One Step Behind

The sun was a slowly burning, blazing disk somewhere on the horizon by the time Hi-to was finally strapping Hyperion back to his side, the strenuous hours of paperwork finally behind him for the time being. He had been incredibly fortunate in that he’d already been doing the desk job for months prior to his promotion, otherwise he’d never have found the time to do what needed to be done tonight. He had a duty to attend to, one that he’d sworn he’d see through until the very end, and unfortunately his new position afforded him very little free time to see that end of the deal. It was possible tonight was going to be his last chance for quite some time, and in his absence he had to know she was going to be okay.
 
“Captain?”
 
His head turned, inclined slightly as he caught sight of his ever present Sixth Seat, hands folded in front of her as they always were and the unspoken question on her lips. Where are you going? The Senkaimon was burning behind her, open and waiting for him as he’d instructed her to attend to, and although he understood her concerns he couldn’t offer her an answer. This was a personal issue, one that he wasn’t too keen on his subordinates being too privy to, and the Squads members trusted him enough to allow him his odd habits. This was no different, and although he could tell she wanted to ask where he could be disappearing to in the real world on such short notice the question never left her.
 
“I’ll be back before morning.” He left her with something to go on, and it seemed to ease her worry some, folded hands coming away to rest on her knees as she tilted her head in a dipped bow. It was the last thing he saw of her, of Soul Society before the shoji panels shut behind him, fading out of sight as soon as the ‘clack’ of wood rung loud in the smothering silence. The temperature change between Seireitei summer and the precipice world was always jolting, and it spurred him into motion as he made quick work of the small, decaying tunnel. It’s jagged walls and damp, moulding smell were things he hadn’t experienced for a week, and there was something foreboding about knowing he wouldn’t experience for many months to come. The Kototsu was strangely absent, and the silent road ahead was eerily quiet and leaving all noise up to Hi-to’s ever revolving thoughts.
 
He had to find Sekai while he still had the chance, and find out the exact details he’d only touched upon the week prior before the intervening of his ex and that Quincy. The two women had been unforeseen contingencies, and had taken an already complicated situation and twisted it until the main problem at hand had escaped them. Sekai had finally told him what had been haunting her all these months, the hollow responsible, and before he could so much as heal her scars he’d had to deal with an attempted assassination and a fiery ex, one that he’d presumed dead for over 80 years. He should have known Sekai would bring nothing but trouble upon her first visit to Soul Society, and even now his desk was laden with paperwork stemming from the incident.
 
Nazomi. The Arrancar responsible for all the trouble, the torment and scarring, and the one thing stopping him from stepping into his current role with a clear mind. With Sekai in such a vulnerable state, he couldn’t afford to leave her unguarded, lest she get herself into the same situation she’d been in only a week prior. Only this time it was highly unlikely she’d have the sheer luck to end up in his interrogation cell, especially now that he’d since filled the position with his Fourth Seat. The Sixth Division’s interrogators may have answered to him for the time being, but the Second was an entirely different story. There were only so many favours Kiriko could afford him, after all.
 
The opening was only a short ways up ahead, and Hi-to reached for it with an urgency to save as much time as possible. Time was money in his position, and if he wasn’t back before morning then he was sure his whereabouts would start to come into question. The Sixth’s Senkaimon may have been theirs for private use, but no power was to be abused when their military was in the fragile state it was. The Sixth was one of the worse off Division’s after the massacre, and after months of being without a Captain it had sunk even lower. One night was all he could afford her, and there wasn’t a moment to be wasted.  The parallel shoji screens open and he ran for them, the blinding white light giving way to damp, humid streets and the heavy air of a nearby polluted city.
 
The wind whipped past him as the shoji screens opened before him, his feet depositing him on the hard concrete of karakura’s streets with a silent touchdown. The sun had already set, and the darkened streets were eerily silent as the odd chirping of insects and flickering street lamps filled the void. He had to admit, his Sixth Seat really knew how to coordinate, and the Senkaimon was only off by a street. It was just as well; any further off and he likely wouldn’t have been able to find Sekai’s shrine without a full blown scan.
 
He let his eyes wander the small, packed houses as he masked his reiatsu, in turn reaching out to try and get a feel for Sekai’s own. He’d noticed it at the motel and he noticed it now; she was stronger. The thought brought an odd sense of pride and comfort, and he could feel it not too far away, safe and tempered. The girl knew so little of control it gave away her emotions with it, and the calm of it wasn’t entirely unlike a steady heartbeat. He was rushing forward, rounding the corner of a side street when he realised that something wasn’t right.

She wasn’t alone.
 
Normally such a thing wouldn’t have bothered him; she was a human, and surrounding themselves with others was just something that they did. But there was something about this figure that was different, darker and emptier, and the urgency in his flash steps had him stopping just short of their line of sight before he caught sight of what had touched his senses the wrong way.
 
At first it looked humanoid, could have been a shinigami even, or perhaps a human like Sekai herself was. Dressed in regular clothing, he was talking to the girl currently situated under one of the many trees littering her garden with words he couldn’t hear from his position at the end of the street, and it wasn’t until he focused in on it that he realised what it was.
 
An Arrancar.
 
The thing Sakai had been so scarred by, almost killed by, standing close and talking to her with what could have been death threats for all Hi-to knew. The initial shock had him stop, hand tense over Hyperion’s blood orange hilt before the actions were already being put into motion. He’d trained enough, seen combat enough to know how to react with the utmost efficiency, and the course of action he knew had to be taken was instant.

It took all of two seconds.
 
“Show your Wings, Hyperion.”
 
The slide of metal and the bite of hissed words mixed in a hushed war cry, the perforation of the heated blade making his haori billow as the blade moulded under his touch, the contact of blood to blade wakening the spirit from it’s persistent sleep. For all the traits he disliked about the phoenix, Hi-to couldn’t hold a complaint to his reaction time, and the large, gemstone incrusted scythe was heavy in his hand and in motion before he could even finish the command.
 
The tattoo on his chest burned with the release, the limit break pressed there prior to his journey grasping hold of the tail ends of his power and keeping them safe. It wasn’t enough restraint to keep him from killing this hollow though, and the scythe swung down sharply as reiatsu perforated along it’s engraved edge. It’s intent was clear, and Hi-to made sure to let the arrancar know of it’s presence just as clearly as his wrist slid over its edge, blood staining the chrome polished steel and catching a light, reiatsu and heat flaring as he swung the burning bird towards its enemy. Power restriction or not, there weren’t very many hollows who could survive the swing of a Captain’s shikai, and Hi-to made sure that the other would feel it to his very bones. Fire was all consuming, destroying, and instead of keeping it to a controlled minimum Hi-to let the element do what it did best. Annihilate.
 
His eyes followed the blazing bird’s path, it’s loud, screeching cry flooding the streets in a sonic boom as it sought out its pray at full speed. Hyperion hadn’t had a chance at release in actual combat for months, and the blade’s manic, itching energy overflowed with an potency that surprised even its master.
 
“Get away from her. Now.”

******

1562 words: 31 GP

No, he'd been wrong. She'd actually been sleeping there. The drowsiness of her voice told him that, so sleepy as she rose from what was hopefully a dreamless sleep. The concept that she could have good dreams didn't even cross his mind. At least she seemed happy enough, as though the sleep had been restful even if she were out sleeping in the tree...which didn't seem that comfortable. To be fair, he hadn't exactly been humanoid for centuries on end and sleeping had always carried attendant risks...beyond the simple nightmares. Maybe it was perfectly comfortable to her, but he sure wouldn't want to do it.
 
Amusingly, it was clear that Sekai hadn't realized that the tree was flowering. Especially when it became obvious to both of them that she had flowers stuck in her hair, making her seem even younger than she did normally...and if he was honest, somewhat airheaded as well. Takua suppressed a laugh as her reiatsu flushed with embarrassment, having to use his reiatsu perception to discern her emotion when he couldn't plainly see the flush of her cheeks. How long had she been sleeping? Clearly long enough, even as she wiped the sleep away and dropped the last few feet to the earth below. “Well that's good, it'd be bad if you caught a cold.” It was easy enough to remember that, even if he hadn't been sick since he'd become a Hollow. Probably something due to his insanely high temperature...as well as the sheer fact that spiritual beings had few illnesses that could attack their bodies.
 
It was amazing, how her body had healed. As time had gone on, she was less and less afraid of him...and her body no longer had the awkward movement of someone who was recovering from injury. That was very, very good. But then she asked if everything was okay...and it was all Takua could do to swallow the instinctive reaction that came with it. No, things were not okay. When he had come here weeks ago, when Amaya was in a coma, he hadn't given anything away. To be fair, he'd also come during the daylight hours to listen to her read a book and talk a bit more. She hadn't asked like that, in a tone that made him hesitate just slightly. So much had happened, but how much could he, should he, tell her? Telling her could put her in danger...or it could save her from it.
 
Such concern wafting from her, and the Arrancar tried to keep the smile on his face, “Nothing happened that you need to worry about, I'm just here to chat. I'm sorry, I didn't know what time it was, I can't really tell after all.” Nothing happened to bring him here, but it still wasn't a true sentence anyways. Not really. The matter of Tova was something that did concern her, even if it didn't impact her directly. But...loyalties were difficult, especially when he felt none to the Tova that sat upon the throne. He hadn't been the one to give Takua his reason back, hadn't been the one to help turn him into an Arrancar. This one was the one that commanded his Espada, though, and had freed them all from Shinigami occupation. And while Takua felt no loyalty toward him...that didn't mean he wouldn't be punished if he were caught spreading secrets.
 
He shook his head slightly, the smile creeping back onto his face a bit more, “Honestly if it wasn't so late I was going to ask for another story, it'-” The Arrancar let off talking abruptly, the same sensation as a blink washing over the sentence he had left hanging. Someone was standing around the corner of a building someone with...
 
Oh fuck.
 
The look on his face transformed into tense, controlled panic the moment he heard the quiet release phrase, and the wash of reiatsu poured over him. He knew that haori, he knew this feel of reiatsu, and he understood the kind of pressure that pressed down on him. It wasn't towering above him the way that some had before, the way that Aya felt, but this was definitely a Shinigami...and that haori was a Captain's haori. He had seen many of them, especially during the Occupation of Hueco Mundo, and the pressure that weighed upon him was no slouch. There wasn't even much time to react before a screaming bird of flame was sent at him, and he stared at Sekai. This was her home, and even assuming that he had the ability to dodge...which he didn't...he'd just end up destroying the shrine. Or, worse, the tree.
 
Worse yet, Sekai might be hurt.
 
The instant he felt the bird coming at him, watching Sekai's eyes widen, the Cero began to form just off of his back. His arms reached out, grabbing the girl in front of him, and pulling her into a tight, protective embrace. There was fuck all time to explain, even as his Cero, powerful as it was, lashed out at the phoenix...and the blazing bird devoured it, pushing past the best shot he had at slowing it down or at least keeping the impact from turning him into little more than ash. But more than that, his Cero didn't even have the chance to fully fire before it had been smashed through, and the blind Arrancar kept his body between himself and the human woman in front of him.
 
Searing hot fire washed over him, blowing away the shirt he wore like it was nothing and devouring the flesh of his back. Very few times over the centuries had he been hurt by fire, his own birthright, and the sheer irony of being hit by the incarnation of the mythological beast he represented was enough to find humor in what wasn't a funny situation at all. Takua's teeth clenched as his body cooked, but his Cero had prevented him from dying...and, from the looks of it, kept the tree from getting hit by any splash.
 
The man sagged into the woman that he had protected, barely able to keep himself upright as the pain ripped through him as a jagged saw. A moment passed, and his mouth loosened enough to take a deep, painful breath into lungs that were cooked and raw. And then he clenched it again, to keep the scream inside of him, locking it down. He'd been hurt worse over the long years. His fucking spine had been severed and he had survived. He could take this.
 
Whether or not he would live for another minute was a different question.
 
The downside of being able to see in all directions was that he could also see what had happened to his back, even as the last of his destroyed shirt burned on his body, a patches smoldering on his jeans. His back was practically ripped open, holes burnt into his flesh. He breathed in again, a ragged gasp, and the smell of cooked flesh filled his nose. Well, that was ironic. Clearly, the universe had a sense of humor after all of the things he had done as an Adjuchas. Takua muttered into Sekai's ear with all of the amusement that he could find, “Well, now I know how everyone else felt when I flipped them the flaming bird.” It was meant to be a joke, it was meant to reassure her, and he could see and hear full well that she hadn't taken it as one. He chuckled, a sound that was abruptly wet and painful, “No dammit, you're supposed to laugh.”
 
Pain never really stopped being pain. You got used to it more, but that didn't mean that every time wasn't as disablingly ruinous as the last. Takua's legs tried to buckle under him, casting what little weight he had on the woman for just a moment before he managed to save himself from toppling to the earth, and he refused to let go. There was, however, one problem. The tone of the Shinigami was outright anger, nearly possessive, not just a random patrol. Besides, why else would a captain be here, now? Well...no. Hunting for him was a definite possibility. Especially if any of them knew that he was the Fraccion of the Tercera. This could either be a horrifying trap, or just a lucky chance. But...no. Not with the way that he had said it. There was real anger there, not simply doing his job, which had to mean that he knew Sekai, which-
 
He laughed again, painful, amused, and disbelieving, “Dammit Sekai, your Shinigami friend is a Captain? Ah, fuck me.” He even forgot her honorific from the shock, but recognized his mistake. The laughter suddenly changed into a hacking cough, and he brought up a hand to catch the blood that flew from his mouth and threatened to splatter across the ground. Ah fuck he needed to regenerate that wound, but if he did that without trying for peace first, there was no way he was walking out of this alive anyways. He called out behind him, “I'm not a threat, dear Captain, so there is no need to move to where you can easily strike me down without listening to either of us. And as much as I'm sure you'd like to kill me, could you not destroy her shrine while you're at it? I'm sure that's what Sekai-san needs today.” He had a problem with sarcasm sometimes, and he was definitely being sarcastic, but his plea for peace was genuine. Takua drew in another ragged breath, and then whispered to the woman he was still protecting. “At least, I really hope that's your friend. Or else I'm not walking out of here.” There was complete and total acceptance of his potential death...and, perhaps more worrisome, no sign that he had any true problem with it. Oh, he wanted to live, but...well...
 
If it weren't for how traumatized Sekai would be, he might have been fine with it.
 
WC: 1660 | GP: 33 | Total: 56

Hi-to's ability in Kaido was mostly unknown amongst the Gotei and his peers, and for the most part people assumed his greatest ability was his offense. And it wasn't hard for him now to see why people bought that farce, as Hyperion's rage traveled at a speed and power that surprised him despite the limiter on his reiatsu. The flaming bird gave very little warning and reaction time, a sure hit at this distance, and short of being an espada there was very little room for the arrancar to avoid it. Hyperion was a force to be reckoned with when he was geared to attack, and the last Arrancar he'd rose his head up to was none other than Tova Diablo himself. The feeling of that reiatsu seemed to breed a white hot anger in the bird, propelled though his attack, and if this truly was Nazomi then he stood no chance.

And then Hi-to's breath caught, watching at the hollow's arms reached out to grab a hold of Sekai, pulling her into the bird's accurate line of fire with his own body. Linear time ground to a halt as their bodies shifted, and he knew without a doubt; there was no way Sekai would survive. But the arrancar was pulling her smaller form in front of him, leaning over her and bracing as the beginning formations of a cero formed, premature and redundant as it shot out to counteract. It wasn't enough. The blood red energy was dwarfed and swallowed whole, and the blazing bird crashed forcefully into the man's back with a vengeance that left nothing but burning protein in its wake.

The flicker of orange flames died down as the attack met its mark head on, the sound of choking and coughing filling the pregnant silence with the sound of agony. He watched with the eyes of a hunter as the hollow pulled away weakly, and luckily for him, Sekai was unharmed. The air returned to him as Hi-to inhaled in short lived relief, and the grating voice of the male called out to him in short rasps, beckoning him to stand down. He could have sneered, and he knew he had better aim than to put Sekai's shrine in danger, that if the arrancar challenged his aim then he'd gladly show him another demonstration. He wasn't here to mess around, and until he determined that the other wasn't a threat he wasn't going to let him move out of his line of sight.

But Sekai was sobbing, shaking, and Hi-to could hear her cries from where he stood at the end of the street so loudly it pained his temples. Why was she crying? He didn't understand. She'd told him of the arrancar who had ruined her home, her family, her body, and yet she clung to his smoldering body with despair and regret. Her voice was choked and hushed, scared to touch the other yet wanting to soothe, and something just wasn't right about the whole affair. What was she doing?

Finally and with some hesitance, she pulled herself away from the Arrancar's burning form, dressed in nothing but a knee left shift that was clearly to big for her. She had to have been freezing, out here in the cold night air with nothing to keep her warm but a walking corpse. Her steps were shaky and poorly coordinated, shocked and frightened, and for the first time Hi-to could see smears of the Arrancar's blood as she drew closer.

This wasn't right.

Her hair was a mess from the perspiration of heat, her shirt snagging around her knees as she found her way towards him. She'd been crying, eyes red and tugging at something in him that was so awful he didn't even want to put it into words. She was terrified, her lower lip trembling as she tried to form some kind of greeting, and Hyperion's heavy advanced blade sparked along the pavement as he lowered it to the ground. There was something that wouldn't--couldn't let him raise his blade when Sekai was so close, a blade so poised to kill that it felt innately wrong to have it anywhere near her.

She stumbled over his name, the fright and shock of it all too much, the smell of burning flesh still strong as she finally found him at the end of the street. She shook her head, musing her hair further as she took in Hyperion's true form with wide eyes. Hi-to wasn't sure if she was aware of the sentient of Shinigami blades or what their true forms looked like, but no doubt the ruby and sapphire incrusted scythe looked nothing short of menacing as it dwarfed her in height.

And then her words stumbled out, confusing him further, and he realized the reason for her distress and despair. This wasn't Nazomi? He glanced at the prone form of the Arrancar, charcoal and burning flesh, before moving to address her. She had a friend, a friend that was...a hollow? The notion was so hard to understand, yet for Sekai it only seemed natural for her to befriend what she should not. It certainly explained the man's actions, that his pull hadn't been one of offense but rather to shield Sekai from the blast he thought might hit her. Realization dawned on him, and although he couldn't trust an Arrancar's intentions, not after what he'd seen them capable of doing, for now she was safe. Terrified, but safe. For now.

"Your...friend." He didn't understand, perhaps he never would, but as she bit her lip and worried over her words he moved forward, ready to catch her should she fall. Her eyes couldn't seem to find his own for reasons that would likely kill him if he knew, and instead her brandy colored eyes seemed intent to focus on the haori covering his shoulders and back. Her compliment made him frown, her attempt at getting straight to lighter things wasn't lost on him, and for a second he granted her the moment to get her wits about her as she took short, shallow breaths.

"That's what I came here to talk to you about. And then he-" He what? Attacked her, threatened her? It wasn't the case at all, and he'd attacked out of pure, protective instinct. If it wasn't for his limiter tattooed to his chest, there was a high chance her friend wouldn't have made it out alive at all.

"Sekai, there's a reason you shouldn't get too close with Arrancar, and I'm sure you know why." Nazomi. She knew it better than anyone, and had obviously forgotten that they were wolves in sheep's clothing. Humanoid hollows, driven by instinct to consume and conquer. "I know from experience. I should know, it was them who destroyed Soul Society a few months ago and killed us all for nothing but sport." And there was a high chance her friend had been there to see it. Arrancar were so few in number that Tova had seemingly taken all of them on his incursion, disrupting the balance of souls with it. The information was common knowledge among the other races now, and with an admission from her, he only saw fit to give his own reasoning in return.

"The last Arrancar Hyperion saw was Tova Diablo." He admitted, eyeing the glinting blade resting, waiting for orders. "We've never met one that's 'different', although I'd like to hear what makes him safe, if that's what he claims."

******

1254 words: 25 GP
Total GP: 56 GP

Even with his blade lowered in obedient submission Hyperion seemed to instil some form of primal fear in Sekai that wouldn’t leave her, regardless of its subjugated state. The katana was gone, and in its place was a true instrument of death the likes of which Sekai hadn’t been privy to before now, and with good reason. It was a form his sword took only when it was his intention to bisect and behead his target, something he’d hoped she’d never have to see. No doubt it wasn’t the most calming thing for Sekai to see, and even though she’d only seen the most innocent of Hyperion’s uses the scythe likely wasn’t the thing she needed right not to calm her turbulent spirits.

As he pulled it away from her body even the sound of metal colliding with tarmac seemed to instil some sort of reaction from her and he stopped the motion as soon as he saw her gaze fall to its dark blade. It was only natural; the last time Sekai had come into contact with the blade was when she had innocently laid her hand across it in the interrogation room. Her hand had barely touched Hyperion’s cutting edge as she attempted to draw it away from Aisha’s throat, and yet she’d deeply sliced the tender flesh of her finger tips in doing so. She’d learned a hard lesson the easier way that day, that a Zanpakuto wasn’t on the same league of what samurai blacksmiths claimed to be ‘the perfect cutting weapon’, for Arrancar and Shinigami alike. A Zanpakuto’s cutting edge was nothing to take lightly, and now that Hyperion was home to a much more antagonistic exoskeleton it was surely anything but calming for the young woman he’d come to think of as his younger sister.

Moving him away from her person seemed to relax her somewhat, and sure enough with its reflecting edge faced away from them Sekai seemed to find the will to press forward with her small fingers outstretched to touch them. For a moment he almost expected her to touch him when the reflection of blood caught his eye, and it looked like she noticed it too, wiping it with flustered movements and apologising as if it was somehow her fault. Maybe he should have worried, expected her fear to be of him, but his training with Kaido had seen him with enough Arrancar test subjects to know Arrancar blood when he saw it. The shade was ever so slightly lighter and saturated only half a shade more, but its properties were quite unlike that of a human. Luckily her body had been spared the attack that the Arrancar had pulled her into earlier, because although a Shinigami or Arrancar could regenerate at high speed after a severe wound, it could kill a human within an instant. If his body had disintegrated had he been at full power his body wouldn’t have perished alone.

She wiped the viscous liquid on her shirt, working the irritating stickiness from the digits with eyes cast downward before she attempted again. At the very least she wasn’t scared of his presence, and thankfully he’d masked his reiatsu some as she’d drawn closer with her tear stained eyes. He never wanted to scare her. She offered him more humanity with ever word she spoke to him than she’d ever know. And for that alone he had to give her everything he could in return. As a military officer—no, commander, human thought processes and emotions just weren’t something they were encouraged to indulge in. And Hi-to could deny he didn’t appreciate the weakness in his soldiers either. She really indulged him in ways she couldn’t even begin to understand. Perhaps it was the same for this ‘Takua’, and what spared her his hollow nature that inevitably lay beneath the surface.

It must have been cold tonight for those that could feel it, with her breath frosting in the atmosphere between them as she reached for him again with a clean hand. For her, to stand close to a being who couldn’t physically feel the cold must have been akin to the planets orbiting their sun; he drew her in, and she had no will to resist the comfort of his abnormally high body temperature as her hand enclosed over his. Calloused fingers wrapped around her own in an attempt to warm them, so soft and small in comparison to his own. Even if it was just warmth, he would gladly give it to her.

Her committal hum confirmed the presence behind her to be a friendly one, allegedly. Hi-to hadn’t forgotten about their company during their small talk, and the steam rising from his charred back was almost non-existent now as he regenerated the musculature of his back and the charred lungs. Sekai’s intervention was obviously to sate his need to protect as much as it was to allow her friend to heal himself, and if Hi-to had thought the hollow a threat he wouldn’t have allowed it. As it was, regeneration demanded a lot of energy; he would still have the tactical advantage regardless.

Sekai was pulling her shirt collar up, and Hi-to knew the scar that she’d shown him earlier to be just short of visible range. He was incredibly lucky with his body; unlike most of his Shinigami peers he carried no battle scars with his own regenerative abilities granted from his status in Kaido. There was a reply there to his comment about the hollow race as a whole, waiting to be spoken if she hadn’t stopped so curtly, brandy colored eyes rising to his as she was told yet another thing that hadn’t been explained beforehand. Of course she’d never heard of the massacre. He’d never told her, and hearing of it offhandedly now was only mildly horrifying compared to being there at the time.

It was the biggest turning point of his life, to meet Tova Diablo in person. He couldn’t even being to describe the sensation to her even if he wanted to. It wasn’t even a feeling. It truly was a sensation, and it was the only time in his entire life he’d ever felt so cold. As a Captain rank Shinigami he was acutely aware of the goings on of things around him. Everything had some form of spirit, even if only the bare minimum, and the King of Hueco Mundo’s presence was an anomaly in that it left a blank space in reality, a space where some form of life should have existed but didn’t. There was nothing, nothing to gauge and understand, only something entirely unnatural. He truly was the king of hollows, for that’s exactly what he was; hollow.

He had to wonder if her ‘friend’ had been there himself. He’d met a number of Arrancar in the Sixth division, all because of one determined Amaya Kidachi determined to break a friend free from prision. No such feat happened due to their persistence, but with the amount of hollow presence in the Sixth the damage was inevitable. They lost their Captain, their Vice Captain, and it was that very incident that ironically led Hi-to to confront Sekai today as the current Captain of the Sixth Division. It was highly unlikely that she knew what that meant, or that he was one of the top five strongest Shinigami in Soul Society at current date. He hadn’t told her because it wasn’t for her to worry about a battle between gods. Humans were the chips in their gambling game at the end of the way, inferior and just numbers balancing the scale that kept the world in check. The complexities of the war between Soul Society and Hueco Mundo was something he didn’t have the diplomatic words to explain to someone who wasn’t remotely aware.

Of course, their entire conversation would be heard by the Arrancar not so far away, his hearing that much more adept than a human’s. Takua finally spoke up upon healing his severe injuries, wasting no time to push his opinions into their small debate. Normally regeneration was something he’d never allow a hollow the time to practice, but Sekai was so close to him that her safety was assured regardless. He’d felt the other’s Reiatsu the moment he’d exited the Senkaimon, and even if this hollow was toying with Sekai’s naivety, he was of no physical threat. His words, however, gave Hi-to pause, calculating eyes watching the other’s body language as he joined the conversation.

Of course he’d know of Tova Diablo, likely better than he himself could ever wish to understand. If the man truly was Sekai’s friend, perhaps he could be some use and shed some light on their misunderstood enemy. Even with the limiter tattooed to his pectoral, he could finish the other if he so desired, though the trauma it would cause Sekai wasn’t worth the effort, so long as the other didn’t try anything towards her morality. Hi-to still wasn’t entirely sure what to think on the other’s loyalty.

But Sekai begged him to make the chance, and even as the Hollow intervened, his words were nothing but humble and pacifistic. It was easy to see that Sekai’s natural human curiosity was getting the better of her, though this ‘Takua-san’ obviously knew her nature well enough to raise a hand to silence the oncoming question. This was a matter between the two of them, and one Hi-to was intent on discovering. Instead, her eyes fell on Hyperion for a moment, awe filling her reiatsu and reminding him that he hadn’t yet taught her about the sentient beings all skilled Shinigami carried. He made a menial note to inform her when they had the time, that Hyperion was a separate being bred from his own soul that although he saw everything his master did, held separate opinions.

“Of course; You would know much more of Tova Diablo than I do. All I have with that man is my own personal experience.” Never one too keen to divulge personal secrets to someone he didn’t know, let alone an alleged enemy, Hi-to faced the other with shoulders squared and eyes sharp. It was ironic that he held his haori in a regard Sekai didn’t understand, though he preferred it that way. She was so spiritual in her abilities and beliefs that such a thing could possibly sway her.

Of course, among the Arrancar, no mention of the massacre could be brought up without mention of the occupation. Hi-to turned to fully face the other, lips set in a grim line. Sekai rose to defend him, and for once, she was right. “I have never been to Hueco Mundo, let alone any part in the invasion. At the time I was only the head of interrogation; my job was in Soul Society and it alone.” And it was the truth. He’d never seen the vast deserts or the looming white castle that was allegedly Las Noches. Though he had to wonder if the other could say the same, that he hadn’t taken a firsthand part in the massacre. His further actions would depend upon that answer.

What he hadn’t expected, was the other to agree on what his race was. He said it how it was, and his hand tightened its grip on Sekai’s as he mentioned the harsh reality of what the occupation came to be. It wasn’t a lie. Hollows were primal instinct driven beasts, and Arrancar were just a purebred of the same race, and they were often treated as such. Although he couldn’t relate, it wasn’t uncommon knowledge what had come to place during the occupation.

Takua’s low bow was surprising in its submissiveness, respectful and yielding, and making sure to state his status as being nothing of Nazomi’s. He’d never met the hollow himself, but to know his fellow Arrancar didn’t want to associate with him only served to fuel his anger towards the man. With that the barely clothed Arrancar straightened, telling him things of his personality that could have been hard to believe for a hollow. Arrancar he may have been, but all hollows were supposedly similar in their instincts. It was their instincts that guided them, after all. And Hi-to’s trust was hard to gain.

Yet he apologised to Sekai with the utmost sincerity, handing her robe back to her and Hi-to caught sight of it as the other drew closer. The hole in his chest, the lack of heart Arrancar supposedly all held. It was an interesting sight to see, though nowhere near as interesting as the words Takua continued to speak. He held very little desire to know Tova Diablo on a personal level, yet the way other spoke him was as if there was something vital their side was missing. He was regretting things, things Hi-to wanted to know, though perhaps with the way their conversation was going ignorance would be the blissful route out. Unfortunately, being a Captain meant that information was vital, especially information such as this.

“Kohara Hi-to; Captain of the Sixth Division.” He responded curtly, shoulders square and eyes mistrusting. The other had formally introduced himself, and as tradition among their two races, he felt compelled to do the same. “During the massacre I wasn’t the Captain as I am now. My mission was to intervene an Amaya Kidachi and her subordinates from breaking a high class criminal from Sekiseki. After the mission met its success I ran into the man you call Tova Diablo in an alleyway.” He clarified, making sure not to give too much away in front of a potential enemy, or Sekai for that matter.

There were compiled reports of what happened among the six divisions, but details were scarce and rare to find. And rightly so, for if what he himself had experienced was anything to go by, then such details would be hard to recall with variables such as post traumatic stress disorder. The man was an enigma, and something Soul Society had been wholly unprepared for despite their material power.

“I’m sure you don’t need to hear the rest in details, Takua.” Hi-to’s hand loosened its grip on Sekai’s, allowing her to step away from him should she please. Nazomi’s name still bred a factor of fear in her, one that he couldn’t ignore, and the desire to kill the beast still rung strong within his veins. Sekai stood to defend his role in the occupation, and he worried for a moment if she felt too much faith in him.

Her next words were towards Takua, an attempt to pacify him that she was under no threat. The second the timeframe left her lips she realised the meaning behind it, eyes rising to Takua’s with silent wonder. And Hi-to too, was surprised that he’d go to such lengths. It was incredibly uncanny, that it should be five and a half months since they met, and the same amount of time that saw her safe from the dearly departed demons that thrived on her very existence.

Sekai’s awkwardness at the hole in her friend’s chest caused Hi-to to raise a fine eyebrow, before be realised that she probably hadn’t even seen a humanoid with such an anomaly. She seemed to think of Arrancar like her friend as humans of longevity, though Hi-to knew them of Hollows in humanoid form.

Sekai’s request wasn’t unexpected, and standing in the middle of a civilian street probably wasn’t the best of places to be having such a discussion. With the hinted information from both sides there was surely a lot all three parties had to discuss, and although Hi-to had neither comfort nor want of the Arrancar to be there, the hinted information he did carry was worth his meagre weight in gold. Sekai seemed almost embarrassed to ask the question, perhaps for fear of interrupting their serious flow.

“The forest would be better. I have a lot to say, and it’s important.” Hi-to didn’t want them interrupted, and the middle of an open street was just begging for it to happen. Himself and Sekai’s Arrancar friend may have been invisible to onlookers, but Sekai herself was not, and he wasn’t willing to patiently wait while she assured casual onlookers that she wasn’t crazy. “It sounds like me and this Arrancar have a lot to say, and neither of us would have come here if it wasn’t of the utmost importance. Let’s go.”
 
******

2750 words: 55 GP
Total GP: 111 GP

The hardest part about sharing all of this was watching as Sekai reacted. For now, at least, he seemed to have...clemency from the Captain, although the reiatsu wafting from him carried with it an ocean of mistrust and suspicion. The sword itself seemed to itch for the chance to be sheathed in his blood, honed to a sharpness that would cut through his soul as easily as it would pierce his flesh. But the Shinigami knew about the past between the Reapers and the Hollows of Hueco Mundo, it was not a surprise to him. But it was a surprise to the human, who might have hoped that, somehow and someway, the past between the worlds of Hueco Mundo and Seireitei were not so mired in millennia of blood and warfare.
 
Takua admired that hope, that willingness to think that maybe those problems might be overcome. He had the same dream, that one day there might be peace between the races, that those who wished for peace could turn their swords against the Hollows that followed nothing but instinct and their hunger.
 
But unlike Sekai, he had less faith in its ability to come true.
 
He had seen too much over the centuries to think that that dream might become a reality. The hatred was so ingrained, and the attitudes of many Arrancar and Adjuchas didn't help. Some would pretend to be friendly to get closer before they struck, and many others simply didn't care. Until he had run into Amaya, it had seemed like only he had cared...well, he and maybe a few others. Tova had been renowned for his peaceful nature...before the Occupation. And now, Aya was obsessed with creating a perfect race that was a fusion of Quincy, Shinigami, Human, and Hollow. While he supported her, he had to wonder whether such a thing was possible...and if it would really lead to peace. People feared what they didn't understand, and a fusion like that would create incredible fear. What might that do the balance of souls? Although he didn't know as much about it as the Shinigami, he knew what it was...and that if the balance fell apart, the worlds would be destroyed. Were all races converted to a single one...how would that impact the Cycle?
 
But that assumed it was even possible. Or possible on a large scale, and definitely not something to bring up here. Either way, while it was still a dream...he had no conviction that it would ever come about...although perhaps he might be able to find some peace for himself...some day. Sekai had no such weight of ages on her shoulders, and as such she still had hope. Or perhaps that was just the toll of losing his human heart so long ago. It, in the end, didn't matter. What mattered was that Sekai still hoped that she could bring these two people, so at odds with one another, might find a way to...well, at the very least, not fight while she was present. She seemed so adverse to confrontation...so fragile. Perhaps both the Captain and he had been trying to protect her from the spirit world's horrible realities, where humans were used as mere pawns on a board controlled by creatures that many of those humans might call gods.
 
Takua watched as she reacted instantly, rising to the defense of one friend when he was insulted. A small ping of jealousy rose in his mind as he watched her grab the Shinigami's hand, so quick to be sure that he could never do anything so wrong. And truthfully, he hadn't implied that the Captain had been there. Only to say that it had happened, and that evil could be on both sides. But it still hurt to see her seemingly abandon him so easily, to take the Captain's hand. For an instant, it was as though it was two against one, both of them arrayed against him. But then she continued, defending him in the same breath...and the envy that had begun to rise within him subsided.
 
It was followed immediately by a wave of self-disgust. What was wrong with him?! Feeling jealous when her friend was defended by her.
 
He controlled his emotions as best as he could, even as he gave a wry smile in response to the Shinigami's words. “I never said he was there, Sekai-san. I'm merely bringing up a comparison. He wasn't there as part of the Occupation, and I wasn't there for the Massacre.” If Arrancar were evil because of the Massacre, which had been driven by only a few of their number, then what did that say about the Shinigami, when they had treated the Arrancar like beasts? That was all he had wanted to bring up, instead of an attack on the Captain.
 
Of course, there was no way that what he had said wouldn't be an attack on the man, but...
 
But there wasn't another way he could think of to get the point he had wanted across.
 
The mere mention of Nazomi's name had Sekai sending a pulse across the shrine, and Takua looked over at her, something like grim amusement playing about his features. Of course that would be her response, to check to see if he was there...and next would be the guilt. Sure enough, it came rolling in, a spike of emotion that left him shaking his head. Why she was so convinced that Nazomi was not the monster that he was...was beyond Takua. Sheer innocence didn't seem to fit, but it was the only logical explanation so far. Clinging to the hope that even the violent, insane man was doing things for a reason and that he might be good.
 
He had to worry, though, because clinging to hope like that was often enough to send someone falling into despair when it was snatched away from them.
 
Not that that had stopped him before.
 
Not that knowing that would stop him from doing it in the future.
 
He was almost surprised at the introduction. Even if it was tradition, it was mostly in the tradition that you introduced yourself to the man you were about to kill...or die to. This was unusual. Kohara Hi-to...Takua rolled that name in his mind, fixing it to the outline of his face. Interesting man...and he knew Amaya. He wondered how much the two hated each other now...and how much that would complicate things if Aya ever learned of this meeting. And judging by the state of his clothing, either he was going to have to do some fancy lying, or he was going to have to tell at least part of the truth...and that wasn't going to go over well. Then again, lying would be far, far worse...selective truth might be a better option.
 
Takua gave a short, brutal nod at Kohara's words, even as he noted the distinct lack of an honorific on his first name. Well, that wasn't surprising. Normally you didn't respect an enemy, and no matter what Sekai had said, you didn't respect a monster either. And Takua was certainly a monster. All Arrancar were...and just because he wasn't evil didn't make him any less of a soul-devouring abomination. But he could indeed imagine exactly what had happened after that, when the King had confronted a Shinigami in the alleyway. Had he slipped a sword into the man's Saketsu and dumped an inner hollow inside to be the seed of a Vaizard? He could see Tova doing that, since everything that he knew about the secretive masked race came from him...if through Amaya. Or had it been the old Tova who had told her that?
 
Either way, it was both clear to him that if he had in fact run into the King, it was unlikely that Tova had been released. Or else...it was unlikely to Takua that Kohara would still be here today. But that he lived at all spoke to Takua once again that Tova had gone to Seireitei for more than one reason...and one of those reasons had not been to annihilate every Shinigami in sight. It had been a...warning of some kind, a challenge, a reminder that even The Golden King wouldn't be there to save them. Clearly, given that the man before him was now Captain, there had been some result of that.
 
...although, now that he thought about it, the man's reiatsu was rather low, now wasn't it? Still above the Arrancar's own, but he had expected a man who wore the haori of captaincy to be stronger still. Was he using some kind of limiter, repressing his full reiatsu somehow, or was Soul Society still in that bad of shape? He focused, letting his Pequisa range over the Shinigami...and frowned. Something on his chest? Something there was strange, although he couldn't tell exactly what. Finally, he gave another slight nod, refocusing on the man himself. If it was a limiter, that had been his saving grace from horrible death. From death, in many ways, without cause.
 
He spoke quietly, with more than a bit of empathy after what he had seen not long ago, “No, I can imagine. Funny, though, both you and Amaya being promoted.” A small smile flickered across his face at the thought. Promoted. Hah. Promoted by the King, because there was no one else who could promote you to the ranks of the Espada. And after what had happened a few weeks ago, stronger still than both of the people who stood with him. It staggered him, how much power she had gained in so short a time...while he was stuck in limbo, trying to reach ever higher and yet still anchored to this level. No matter how hard he trained, he simply wasn't getting stronger. Sekai herself was growing by leaps and bounds...and there he was stuck. Unmoving, locked in place by a past he couldn't break free from. A scrap of self-hatred drifted into his reiatsu, but he didn't speak any more. The lack of an honorific attached to her name was a message as well, since they were all speaking in Japanese.
 
The silence stretched, until finally Sekai spoke to break it as she finally stepped free of the Shinigami. Back, towards him to take the robe that he offered her. A plea that he was telling the truth...and he couldn't help but smile a little at that. A small, helpless smile. Kohara, if he were smart, would never trust him. Perhaps in time he might come to accept the Arrancar, but never trust, and that was how it should be.
 
But then he stiffened ever so slightly, thankful that neither of them were looking at him right now. Fuck. He'd never intended to tell her where he had been eating the souls that his nature and level of power demanded he consume, but it looked like that was out of the bag now. Her words were flat as she glanced over at him, and his face was a mask, a diplomatic smile that hid what was under it...although part of him was smiling for real. She'd never spoke with that sort of tone before...maybe that was the interrogator’s influence?
 
But then he didn't want to smile anymore, because she was hurt by his actions. He was tense now, and that anticipation flavored his reiatsu. She was hurt because...why? Because she thought that this was how he was buying her friendship? Guilt hit him then, because he hadn't meant it like that. He was just doing what he could to keep her life free from worry, to keep her town safe from the Hollows that would threaten the souls and Mortals that lived there. His face was carefully schooled of those emotions...but her face changed, and he smothered a curse. Somehow, she still knew anyways.
 
The pain in her rose as she likely felt betrayed and untrustworthy, and Takua resisted the urge to snap at her. No, no, for all of the wrong reasons, he was not buying her friendship with blood! But he didn't snap at her...because he didn't want to tell her why he was doing this. Related to her yes...but not only because of her. He wouldn't want her along anyways, because he didn't want her to see the part of him that was Hollow. That corruption that was part of his soul. Takua's expression faltered...and then he looked down, even as he heard her ask about the hole in his chest, where they might want to speak.
 
Seconds ticked by, but the Arrancar still didn't speak even as the Shinigami cast his vote. Did he really want to tell her this? He was so torn...torn as ever between two sides. Between the side of him that truly saw what he was doing as monstrous, the part that he clung to as the memory of Alexander Warde...and the part of him that had adapted to the necessity of Hollow life. Finally, he spoke quietly, guilt and expectation lacing his words. Expecting pain, shielding his heart already. “Sekai-san. Listen carefully, I only want to explain this once, because it isn't something I enjoy talking about.” He swallowed, and then continued on forcefully, “I am a weak Arrancar. And because I am weak, eating spiritual food simply doesn't cut it. I must consume souls, or else I starve. And eating Hollows in the human world at least means that at least I can remove a threat to the living. All I have done...”
 
He sighed, looking down. While this was his reality, he didn't want it to be his reality, and that too was clear by his words. Another moment passed as he gathered himself before the Arrancar looked over at her, trying to see how she was reacting. Was this how he finally got through to her exactly what he did that was monstrous? “All I have done is change where I look for those Hollows. I'm not even putting myself at risk, not with anything less than a Gillian. I've spent centuries killing Hollows Sekai-san. So has Kohara-san, if for the opposite reason entirely.” The honorific, and name, was on purpose again, refusing to insult the Shinigami. How was the Captain reacting to this? Heh. As if he needed to ask.
 
Just another monster trying to pretend it better than that.
 
That was how Takua felt right now, trying to explain this. Justifying what he was doing, murdering souls and devouring them...by saying it did good. Uneasiness shifted in him, a strange tension filling the back of his head. What the fuck was wrong with him? Finally, he shrugged, and Takua forced a neutral look to return to his face, “It's my life. I'm not trying to buy your friendship with death, I'm just...doing what I can to make my friend a little safer.” This way, she wouldn't have to fight a Hollow that she wasn't ready to fight, this way the villagers wouldn't be murdered in their sleep by a monster they couldn't see or fight against.
 
But he didn't want Sekai to see that part of him either. To really see and understand that Takua ate souls to survive. He wouldn't ask her to fight with him just so that he could feed on the remains, and he hoped that she could see that without him needing to spell it out for her. His emotions were all over the map, but they were all negative...swirling with self-hate and anxiety, even as he tried to prepare himself for the inevitable pain that his words would cause. Might she even walk away, understanding what he'd been doing? It was possible...if unlikely from all that he'd seen so far. But that didn't mean he didn't feel the fear.
 
Hastily switching topics, hoping to leave it entirely, he smiled. It was a little forced, but that this was the first time she'd seen a Hollow Hole? Well that just gave him terrible ideas. He turned a little, so that she was side on to him, and a mischievous grin crossed his face, “Oh no, this is always like this. See?”
 
And then he stuck his arm through the hole in his chest, extending it all the way through so that she could see his hands...and then wriggling the fingers at her, “Booga booga booga.” He kept his composure for one moment...two...
 
And then burst out laughing at the look of horror and disbelief on her face. Withdrawing his arm from inside of himself, he kept laughing, until finally he waved the hand, speaking with a laugh in his voice, “It's my Hollow Hole. It'll never heal, don't worry about it. If it would, it'd be right through my spine, but for whatever reason, it's fine.” His voice danced, how was it so much fun to torment her like this? Clearly, because her reactions were so good. Well, he was glad that he had at least distracted her for a moment or two and given himself something to laugh about. Because the rest of the night wasn't going to be funny at all.
 
“And yes, the forest, please.” The smile on his face grew a little bit more as he looked over at the Shinigami. “Oh I don't know about that. I had come here just to see a friend, but you're right, now it's important.” There was some pleasure in the fact that, since Kohara was a Captain, there was no way that he could come see Sekai as much as he did. Plus, he could open a Garganta any time he wanted to, from anywhere in all the worlds, but he was pretty sure that the Shinigami couldn't do that. Well, first of all, their direct portal only took them back to Soul Society. And being a Captain meant that he'd be busy as fuck.
 
...maybe it was wrong of him to take a bit of pleasure in another's misfortune, and it only added to the disgust he felt for himself, but he also couldn't deny that it still felt good.
 
WC: 3005 | GP: 60 | Total: 152

He won't be worth remembering."

This is what I am. This is what I do.

You are disposable as the next human, unless you can do what needs to be done. Either you can kill me, or I will split you open before using you like a fucking whore.

But, he hadn't- had torn and exposed her body to the frigid, heavy desert air, acted as if-

They were once human spirits who have since lost their way to despair, leading them to become what you saw earlier. They feed on other souls trying to move on in an attempt to fill the void.

He'd pressed against the side of the dead woman, had cradled his face with her limp, cold hand.

He'd grasped hope with both hands and had created, had used that hope to tell a dark tale that held that glimmer at the very end, that spoke of a child's dream of triumph over the pain in his life.

He had torn apart his flesh, had considered death to be an escape as the monsters in his life consumed, ruled, and controlled his mind and heart day after day-

All hollows are dominated by the hunger. It serves two purposes, but its primary one is to ease the pain caused by the hole in their heart.

He was free and he was bound, didn't realize it until the restraints choked about his throat once again- all because of a woman who smelled of flowers; beaten and bloodied by his own hand who wept on his behalf.

He was angered by her, frustrated, confused, determined to teach her, to force himself to carry through until the very end. Conflicted, because he didn't want to and didn't understand why when it had never bothered him before.

Longing-

((I am sorry for the length.  ><))

It was amazing how regularly Sekai reminded him that the world that she lived in was totally different from his own.
 
There was such incredible trust in the way that she spoke of him. Saying that she knew he wouldn't have fought in the Massacre...despite what he was, despite what he needed to survive. Sure, she was right, because he did not want to murder like that, to wreck the lives and sanity of people who were only trying to live their lives. But he was an Arrancar. He required souls, and the hunger was a constant, scratching irritant on his sanity, lurking just at the level of consciousness. Something that he was only aware of when it screamed, or when he looked for its presence. Just because he had fought against it for centuries didn't mean that he'd always be able to resist its call for blood, and that was why he resist anything that might be that monstrous. She shouldn't have that kind of trust in him. There was no reason, good or bad, to do so.
 
But she did anyways.
 
It disturbed Takua that she held such trust in him. It made her vulnerable to being hurt yet again when someone like Nazomi came to exploit that easy trust, that wishful thinking that people were good inside. He had seen too many monsters, too many who cared only for the death and suffering of others to build their power upon. Seen others who blindly followed the commands of the people above them, even when they inflicted terrible wounds on the people around them because of that. He had to smile, shaking his head as she insisted that the Shinigami give him an honorific, because he had been through this once...and she was still wrong. He knew he couldn't change her mind, but the idea that two men who stood on opposite sides of a line that had been drawn in blood and iron millenia ago would give each other those honorifics was laughable. That he had was only due to his willingness for peace...and no other. Other Arrancars would have followed that line.
 
To be fair, other Arrancar wouldn't be here.
 
“He doesn't need to call me anything I haven't earned.” Was his only response, but the shake of the head that he gave in Kohara's direction was meant to dissuade him of any idea he might have had about arguing with her on it...and that he was well versed in this argument. There was little point. To Sekai, even the foulest of creatures deserved the respect of an honorific...and maybe it was simply because he wasn't Japanese that he didn't agree. But to him, an honorific was something you earned. -San was something that you gained by actions deserving of that modicum of respect, not simply because you were a person who had yet to do anything. Calling him Takua was, in fact, the right way to do things. Kohara had shown restraint when he didn't need to, and for that had earned respect...as well as the simple fact that the Arrancar was being diplomatic.
 
But it was...all a different world than the one he was in. His world was bloody and violent, soaked in battle and death. Where you always had to watch your back, where the path ahead was long and jagged, with strong wings that blew you in every direction. The powerful could flick their finger and blow away hundreds of the weak. Politeness had little place in his world. When Tova could walk through the Seireitei and annihilate thousands of years of safety and tradition, shattering the illusion of strength the Gotei had, there was no respect to be given.
 
Nor should there be.
 
Sekai's expression was suffused with guilt of her own, and he didn't enjoy the other look on her face. This was related to what Nazomi had done, something that had made her know things that she shouldn't have known. She might have thought, erroneously, that he couldn't see her expression, since his face was away from her's. But through sound, he could map out every contour of her face, and he could taste the flavor of her emotion in her reiatsu. It was there again, something that he couldn't understand yet, but she knew in a way she shouldn't what it was like to live as a Hollow. No one but another Hollow should have that. But...
 
It was hard to argue with comments that were more insightful than they should have been, and a woman like her wasn't the type to have such conviction about someone else's life unless she knew. That was the problem. Being stubborn about honorifics was one thing, but she wouldn't assume that she knew how he felt in his life...unless it was to give him more credit than he was due. Five and a half months had let him learn that. So he didn't want to hear that she knew what it was like, he didn't know how she knew that...but the certainty in her voice was concerning.
 
Of course he knew that she didn't want him to have to...but that was the price that he paid to continue living like this. He let his mental sight range over the Zanpakuto that the Captain wielded, wondering what it would be like to purify himself on its sharpened edge. Would it be the most painful thing in his life, to be cleansed and sent on to Soul Society? Would he remember any of his life here? Or would he simply wake up as a little soul on the periphery of the land, weak and alone? It was an option. One that kept presenting itself to him, tempting him with a kind of peace at last. But he had things to do still...and he found himself strangely unhappy with the idea of dying right now. He didn't want to die. Totally normal for nearly every person on any of the worlds...but something that he hadn't felt for the past eight centuries. But he hadn't. So he kept the hunger. His own private punishment for his life.
 
At least it was made up for when she latched onto Kohara and flipped out. The Shinigami gave her the most condescending raised eyebrow that he had ever seen, and Takua could only laugh harder. For someone like him, a Hollow Hole was as typical as breathing, something seen a hundred times or more at the very least. There was a vague feeling of interest from the man, leaking out into his aura, but other than that there was only concern, very likely for the Mortal woman that was only just stepping away from the other spirit, and a vague sense of distrust and perhaps some bloodlust. Well, that was only to be expected. No doubt he wanted nothing more than to cleave Takua's head from his shoulders and let the blood splatter the ground, sending one more monster on to where he should have been eight centuries before. In fact, his continued restraint in not doing that should be commended...and Takua might have, were it not that such a thing would likely be considered insulting.
 
Takua's interest sharpened as the Captain explained the device that was restricting his power. Fascinating...and with more than a few applications, should he be able to find out how it was created. Nice to know that it was required for all Captains and Vice Captains, although if there was ever a fight here in the World of the Living...if Tova ever invaded...he knew damn well that those were off. Arrancar didn't care about that impact their pressure had on the world around them, but that didn't mean that they were unaware of it. Having those restraining devices would make it far more useful to the Shinigami, who charged themselves with the balance and integrity of the World of the Living. But... “I see. Fascinating, I wonder how...” His voice trailed off for a moment, leaping straight from theory to practical. Such a device could be used to hide creatures of greater power as well. Not necessarily Arrancar from Arrancar, but for other people.
 
Like the little woman next to them.
 
How would he make one?
 
One more idea cataloged into the back of his mind, he nodded, and let Sekai lead the way. She didn't get far, though, before she stopped by the ruins of what had obviously once been a building...and her words chilled him. Because it was so obvious, even close to a year after it had happened, that she hadn't moved on in any way from the events of that night. He didn't know the fully story yet, just most of it...all but the few parts she had refused to tell. But she was still bound and bleeding, and he didn't know how to melt the chains and cauterize the wounds that still lingered in her heart. He could practically smell it on her, hear the hurt in her words, the sound of a soul in pain. Of course he knew that sound, it was the same sound that he had gone through so long ago, the same voice and the same face that he had made centuries before.
 
He just didn't know how to save her from that.
 
It was impossible for him not to notice how she felt. Especially when her reiryoku spiked, scanning the area for other reiatsu signatures...and as she did so, it was easier to read her emotions. Hard not to see the pain that lanced through her aura...and hard not to see it on her face. Even if she was in front, even if she was facing away from them, that didn't matter to him. He could still see everything, every step she made and flicker across her face. And he could especially see the step she made off the lip of the earth, needing to leap...and the surge of power he felt through the earth that responded to her, reaching up to carry her to safety. Had she truly been in danger he could have moved swiftly enough to catch her, but she hadn't been. He did, however, walk on air to reach the clearing, watching her turn around...and felt his heart sink.
 
It was too easy to see the hurt she was trying to bury, to make them think that she was doing okay. There were things he was going to say that would hurt her...and could possibly even mark her as a target for knowing them. Information was power. But that was also true the other way around...that knowing who she should avoid, knowing her enemies, could save her life. There was no easy way to do this...he was just going to have to do it.
 
But he wasn't blind to the beauty of the clearing, and for a moment, allowed himself to be distracted. Buried in nature, with the rushing stream behind him as he touched down on the ground itself. Takua snapped his fingers, letting the sound rush out and come back to him...mapping the area for him. For a few seconds, as Sekai soaked her robe in the stream, he was silent. Just...looking. Watching the interplay of rock and wood, where the water babbled, hearing the quiet roar of a nearby waterfall. This was...magnificent, and as the Captain gave Sekai his Haori to keep her warm, the Arrancar simply relaxed. Unwinding as he opened his mind to nature just a little bit more.
 
He did not, however, lose track of either of his two companions, and after several long moments Takua turned to them. He, too, stood on the earth, but he didn't move again until Kohara spoke to him...in Spanish. His face never changed, but he understood the reason for the question. And why it was in the language that it was in. With Sekai so obviously rattled and afraid of Nazomi, bringing up his name would only make it worse...and the night was going to be hard enough on her as it was, he feared. The Shinigami wasted no time in moving on from that, not even giving him time to respond, continuing directly to the heart of the business that had brought them to this clearing. He'd give his response to the second one soon enough, first he had to decide what to do with the first question.
 
...but there was no love lost between him and the insane Arrancar that had nearly butchered her, and he spoke in the same language that Kohara had, <“He resides in Las Noches, but is allied with no one. A drifter. We've met, once, and it was not a pleasant experience.”> Sekai, of course, wouldn't be pleased that they were talking like this, but it was better that she be mad at them than afraid.
 
The blind Arrancar sighed, looking at the Captain of the Sixth Division, and then over at the woman that had been his friend for the past...near six months. Now that they were here, a kernel of hesitation rose in him. Because this was a moment in which he might be considered to directly betray The King...and by extension, his Espada, Aya, who would not be happy with his sharing this information with Shinigami. But the reason that he signed on as Amaya's Fraccion was because of the dream of peace that they shared. Peace between all races. And The King threatened that peace, the Tova Diablo that rested upon the throne. When he swore to crush all of the Seireitei, he threatened that peace. The original, the one who had helped him to rip off his mask so many years before, wasn't even his friend. But he did owe the man...owed him the knowledge that led to his current form. Losing the fire that stopped all physical contact, decreasing the hunger, killing the sheer unrelenting need to devour in order to retain his evolution and sanity.
 
That, he owed the man. And maybe, he could help repay that now, and here, by telling the people who would assume he was their enemy that he was in fact their ally.
 
The only question was whether he could do this to Sekai. She was gentle...and fragile. She still bled for Nazomi, for the pain she thought she dealt to him. Staring at her now, he hesitated. The conflict was plain on his face, to protect her might be to stay quiet...to keep her from hurting, the words needed to remain unsaid. After six months, he hadn't ever heard of her fighting someone, a near miracle in their world. Partly because of him, perhaps, but partly because of who she was. Pacifistic, always willing to forgive...but here, there would be no forgiving. Here, there was hatred and bloodshed. He was about to inundate her with history of a conflict she never knew. And she would cry for the fallen, cry for the people who were injured and torn apart, and his story would be the cause.
 
Strong and weak. Trying so hard not to break, to help others, but fracturing under her own injuries. But she was a woman who had entered into this ancient war by accident, facing monsters that threatened her life. Even if she seemed weak, Takua couldn't help but feel that somewhere inside of her was something...an iron bar that refused to give up. Steel that had never been forged, because people kept protecting her. Because she avoided the kind of decision that would temper her, the fights that would hammer her into sword and shield. But she could break, and Takua knew it. Lying might help her sleep at night. She could melt inside the forge, shatter during the tempering. He might lose her for good.
 
But if he respected her at all, he could tell her the truth.
 
He gave her a soft smile. An apology for the pain, and a wish that things didn't have to go the way that they would. But that was all that he could give her right now. Takua breathed in deep, inhaling cold air scented with nature, of cleansing water, and then exhaled slowly. “I wouldn't call it invisible. But you're right, and you're wrong. He didn't exactly change during the Occupation. And lucky for you, you're about to find out what happened to Desalmados as well, because that's part of this tale. This...is going to take a bit of explaining, so bear with me.”
 
But first...his own Pequisa spread out, searching the surrounding area for anything that might be there. A pulse of sound, far below human hearing, went next, mapping the area for him, showing him the hidden things...and there were no other human figures around. Nothing of reiatsu in the area. And then his voice changed, sharp and like an instructor. Sekai knew this voice, because he had spoken to her with it before, when he had told her about his race...but there was an edge there that hadn't been there before.
 
Fear.
 
Because he knew what would happen to him if he were discovered. Death was a possibility. Torture was another. And because The King of Las Noches was terrifying. He had felt the immensity of that release, crushing down on his soul, threatening to annihilate him, simply turning him into ash and leaving it scattered across the sands. Before, he hadn't been able to detect the King's reiatsu. Before he had felt it in all of its horribly immense majesty. Now...now he couldn't stop.
 
And that was worse.
 
Another deep breath before he crossed the Rubicon, and then he spoke, “First. Tova Diablo was an Arrancar. Just over a decade ago, he found me in the desert, and taught me how to become an Arrancar. At the time, he was an Espada.” He paused for a fractional moment, before he spoke to Sekai, “The Espada are the most powerful Arrancar. Directly under the command of the King or Queen, and may command lesser Arrancar, their Fraccion.” Another moment, that aside done, he returned to the same tone of voice he had had before, “Powerful, but only an Arrancar. Several years later, he changed. He became...something else.” He held up a single hand to forestall any questions that might come his way, “I don't know much. I may be old, but I've only heard rumors...and seen one other like him. But Tova no longer had reiatsu to detect, he had no mask, and no Hollow Hole. He no longer fed on souls, and in fact was...quite peaceful. Wise, even.”
 
His face tightened as he recalled this. A man that he looked up to, from a thousand feet below. Someone who truly seemed to care for peace, who sought to give advice, to build other people up. A man who, by all rights, was truly no longer an Arrancar, because he no longer suffered like the rest of them. “I didn't really get a chance to talk to him much. I am, as I said, weak. And I was one of but dozens or hundreds that he had helped to become Arrancar...he likely doesn't even remember who I am anymore. But that was always how he appeared. And then the Siege happened.” Despite his best efforts, there was a note of...pain that threaded into his voice. Because that had been a terrifying day, as the Espada were annihilated, and the Arrancar under them erased. Thousands had died. Takua had survived a blade that had severed his spine, and had slowly regenerated...but he had survived. “Tova was defeated. Killed, or so we were told.”
 
“Two months later, and he returned. Different. He no longer cared for peace. Once again, he has a Hollow Hole and a mask. He butchered the guards, killed the commander of the occupational forces, and conducted the Massacre. He destroyed the walls of the Seireitei, murdered thousands of Shinigami, and, I'm guessing, created more than a few Vaizards in the survivors.” The last word was a test, to see if Kohara knew. Half-Shinigami and Half-Hollow fusions, he was guessing that they were hunted if they were known...and if a Captain of the Sixth didn't know about them, that would tell him quite a bit about the structure of the Seireitei.
 
Of course, he had no proof that that was what Tova had done. Just suspicions. Because he had left people alive, because of his words during the fight in the throne room to Garra. Creating a few surprises and leaving them to wreak havoc, to test his enemy's mettle, would be something he might do. Or, better yet, forcing the most powerful of the Seireitei to leave it, hunted by their own men. And since Amaya had learned of them from Tova...it seemed likely that during the chaos and the death, he had taken the time to make a few.
 
“He then returned to Las Noches, killed the survivors of his earlier rampage, and became the King, pledging to some day return to the Seireitei and annihilate it. So far, all of this should match what you know. Sekai, let me know if you need clarification.” He wasn't speaking condescendingly, but merely a complete acceptance that this onslaught of new words and events might confuse her. His face was a mask, neutral and...that of a teacher. Textbook history, that was all this was. Stripped of the blood, stripped of horror and fear. Hiding in the darkness as screams rang out, the clash of blades, the stench of death and smoke.
 
Takua paused for a moment, gathering his thoughts and himself a little more. His back straightened just a touch, and when he spoke...the edge was a bit rougher. He was a bit more pale, and a lump was slowly forming in his throat. “A few weeks ago, there was an Espada Meeting. The first one called since the liberation. As the Fraccion to the Tercera, I was invited. Tova, the King, was there. And just as soon as we had started...another Tova walked in.” There was a moment for that to sink in before he continued. “The King, Tova Diablo, with a mask and Hollow Hole, sitting upon the throne. A second Tova Diablo, who caused the doors to the throne room to vanish. No mask, no hole, no reiatsu to detect.”
 
A swift, merciless mockery of a smile flickered across his face as his voice sped up, “The King proceeded to announce that this Tova was the old one. The one who used to be our King, who was supposedly killed during the Siege. And told the Espada to kill him. Tori Saio, Tova's wife, fought alongside him instead. Three Espada fought the former King...” And he had been in the middle of that room. Four released Espada, two of them in Segunda Etapa. His professional mask cracked slightly, a current of reflected fear billowing into his reiatsu. Takua shifted uneasily from side to side, and then swallowed. When he spoke again, his voice was more level, slower.
 
“I escaped just before Desalmados arrived to fight the Tova upon the throne. The King...released.” That word was flat, lined with tightly controlled terror. The kind that was natural, because you were truly afraid for your life. His aura was muted, tightly bound around himself, and his face was taut as he said, “And I can tell you right now that I have felt his Reiatsu at its peak, and the only reason I am still here now is because I was not in the room at the time. He is an Arrancar, still. But the Tova who arrived it not. The King crushed Deslmados, and between their efforts, destroyed the top of the Castle. The other Tova teleported away, and the King proceeded to...say something rather interesting to the man he had defeated.”
 
Takua's voice changed. It was an imitation of Tova's, one that Kohara would recognize. “Well done, Espada. I never did see the Garra I know use something so impressive. Everyone here has become so much more than the ones I knew did. How telling, then, that such great achievements were made after my arrival.” The blind man paused for a moment, and then continued, “After that, and a few more such words, the King...devoured the Hollow part of Desalmados, leaving him a Shinigami. After that, he opened a Garganta to the Seireitei, and pushed him inside.”
 
Which were all of the events that had happened. What he had left was his own conjecture...both from what he knew, and from what Aya had told him. He could only wonder what Sekai was thinking of all of this. If Kohara believed what he was saying. This could, and might, all sound very much like an elaborate lie meant to confuse the Shinigami. It, however, was not. “That's what I know. From everything he said, it sounds like the current King isn't from our reality. That's more or less confirmed. I don't know how he got here though. The one who started here is set against him, and they're trying to kill each other.” He sighed for a moment, and then spoke very quietly, “Now I know he used to be an Arrancar, but trust me, he isn't any longer. And there's a reason that 'The enemy of my enemy is my friend' is a saying. I don't know where the other Tova is, I do know that he is incredibly powerful. Powerful enough to challenge the King.”
 
Now, finally, he looked fully at the Captain. What was he thinking? After a moment, he turned to look at Sekai. There was a quiet anxiety that swirled in his aura, both because he wasn't sure that either of them would believe him...and because he'd actually gone ahead and done it. He should have, most likely. But he was trying to pay his debt to Tova...and this was the only way he could, in a way that might matter. Even if his King killed him, even if Aya found out and did the same. Takua spoke again in the same, quiet voice, “Questions?”
 
WC: 4309 | GP: 86 | Total: 238

((Did not count Tova's words from Swords and Crowns toward WC))

Crk.

Takua wasn't sure what Sekai was thinking right now, and that worried him more than he was willing to admit to himself. For the still living woman this was all new, everything from organizational details of the Seireitei to the Massacre and beyond. But she was clearly thinking of the impact on Earth, what could happen to the billions of still living mortals here when the war came to them instead. Did she even know that the weight of spiritual pressure could affect the fabric of the world and the lives in it? Takua hadn't told her that yet, and the Shinigami had only hinted at it. She probably didn't know that the Shinigami helped to maintain that fabric and dampen the effects of these fights on the World of the Living...and the people there. The immediate effects of destruction would be nothing compared to the far reaching consequences of an invasion here.

Her eyes closed, and he wanted to touch her, reassure her that he would do everything in his admittedly weak power to make sure that such damage would be mitigated. It was the little things that clued him in, the way the corners of her eyes crinkled. This was indeed painful for her...he could feel it in her reiatsu just slightly. The way it wavered as he spoke, flickering like lights in the darkness, threading through the forest green like rot and river. Would that he could burn away the rot with his fire, cleaing the darkness from her forest with righteous fire. But his fire was not righteous, and he would burn her with it in that attempt. Perhaps if Hi-to were not here, perhaps if she were not trying so hard to restrain herself.

But no.

There was something else in her reiatsu that he could feel. A haziness that made him suspect she wasn't able to take all of this...or had other things running through her head. The way it sharpened and then blurred again at a level that even a few months ago he wouldn't have been able to detect. Takua felt something slip inside of himself...she wasn't able to keep up. Or simply had too much to grapple with all at once. They'd kept this from her to protect her, and then turn around and slapped with everything they'd held back with. Sakuya would be seething right now, Takua thought sadly, because she'd been right. He hadn't prepared Sekai for this at all. A failure of a friend because he'd tried to take that burden from her instead of giving it to her gradually. The next time he saw her, he'd have to apologize for that...or he could simply start figuring out how to turn it around.

She'd prefer the latter.

His smile was thin as both Sekai and Hi-to spoke, and after a moment he turned to look at Sekai. He could see where Kohara came from, his irritation and worry. The Massacre had been personal. The idea that this was all a game to the King, that he was doing this to provoke them all, would be...did hurt. That their lives were all pieces to Tova, and the stakes were all of their lives. “Immortality is boring, and Gods play with anyone they overpower.” There was a wealth of meaning in that, but Sekai would understand what that meant. He was agreeing with her assessment, this was a game to Tova.

...and then his smile widened just a bit, something a bit sharper finding its way across his face. Something just a bit more violent than normal. He was almost whimsical as he spoke, as though he understood and was merely making a joke to two people who would understand, “Besides, it's all too Hollow to want to find an opponent to fuel your evolution. And once you stand at the top, you make them reach you. Hatred is a powerful motivator to fight, and fear to make them desire power. He's just taking it to an extreme...before he crushes his opposition anyways. After all, it's no fun if you die.” The thread of hatred for his own kind, for himself, was thick in his voice once you got past the initial guise of mere joking, of an Arrancar who said it because he agreed. Because it sickened him that that might really be the King's motives...and even more that he understood them.

Kohara...he wasn't sure that he understood yet. The man held himself like he was listening to every word...and Takua had the feeling that he was in fact doing just that. Taking it all in and fitting it against what he already knew to look for cracks and lies, where pieces were met with jagged edges and where they fit together like they had always belonged. More than that thought, Kohara was worried, and that meant more to Takua than anything else. It meant that he had been believed, or at least believed enough that it didn't matter if the Shinigami suspected him. But he couldn't feel suspicion from the man's aura, although that didn't mean that the Captain didn't have any.

Either way...he'd finally crossed the line. He didn't know if this would even matter in the long run, if anyone would find out, but either way something had happened here today. Takua was only too aware of his betrayal of Las Noches here, but he was staying true to an old debt and alliegance.

Sekai flinched as Hi-to mentioned the massacre, something that Takua barely managed to catch, and then paused for a moment to read the boiling mess of emotions that came out of both of them. There was something here he hadn't caught before, that he hadn't considered. He would have expected both of them to be closer to each other, as close as giving the haori would have implied. But Sekai was...holding herself back now. Keeping her emotions in check instead of wearing them on her sleeve. Was that because of him? Was Takua keeping her from being as close to her friend as she wanted to be?

It didn't feel like it.

Hi-to was tense and worried, but he meant what he was saying about trying to protect her...from people like him. Takua couldn't help but smile at that, a deeply amused grin on his face completely at odds with everything they were talking about. She was not going to like being told that he wanted to put barriers up around her place to keep her from encountering other Arrancar and Hollows. It was to protect her, yes, but that was going to be like throwing water on a cat. In fact, he could already feel her reaction to that and it was...

...the smile vanished.

Not funny anymore. Because he could read her face well enough, and her reiatsu well enough, to feel the distinct flavors that ran through her right now. And none of them were the indignant that he wanted. Throughout his speech, Sekai's reiatsu had been getting worse and worse, doubting herself. And now, it was such a brew of self-hatred and anger, of doubt and sadness, anxiety and fear, that he couldn't bear to take it. Helplessness was poison to them, because it destroyed everything they wanted to be. He knew her well enough now to know that her self-esteem was as low as his own, that she only saw the worst of herself. And having Hi-to tell her this would only reinforce that she couldn't do anything. That Hi-to had wanted to protect her had caused a surge of anxiety...no doubt because her friend would be placing himself in danger because of her.

Takua didn't speak. He simply listened to what they had to say. An idea had blossomed in him, but he couldn't speak of it now. Sekai needed to gain confidence in her abilities...and Takua could help her get there. Even as he thought it, he felt a twinge of regret. He didn't want her to fight. He wanted to protect her, this sweet woman who was his balm. His sacred grove. But he couldn't just use her like that, Sekai was her own person. She deserved to know how to fight, even if it scared him to know that she would be out there and could potentially die. But that was a fear even now, and one that she was far less ready to face. He couldn't simply keep taking on lesser Hollows and hope that the bigger ones, Menos and above, or other Arrancar, wouldn't notice her.

But he didn't want to.

She looked so fragile. He could feel something else in her, apart from the iron bar of strength that had yet to be forged. Something that seemed like it was breaking even now. And her face right now...no. He couldn't say it. His offer was stuck in his throat, clogged up behind his fears and desire to protect something instead of destroying it. That maybe this time his touch would ease and save, instead of watching her skin blacken and crumble under him, soul corroding and corrupting. His mouth stuck half open in stasis, slowly closing again as he tried to work past everything just to say, Perhaps it would be better if we taught Sekai how to defend herself instead of how to depend on us. The Arrancar's throat worked, forming the syllables that remained frozen inside of him...and he swallowed them at last. Not today. Not when she looked so fragile. Maybe he would come to regret that decision, but he needed time to ask her. Because he still just wanted to protect her...

...and maybe if he came back into his heritage and unlocked the power in the blade of his, she would never have to see war and bloodshed beyond what she already had.

It was a foolish dream, his mind whispered. One that would hurt her.

Just let me dream for a few days.

WC: 1663 | GP: 33 | Total: 315