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Post by Sakata Saburo on May 16, 2008 23:01:16 GMT
Silence. The empty silence filled the corridors of Las Noches on this day. Or rather, Night. At least, there was nothing but silence in this area of Las Noches. In a room, deep within the corridors of this gigantic fortress, sat an Arrancar on his bed, his eyes closed in thought. It was not often people disturbed him And if they did, they were people coming to his room to tell him to report to the King or that he had a mission. But now, when no one was around, not even his FraccĂon, he sat there, undisturbed.
Suddenly however, he opened his eyes, as if finished thinking. Done with his meditation, he sought something new to do. Standing up, he brushed some imaginary dirt off his clothes and walked to his door, opening it and walking out before locking it. He was noticeable for his mask remains over his left eye and the long black hair. And the tattoo of the number three on his right cheek. A number signifying his rank amongst the Espada, the strongest Arrancar in existence.
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Post by Rangis Mukondo on May 16, 2008 23:16:29 GMT
Rangis had been examining the palace of Las Noches. It was even more impressive than he had first anticipated. Occasionally, he would stop and stare out of one of the windows, letting the beauty of Hueco Mundo sink in. There were some that saw this place as drab...dull. They were imbeciles, obviously.
He sensed a high spiritual pressure nearby. He had not been expecting anyone to be residing here, considering it had no ruler, and had not had once since Aizen. He walked like one in a trance, toward the source of this pressure. There stood a man...no...a Hollow. At a glance, Rangis knew all he needed to know about him. He had noticed the 3 beneath his eye, and knew the significance of this number. He approached the man, warily. By now, this Arrancar would have noticed him, even if he did mask his spiritual energy. He waited, patiently, a few yards away, for the man to start conversation.
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Post by Sakata Saburo on May 16, 2008 23:27:29 GMT
As he walked, Gabriel suddenly stopped. Right in the path of his vision was a man. An Arrancar, to be exact, standing before him. At first, Gabriel was unsure how to act but slowly, he opened his mouth and said what any man would have said. "Who, might I ask, are you?" he asked, his hard stare focused on the Arrancar before him who had gotten into Las Noches. Arrancar these days were rare, although they always had been since the dawn of time. Even with Aizen, there were only just over one hundred Arrancar.
"Soy el Tercera Espada, Gabriel Zapatero. I did ask for a name, did I not? Answer, I demand you tell me your name" he spoke with a calm tone. He was one of the only beings left in this place called Las Noches, one of the few still inhabiting the stronghold of the Arrancar. And, even if there were few Espada left, he still kept the '3' Tatoo, as he knew there may yet be stronger Arrancar out there able to take the higher positions.
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Post by Rangis Mukondo on May 16, 2008 23:35:42 GMT
Rangis spoke in a calm, yet forceful tone. "My name is not what is important. All you need to know is I will soon be the King of Hueco Mundo. I'm here to make you an offer. I can tell you are an Espada. I'm impressed that you've stayed here so long, yet I hope it was not out of loyalty to Aizen. I'd like for you to serve under me. If you decline, I've no quarrel, but you'll need to leave this place. For I am claiming it. And I do not accept visitors often."
He knew he was being unreasonable and arrogant, but this was part of his plan. He would prefer to kill an Arrancar that knew his authority, than have one serve under him without knowing. He could tell the man was powerful, but he doubted he would lose to him. After all, he had been training far too long for losses to be acceptable...
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Post by Sakata Saburo on May 16, 2008 23:43:24 GMT
Staring at the man, he had to admit that he was impressed by the man's bravery. Not many would dare challenge him. Obviously he was either powerful or just plain thingyy. As for stating he was an Espada, Gabriel figured it obvious. After all, the tattoo was a dead giveaway. "Yes, my loyalty to Aizen is why I chose to stay here. But now that he is dead, I find that there is no longer worth in following him. However, I will remain loyal enough to at least keep his Palace safe" he spoke, still staring at him.
Hearing his plans of becoming King, Gabriel became interested. What could this man's plans be? It could merely be hatred for Shinigami, like most Hollows, but Gabriel wanted to know. "If you become King... What benefit is there? I will not join a man whose ambitions make mere pawns of us, his trusted subordinates. Why should I become your Espada?" he asked, still staring.
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Post by Rangis Mukondo on May 16, 2008 23:49:05 GMT
Rangis chuckled. "I only make pawns of the enemy. Shinigami, Quincy, Humans. They're all pieces in my game of chess. But my Espada are different. There can be no greater honor than to serve faithfully, and with loyalty. Therefore, I plan to treat them in the highest regard." He took a step closer to the Arrancar. "There is a difference between myself and my Espada. There is no denying it. If you'd like me to grovel, or tell you that you are powerful compared to me, and that I need you, you'll be horribly disappointed. I don't beg anyone for anything. Others beg me. Often, for their life."
Rangis could tell his words were taking effect. The man was curious as to his apparent bravery. This would serve him well. Hollows were creatures of fear. The one with the least fear is the more powerful. This is one lesson he had learned in his lifetime, and thus, he had banished fear from his mind. He now knew only possibilities...
"As for my plans, that is obvious. I plan to make us the ruling power, once more. The Shinigami may be the greatest enemy, but even they are of little importance. To be honest, I could attempt this on my own. A single hand is able to perform most tasks. However, this hand requires fingers to manipulate, and achieve its ends. The Espada are like fingers, and without them, the grand scheme of things is complicated beyond what I would prefer."
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Post by Kamiyama Mito on May 17, 2008 8:14:13 GMT
Bleak and dead, the only two words Mito could use to describe such a wasteland. He had come into Heuco Mundo centuries before but he had to admit, he actually believed it would have changed in someway over the many years. And with Aizen Sousuke long gone, he thought the Hollows would have had more taste and renovated the entire place, but no. They seem to like this awesomely decrepit and seemingly derelict world just the way it is. Figures since Hollow's were hopeless, literally, he thought chuckling at his own words.
"Maa... This place is boring..." he muttered, pulling his hood down further to hide his face as he stood on top of one of Las Noches' many towers. He had used his zanpakutou's shikai ability to create a tear into Heuco Mundo. It was quite a drag for him actually since he hoped that he would have to at least kill a few Hollows before reaching the place where he was now, but that was not to be. There was absolutely no resistance. And to think he suppressed his reiatsu to the barest minimum to make it so that he seems weak.
"Eh?" Then he felt it. Two large reiatsu signatures inside the dome itself. He wondered if there were anybody around. Arrancars? he thought. He smiled as he guessed maybe they are Espada or something, now that would be interesting. Jumping off the tower, he sprinted down on its walls running towards the two sources. As he got closer, the reiatsu became even more larger than it was before and he noticed that the two were practically close to each other. Not wasting another moment, he dashed through a crack on the wall, and ran on the roof upside down. He raced through may hallways, corner after corner he moved rather hauntingly, his hands swaying like he was dancing. As he was close to the two, he stopped and started walking. He began hearing voices and he could easily hear their words through the thick concentration of reiryoku in the air, He smiled at what he heard but frowned a few seconds later. He decided that it was about time he says something.
"That's cool and all, but what about us Vizards? Care to tell me that?" he asked, smiling as he stood upside down from his position over them, his hood seemed to be starting to fall off. He could easily tell that these two were powerful, but he wasn't here to fight anymore. After hearing what that arrancar had just said and all. "Well, I could be your balls if the Espada are your fingers... Then again, that'd be weird. Wouldn't you say so, King-san?"
(OOC - Just dropping by... Hehe, an unholy alliance...)
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Post by Sakata Saburo on May 17, 2008 8:24:28 GMT
"... I see. So you are not stomping on Aizen-sama's ideals. Very well then, if you plan to make us a great power like before, then consider me your thumb, the thumb that will help you hold your blade as you fight the Shinigami and Quincy. I believe that is fair enough" Gabriel responded, his spiritual pressure suppressing itself. The man was not an enemy, so there was no need to raise his reiatsu.
Hearing another person speak, he turned to see a Vizard. An outcast of the Shinigami who had Hollow powers. Their numbers were few but their power great, as he remembered well. He had seen many things in his long life. 700 years was long enough to have seen almost everything there was to see.
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Post by Rangis Mukondo on May 18, 2008 0:00:36 GMT
Rangis smiled. He turned to face the man. "The Vizard. I've heard of your kind before, however, I'm very happy to finally make your acquaintance." He cracked his thumb. "I decided my position on your kind long ago. Whether one gains Hollow powers, or Shinigami powers first is of no consequence. We are brothers, and, I shall give you the same choice as any Arrancar I may find. You have three options. Join me, and fight for a righteous cause against those who made us outcasts and prey, stay out of our affairs, or..." He paused for a moment, looking into the Vizard's eyes to assure him that he was being truthful. "You will be crushed by the aforementioned rebellion."
He awaited the man's response patiently. He had said all he truly needed to say to him. There was no persuasion necessary. If they joined him, his forces gain power. If they do not, he would ensure they did not oppose him, using whatever force was necessary...
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Post by Kamiyama Mito on May 18, 2008 7:19:06 GMT
Mito's eyes started to waiver as if fear had overtaken his entire being. He began trembling, his eyes hidden beneath the bangs of his hair and then, suddenly... he laughed. Uncontrollable laughter rang out in Las Noches' halls, mirth and insanity both intertwining his maniacal voice. After a short while, he stopped, wiping off an imaginary tear. Sniffing, he muttered, "I don't see anything wrong with that. But I do see something a bit depressing. You say this is a righteous cause? Then to what ends would you want to meet it? I can guarantee you a lot of things but righteousness isn't one of them." Smiling, he dropped down to be in the same level as them before pushing his hood back revealing his rather feminine appearance with his pitch black hair a bit shaggier than usual. Mito was now pretty interested. If they will invade Soul Society, then he may yet see all of his friends again, not to mention all those beautiful flowers he wasn't able to pluck off their stems while he was there. It'd be a wonderful experience, and he would revel in the massacre.
He was about to begin speaking again when his eyes widened. His mouth turned into the shape of an 'O" and he began to hyperventilate before completely calming down and bowing in front of them."Ohhh, how rude of me! I forgot to introduce myself. Kamiyama Mito, Vizard. My comrades are still a bit hesitant to show themselves so I took it upon myself to discover these new worlds before them," he said, smiling before standing back straight. It's true, though he didn't really care too much for the other Vizards.
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Post by Sakata Saburo on May 18, 2008 8:02:20 GMT
So that was it. The Vizard, long-time enemies of the Shinigami, were now allied with their antithesis. That is, the Arrancar. Maybe it was worth joining up after all. All they needed now was to gather the Espada. And create new Arrancar. He wondered briefly if the King even had an idea of how to do that. He may have been smart but only one man ever learned how to make a device like the Hougyoku. And he never wrote down anywhere how to make one, to his knowledge. Unless he had found it, the army could not be rebuilt.
"So you are joining us? Very well then" Gabriel muttered, watching Mito carefully. The man was not right in his mind, at least to Gabriel he wasn't. He didn't seem sane at all. Still, that did not mean he wasn't smart. Yes, he might have some trouble with this one. But he would not let it get in the King's way.
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Post by Rangis Mukondo on May 18, 2008 16:50:40 GMT
Rangis did not smile, even when it became apparent that the Vizard were their allies. "I doubt you know much of the situation, Vizard. You cannot define righteousness for me, because, until you gained your new powers, you were one of them. Is it not righteousness to get revenge for the massacre your people have received since the dawn of the ages? Is it not righteousness to get revenge YOURSELF, for being outcast, merely for being more powerful than they were?" His eyes were full of passion.
"I will tell you one thing, Vizard, and remember it well. I am always right. Not because of my power, but because of my intelligence, and insight. In everything that I assert, I have never failed to follow through. You Vizard, on the other hand, have no authority to question my ideals. For, in the past thousand years, what have you done to ensure that the Shinigami suffer? There may only be few of you, but each of you is easily as skilled, if not more skilled, than a Captain in their ranks. Why wait for me to make the call?" He smiled, even laughed, for the first time in this statement. "I will tell you why, though you will doubt it. It is because, subconsciously, you have already registered me as the one to carry on the fight, and, what's more, finish it. Just as a predator knows its prey, animal instinct has served you well..."
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Post by Kamiyama Mito on May 19, 2008 6:27:44 GMT
Mito laughed uncontrollably for the second time during their conversation, hard enough that he clutched his stomach; it seems this man was splitting his sides. Everything was getting very interesting indeed, he thought. To hell with fighting for something that doesn't even concern him the slightest, he only cares about he prospect of possibly killing some people. A genocide was a dream come true for him. He regained his composure in a few moments though, eerily reverting back to his calm and smiling self in a second before speaking out. "You got me there, King-san. Hook, line and sinker! Man, you're one tough nut to crack. Consider me under your spell for now," he said, smiling all the way. This arrancar is a very interesting one, indeed. A leader with all his glory, capable enough. Somehow he reminds him of Aizen, cold and definitely powerful, easily drawing Hueco Mundo's flies to the flame, of course it seems to be encased in glass to prevent them from burning. But one crack and the flames may go out.
"It will be a pleasure to work with ya', King-san!" he muttered, turning around and waving his right hand to bid farewell. A portal then started to open up with a simple sway of his zanpakutou. "Also, I have a Captain under my thumb inside Seireitei. Just to let you know. I'll be back after I bring 'them' the news of your ascension. I'm sure we can talk more after I 'persuade' them..." he said, taking a few steps forward but stopped just as he was about a step away from entering the portal. He glanced back over his shoulder and winked at an area just past the two arrancar. After that strange action, he quickly slipped on through just before a laser-like beam pierced through the area where the portal was supposed to be and created a gigantic hole after it exploded on Las Noches' walls.. And out from the shadows came the Segunda Espada, flanked on both side by his fraccion.
Haydn, seeing and understanding the situation quickly before he even arrived, bowed a little to the man with the Tercera Espada, Gabriel. "A pleasure to meet you, my King," he muttered in a rather monotonous and cold tone. Although it did sound a little weird since his mouth hardly even moved. Haydn had perfected what he called a way of talking and moving where there is a minimum amount of input with a maximum amount of output. To put it generally, he hardly makes any unnecessary movements, even preferring to communicate with his fraccion via a weird transceiver by which he can transmit messages from his mind directly to theirs. It was a cost effective way of eliminating unnecessary waste of breath. Standing straight back up, he tilted his head to acknowledge the other Espada before speaking again in robotic manner. "I am Haydn Zappho, Segunda Espada. I am in-charge of Las Noches' Research and Development Facilities. I offer you my service." He couldn't be more right that Las Noches and the Espada lack a leader. And if this man can do what he said he can, then he will the perfect one for the job. After all, no matter how large a beast may become, without a head, it's still just a beast.
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Post by Sakata Saburo on May 19, 2008 17:07:26 GMT
The 'Fastest Espada', as all called him, watched as the man laughed so hard his sides might have literally fallen apart. That was how hard he laughed. Yet the Espada did not care much wether or not he did. Just why he did, really. Listening as he spoke, he could see what kind of man he was. Probably not a sane man but a powerful yet possibly arrogant man.
Seeing the man disappear, he watched as a thin beam burst through the walls of Las Noches and peered towards the figure ahead. Looking closely, he could make out a man. No, actually it was an Arrancar. And he recognized him soon enough and when he bowed, Gabriel bowed back.
"It is a pleasure to meet you again, Haydn" muttered Gabriel, who straightened up his black haori which was meant to simulate a Captain's haori over his white, Arrancar uniform.
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Post by Rangis Mukondo on May 19, 2008 20:20:50 GMT
Rangis smirked. It was all going according to his plan. They flocked to his power so easily. Not to say that they were not powerful, they merely knew who to follow. This only served to prove their power, in that they can recognize it. "Hello, my friend. I am very happy to hear you've joined with my new alliance. After all, even if I've never met your personally, I can tell you possess the skills I need."
He walked a few paces away from the both of them, before turning. "You are the foundation upon which I will build our empire. Do not think I forgot loyalty, nor ignore your willingness to join with me."
He addressed Gabriel with this next sentence. "As for that Vizard, I can tell how you feel by looking at you. I feel the same, he may not be trustworthy. However, he will be useful. Do not fret over such small matters, my Espada. If he attempts to betray me..." He closed his fist tightly. "I will crush him to dust." He flared his reiatsu up for a second, making it seem accidental. However, this was planned to demonstrate his power. Surely they would sense such immense spiritual pressure quickly...
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