Architecture - Arrancar Interlude

[GoldenKitten]

The fortress of Las Noches stood high and mighty above the white dust fields of Hueco Mundo, even injured as it was it proved an impressive sight. Perhaps this was made even more so by a display that until mere days ago would have been something out of a fiction story, the Arrancar of Las Noches were working together. The Hollow Vacui were a strange breed of Arrancar and while they at times bore an air of traditional authoritarianism and they definitely seemed aimed at making a military state out of the Arrancar they were also at times strangely fair and seemed to be forging a true brotherhood with and amongst the population. Through a herculean effort and no small amount of workers a series of constructs had been erected not only bracing the dome itself for repair but also laying the groundwork for what appeared to be a series of defensive walls and trenches around the bastion. Admittedly not all those within were taking so swimmingly to the new way things were working but contradictory voices were either silenced quickly or made allies where possible. By this point many had accepted the new leadership and were quickly swapping out their old colors so that the kraftwerks appeared to swarm with golden and black ants.

Standing high above on a broken outcropping of the dome itself two men watched this scene. Death leaned backward slightly with his hands thrust into his pockets and a passive expression across his face, behind him the cloaked Wisher leaned against a wall. Though they claimed to have no hierarchy most of Las Noches had quickly gone about idolizing Death as some form of leader and the time was rare when Wisher was not close at hand as well. The Horror Vacui would deny this themselves if asked directly but otherwise they seemed to be taking no particularly active steps to try and deny the matter. Despite this Death seemed to be rather picky when it came to choosing Prodigium and Acies, thus few were finding their way into his good graces and were instead finding a home amongst one of the many other Dominus.

Death and Wisher traded a few comments of small importance while carefully studying the works below them, it seemed they were deciding what to do with the large open spots in between the currently erected portions. Death saw a massive figure to the far north that could be nobody else than Fury, it was doubtful there was anyone alive or dead quite as gigantic as he was. That man had been accepting Prodigium and Acies at the fastest rate and was surrounded by nothing short of a legion of followers from bulky young men that were surely the spitting image of their Dominus long ago to small little girls that seemed quite unfitting. However his work ethic was running strong amongst them and they were taking their job of building the first defensive wall seriously with already a quarter of the massive construction already formed, currently the Fury himself was aiding them by juggling massive blocks of lethality stone that took no less than ten regular Arrancar to move normally. Death was mentioning this to Wisher when a piercing voice called out his name from below and for a short moment his right eye glowed a pale green before his inborn instincts calmed and he looked down with a smile.

“UP WHATS DEATH-NII!!!?” a young man with brown skin and blond hair waved at him with a big grin on his face as he carted a massive sack on his back five times his size and ran off toward the largest portion of Las Noches under reconstruction, he looked back at several men following him, “Did we says it right?!!!”

“DEMENTIA-SAMA WAIT UP!!!...AND NO YOU DIDN'T!!!” several skinny young lads ran after the man who was cackling with joy, each carrying a sack not even half the firsts size but still finding themselves incapable of keeping up.

A silence pervaded momentarily aside from the banging of reconstruction all around and then Wisher spoke in his gentle tone, “He's certainly changed.”

Death turned on his heel and looked at the man with an incredulous look, “Not at all, it had simply been to long since Dementia had friends, he's living in the old days for the time being. But...he's fundamentally broken, lets not forget that no matter what his current state says.”

Wisher waved a hand dismissively, “Do you really think I would?”

Death smiled just a tad and was about to answer when he looked past his comrade and a shape appeared from the dark. This portion of Las Noches was widely destroyed and while it was nothing for someone of Deaths caliber to reach this viewpoint it must have been quite troublesome for someone else to make it up from the inside. This seemed to be confirmed as a young female Arrancar with cerulean hair pulled herself over a destroyed ledge and plopped out on to the outcropping with a great sigh of relief. She had the face of the rest of her sisters aside from Viola and Narcissus whom were different, however this girl known as Juniperus seemed to always be far more in the know than the others and followed Death nearly as much as Wisher. When she collected herself and saw both of the Dominus grinning at her little show she turned beat red but just walked forward trying to busy herself with brushing off her arm. In the process she looked down at what Death had seen moments before and her face scrunched up a bit.

“Should they be doing that?”

“Doing what?” Death responded walking up next to her and tussling her hair momentarily leading to an amusing scene in which she tried futilely to get out from under his grip.

“Fury-sama and the others, their aiding directly, thats not a very leader like thing to do.”

With no warning Death spun her around to look straight at him but despite the aggressive movement his face still seemed kind though her face suggested she was worried she had said something stupid anyway, “No not at all. Thats why the prior leadership was doomed from the start, let everyone do as they wish and take care of themselves thats how they operated. What did it get them? Followers that wouldn't listen half the time, a group more focused on destroying each other than their true enemies and eventually they were destroyed and not by us at all...but rather by those from the inside.” He spun her around once more and placed one hand on the side of her head, “But look...look now. But a few days and these men and women already trust their appointed leaders like great friends. No quite the contrary Juniperus, the leader should not stand back and let others do the work, he should lead and gain their trust. Gain their trust as comrades and they will fight for your cause because they believe in it, not simply because you are stronger than them.”

Death grinned at a near fanatic level while they both looked out over the land. Working on the opposite end of the wall a group of individuals scattered backward and forward as large black snakes swung from side to side carrying blocks of lethality stone as if they were living cranes. Upon the wall a figure danced about his bright red hair flaring wildly, Aggribel the only Prodigium of Silence laughed and jumped about aiding his masters Acies. Even from here one could tell that he wasn't the only one though, certainly nobody liked to work but none doing so seemed aggravated by the measures. Then another group of Acies moved in as another left the wall and walked over to join a group sitting behind Silence. One of the men already sitting grabbed a bottled drink from next to him and threw it to an approaching girl who promptly caught it and then ran over and started berating him but in a seemingly good humored manner. They watched for a moment longer and then Juniperus spoke.

“So then if leaders should help...why are you up here?”

A long and painful silence followed in which Death just froze with no way to respond, moments later Wisher broke out into a fit of laughter at the unexpected question. Death backed off from the girl and ran his hand through his hair with a grimace as if it was the last thing he wanted to be asked.

Still laughing Wisher piped up, “Death has an allergy to work!”

Death made a shooing motion with his hand at the other man, “Ai, ai leave me alone.” He then turned on the girl with a mischievous grin and her face clearly had a 'foot-in-mouth' expression, “So you want to see me pull my weight ehhhh?”

Before she could even hope to respond he had grasped the small girl around her waist and leapt from his perch gliding down to the sand below. As he landed and kicked up a small plume of the white stuff his appearance was greeted by a few yelps from the less observant individuals that had been working below. Death let the girl go and she sighed wondering what she had gotten herself into. Those around quickly gave bows and affirmations of his status which he returned them in a nonchalant fashion. He was about to make his way forward when he seemed to detect something only he would have noticed and in one motion ripped a hammer out of the hand of a nearby worker and flung it behind him back toward the dome of Las Noches. A figure that had been leaping through the air was smacked squarely in the forehead went hurtling across the sands in a comical flipping fashion before skidding to a stop with an accompanied yelping explicative.

“I wondered where you had disappeared off to sleep this time Chaos. Right under my feet, ballsy I must say.”

“Gaaaaaaaaaahhhh! Dammit Death!” The other Dominus arose from a blow that would have in fact killed a weaker individual with little more than a look of mild annoyance and sleepiness, “I'm no good with building shit, I'm good at tearing it down. My Acies is doing a good job for me, right boys?!”

Despite the fact that several of the surrounding men gave prompt salutes in agreement Death simply shook his head, “If you don't want to help repair the bloody wall then use your damned brain and help Wisher with his plans, don't be so useless.”

Chaos seemed ready to argue some more as he threw his hands to his sides in a manner befitting a teenager when both of them were overshadowed by a series of manic cackles from afar. A huge puff of dust appeared on the horizon as something charged through the sands like a bulldozer, only a bulldozer accompanied by the giggling of a girl. It moved with great speed and Death was already holding his forehead as if a headache was forming from what he knew was coming. Within the blink of an eye it became apparent that it was a huge pile of unexplained hooks that looked more appropriate for a siege than defense being dragged to their appropriate place by no less than a dozen men of varying builds. Sitting atop the pile of hooks the young gothic-clothed Agony sat giggling to herself and snapping a whip at the followers while the silent black haired Victim sat next to her with a blank expression, a mismatched pair if ever there was one and yet they often seemed to be together though the latter never spoke.

Death tried to hide behind one of the large men nearby in an amusing fashion but Agony and her Booboo-meter sensed him immediately. The girl called out his pet-name in the most hideously drawn out “kawaii” voice and she instantly ordered a stop to the hook train. Death smacked his hand into his face a few times before he stepped out from his quickly fashioned hiding spot and waved at her with a smile only she couldn't tell was forced. The workers came to a stop and immediately sat down taking deep heaving breaths as Agony jumped down into the sand leaving Victim sitting by herself, seemingly clueless to the world around her.

Before the little girl could speak Death pointed at her Acies, “Didn't I tell you to treat them better?”

“Awww but they like it, don't you my little puppies?” Agony moved over to one of the workers and tickled him under his chin to which he let out a 'woof' noise forcing Death to once again shake his head, “BUT THATS BESIDE THE POINT!!! I've been looking for my Booboo-kun!”, Death looked annoyed and try as she might to hide it Juniperus looked ready to kill Agony over the name.

“Don't you have a job to do?”

“DON'T BE LIKE THAT BOOBOO!!! Our time together is much more important!”

“Theres plenty of time in this world, Fury and Silence need the hooks yes?”

Agony grunted and looked both disappointed and angry but without another word, as if some unseen barb had been traded, she turned around and jumped back on top of the hooks with a single bound. She immediately raised her whip and lashed out with a scream, this time she seemed clearly violent with none of the prior amusements and so the worker train charged back off through the sand with double the speed. Juniperus scratched her head and shrugged, “She doesn't usually give up so easily.”

“We talked a bit about her behavior yesterday, she's probably still mad.”

Juniperus simply nodded, clearly not wanting to know what had really taken place nor what it would have taken to get the typically calm Death to speak out. He planted his hands on his hips and looked around as he rolled his head in his socket, “So, this was your idea, what should we do first?”, he grinned at her and she jumped back in surprise as if she couldn't believe he was actually telling her to give him an order, “Come on now, don't have all day here!” though despite his words his face said he did in fact have all day and this was something of a game to him.

[kensei]

It was another clear, shinny, hot, day in Hueco Mundo. Under the new leadership of the Arrancar, the “Horror Vacui.” They had just issued orders for the rebuilding of Los Noches, as well as adding several defensive measures. All of which where proving to make Los Noches a far stronger palace. It was actually shocking that none of them had been implemented in the past, in truth the upgrades where in all actuality, common sense.

Taza walked around the outside of Los Noches simply looking to help with whatever needed doing. Or maybe he would be issued orders from the Horror Vacui, the bastards that they where, or at least that is what they where in Taza’s mind, he hated them, but he couldn’t argue that they where helping the Arrancar more then Lady Calixta ever had. But his past run-ins with the Horror Vacui, and the anger that still burned inside him from them, blinded him from the sole fact that they where doing wonders for the land. He had come under the arrancar broken mentally, and because of this his mind was influenced greatly by the royal family and he couldn’t help but care for Lady Calixta, he guarded her much during her life and felt like he had failed her when she was killed like a dog.

The thoughts of the death of his friends, Lady Calixta, and his battles with the Horror Vacui, and more notably Death, all rushed threw his mind in a instant. He shook his head, trying to purge the thoughts from his mind. But the memories had made him completely oblivious to the outside world, so much in fact that Agony, and her Acies which happened to be charging at him. He made a sharp turn only to see the pair in his face. With a high pitched scream he felt his body pushed to the ground then ran over by the giant feet that the man had. Red, was the new color of the sand that surrounded Taza’s face, as his smashed noise bled out. “Ouch.” He said weakly before getting up looking at his, rather wrinkled, clothes. His black shirt was stained with his own blood, his paints where slightly ripped, his katana’s hand guard was in need of removal from the skin right after his shoulder blade ended. He put his hand against the katan’s hilt pushing it out of his back, it made a loud, ’pah’ sound as it left his back. “Ah…” he said looking at Death and Wisher, his eyes spinning in circles while his nose continued to bleed. “Hi.” He said just as weakly as everything else he had said this day.

After a moment he collected himself and used his shirt to stop the bleeding while he fixed his nose. He kneeled before them, still clogging his noise with his shirt. “What is it that my lords require of me today?” He said with a very slight hint of sarcasm in it. He was willing to work for the Horror Vacui. But he didn't want to be anywhere near them. He was trying to show as my loyalty to them as he could, but if he hung around with them he felt sure they would see straight threw him.

[wanzer]

Sojukin laid quietly in his secluded room, lost in thought as he soaked in his tub with a rag covering his nether region as every now and then someone would barg in and tell him he had to go do something or another around Hueco Mundo. This greatly annoyed him on such occassions and had destoried his entire room twice in a fury after these interruptions, but today was no such day. His eyes opened with a start as his trance ended aburptly and sweeping out of the tub dried himself off rapidly by releasing some of his reitsu that evaporated the water on his body. Stepping to look into the mirror he admired himself, allowing himself to indulge in the image for a while, before fixing his appearance and moving on to retrieve his clothing. Leaving the bathroom, he stepped calmly into his own bedroom as his eyes wondered over it for a moment.

The entire room was empty and made of the same white material as the rest of Hueco Mundo. It was small and almost completely barren aside from the double bed stashed into a corner so not to disrupt the flow of the room. Sojukin issued a low growl from his throat as he sensed someone under his bed and thought to himself that this had better not be some damn fraccion that got lost looking for their own room. Shaking his head, he waited for whatever it was to come out from under his bed thinking that soon his room would be much larger and he would be able to do more with it. He was tired of being so cramped in this tiny place and was ready for something bigger and better. Just as his thoughts ended a tiny little head popped out from his bed and it was mouse like Arrancar.

"Squeek....Yo mac, your needed outside..we need more workers...Squeek."

The mouse Arrancar's face was still almost entirely wrapped in it's arrancar mask though its nose stuck through it constantly twitching and was almost the same color as blood. The thing finally came out all the way from under the bed and Sojukin noted it wasn't much larger than two feet long and only a couple inches off the ground. He looked at it disgustedly, it was hideous! An abomination to the world, its entire body was covered in a mingy white fur and in some areas its skin was showing. Its tail was bony and was cut in half from a normal rats. Sojukin gulped and looked at the thing with disgust as it talked to him like it was stronger than him again.

"Squeek...MAC...GO OUTSIDE!"

Sojukin's eyebrow twitched as he looked down at the thing offended and disgusted, before it could speak again, Sojukin stepped on the Arrancar and crushed his spine leaving it paralzyed, before throwing him out the window outside of his room. After washing his hands again, he walked outside and noticed that the Horror Vacui were standing on higher grounds most of them not working, though Fury was doing the work of a damn army. He respected the Horrors, though only because of the shear amount of power each of them held, aside from that he didn't respect anything about anybody nor did he hold anyone with an iota of trust. His paranoia from the betrayal near his death had made sure of that, though he began to think this was a good opportunity considering the Tres Espada position was avalible at the moment. Grinning to himself that blonde arrancar sat down to watch some of the workers, before jumping up near the Horrors and bowing to Death.

"Lord Death...I am Sojukin Asamoto...I wish to be made the Third Espada. I'm sure you can sense that my power is large enough to make the position sir and that I am more than ready to kill anyone that stands in my way. Death, I know I am the best canidate for this position and if you think there is one more worthy allow me to tear him or her to shreds so that I may show you my power."

In truth, Sojukin was only feigning his undying allegance to Death, but he still saw him as the most powerful being around him and that deserved respect...at least till Sojukin devised away to kill him and rob him of his power taking it for his own. Though that was years of planning and there was much power to gain first, Primera would come after Sojukin took care of Taza, but that would come after he became the Tres. Taza had been under his skin for a long time, he was far too nonchalant to be the dos...the bastard was too busy drinking to even bother to fight in any battles. Hell, he had retreated in one just because the freaking shinigami gave him a fifty for some booze. This was inexcusable in his mind as an espada was always to be ready to fight and ready to eliminate the threats to Hueco Mundo.

Sojukin's mind grinned as he thought this while he kept a straight face for Death. Considering he, himself could possibly become a threat to Hueco Mundo's kings and queens in due time the Espada should have killed him, but no matter they did not know the inner machinations of his mind and only by some form of Dues Ex Machina would they ever. He rose his eyes to look up at Death as he awaited his answer, though respectfully kept his head bowed slightly as to show that he was submitting himself to Death's will, no matter what that may be. He thought for a moment as he kept bowing to the Horror Vacui and his mind seethed with rage from the thought of being controlled.

"Enjoy this while it lasts Death...I won't always be so willing to bow to you."

That was Sojukin's final thought as he waited for Death's answer. The only other thing that even came into view or into his mental process was the thudding of Fury's massive frame moving about with huge stones to repair the damage to Hueco Mundo and hundreds of scampering Arrancar trying to do the same amount of work that Fury was putting in. If Sojukin wasn't so busy groveling to Death, he might have been awestruck.

[Firechild]

The shadows that were cast from the drifts of Hueco Mundo shifted as the figure of Rakugosha, a newborn Arrancar walked through them as he treked toward the white walls of Las Noches. The tattered clothes that remained from the combination of the intense battle he fought as a Vasto Lorde, to the transformation and evolution he underwent to gain his formidable power. And it was formidable, most of the reietsu signatures within Las Noches were no more than flies in comparison. Coming to a stop, Raku gazed at the walls of Las Noches. Or rather, the lack there of. The occupants with the mostly low reietsu signatures were scurrying about rebuilding and fortifying the fortress like worker bees and a hive. "Well, well, well...How about that. The Arrancar...organized. Never thought I'd see the day Hollow's would be more organized than the Reapers, or Maestro within the depths of Menos Forest." The Arrancar's musings caused a grin to spread across his face as he walked across the threshold, entering the white fortress, getting stares as people gaped at him. His appearance was rather shabby, he looked like he crawled out from under a rock. Not to far off either. But what really got them was the familiar reietsu signature, the fact that he was the infamous Shirakarite; leader of the Reapers one of the most dangerous Hollow factions in Hueco Mundo aside from the Espada themselves.

"Hey, hey! Take a picture it'll last longer!" He shouted rolling his eyes as he hopped onto a forty foot wall and sat down letting his legs swing over the edge. He had a good view of the whole of Las Noches from his vantage point. He looked down at himself, noticing his clothes for the first time. "MAN I need some new threads..." With a groan, the Arrancar lolled his head back to gaze at the black sky. He closed his eyes, letting his newly enhanced Pesquisa fill his vision. He could sense every minuscule form of life within 30 miles, but what really kept his attention is the dozen or so massive powers that all but dwarfed his own. These were the Horror Vacui, the ones who ultimately crushed the Shinigami invaders, the sheer power they held was staggering, the one known as The Fury in particular...a regular juggernaut that was doing enough work for around 30 of the lesser Arrancar. Than there was Death...talk about looks can be decieving...beneath the surface the Dominus was probably one of, if not the strongest being there. Like a burning nova in the middle of a cluster of lesser stars.

Raku opened his eyes, turning his gaze back to the masses of Arrancar skittering about to rebuild Las Noches to an even greater glory then it once possessed. The fact that the Horror Vacui were able to take the chaotic Espada and company that the Royal Family had so irresponsibly led, and make them as organized as this in a matter of days, was a miracle in Raku's eyes. For that more than anything is what makes Raku respect Death. His leadership skills were nothing short of amazing. It was for this reason that he wished to serve the Horror Vacui in anyway possible...so long as he got free Sake. "Yeah...Sake sounds pretty damn good right now..." Leaping down from his perch, the Arrancar just happened to find a lesser Arrancar slacking off with a bottle of Sake in his hand. "You might want to get back to work before someone catches you..." A grin spread across his face as the Arrancar sighed and nodded before getting back to work, leaving the Sake behind. "Well, how about that...certainly nice of him." Raku said cheerfully as he picked the bottle up and brought it to his lips in a swift fluid motion. Releasing the bottle from his mouth, he smacked his lips in glee. "Ahhh, that's better. Now...what to do, what to do..."

The Arrancar walked through the many workers who scurried here and there dressed in blank and gold. "I would love to have threads like those...wonder where I can get some..." Raku stopped, pausing as an interesting thought came to his mind."Surely Death has noticed me long before now...I wonder if he would allow me to come on as the new Espada Tres...I hear it's one of the spots that are open...Surely there are few who can defeat me in battle that aren't the Horror Vacui themselves..." His grin returned in full force. "That'd give me two solutions to two problems...I'd be able to help Death further his ends, and I'd get more Sake." A chuckle radiated from his throat as he began making his way toward where he sensed Death, and another two Horror Vacui were. That was when another presence entered his vision. "Oh? Now this is interesting...it would seem a youngling has approached Death..." Gathering reishi in the hole in his wrist, Raku radiates it outward in a sonar like burst, making sounds come back to him like an echo. Including the false pleadings of the young Arrancar for the Espada Tres position. "Well, it looks like I have some competition...I wonder how this will end..."

Using Sonido, Raku vanished from sight with a burst of static and reappeared behind Sojukin who was by this time kneeling before Death. "Yoh, Death. How's it goin brotha?" Raku spoke in a friendly attitude, showing he respected Death, and also sought his friendship. Raku's gaze shifted to the kneeling Sojukin. Cocking an eyebrow, Raku spoke in a quizzical tone. "Who are you anyway, and why are you doing that?" He asked, indicating the kneeling. Without waiting for an answer, Raku shifted his attention back to Death, a friendly smile back on his face. "Oh hey, I was just curious...any chance I could apply for the Espada Tres position?" The White Reaper simple stood there, in his battered clothes with his hands clasped behind his back. "Oh! And I was hoping I could get some new threads? These are kind of...ah, worn...And those black outfits look tight."

[GoldenKitten]

Juniperus hardly had time to answer him when Death briefly turned his head and stared over her shoulder in disbelief. Following his gaze she turned around to find Taza the Dos Espada standing up from where it appeared he had just been run over moments before. Death cocked one eyebrow still looking at the high-level subordinate as if he were the most ridiculous thing the man had ever laid eyes on. As the Espada brushed himself off Death leaned in near Juniperus and whispered in a very not-whispery voice so that anyone close could hear.

“He's supposed to be strong right?”

Juniperus looked slightly surprised as if she did not want to answer because even close to Death as she was Taza was still infinitely stronger than herself, “Er, well he is strong.”

“Sooo...why'd he get run over?”

“His mind seems to be elsewhere.” She replied calmly.

“Oh right, right, because he doesn't like me right? Something about killing that Calixta girl, maybe they were close?”

For a moment the atmosphere turned incredibly tense or at least most of the surrounding Arrancar interpreted it as such. The workers backed off with incredible speed as if they expected someone to strike the other at any moment and Juniperus looked at Death as if he had lost his mind. On the other hand Death was just smiling at Taza as if he had done little more than issue a greeting but for the briefest moment his eyes shined with concealed amusement. After what surely felt like eons to those weaker individuals around but had in fact been little more than seconds Death waved at the Espada and then threw his hand up. He carted Juniperus around with one arm and pointed her toward Taza while speaking in a dramatic voice to Taza's question for orders.

“We were just trying to decide the same. What do you think, what should we do Juniperus? We could do it together with Taza! Now come on, there are two of us now tell us what we should do!” He was making a show of things, it was clear that while Death didn't mind being kind to get results he also didn't have a second thought about using force or psychological coercion.

The girl once more turned beat red as seemed her trend when put on the spot but given the forces that surrounded her one could hardly be blamed. Luckily she was saved from having to make a choice when Death was once more approached by a young arrancar that was not unknown to Death nor those around him. Truth be told this young man had been a contender when the Dominus were choosing their Prodigium but in the end he had been judged to self-serving, while that was a trait that could be controlled it was not preferable when your plans were of a secretive nature. Now though such weaknesses could be put aside in favor of the strength he could give, of course Death would never say such things to someone he did not trust, and those he trusted were few. Instead he gave the young boy and inquisitive eye for a moment before turning to Juniperus who by this point looked ready to die after all the attention he was placing on her.

“So...whats an Espada again?”

“Kaaaah?!!” Juniperus looked at him in shock, “Well, the Espada were the leading class before we arrived.”

“Oh riiight...” Death grinned.

Strategy came in all sorts of forms and it was clear that Death had a very clear strategy for those with ulterior motives. He realized that to Sojukin the position of Espada was extremely prestigious and a stepping stone up the ladder of leadership, thus by downplaying its importance to that of information he didn't even know he was in a way downplaying Sojukins importance. This was not as counter-intuitive as it seemed, much as he had with Taza he was pointing out that he could see straight through these men without having to say it so directly. Death held his left arm out by the wrist with his right hand while looking down at the man and then after freeing his hands reached out toward the bowing Arrancars face. Even though there seemed to be no killing intent behind his movements and they were conducted slowly even a foot away from Sojukins face it was as if a lead weight had dropped inside his body trying to pull him down. However Death suddenly stopped and a large grin formed across his face as he turned around.

“I was wondering when you would stop hiding out there in the dunes...” his comment was aimed at Raku before the other man could even introduce himself, he waved in response to the others greeting.

Death completely turned his back on Sojukin while he listened to the newcomer proving that he was never distracted and was always thinking about what was around him. He was once again pushing on the mans vanity, daring him to strike out while exposing a weakness while in fact his attention was on all things around him, singular concentration was for the weak. He almost cackled when Raku aided his pokes at Sojukin by asking him why he was bowing and Death couldn't help but answer for the young Arrancar.

“Well you see, their convinced that if they bow to me and say 'Yes, sir' enough that I'll somehow miss the fact that their aiming for my back the whole time, just biding their time until they think their strong enough to take my place.” Despite his words his face was just as light as it had been before.

“Must you always push buttons?” a thundering but kind voice echoed out from behind the group who all turned to find the Fury standing before them, somehow despite his massive frame he had crossed the entire field between and now stood before them without being spotted or making a sound, “It's obvious what they have come for, let them get on with it.”

“Yes, yes.” Death waved his hand at the large man, “So Raku” and he made no explanation of how he knew the mans name, “Why don't you tell us what you want, just so the slow ones amongst us understand?”

Raku obliged and though Death made no comments it seemed from the outside at least that he liked this man. Of course in reality he just approved of how well he complimented his own jabs, and his candor was perhaps a tad refreshing. Once the man had finished Death nodded his head a few times and then turned to Fury.

"By the gods, this sort of fated meeting could only take place in poorly planned out amateur fiction!" Death looked upward toward the sky and scanned both directions momentarily before returning his attention to those before him.

“Well anyway their both strong enough, but their both asking for the same position, what should we do?” It was all one big theater to him, but before Fury could answer a voice called out from somewhere behind Sojukin.

“Hey! How can you know their strong enough! I've never even seen that one guy before, I could be stronger than him!”

There were so many arrancar gathered around them it could have been any one of them that spoke but it didn't really matter. Death rolled his head in its socket in both direction before his face took on a stoic and uncaring expression, he briefly through it backwards and Juniperus didn't need to be told twice as she took several steps back behind Death. He raised a hand toward each of the prospective Espada and for the first time his all encompassing killing aura could be felt by all, however despite this it seemed he was collecting barely any reishi in his body, he growled with annoyance “They are, so blind”. Without warning he flicked a single ring finger out toward each man and then retracted his arms, and then...nothing happened, he then turned out toward where the voice had come from.

“This is my proof. I can see all strength with these eyes of mine, I do not need it proven by physical skill.”

The entire group looked at him as if they didn't understand, then just as voices began to call out something unexpected happened. An unfathomable blast of intense and superheated air shot off in both directions and struck both men standing before Death full force and though they might be forced backward a few meters neither was sent much further. In comparison for almost two hundred meters around workers of all shapes and sizes went flying through the air and slamming into the ground even further away, had Hueco Mundo not been made of sand these landings would surely have been deadly. During this entire time the Fury merely crossed his arms and acted as if he were standing in a noon-day wind. When all was said and done the workers that had been thrown back began to arise though now quite far away leaving the two men, the two Dominus and Deaths followers as the only ones standing in a massive circle of flattened sand, Taza was there too but it was clear he was intended to back off. If one looked for several seconds a delayed glowing green fire of reishi formed on both of Deaths ring fingers before smoldering out.

Deaths demeanor changed and he once again smiled while looking to both men, “But on the other hand I don't suppose either of you are willing to just admit that you are the weaker huh? Even if I told you the result you would not believe me, you would always doubt and think yourself the superior. And so, to insure as little descent between my followers as possible you will need to prove this to yourselves. So as you Sojukin have put forward yourself let us see whom crushes whom. I do believe there are two positions open here and I need two alive and strong followers, I do not make waste and so when this has been clearly decided I will put an end to it whether you agree or not. You will do no damage to the fortifications we have built and while I will not penalize you if this rabble gets in your way of their own fault while observing I will punish you severely if you eliminate any of our growing army with obvious intent, I do not waste that which has been given me and if you intend to be our followers you will learn not to as well. If you agree to these conditions then here and now you can prove your strength and position to the entire population. Even if this abrupt challenge annoys you think of it as a gift, your strength will not be questioned for quite some time.”

Death stepped back a bit and raised his hand in a chopping motion, he looked to both men and awaited their confirmation. Then without a moments hesitation he released his hand downward which sent a momentary wave across the ground and formed a clear line in the sand between the two, “You may begin.”

[kensei]

Taza’s face went from as collected and happy as he could make it to blank, with a very small amount of shock and fear tucked away in his eyes. He quickly exiled them as Death called out exactly what he felt. How? How? he thought to himself as he listened to the man. He had taken every measure he thought possible to avoid him realizing his true intentions. Damn it what do I do? He thought before saying to himself. Calm down Taza, he isn’t attacking yet. Just stay calm, and you will see the next day. He closed his eyes for a second once again pushing his fear out.. That was until anger took its place. “Something about killing that Calixta girl, maybe they were close?” That threw him over the edge, he could take almost anything without getting angry, but mentioning the death of Lady Calixta so lightly that it was almost mockery was just too much for him to keep suppressed. Taza could not, not speak anymore; he didn’t care if it was the death of him.

He let out a slight chuckle and said. “Your right, I hate your fucking guts Death. You have taken much from me, and your right, one day I will try to take my revenge..” He said looking at him coldly as his nose stopped bleeding. He formed a fist in his hand as he dug his near nonexistent fingernails into his hand. He stood up slowly, not trying to look threatening, but he was ready to lay his life on the line right then and there if he had to. But luckily for him, Sojukin, a murderous bastard who embodied everything that was bad about the espada, in Taza’s eyes, had appeared. And Death once again stabbed at there power compared to his, giving Taza an unneeded reminder of how weak he was in comparison to Death. Even as arguably the strongest Espada, on par with even the Primera espada, Taza was nothing compared to Death. Taza couldn’t help but look down while he mocked them.

He lifted his head slowly, and took note of the fact that Shirakarite had stepped onto the scene, he hardly noticed his power with all of the Horror Vacui around, and not surprisingly he was also asking for the Tres espada position. “Not good.” He whispered to himself as Death once again started talking about this and that. He was paying no attention to his words at this point, only paying attention to Death’s movements. As he saw him pull his arms up and flick his fingers into the air, he braced himself for some form of an attack. But the attack never came, well; not for a while at least. He looked with widened eyes as he saw the air change and cascade towards them. Fuck! He thought as the violent tempest smashed against his body, having let himself relax after death turned around he was forced to take a few steps back before reinforcing himself. He was lucky the wind hadn’t knocked him over like it had the two applying for Tres espada. As death cut a line in the sand he felt the current hit his body right as he regained his balance. Nothing happened that time though, only his hair blowing violently. Taza sighed as he teleported in front of death, face to face he looked him right in the eye coldly eight seconds precisely before saying. “Unlike with these cowards, when I make my move it will be for your face. Not you back.”

[wanzer]

A cold sweat ran down Sojukin's spine as the benign presence of Death suddenly released his full murderous intent and left a cacophony of thoughts ringing out through his head. He had just been show through as if his poker face had been the tell of a century. Sojukin gulped as he looked up toward Death and felt Fury's presence behind him as well, hiding his trembling Sojukin remained silently, but stood completely up while the Horrors disputed amoungst themselves for a while. He dismissed their actions as childish playing for the moment, but the seriousness of the matter struck him like a blow and their sublime power rocked him like a freight train.

What the hell had he been thinking? They were nigh unstoppable, his only hope of ever taking even the weakest one down would be to have the help of the other arrancar. Taking his upright position, he couldn't help, but feel his body slightly heavy in their presence, but refocusing his reitsu amoungst himself, he easily rebalanced his body. The assuage of that weight made him feel like and airy and able to soar with ease, but he could still sense it there, waiting...watching...ready to pounce like the most savage of animals. He gulped, Death was not one to be messed with.

Sojukin's eyes meandered with his thoughts and soon found himself locking eyes while Death was speaking to one of the Horrors in the background. You will regret this desicion for the rest of your life Raku, he thought silently to himself as the perspicacity of his mind increased and he had to force himself to remain calm and not to show his rage in front of the Horrors. I'm going to kill him...I will no matter how long it takes, that bastard is trying to take my place, well I'll show him, noone ever tries to usurp Sojukin Asamoto. These were Sojukin's thoughts before, he heard Death speak.

“This is my proof. I can see all strength with these eyes of mine, I do not need it proven by physical skill.”

"What do you....!?"

Sojukin's eyes widened as he felt the blast come out of Death's fingers moments later from his motion. He barely managed to put his arms up to keep the attack from ripping through his chest, but it destoried the clothing around his arms and pushed him back about two meters, gulping he looked back to Raku and stared him down evily as he listened to the rest of Death's speech. The entire time he was staring down the other soon to be Espada, his thoughts kept focusing on Death, how much power did he have? Why did he hold himself back? What was his goal and why hadn't he achieved it yet? Why did he need the Arrancar? These kept swarming through him, yet no answer came and soon the time for thought was over as he heard Death chop his hands.

"You may begin.”

Sojukin's thoughts cleared away and the red battle mist rolled into his eyes and thoughts, he had been one thought and one thought only now, 'KILL'. He wasted no time and drew his sword using sonido up against Raku while he was still surprised with Death's sudden announcement. Moving to step upon Raku's arm, his blade swung down coming across from right to left creating what looking like a bloody red trail in air as he went to slash for the throat. Pure rage had engulfed Sojukin now and he let it all flow through his body igniting the air with his reitsu which caused the tempature in the area to increase by twenty degrees from the sheer amount of it.

"YO TENGO TRES ESPADA, NO TU!!!"

After screaming that as his blade flew down Sojukin created three Fuegos de Daibillio around himself to use as shields later. His eyes were wide and his body was almost trembling with his anger which flowed out of him uncontrobably, he saw nothing off bounds and he needed only to defeat this opponent to secure himself in with the strongest of the strong, until that happened, no mercy for mercy is for the weak and even then the weak are just there to be devoured. Gritting his teeth, he forced his arm to swing faster and waited for the sound of his blade striking flesh or steel.

[Zhiel]

Well, another 'productive' day in the fortress of the prideless fools. Wandering at the edge of the massive white dome, with holes and large ruined sections everywhere Kehieleth was reminded of his days of war with the first so called "Royal" Arrancar. He had been a worthy opponent to be sure, one of the first if not the first Vasto Lorde, but in the end he had thrown his pride away to become one of the pseudo-shinigami, no longer worthy of calling himself a Hollow. No matter how much Kehieleth despised the 'man' though, he had to admit that since his shedding of the mask, the man had always been stronger than him, and it had taken the combined forces of two of the first Vasto Lorde to finally bring him down. Sadly by then it had been too late to destroy the newly erected Las Noches, as the bastard had 'made' a successor to his power and position, one whom would eventually become the father of Desperado and Calixta. The war of the old Vasto Lorde and the new Arrancar had truly ravaged the deserts of Hueco Mundo, where once stood large structures built by the few sentient Hollow around there was only jagged rocks and quarts now, and the very center of Hueco Mundo, where Kehieleth had held his own fortress once, was an eternal maelstrom of ravenous energies, too dangerous even for him at the height of his power.

Then he suddenly snapped out of his deep thoughts, noticing a sudden raise in spirit pressure just ahead of him. Indeed, it was not just anyone either, it was Death himself who let out a small bit of his true strength, giving the foolish arrancar around him a taste of true power. It did not escape Kehieleth's attention however that the man had his arms pointed straight at two other Arrancar standing right infront of him, with a large group of lesser arrancar, some possibly not even Numéros, standing some ways behind them. Though most would not have been able to tell, Kehieleth's thousands of years of experience gave him the heads up he needed to see what was comming, and thus moved his left carapace covered claw-hand to the hilt of Hitozarai and focused his reiatsu to the shadow beneath him. Hueco Mundo was rather convinient for the zanpakutou's abilities, even without the light of the eternal full moon, which made Las Noches cast a massive shadow over the land, there were plenty of 'unnatural' shadows covering the white desert. Right now however, Kehieleth needed only utilize the shadows of Las Noches itself, as he moved from the white sands, up onto a section of the nearly completed wall, almost flying up from the shadow covering it, but stopping the moment he had completely manifested above it. Even with the large height difference now, Kehieleth decided to brace himself either way as he let go of the katanas hilt and got down on all four, digging his clawed hand into a crack in the wall, moments before people below went flying, and then he was hit by the powerfull wave of force. As he had been prepared however, it did not affect Kehieleth as badly as it could have, but with his current level of power he would have shared the foolish arrancar's fate if he had remained below....

Even with him concealing Azerin's side of his reiatsu, using Hitozarai's ability had let a bit of it slip through and though he had a mask fragment on his face like the arrancar and wore the same black uniform with gold lining (though with the cloth over his chest being two large 'straps' tied to his waist and then folded over his shoulders on each side, covering most of his chest while leaving his arms and the sides of his torso exposed, which gave a clear view of the white carapace covering his left side. Despite all this however, Kehieleth coulden't help but notice a few stares at his back as he stood up, apparently some had felt the slight precense of Shinigami reiatsu, perhaps all of them wasn't complete fools afterall. Either way he hardly had the time to deal with some Numéros, and it seemed whatever was going on with Death and the two Arrancar had begun as the one on the right turned on the other one, and began to shout in spanish. Kehieleth simply shook his head slowly, giving a real "how sad" expression, before he leaned his claw-hand on the hilt of Hitozarai as he vanished into the shadows once more and re-appeared beside Death. "I see you're having your share of fun. So I take it this is some form of test, are they 'trying out' for one of the vacant Espada positions?" Kehieleth asked, keeping his unflinching gaze at Sojukin as he chased after Raku, there was something about both of them which he felt he should recognize, in particular with the second Arrancar, yet he coulden't quite shake it. Perhaps he had met them before they threw away their pride.

[Firechild]

“I was wondering when you would stop hiding out there in the dunes...” Raku grinned, no surprise there that Death had sensed him. He was after all one of, if not the most powerful figure in all of Hueco Mundo. As Raku turned to Sojukin to ask why he was kneeling, he looked back up at Death as he answered for the youngin'. “Well you see, their convinced that if they bow to me and say 'Yes, sir' enough that I'll somehow miss the fact that their aiming for my back the whole time, just biding their time until they think their strong enough to take my place.” The whole time Death was talking, it felt like it was just another day in an average life. Raku was enjoying himself for sure and looked at Death with mild surprise.

"Ah well...they must be stupid than. I mean seriously, do you guys even think?" Raku shook his head in exaggerated exasperation. Taza, the Dos espada chuckled softly as he said something about hating Death. "How can anyone HATE you brotha'?" Raku said to Death. "I mean...you're a nice enough guy..." The White Reaper shrugged when the voice of the Fury resounded behind him.

“Must you always push buttons?” That guy is a ninja...a giant ninja...The Fury had appeared seemingly out of nowhere behind the group with such a loud and mighty voice that it was no wonder why he was respected. That coupled with his large frame made him a truly ominous figure. However the way he spoke was quite friendly all things considering. “It's obvious what they have come for, let them get on with it.”

“Yes, yes.” Death waved his hand at the large man. “So Raku, why don't you tell us what you want, just so the slow ones amongst us understand?”" Well of course he would know Raku's true name...but did he have to say it? I was trying to keep my name on the down low...Oh well...No helping it now, everyone knows it. After Raku explained what he wanted, Death looked at the Fury and with a clearly amused demeanor said something that made the White Reaper grin even more broadly than before. "By the gods, this sort of fated meeting could only take place in poorly planned out amateur fiction!" Death looked upward toward the sky and than back at the company that had gathered. “Well anyway their both strong enough, but their both asking for the same position, what should we do?”

“Hey! How can you know their strong enough! I've never even seen that one guy before, I could be stronger than him!” Some random arrancar that was weak as all hell complained. Big mistake...

Death growled with a clearly irritated posture as he raised his arms, pointed at Sojukin and Raku. “They are, so blind”. Without warning he flicked a single ring finger out toward each man and then retracted his arms, and then...nothing. Hm...this won't be fun...

“This is my proof. I can see all strength with these eyes of mine, I do not need it proven by physical skill.” Without warning, a blast of such intense air that Raku was only caught slightly off balance cascaded through the area. It shredded what remained of Raku's top, while he back flipped in the air to regain his balance and landing gracefully no more than a couple meters back.

"Well, that was certainly refreshing..." Raku said with a smile. "Now I REALLY need new clothes..." Raku felt the heated gaze of Sojukin and turned toward him, cocking an eyebrow and than grinning at him, waving his hand as if to say 'hi', before turning his attention back to Death.

Death smiled while looking to both Raku, and Sojukin. “But on the other hand I don't suppose either of you are willing to just admit that you are the weaker huh? Even if I told you the result you would not believe me, you would always doubt and think yourself the superior."

Taza without warning teleported in front of Death and glared at him. And said a few words Raku couldn't make out, but he would bet anything that the Segunda wasn't asking him out for lunch.

Raku shrugged and began speaking, ignoring Taza. "Well, of course not, he's only a child after all. Though, my years of experience have taught me not to judge a book by it's cover..." Raku spoke quietly, more to himself than anyone else really as Death continued.

"And so, to insure as little descent between my followers as possible you will need to prove this to yourselves. So as you Sojukin have put forward yourself let us see whom crushes whom. I do believe there are two positions open here and I need two alive and strong followers, I do not make waste and so when this has been clearly decided I will put an end to it whether you agree or not. You will do no damage to the fortifications we have built and while I will not penalize you if this rabble gets in your way of their own fault while observing I will punish you severely if you eliminate any of our growing army with obvious intent, I do not waste that which has been given me and if you intend to be our followers you will learn not to as well. If you agree to these conditions then here and now you can prove your strength and position to the entire population. Even if this abrupt challenge annoys you think of it as a gift, your strength will not be questioned for quite some time.”

"Oh how fun!" Raku spoke aloud this time, clearly in agreement with these arrangements. "I have yet to try out my power...Let's see how this kid does." He stretched and rolled his shoulders with a merry expression on his face, the tattoos on his arms flexing with the lean muscles beneath Raku's skin.

Death stepped back a bit and raised his hand in a chopping motion. Then without a moments hesitation he released his hand downward, making an invisible force cascade downward before it formed a clear line in the sand between the two, “You may begin.”

Without warning Raku senses went into high alert as he heard the static displacement of Sonido, before Sojukin appeared in front of him shouting in Spanish. "YO TENGO TRES ESPADA, NO TU!!!" Right...Raku had no idea what that meant, but than he didn't have time to contemplate it either. He began gathering energy in preparation for a use of his Becca, as he felt the air shift as Sojukin's blade came whistling through the air. Ducking down, Raku stuck his arm up next to the side of his head, the energy gathered by Beca heating the air around his arm as the blade buried itself into his Hierro strengthened arm, causing the blood to cauterize immediately, making the blade stick there, if only temporary.

"You're far too slow and predictable..." Raku said, his demeanor had completely changed, showing one of a battle hardened warrior who survived a hundred wars. Another surge of energy formed in the hole in his wrist, as he charged a Cero. Half the energy from his Beca laced down his wrist and into his palm, giving the Cero a violet hue as he pressed his hand into Sojukin's stomach and released the Cero point blank. The Cero was at around the same level as a normal cero, but because of his quick use of Beca, and not charging the Cero all the way, he was able to release a normal powered Cero a lot faster than normal. The rest of the Beca energy was pushed against Sojukin as Raku twisted his arm releasing the blade as he did half a dozen back handsprings to escape the blast as best he could. The large gash on his arm had been sealed from the heat generated by his reishi, giving him very little, if any hindrance at all. The pain wasn't a big deal. After several thousand years you got used to it. "A direct assault is never a good idea. It leaves you with a hundred and one openings in which a skilled opponent can easily slip through and cause a lot of damage. If you want any chance of defeating me, you're going to have to be much more creative." Raku crossed his arms, simply gazing at Sojukin and the effects his attack might have had against the much younger Arrancar.

[GoldenKitten]

And now two full grown men were banging on each others skulls in the middle of a spiritual desert...wonderful. Death didn't really approve of this but he knew his thinking was not like that of most individuals here, they had to see things with their eyes for them to be proven. If he had simply thrown the inevitable winner his prize without letting them both prove it to each other their agreement would have been short lived indeed. Sometimes as contradictory as it seemed it was best to let two individuals work a difference out the hard way in order to receive long term results. The loser of this battle would of course feel bitter and forever aim to eliminate the winner but he would also gain a slight respect for him, that respect no matter how ill-seated it was would keep the calm for a longer period than simply forcing the positions would have. It felt a bit like how the old rulers of Las Noches would have done things but clearly Death was thinking on levels they never had, developing an actual plan around this battle instead of just throwing one extreme power against another for sheer kicks.

It was however as this battle began that Taza appeared directly in front of Death and stepped up into his face. Death made no motion though, in fact for a moment it seemed that he was looking straight through the Dos Espada and was watching the fight before his eyes finally focused with again no signs of what he thought of the matter. He listened to Taza and all the while Juniperus was shaking her arms and her head in a silent warning behind Death trying to tell the Espada to shut up but of course he didn't stop. The response he received was utterly blank and untelling, it had not changed since the moment he had stepped in front of the man or so it seemed. In truth if someone had been paying close attention they might have noticed that the entire time the Espada had been speaking Deaths eyes had been narrowing to a greater and greater degree, a clear sign of both attention and no doubt an underlying level of annoyance or anger. With absolutely no warning or way to dodge the Dominus right hand shot out faster than seemed possible and was placed on top of Taza's head. Though from the outside it might have looked like a light grasp there was absolutely no way the man could have broken free. Then with him firmly in hand Death pulled Taza forcing him in an arc and dragging his feet through the sand until he deposited the Espada to his side and released him back to stand on his own.

“It is not polite to stand in ones way while they watch a show.” Death said with no humor and without looking at his “underling”.

“Welp I think thats enough of that!” A bellowing voice said from behind Taza.

Then once more with supernatural speed the Dos Espada found himself pulled off the ground though this time there didn't seem to be any anger behind it. A moment later he would realize that the Fury had appeared behind him and tossed him over his shoulder, a split second later and neither of them were there as the big man simply disappeared leaving Death alone with Juniperus, staring as he had before at the escalating battle. With no more interruptions Death brought one leg from under him and fell to the ground sitting 'Indian-style' just a scant few meters from where the two were doing battle. Juniperus got down too and scooted as close behind him as she could clearly realizing he was the only reason she could live through such powerful forces. It was not long before yet another specter from the past made his appearance next to Death who of course knowingly made no reaction and just let him speak while a few ceros went flying in front of them.

“Come now? Has the “glorious” Vasto Lorde lost his hearing in his old age as well? I'm sure you caught all that from your shadowy perch. Its just a thing...these people, they like all the rest can never really understand what it is to see, to know an outcome before it occurs. They have to bicker, and flaunt, and beat each other with sticks to prove anything to others and to themselves. But then I...and I am sure you as well have known that for a long time...why even ask?”

Death looked up at the half-man standing next to him, “Didn't get a real good look at you the other day, got pretty ugly in that thing didn't you? And oh how I'm sure the shame burrrrnnnsss.” Despite his words he did not seem to be attempting to push Kehieleths buttons as he had the others, just poking some fun at him and he quickly returned to the previous conversation, “This will insure they do what we need for the time we need it, nothing more, nothing less. So, are you just bored out of your mind and here to observe or are you taking to plotting fancy machinations as well?”

Meanwhile across the dunes back toward the wall almost a mile away Fury reappeared and quickly set Taza down on his feet. However with one large hand on the little mans shoulder he made sure he wasn't going anywhere, with his other hand extended into a single-massive finger he shook it back and forth like a father giving his child a 'talking-to'.

“There are smart decisions in life, there are dumb decisions in life, and there are really horrible life ending decisions in life. You tell me where you think directly threatening one of the top five strongest beings in existence sits on your scale why don't you?” Despite this one couldn't help but hear the slightly bemused tone in Fury's voice, it was likely nobody had directly conflicted with Death in such a manner before.

He released the mans shoulder and began walking toward the wall, “Follow.” he waited for Taza to do so, “Listen to me. I could try and persuade you that Death isn't a bad person but I know a futile gesture when I see one. Instead I will tell you this, in life you will sometimes come upon a situation you can do nothing about and as such you must simply grin, bear it and pray that it ends as soon as possible. This unfortunately for you is one of those times, this unfortunately for anyone who disagrees with Death is one of those times.”

He stopped and looked down at Taza and despite the mask he wore there was a distinct feeling of sympathy in his stance, “Let me tell you a story. About a thousand years ago when I first met Death I and Chaos were at war with several of our foes at once, we and they had taken dominion in the human world for a time, in fact if you look through human mythology you might find us but that is beside the point. What isn't beside the point is that they were monsters, every single one of them was as or stronger than you are now. Perhaps sometime I will tell you why we allied with Death but for now accept this, Death did battle with all five of them at once, including their countless underlings. Not only did he win, he did it with one hand, he was a bit cockier back then since he wasn't so close to seeing his plans come to fruition and he said it was to “have a bit more fun”. It wasn't even a battle Taza, he was mocking them just like he mocked the Shinigami the other day or how you witnessed him pushing buttons right now, he's very good at that. In all the time I have known him there has never been a single foe that has forced Death to be serious, its always a joke to him, battle is little more than another way to manipulate events as far as he is concerned because he does not lose. Its just one more grand theater to force things the way he desires.”

Fury let that sink in before he turned around and began walking toward the wall once more which they had almost reached, “So yes, sometimes in life you run against an impenetrable wall. Most would tell you that with hard work and effort any wall can be breached but as someone who has seen the incredible and godly powers that wander this existence we live in I can tell you the ignorance of these words. Sometimes going up against a block doesn't do much else than stop you dead...and sometimes it just makes you dead.”

Fury clapped his hands together and the sort of foreboding aura that had set in lifted, “NOW! Why don't you go get me a block, this will go allot faster with someone who can lift more to help!”

[wanzer]

Sojukin’s eyes widened at his blade getting stuck for a moment, then called back mentally to previous encounters and guessed what was coming next. The behavioral school of psychology served him well this time; he had jumped forward using a burst of sonido before allowing himself to fall while his blade remained in Raku’s arm. He rapidly descended through another use of sonido and came up underneath the elder hollow launching one of his Fuego's up between his legs, before sonidoing again up past Raku's chest to grab his blade and go straight up past him.

"You're far too slow and predictable..."

“You shouldn’t talk old man, you just pulled something I’ve seen before.”

Sojukin’s gaze wandered over to Death and the other for a moment as he fired a cero towards Raku without paying much heed. He was too busy chuckling over Taza’s situation and how he was being manhandled by the horrors. He couldn’t help it, he hated Taza with a burning passion just as he hated Raku. His respect for Death had grown after his statements and actions and he felt the threads of bonding being sown between though two though he knew Death would not reciprocate that said bond and he figured he was another pawn to him. That was the thing about insane people, they knew when they were being used as many of them are actually highly intelligent. Sojukin…not so much so, but he still knew the difference between, being used and being wanted. Shaking his head with a short fervent burst of zealousness, he swore to himself that he’d follow Death till he either surpassed him or died himself. He looked back at Raku as he grinned a little and thought it was about time to fight like the lunatic he was.

Sojukin’s mouth opened wide with his sadistic grin, his eyes widened as well. His tongue ran over his lips for a moment. He was ready for this fight to really get started and as time drew still with each moment the two locked eyes. Sojukin slowly felt that familar creeping feeling on the nape of his neck, that feeling of the skin crawling up in anticapation. It was: the thrill of battle, the desire to feed, the lust to watch his opponent's blood flow free, it was all of these things and more. It was pure ectasy and he wanted more and more of that feeling and he'd do anything for more of it. He readdressed Raku with a blissful sigh, before speaking to him out of pure insanity and sadistic notions.

“Come on old man, don’t be shy we’re just going on a carnival ride. We’ll dance and play all night and then when the time comes, you’ll enjoy the cotton candy and ferris wheels. But lo and below the sun is raising, so I’m sorry to say that your fun times that are now a dyin. So come with me, come with and together we’ll set you free, so your soul may fly so very high and I can gorge myself on your remains.”

Sojukin said this carefully, in a completely happy and almost child like voice and clapped his feet together as he watched Raku. He wanted so badly to tear his heart from his chest and stick it down his gullet and force him to stay alive with his own reitsu while he ate him piece by piece. The image stuck in his head like a grotesque circus of cannibalism that screamed to be let out, but he knew not to try it here, not yet. He smiled a bit and clapped his feet together again looking at Death and the other Horror’s. He let his feet rest back on 'ground' as he watched them carefully, each one had so much power, but there had to be someway of bipassing that...something...anything...there had to be a way to be more powerful...they couldn't be the pinnacle...that was his destiny. The thought was only the coherant body of a stream of consisousness that lasted little less than a second.


With that thought being done he smiled seeing Fury and Taza working together and shouted toward Taza, while flipping him the bird. The familar hatred raising up as he mocked the Dos Espada.

“HEY TAZA!!! HAVE FUN WITH HEAVY MANUAL LABOR!!!”

Feeling in a lighter mood, he smiled over at Raku and fired some balas at his side. He felt ready for anything, but he remembered to keep his sword ready in a guard position and gripped it harder. He prided himself on his swordsmanship and his hand to hand abilities. He wouldn't allow himself to be bested so long as that was what the fighting amounted to. Physical combat...bliss, it was what he thrived for, that spartansic style of combat so long forgotten. What joy to throw off all the inhibitions of ranged fighting in favor of close quarters, to be able to reach out and grasp your opponent at any time. The constant clash of steel and every revibration of the blades. Things should be so much simpler he thought, then shrugged. He had other problems and his own worries about the past were moments for when he was in his tub.

"By the way Raku, why are you such a suck up? You walk around like your their friend...Our place is at their feet till they become fat and weak, then we can raise up. If that moment never comes, then we must wait and grow stronger till the day we can overthrow them, but until then. They are the Kings and we are the Soldiers...no more no less, but that doesn't mean we have to like them. I respect them, but I can not say they are friends of mine. They could be in time, but for now they are not...as they should not be yours."

Sojukin had been wondering this since, Raku had talked to Death, had he and Death had some past? Could Raku know something that he didn't or was he just a suck up? Thoughts ran wild through his mind as he continued to focus on Raku and made sure to keep himself ready, prepared to dodge or block strikes or ceros. He continued trying to reach out to sense Reitsu, but he only got some hazy bodies and generalizations of power, though Death burned like a fire for a moment, then faded. He knew that had to mean something, but his own senses couldn't feel it out all the way, he could only get a general radius with it; moreover, he decided for now his sonars where a better option.

[kensei]

Taza grinned inwardly as he stared down Death. There was no facial, or stance change, but there was his eyes, and with his eyes changing, to Taza, it was a victory. But then, like a flash of lightning, Death moved his hand to grab Taza. He didn’t have enough time to react. The man was to damn fast for Taza, all he could do in that time was start to gather riatsu into his right hand. As Death dragged him taza raised his arm, showing the blue energy that swirled around his arm violently. And then as quickly as he grabbed him and dragged him across the white desert, he threw him to the side leaving him be. He stumbled on the sand for a few steps before releasing the riatsu around his arm. Fuck! How is he so damn strong! Taza thought out while looking at Death. His pupils where fully dilated as time seemed to slow down for him. But then in a instant the biggest ninja ever to walk the earth had grabbed him and thrown him over his shoulder.

Taza tried to get free, pushing against the monsters arm. “OI! Furry! Let me go!” As he yelled this fury took off. He watched as the world seemed to become a blur, light seemed to just fill his eyes as they moved at speed that most likely could only be beaten by Taza and his ability to teleport. Taza breathed heavily as the covered a mile quicker then taza thought possible. “H…” He said at a loss for words. Fury put him down and taza shook his head trying gathering himself after such a godlike experience. As Fury laid his big, thick, hand on his thin shoulder, all sense of freedom taza had vanished.

Taza let out a long sigh as he watched Fury’s finger move from side to side. Well at least he isn’t going to kill me. he thought as he prepared himself for a long talk. Taza nodded as Fury finished his statement and said. “Look, I know it’s a dumb move but….” He looked down letting out another sigh. Taza nodded in agreement when he was told to fallow and he kept pace with Fury.

“Fury.. I know Death has done good bye a lot of people, and that he has helped the arrancar in was that the previous leadership never would have. But are battle goes back long before then, long before I ever became a arrancar. But I guess you have a point…” He said looking at the ruins of Los Noches. “It’s a damn shame what happened here.” He mumbled to himself as the ruins of the great castle, shame filled his heart as he remembered all those he failed by not being there for the battle, those he might have been able to save.

Taza looked fury in the eyes as he heard his words. His eyes widened in fear and he took a step back. “One… hand?” He looked at the ground as a thousand thoughts ran threw his mind, but one in particular kept coming back. What where you thinking? How could you be so stupid? What the hell is wrong with you? Thoughts like these filled his mind. He looked back at Fury, only to see him beckoning him to continue there walk. He slowly dragged his feet as he moved behind Fury.

“I understand.” He said as Fury finished explaining everything to him. “But I have a question for you Fury, and please answer it if you can.. But how, how did you become as strong as you are now? For over six thousand years I have been trying as hard as I can to become strong, strong enough to hold my own against ant opponent and protect those who are dear to me. Yet no matter what I do it seems like I can never get there. It feels like I can never become strong enough to protect that which I hold dear..”

He waited to hear Fury’s reply, and then once he asked him for help with the repairs, Taza couldn’t help but laugh. “Alright.” He said with a two finger salute. He smiled at Fury, some how his cheerful nature made him feel a bit better, at this point in time Fury was quite possibly his favorite person in all of Los Noches, defiantly his favorite out of the Horror Vacui. He suindoed over to a giant block that looked as if it weighed about a ton. He grabbed it with one hand and lifted it into the air before walking using suindo to go back to Fury. “Where shall I put it?”

[Jukuma]

It hadn’t changed that much; it was definitely in worse condition than the last time he had seen it obviously due to the attack, and there were minor details that differed from the old fortress, but other than that there weren’t many differences Garve could notice in Las Noches, or even Hueco Mundo, for the matter. Then again, 60 years wasn’t that much time when it was compared to the several hundreds, and in some cases thousands, of years most of the creatures around had been in existence, so it could be said it had been a relatively short amount of time for any significant changes to happen. It’s not like he had been expecting much, but somehow having the image of the past so clear before him aided to the sense of bitter nostalgia that invaded him the moment he first stepped in Hueco Mundo. He felt uncomfortable, out of place, and the air smothered him as if he was deep under hot water; was it a matter of getting used to that environment once again or had he lost his old Hollow instinct?

He hoped for the good of his own survival in that place that it wasn’t the second possibility and, with fear to further evaluate his situation as if he would somehow get closer to an awful truth he wasn’t looking for in the first place, he concentrated more on the task at hand. He had arrived to Las Noches quite a while ago by then and was now working with all the other Arrancar in the reconstruction of the base by moving the broken remains of the fight out of the way or, in some cases, keeping them for reparations if applicable. Some lost and interested glances were directed to him as he loosely held mountains of remains several times his size with barely any signs of effort and sometimes using only one hand. It wasn’t only that what called their attention but rather, to a greater extent, the number on the back of his neck which everyone had had the chance to see, a number two imprinted with a coal black color. Word had been spread and it was being said that that new face picking up remains and helping with the reparations was none other than the new Primera Espada, though if that was the case, the symbol on his neck raised a lot of questions. The vast majority of the present Arrancar hadn’t lived around the place long enough to understand how he could have an erroneous tattoo or how he obtained it since they hadn’t seen him around. Speculations were being made regarding that mystery, some of them fairly close to the truth.

As a matter of fact, although Garve had had enough time to meet with the Horror Vacui, sort out all questions regarding the new future of Las Noches and make public his presence to all Arrancar, also changing his tattoo at the same time, he had chosen not to spend as much time as he could doing so. He had met the Horror Vacui just a few times, and their presence was enough for him to feel uncomfortable, even to a greater extent than how he already felt just by being in that now alien world. Garve was not in the mood for a discussion like that at all. At the moment, his role in Hueco Mundo was something he didn’t feel like even thinking about; that was why he had been aiding a lot with reparations lately as a mean to avoid much interaction with his new leaders. He had, however, met a few Espada. For the most part, he had been disappointed to see that most of them still conserved the nature of the old group he had known, though he had seen a few interesting exceptions. However, in terms of interactions, he had been somewhat passive there as well and so far he could only base everything on first impressions. Probably the only one he had had what could be called a real conversation with was Taza, the new Segunda Espada, though after the enlightening talk (for the Segunda, not him), he hadn’t talked to him anymore. While he didn’t hold any especial interest in him, he was in a better position than other Espada for sure; one of the competing Arrancar for the Tercera position in particular was someone he wanted to avoid probably to a greater extent than the Horror Vacui as his cannibalistic tendencies had been enough to disgust him. He planned on having more conversations with the remaining Espada sometime in the future, but he had just left the human world and had a lot of things to think about.

His five days to sort things out in the human world had not been enough; he still had a lot of things to take care of! For starters, he hadn’t had the chance to talk to Genta in order to get back all of his saved belongings, which at this point he thought could be kept with him in Las Noches; of course, neither had he had the chance to give that good-for-nothing bastard the useless gigai, so it could be said that they were even in that sense. Not only Genta, but a lot of people had not heard a thing from him before his disappearance, so it was clear Garve hadn’t really organized the whole thing properly. It was certainly an issue, as much as he wanted to visit the human world, he barely knew the new leadership in power, so it was impossible to know when he would entrusted with a mission to the human world; given his background, he predicted that it would be a couple of years at least. Better thing was to accept that fact and not create illusions. He hoped that his deduction was far from the truth, as his acquaintances in the human world were not the only reason why he was already wishing to go back, but also the fact that, if what he had heard from Xifan was true and if he was not lead to an erroneous conclusion, the rebels responsible for the overthrowing of the Royal Family were no longer anywhere in Hueco Mundo, which was nowhere close to a surprise. They were most likely in the human world now, trying to adapt same as he had done over 60 years ago, and building up their own forces either to protect themselves from other forces or to try again an attack to the Arrancar. To tell the truth, he still had no idea what their intentions were, but that wasn’t relevant to him, as that one act of opposition had been enough to attract his attention instantly. His very presence in Hueco Mundo at that moment was partly due to the indescribable interest the rebels had awakened in him.

A particularly strong wave of energy coming from the distance distracted him from his thoughts and, as a reflex, he looked where it was coming from, same as many other Arrancar who had noticed it. Based on what he could read from the distance, it was clearly the two aspirants to Tercera still fiercely fighting. While most of the other presents stayed motionless and in awe and some of them even decided to work closer to the battle area to presence the battle more closely, Garve sighed and kept working on what he was doing.

‘It's probably impossible for anyone to deny this place is becoming more organized,’ he thought to himself, forgetting all he had been thinking seconds ago for a while. ‘but I guess some things have to remain the same.’

[wanzer]

Sojukin watched the events around him with mild interest as he and Raku went back and forth at each other their swords clashing in the air. He had just about he could take with everything and was about to release, as he watched the other arrancar gather around below him and thought; why not put on a show?

"Well Raku, seems we've drawn a crowd. Lets give um a song and dance they'll never forget."

Sojukin leveled a flat kick at the other arrancar's chest and found his leg caught and just barely managed to get it from being cut off by the other fighter's blade. He spun around bringing his other foot into Raku's temple and thrust himself away, before they clashed again. Tension mounting in both their bodies as beeds of sweat dripped down their faces and arms. They were deadlocked now, their two swords forced together trying desperately to force the other one away. Sojukin grunted and looked around him with his perpherial vision. Taza seemed to be enjoying himself and the other Espada were slowly gathering around. He shrugged mentally and refocused his efforts on beating Raku.

"You will fall."

Sojukin's mind wondered slightly was this really necessary to proclaim a tres espada or was Death just toying with them? Sizing them up for the future and planning ways to ensure that no one could surpass him. He didn't know and now wasn't the time to worry about such frivilous things. Now was the time to fight and to conquer the enemy before him. He began to push harder, but was met with equal resistance.

[GoldenKitten]

They certainly had no inhibitions about knocking each other around. This was of course to be expected but it still made this exchange incredibly dull for someone like Death. How many people had he killed in his lifetime? Even he didn't know, but he did know he had grown tired of such unabashedly generic clashes of power before anyone here had even been born...for some maybe even a few lifetimes ago. Regardless he had meant it when he said they could be of use, he might find the proceedings tedious but that didn't mean he didn't know how to make use of them or didn't realize that even a cliché had its purpose.

Raku was the more interesting one, he wasn't teaching Death anything new but he operated outside of the bounds of pure power, that made him intriguing if only slightly...but he was still a by the numbers deviant of the power-playing class through and through. Sojukin was much worse, watching him was like watching a screen of static in a world of static, there wasn't a single thing that made him stand out or was even worth plotting around. But he was the more useful one, when the fighting started, the fighting that was a facade for the true fate of the world, it would be Sojukin that would play the more potent pawn if only through power alone...but then they wouldn't be pawns if they had more than power. As had always been the case Sojukin would win this battle, Death had known and could have told them from the start but they would not have believed him. Already Sojukin was gaining the upper-hand even if lesser eyes could not see it, soon it would be over, soon he would win and flaunt his power over the loser and the other arrancar. His position would be cemented in his eyes, truly though it was a castle built upon the sand...but for Death that was enough, and he had no intention of telling him this, let Sojukin think he was truly the superior man.

A wave of energy from the battle washed over them, as it passed he heard a squeak from behind him. He turned to see Juniperus huddled about as close as she could get to him trying to use his own wall of reiatsu to shield her from the waves being released by Sojukin and Raku. Death had spent his whole life as a plotter and manipulator, from the day he had been released on the world he had been on the move and never stopped. He was quite possibly the most educated and learned individual in existence, and yet for all that he had never truly learned to observe those around him. Oh, we aren't talking about observing an individuals weaknesses, their makeup both physical and mental, once more there were few if any better at this. No, we were talking on a far more fundamental level that few people could truly have understood, if they even realized it existed. He was both the greatest learner, and, due to his age and the way in which he learned, the worst. It was a curious thing, and not something a mortal mind could comprehend.

What did this have to do with the situation? Not much, but maybe everything at the same time. At any rate it was difficult for Death to fathom being so weak as to find the energies these two children emanated stressful. Power had long ceased to have meaning for him, it wasn't a matter of if he could beat you, it was a matter of how long you resisted the inevitable. And yet that wasn't where his thoughts were, or maybe they were, live as long as he had, see as much as he had and you just naturally began perceiving thought processes in multiple threads at one time. Sometimes you realized those thoughts were your own, sometimes you didn't, sometimes you puzzled on them more, sometimes you stored them for later, sometimes they moved on and out of your mind like a homeowner whose abode had become strange and tossed them out. But his thoughts were on something else now, maybe it was concern, maybe it wasn't. Like all other things he did not perceive emotions in the same way others did, it made him unknowable, perhaps even to himself.

Even so, some part of Death returned to how he had once been when he considered the little girl hiding behind him, she was interesting. Maybe it was the weakness, like those who are weak and look at those who are strong with awe only this time reversed. Or maybe it was because she was the anti-thesis of what irritated him, strength for strengths sake, she was stronger than many of those here but she did not rely on it solely. Or maybe it was any of a hundred-thousand other things swirling through his conscious form at the moment. To be sure of one thing though, for any who might wonder, it was not love. It was not an insipid cliché, which Death loathed, no it was an all-together alien emotion to anyone who had not lived a thousand lifetimes.

That is to say it was alien to every single individual in existence bar the few who had been born with him.

And yet there was irony, and perhaps telling in these thoughts alone. Telling that Death certainly should have noted but missed, likely not out of ignorance or fault, but rather because he chose to miss it for reasons all his own.

For you see, Death was the biggest cliché of all, and if he was what he hated, then perhaps his thoughts were no less reversed.

He would have stopped the fight right then but the orchestrator in him spat on his confused existence and instead reached out with one hand. He pushed her slightly and she let out a slight “oof” before being tossed across the field well out of the range of the energies being exerted where she was promptly caught by a robed figure, Wisher. Death then began to turn back toward the fight, he wasn't really watching but his presence served a purpose here, a reminder. Funny then how fate, which would come to be a driving factor in this entire event would make his presence in this place insignificant.

Because at that moment the first step occurred, the first predicted fate. It was not their first step but it was to be the catalyst of the War of Souls, a war that had not yet come for most mortals or soul beings, but had already taken place a million times in Death and would soon find its way into the real realm, for war was coming and there were none alive capable of stopping it. Most would take part in this war willingly, but some needed a push. That was simple enough, after all, Death had failed innumerable times to insure that this day it would succeed...but they were long past any chances of failure.

He looked off into the distance for a long while, it was not something a normal individual could see or feel, it was meant to be that way. None would notice, it was a subtle thing, it probably looked as if he was still witnessing this physical spectacle before him, but he wasn't. And then he smiled, he smiled his wry and trying smile. That smile he had practiced longer than most men lived. That smile purposefully and perfectly crafted to irk nerves or soothe worries whatever his plot might be. That wonderful smile that was so fake and yet so real that any attempt to see through it was destined for failure. But who he was smiling at, that was an uncertainty...except of course for those to whom he was smiling.

Then he stood and looked to Kehieleth, “I am leaving. I know how this will end, but you stay here and bare witness to it for me, even if it is a powerless affair, it serves the purpose of which I spoke.”

Kehieleth looked to him, perhaps not surprised but curious as all young beings were prone to, even one as learned as Kehieleth, “What are you going off to do?”

Death smirked again, “I am going to start the war. To push the last pieces on to the board. To play the mass orchestrator. Because at this point, that's all there is left.”

When he had finished, Death was gone.