Bright Eyes [closed/Nazomi]

Still just a babe and the little tyke was already trying to have adult conversations.

How cute.

A smile, sudden and sharp, spread across his face when the little one's voice added to it; sang in his head with words that tempted the madman far too much for his own good. Delightful and new, as much as the conversation had become, there was no cost in showing a little restraint for the time being. More so because Nazomi found himself conflicted on so many levels that it was hard to decide which to pick at first. This was quite new as far as his encounters had gone thus far. It merited a little more consideration than he might have given any other. If only to better remember the outcome if it presented itself again.

Because it would again, in time.

On and on the spiral goes.

Shh, baby brother. I'm thinking. A gentle chiding all things considered. The ease and patience in his tone, everywhere and nowhere at once as it was, managed even to surprise the Arrancar. So many interesting things going on, so many small threads to follow. Mockeries of moments past and familiar faces and memories slipping by, noticed only for the knowledge he already possessed of them that made declaration and defiance both amusing in their own right. But such things did not contribute to solving the issue at hand, aid in choosing how to approach the matter.

Though the problem may have been in worrying about that sort of thing at all.

This was no play and there was no need to play the actor for the moment.

"This is quite the dilemma, you know." He chuckled but not much more. Rather, the smile he had worn twisted, became thoughtful but void of any sort of sane joy. A devious curl that made his voice sweeter but even that modest change was revealing of just what sort of impulses had begged attention.

"We know so many of the same people but we've never met at the Christmas parties." His eyes dulled, life and light dampening in them bit by bit until there didn't seem to be anything behind them but cold, reptilian processes that began breaking down the shinigami into a matter of processes than a living and thinking being. His smile faded entirely, not empty, but a frown that restored ever so briefly whatever empathy the Arrancar possessed.

"It would figure she'd find herself in a similar position." He muttered but did not attempt to hide it by doing so. There was simply no fire or need to proclaim it any louder than he had. It was a brief respite he allowed himself before cutting off any thought of memory of the encounter they had. Nor did he know whether to be pleased or sad that she seemed to be doing that well, advanced that much since that night.

No matter.

"Ah forgive the distraction. But since we're brothers in arms, so to speak, then I'll cut to the heart of the matter." His attention refocused on the shinigami, prying and pulling apart one memory after another in an attempt to find more. Something meaningful. A reason to or a reason to let it go. But found nothing of substance. No choice that mattered. No battle won that would have been hard fought or given itself to shattering the bindings placed on the little reaper's soul. So in that Nazomi had an answer. As to what he'd do with it....

"Your duality is an interesting thing. Clearly you have no love for the ones you follow but you still do. You will expend yourself against the weak but won't test yourself in earnest. You talk of attachment to someone else but do you actually feel anything beyond the satisfying of some need, longing, that never quite feels like it will go away?" He looked away, studied his watch for a moment, only to tuck it away into his pocket with a shrug. Peering back at the wounded, some crawling away, some making pitiable noises being too injured to move or using the time they'd been given to restore themselves, he considered just how useless they were now that they had been shattered upon the sands.

The only proper response finally came to him.

"On any other day my first inclination would be to confront you with those things, offer you no choice in the matter, but..." His Will crawled through the area, expanding with a slow din that fed him impressions far beyond the limitations of his normal senses. Dying lights and those recovering acutely aware of what reached out for each of them. Some struggled, some resigned, and others were too blind by their own idiotic wait to become more that their only thought turned to devouring the source now that it had fallen upon them. None had changed in the time they'd been given. Not drawn themselves away or restored enough of what they were to be of importance.

"In this case I find it would likely be a waste. Wouldn't be any fun without your full attention nor would it satisfy if you broke because your choice was taken from you." Clapping his hands together the Arrancar arranged them awkwardly, thumbs and fingernails against flesh before ripping them away from one another in a display that tore deep at either hand. Black Bile pooled at each wound, writhed as it was wont to do, but did not restore the harm done as it was so often tasked with. It spilled from wounds in abundance and spread across the sands, coiled itself into slender forms that darted towards the fallen Menos. Like snakes slithering hungrily across the wastes.

They fell upon the first of the broken Menos and it almost sounded like the creature attempted to scream as they tore into it with all the violent proficiency that all predators should have. Fed greedily and quickly until what was left fell into dust and then onto the next as numerous more snakes, crafted from bile, nightmares, and corruption, joined them. And so on until any life that had been around the reaper and the madman was snuffed out or well away from their influence. At which point the snakes merely returned to their source, pooling at his feet as liquid that drew itself back into his body through that minimal contact.

"And if you did break I'd have to show you mercy, wouldn't I? How dreadfully uninteresting." He sighed and swayed, eyes dilated and voice lilting with an indifferent joy. Comfortably high. All smoke in his veins, fine warm fuzz that it was seeping into the rest of his body quickly. Mercy tasted like blood and marshmallows. Just a hint of rotten fish as was so often the case with the devouring of kin. The results were still the same as always. Even more intense, in fact. Maybe it was the air or the want but it seemed to make the same sweet poison as always all the more enchanting.

"So instead-" A slight shuddering gasp broke up his response. "I thought I might make an offer, and see for myself what sort of weapon you truly wish to be." The sensation that had come from the snakes, wrought with a portion of the power still held back by his seal, roiled in the air itself. In the thoughts that emotion and thoughts that Nazomi shared with his guest.

Would you like me to make you stronger? Strong enough you need only live one life?

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