. That um,.... would not have the same effect."

Well that was good to know. Friends didn't have to be nice all the time. The corner of her constant frown turned up slightly, almost a half smile as she watched Hideki. He reached out for her and that smile disappeared, worried what he was going to do that hand...

As his hand patted her, she reached up and felt where he had touched with a look of utter confusion that turned to one of pure joy. For the first time she smiled, an innocently sweet one as she tilted her head. "Belly rubs..."

After a second though her face returned to its frowning state and she coughed, looking away. Apparently she missed the comment about human form belly rubs because she seemed more embarrassed about her smile as she muttered to herself. "No, this isn't how you act now. Stop it Yuzuki."

"ANYWAYS, Hideki, take me out of here. I can find my way home once I leave the library." She didn't yell, but her tone was still rather imperious as she turned gracefully, walking with strong strides. For now her outfit was forgotten as she tried to put behind her the entire incident.

He stood there with his hand where it had patted her as she turned and walked away. Curiouser and curiouser.... wait. no... actually, she was starting to make a little more sense now... After that muttering... Still... She had a nice smile anyway. He smiled softly at the ground before picking up his pace to catch up. Just had to get her out of the library without incident? Okay, seemed easy enough. As long as she didn't stop to yell at books for being too dusty... or as long as they didn't get too many of the squad members catcalling her. As he nearly caught up to her, he was presented with far too perfect a view of her legs moving along those long steps. Almost unintentionally, he raised his fist to his face and bit it, before picking up his pace to get that out of his line of sight, tucking his hand in his pocket as he moved up along side her. "Shouldn't be too hard. And then you'll be free to turn back into dog form and get home uninhibited."

As Hideki moved up to walk next to her, she frowned but said nothing. As a Lieutenant he held enough rank to so, though she was plainly unused to it. Either honor guards in front or behind. Not alongside... Though friends should be allowed to at all times. Yes? Yes.

As they walked, something inside of her burned. She had to ask. No matter how ridiculous it sounded. Sighing, she turned a bright red as she spoke, her voice holding contained enthusiasm. "As we walk, it would please me to know more about the Library. Conversation is good between friends, especially inane and useless ones. Such as... if the library has secret rooms. Yes. Hidden ones, with secretly disguised levers."

"It would be such a useless topic of no interest, only friends could talk about it, yes?"

He noted her awkwardness towards how he walked next to her, suppressing a smile. The more he talked to her, since the revelation of the other side to her personality, it started to seem like she really just had so little experience with other people. He made a small noise of curiosity as she started talking. Hrm... she seemed to be trying very hard to seem aloof on the subject.

He tapped his chin pensively. "Secret passageways, huh? Well... I MAY know about a FEW...." He pulled out his zanpakuto, flipping the book open. He held it sideways over to her. Although the book would seem blank, he cleared his throat. "Now, if you think of a map and flip the pages of the book." He flitted the pages and suddenly, an intricately drawn map of the library came to surface. "This appears. BUT.." He held it out for her to take it. "Try doing that with the book upside down and your eyes closed."

If she actually did as he said, she'd find a map of the library again, except this time with little circles in red ink with little notes all over it.

"A few? So there are some?!" Yuzuki's excitement lasted for a brief second as she stopped and turned to Hideki. Flushing slightly, she composed herself after that second and coughed politely. "I mean of course there are. It is such an ancient structure, filled with places that could be hidden easily. It would be ridiculous to assume it doesn't."

Looking over the page that had been previously blank, Yuzuki noticed the map that appearad made no sense to her. She had no idea where they were in relation to ANYTHING and was slightly miffed there wasn't anything spelled out for her. Frowning, she took the book from him carefully (making sure not to touch him) and closed her eyes as she flipped the book upside down.

When her eyes opened, there were marks and ink all over it and her eyes lit up as she smiled with a giggle. "Oh! There's a secret place nearby! Err, it would please me to be shown this, Hideki."

Her face flitted back to the scornful frown and she turned her head, tapping her fingers against the book edge. "It could be important to know, for friendship bonding and knowing. It is always good to seek knowledge, especially secret knowledge."

That was mature, yes. Good and sound reasoning.

Friends or no, he still thought the personal space issues were weird. But whatever. Nobility had some strange rules and not everybody had had to ride a subway in Japan in this place. It was weird to think of the implications of culture shock on things like personal space in the afterlife... Then again everything went pretty much apeshit after death anyways. Hideki thought momentarily about how reassuring it would be to have known during life how small a piece of the lifespan of a soul it could turn out to be. 17 years there, one horrible incident, and SURPRISE, you're basically still alive for another few thousand, during which you have regular bodily functions, age, can reproduce, get disease, die, and if you make it to the end, you die of old age then come back as some other human.

It seemed like a really awkward bitch sometimes, this life cycle shenanigans.

He could only think about the meaning of the afterlife for so long before Yuzuki finished her hunting. "Hm?" He leaned over to see which place she'd picked out. He almost wished he hadn't started seeing her happy side as she turned scornful again. It was just hard not to think the word 'cute' now and he was trying REALLY hard not to think that.

"Oh. That one is uh..." His voice shook a little. "I-It's just sort of creepy... C-c'mon though, I'll show it to you." He said, absentmindedly taking her wrist and whisking off down a nearby flight of stairs and through some aisles. As she said, the passage in particular was nearby. Off in a side pocket of the library near the storage annex they'd come from, there it stood.

A massive spiral bookshelf. It stretched all the way to the ceiling, preventing any from looking into it from above. At first, Hideki hadn't even noticed the anomaly, due to its nature. But as time went on, he became more and more sure of its existence. "This is, as I've dubbed it, the Eternal Spiral. It's a spiral bookcase that houses the ancient history section. Uh.... as you can see, there's an AWFUL lot of books... we need the REALLY tall ladders to get some of them." He said, peering up. "Generally, only students from the academy come here and they for the most part don't spend a lot of time in the section. But what I DID notice..." He scooched over so she could see the book clearly while he pointed. "Is that here where the bookcase should end?" He gestured at the center of the spiral. "There's more bookcase past it. The spiral KEEPS GOING..." He let that sink in for a few moments before continuing. "I've only gone so far in. The whole thing is just creepy enough. Who knows if the thing is some kind of haunted, or might close in on you or trap you or WHAT though..."

Well. He felt like a pretty good orator right now. "So. What do you think?"

Yuzuki's entire thought process consisted of Yes I was RIGHT! I just looked in the wrong spot! to nonononon don't let it show on your face just be calm and calm. She jolted as he grabbed her wrist, but merely turned red at such intimate contact. The young woman wanted to see this thing that was creepy. She said nothing as they walked, utterly silent and trying to not burst out in excited babble about mysterious and creepy secrets in the library.

As they came upon the spiral bookcase though, she stared in awe for a few seconds, though it finally broke her silence with a sigh. Such a large shelving... A huge mystery just WAITING to be solved! Yuzuki nodded as she followed Hideki's looks, deciding on a course of action.

"I think its amazing!" She was already moving towards the center, moving swiftly. "Come on Hideki, we should explore this thoroughly. For um... so no one else has to! Yes, we could make sure its safe for future generations. It is your duty and mine."

Her eyes were curious as she examined the books that past by her, almost running along as she headed into the mysterious spiral bookcase. Her voice was muffled as she quickly lost sight of Hideki in her movements. "Aha! Its flat, this is so mysterious!"

"AH!" Hideki reached out, refusing to take a step forward for a second. Was she crazy? He JUST explained how creepy this place was. Who knows what could be back there! "Y..Yuzu!" He shouted, looking around. Shit shit shit. She was TRYING to reach the center? And what the hell was flat back there?

He nervously spun, looking for something to help, before turning back to the bookshelf. Damn it... He read a manga about shit like this and it didn't end well in that, damn it! A nervous bead of sweat started to form before he pressed his mouth into a flat grimace. He couldn't just leave her... That would just look awesome in the newspapers (did they even have newspapers?). "Squad 10 Lieutenant lets stupidly-hot noble die in library, becomes old virgin." The headline seemed to flash before him.

...

Hideki decided he would rather brave the unknown horrors of this bookshelf then try and figure out why THAT'S what the headline said. And without a second thought, he sprinted into the bookshelf. "Yuzu?! Are you okay?!"