Sinsystems
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Probably but my interpretation of it is that once they dismiss the monster it separates into their cut off arms, which they then get reattached.
Now You Feel Like Number None [Bleach Arrancar Quest]
- Thread starter Omicron
- Start date
- Users' Choice!
Voted best in category in the Users' Choice awards.
Probably not hard to figure out even if they forget considering Mila is black, Sung-Sun is pale, and Appachi's arm is covered in fur(since they need to do it in Resurreccion).
- Location
- Texas
You say that, but Mila is still trying to live down all the Michael Jackson jokes from the last time it happened. Playing "Thriller" around her is a good way to get killed.
- Location
- Australia
The most powerful of the arrancars, the most powerful of the Vasto Lordes, the one whose fighting style is Ceros. It can be assumed that he has Legendary Cero.
RoninSword
Sky God
- Location
- Canada
Random question, did we ever actually demonstrate Gran Rey Cero, or am I just imagining reading a scene like that?
- Location
- Australia
You are just imagining reading a scene like that.
- Location
- Texas
- Location
- Brittany, France
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Next update is titled Godmothers, and is the intro of Sleeping Beauty set in Hueco Mundo.
Why does this make me think Luppi gets pissed that we didn't choose to interact with him?
chocolote12
A Penguin Flailing Against The Keyboard Of Life.
Are the three beasts going to give us two gifts for being adorable, and then another evil person will give us a cursed gift because they felt insulted, and then the last beast will give us a gift to counteract the evil gift?
Somebody needs to omake this.
- Location
- Texas
Sung-Sun spoke first. "Because you're so adorable, and we approve of having more chicks represented among the ranks of powerful Arrancar, Nemo, I'm giving you these totally sweet running shoes. Also, I got them because they matched my resureccion form, except I forgot I don't have feet when I release, just a big snake tail."
Emilou Apacci stepped up next. "Because I think it would totally go well with your hair, here's this super-neat hat I bought, and then realized won't fit over my unicorn horn. Or my antlers, when I release. But it'll look great on you."
Suddenly, Riruka crashed through the wall in a pink sports car. "I strenuously object to my continued absence from the narrative of this story! You can't go around doing cute things without me! Here's my gift: an adorable dollhouse! Right in the middle of your living quarters! When you touch it, you'll prick your finger, be sucked inside and trapped forever, but it clashes horribly with the room's color scheme, so your sense of style won't allow you to leave it alone!"
Then, with an evil cackle, she sped away.
Mila Rose thought hard for a moment, then shrugged. "For my gift, here's a pair of oven mitts. Use them to handle the dollhouse without pricking your finger."
And they all lived happily ever after.
Emilou Apacci stepped up next. "Because I think it would totally go well with your hair, here's this super-neat hat I bought, and then realized won't fit over my unicorn horn. Or my antlers, when I release. But it'll look great on you."
Suddenly, Riruka crashed through the wall in a pink sports car. "I strenuously object to my continued absence from the narrative of this story! You can't go around doing cute things without me! Here's my gift: an adorable dollhouse! Right in the middle of your living quarters! When you touch it, you'll prick your finger, be sucked inside and trapped forever, but it clashes horribly with the room's color scheme, so your sense of style won't allow you to leave it alone!"
Then, with an evil cackle, she sped away.
Mila Rose thought hard for a moment, then shrugged. "For my gift, here's a pair of oven mitts. Use them to handle the dollhouse without pricking your finger."
And they all lived happily ever after.
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- Location
- Canada
That's probably because you are psychic....though how angry will Luppi Be? Hmmmmmm.
XLVIII. Godmothers
- Location
- Brittany, France
- Pronouns
- He/Him
XLVIII. Godmothers
The Tres Bestias are intimidating.
You've met them before, of course, while performing some menial duties as a Numero unworthy of note. They never paid you much mind, as you were no threat to them and they favored bickering with one another. It scared you at the time - three predators circling each other, throwing verbal bites at each other. You thought only their Espada kept them together.
Now you understand better, you think. Cirucci, Alphonse and Esmeralda, knowingly or not, have taught you more about friendship, alliances, and how people act with each other when bound by such fragile ties as Hollows can build. This constant feuding is one way to build a bond with each other. A vitriolic form of alliance, but one that is ready to lash out against any who would threaten the whole.
It doesn't make them any less intimidating, really. But you breathe in, steel your spine, and approach them. You hear a stream of broken words, loud voices talking over one another in a scramble. Unlike the other Fraccions loitering around the door, however, they are not simply standing and waiting; they are sitting on the ground, throwing bones in the manner of dice. You approach, studying their game, wondering how it works; then they see you approaching, and stop to turn their faces to you.
There's Mila Rose, tall and strong with a long mane of hair, intimidatingly beautiful even as she gives you a dubious look. Sung-Sun, who has something in her features reminding you of Cirucci - the pallor, the touches of purple make-up under her eyes, the fragment of mask as a hairpiece in her hair, and the lofty, distant demeanor; but her green hair is straight and long, and her outfit much more covering, reminiscent of a snake. And there's Apacci, the shortest of the lot, lithe and short-haired with a mask like a horn, who sizes you up as you approach, then gives a dismissive scoff.
"Hey look," says that last one, "here comes teacher's pet."
You do not flinch at the comment; you bow in curtsey #8 ("polite deference to nominal peers who are nonetheless acknowledged as senior and servants of a greater master"), and that makes Sung-Sun smile.
"Don't be rude, Apacci. It is our pleasure to welcome you among the Fraccions, young one. What is your name?"
You gesture quickly, spelling it out, which makes Sung-Sun chuckle.
"How cute," she says.
"I've seen you around before, haven't I?" says the amazonian beauty, and you incline your head. "Hm, you used to be an unbound Numero. Can't have been serving Cirucci for long."
You nod, recounting the time - two months, give or take. But you have grown very attached to her in this time, and hope to show her the same loyalty you know the Bestias show to their mistress. That seems to mollify Mila Rose a little, and she gives you a smile.
"Yeah, well, I'm not sure why she'd pick you of all people," Apacci says haughtily. She grabs the bones with two hands, shaking them in her joined palms. "She's the new Diez, people are gonna be gunning for her seat, and what's you going to do about it? Tiny little Gillian." She throws the dice carelessly, coming up with mismatched numbers. With a thrusted look she pushes a stack of bone-carved tokens towards the long-sleeved one, who chuckles at her victory.
You humbly acknowledge that you are not the greatest of fighters, but you have resolve and dedication, and you hope that it will be enough. When Findor went against you-
"Wait," Mila Rose interrupts, "you're the one who beat Findor?"
You bow lightly. Luck and good tactics, really. You take no pride in it. But your mistress had ordered you to win, and so you had no choice.
"I think I like her," Mila Rose says openly. "Please, come join our game." You blush graciously; you would never be so bold as to say such a comment out loud. You express great admiration for the Tres Bestias, who are known throughout Las Noches as powerful Fraccions with whom no one ought to pick a fight; you wish you were this strong. Then you sit cross-legged among them, turning their triangle into a perfect suare.
"Well, it's not your fault," Apacci says with a shrug. "You're only a Gillian, and with that big of a mask-" she taps one of your horns, and you refrain from flinching, "-your transformation probably didn't go quite right."
"Oh, Apacci, don't say such horrible things," Sung-Sun says with a sigh. "Just give her the dice."
"I said it wasn't her fault! And it's a good thing, too! It shows even weaklings can climb the ranks! If there's hope for her, there's hope for us, and for..." She doesn't finish her sentence. Groaning through gritted teeth, she gathers the bones and hands them to you. You look at them, unsure what they are supposed to mean or how their game works.
Finally you surrender yourself to fate, and throw the handful of knucklebones into the empty space at the center of your square. They come up with a handful of marked dots, identical on each one, and Apacci whistles admiringly.
"Good throw!" She says graciously, picking up the bones.
You smile weakly. You're not offended by her comments, you say. Everyone must live with the lot they're dealt. Although you wish you had enough of a face to wear make-up as well as Sung-Sun does; she is very elegant.
The snake-like Fraccion chuckles into her raised sleeve.
"What a sweet little thing! Do not worry, you have plenty enough to make good work with. You should paint those lips, for a start - a striking ice blue, I think, would complement your mask and hair nicely. You already have a great start with these clothes of yours; Alphonse must work faster than he used to, if you already have a personal uniform ready on the day of your mistress's anointment."
You blush again, bowing in a way that emphasizes the lines of your hakama. You are very glad to hear your uniform pleases her; you actually made it yourself.
"Truly?" Sung-Sun picks up the bones, nesting them into her sleeve, shaking them for a long while. "Then I understand the value of such a Fraccion to the new Diez. I would ditch any of these two brutes here for a good tailor. No vanity pick indeed!"
"Hey, what's that!" Apacci shouts. "I'm not a brute! And who'll keep your ass from getting kicked if I get 'ditched,' uh?"
Sung-Sun chuckles into her sleeve again, deliberately not looking at Apacci as she throws the bones. "The shorter Arrancar fulminates and starts flailing her arms. Mila Rose must intervene with a sigh, putting one hand down on her head to keep her in place.
"She won again," the lioness says, looking sadly at the bones, each one coming up with the same number of dots. You look at the bones and wonder if there are stakes, if victory gives one of the Tres Bestias a true advantage over the others. But asking would reveal your lack of knowledge, which would be a weakness, and so you say nothing.
Sung-Sun chuckles harder, which only makes Apacci angrier; for a moment you watch the two Arrancars flailing at each other until finally Mila Rose shoves Apacci away and Sung-Sun gathers the dice into her sleeve.
"Listen, Nemo," Mila Rose says in the silence before Sung-Sun throws again. "You look like a nice gal. But really, you shouldn't approach strangers like that."
You look down humbly. You didn't mean to offend-
"It's not that. It's just, there are realities to being a Hollow, even an Arrancar, and a tiny little thing like you is going to get eaten alive hanging around Cirucci."
You blink and stare at her.
"She's ambitious, all right? You can see it in her eyes. She won't be satisfied with being the Diez. She'll fight her way up to a ceiling she can't break, and get smacked down. And if you go along with her for that ride, you'll get smacked down too."
You clasp your hand on your heart, straightening up. You have all confidence in Cirucci. You've seen her strength, her dedication, and her cunning. She won't just throw her life away.
And besides, it's no better at the lowest rank, with all those hungry for her seat lurking in the shadows.
Mila Rose nods sadly - then her eyes light up.
"You know what? It doesn't have to be this way. Harribel protects the weak. She's a testament to how different Arrancars are from Hollows. We don't have to be ruled by hunger and greed. If your mistress came to her and asked her, Harribel would protect her against those who want to take her down."
"Yeah, but that's only the half of it," Apacci scoffs, her eyes still fixated on the space between you all . Sung-Sun scored high the last three rounds, allowing her to play again, but this time her dice are a jumbled mess of numbers. Apacci grins as she picks up the bones, and Sung-Sun pretends not to care, reclining as she hides her mouth in her sleeve.. "Harribel protects the weak, but she doesn't just enable greedy weaklings," Apacci adds. "If Cirucci asks for her protection, Harribel won't allow her to fight her way to the top. She'll be stuck as the Ten forever."
"That sounds like a sane decision, however," Sung-Sun chimes in. "Really, how high can Cirucci hope to climb? One does not simply pick a fight with the Noveno and Octava, and I highly doubt she has what it takes to challenge the Seven on up."
You assert that you have no knowledge of Cirucci's plans and the workings of her mind. If she intends to challenge another Espada, surely you do not know. You are sure she would be wise enough to listen to such an offer.
"Yes, an Espada's favor is not easily thrown away," Sung-Sun says with a smirk. "In fact, it reminds me of a story… Do you remember that human tale about the three fairy godmothers?"
Apacci frowns as she picks her ear. "I think I know the Hollow version of that one?"
"Pardon me?"
"Yeah, you know. Gillian finally feasts himself on enough of his kind and start cocooning. Out of his robe comes a newborn Adjucha, and he finds three old ones looking over him. Because it amuses them, they each grant him a blessing, but then another one comes in after the others, laughs at them, and gives him a curse. I don't remember how it ends."
"That is downright silly."
"Your face is silly!"
The bickering disrupts Apacci's attention; you can see her dice have come up all with the same number, but as the horned Fraccion starts yelling at Sung Sun the very composed, very serious woman makes a soft gesture of her hand, turning a dice upside down so it breaks Apacci's throw. No one notices, and you have to repress a giggle at this.
Mila Rose laughs out loud, but you're not sure if it's because she's seen the cheat, or because you amuse her. "You know, that's a fun idea! Yes, let's say we're the three fairies or the three Adjuchas, and we each grant you a blessing, because you're a cute little thing who's headed for bigger trouble than she can handle. My blessing is offering your mistress Harribel's protection, if she is willing to put aside her ambition. What's yours, Apacci?"
The short one scratches the hair at the base of her fragment of mask. She looks dejected about her failed throw, and glad to focus on something else for a moment.
"Hmm. If someone picks on you because you're weak, you can come to me. I'll kick their ass! But just once, got it?"
You nod rapidly. You did not expect such a gift from the powerful Bestias, and express deep gratitude.
"What about you, uh, Sung-Sun? Gonna say something or just chuckle some more?"
The long-sleeved Arrancar laughs softly (which upsets Apacci again), and looks at you carefully. Before saying anything, she throws the bones again, and Apacci growls loudly as they come up all with the same number.
"You fool!" Sung-Sun says loftily. "You've said it yourself, after the three blessings comes a curse from an evil spirit! If I grant poor Nemo a blessing, she is sure to receive a curse just as in the tale itself!"
"Don't be a jerk, Sung-Sun," Mila Rose says folding her arms. "It's not as this was really a fairy tale! Just give her a little something."
"If that is your wish, my leonine friend, then I shall. How is this?" She leans over towards you, her motions sinuous, and you barely keep yourself from stepping back in sudden fright. Her face is entirely too much like Cirucci's. "If ever you feel too weak, if ever you feel like you do not have the strength or resolve or bloodthirst to face the threats on your way, come to me, and I will buy your soul."
"Sung-Sun!" Apacci shouts outraged.
"I will teach you… The witch ways. You will find them rewarding, if painful, but I will expect hard work and service."
"Sung-Sun, you're a dick," Mila Rose says sternly.
Sung-Sun bursts in high-pitched laughter. "There's your blessing, deary! My make-up advice comes free of charge, however."
You bow deeply, expressing sincere thanks for the Fraccions' gifts. Mila Rose waves it off, picks up the dice, and offers them to you. You shake them in your joined hands, then throw them into the empty space between the four of you; each bone comes up with different numbers, and you use Bow #17 (gracefully losing at a game, and being eager to see who wins). Mila Rose picks up the dice and throws them, getting three 4s. She wins that round, even though she doesn't look like she cares about their game. It seems the Tres Bestias have forgotten their competition, throwing the dice out of instict, much more interested in you and your mistress than they are in their game. In a way it scares you; you do not like to be the center of attention.
"Think nothing of it," Mila Rose says. "It's nice to have another woman on the Espada."
"And among Fraccions, too," Apacci says with a sour look. "Lilynette is impossible."
"Ain't that the truth."
"This always struck me as strange," Sung-Sun sighs. "There seems to be no reason why there'd be so few women among our Lord's armies.
You admit that it confuses you too. There seems to be no reason why there should more male Hollows than female ones. All are equally soul-hungry beasts made to devour each other, and Hueco Mundo has never had enough of a society to enforce gender norms. You idly ponder if perhaps it comes in the rebirth of Menos Grande; maybe when their soul gathers itself from Gillian scraps, they reform themselves, and affect whichever gender they wish, choosing male selves for reasons that elude you.
But… No. You frown. As distant and fragmented as your human memories are, you are fairly sure you were always a girl.
"Eh, I don't care about this mystery stuff," Apacci shrugs. "Things are the way they are."
"Where did Cirucci shack up, anyway?" Mila Rose asks. "I hope she left that dusty old fort behind."
You nod quickly, and begin to talk about the Red Chamber, when a rising tension in the air cuts you off. Reiatsu thickens in the corridor and you hear something like a wolf's distant howl. You look to the great stone doors as they slowly open. Coyote Stark walks out, his slip of a girl in tow, and gives the gathered Fraccions a nod of acknowledgement before walking away.
The rest of the Espada follow.
Cirucci and you walk through dark corridors, silence hanging heavy in the air. You look at your mistress, and find her reiatsu troubled. You can sense her deep pride and satisfaction at her triumph, her happiness at being once again part of the Espada's war plans; but you also feel something darker, a kind of bitterness or disappointment.
You clear your throat. You'd never ask Cirucci to go against Aizen's orders, but…
"Oh, don't be silly," she says. "This was just a show of power. Aizen wouldn't forbid his Espada from discussing his plans with their best soldiers."
You're very glad to know this.
"I'm just… Still mulling it over. I don't want to talk about it just yet."
You accept this, feeling only slightly hurt. You begin to ask if at least she enjoyed-
You don't feel him coming, and neither does Cirucci until the very last moment. She stops walking suddenly, snapping to face a linked corridor, and out of the shadow comes Luppi Antenor, smiling, hangs floating at his side, strangely boneless.
Cirucci makes a ferocious smile.
"Come to salivate over the one treat you can't eat, Antenor?" She says, tilting her head suggestively.
"Perish the thought!" Luppi says with exaggerated shock. "I would never think to remove you from your position. I know how hard you must have worked to reclaim it."
"It wasn't so hard," Cirucci scoffs. "I'd just never really tried before. Once I decided to, I just really put my mind to it, and it was over-" she snaps her fingers, "like that."
"Then I admire your strength, and reiterate my wish not to fight you."
Cirucci narrows her eyes.
"Why are you here, Antenor? What do you really want?"
"Come now. We both know neither of us is satisfied with this outcome."
"Really? I'm feeling more satisfied every minute," she sneers.
"Yes," Luppi says mockingly, "I'm sure you're quite satisfied being the Tenth, lowest of the ranks, with every upstart biting at your heels to take your place. Ironically, emboldened by a hope you gave them with your own victory, that the weak could become strong!"
"Let them come. I will whip them into proper respect for their betters."
"Or," Luppi says, sliding across the corridor - his movements disturb you; he seems to undulate, his back and arms moving in one fluid motion, as if there was not a sharp angle in all his body. You instinctively inch yourself closer to Cirucci and ahead of her making a shield of yourself. "Or you could have a higher seat, one secure from such fools. The Espada have their conflicts, yes - but I am given to understand they are less… Overt. And there would be fewer contenders regardless."
"What in God's name are you talking about?" Cirucci frowns.
Luppi's eyes gleam with a mirthless, hungry shine. "I want to be an Espada. I am the equal of any of these fools. I don't care about the rank, I don't care about contenders. I like crushing idiots who underestimate me. Being Espada Diez would suit me just fine. I just won't allow myself to be dismissed out of sight when the big boys - and girls, I suppose - are talking. I will be acknowledged."
"And yet," Cirucci says darkly, "you have been forbidden to lay hand on the owner of that very tenth seat."
"Yes," he says with a smirk, "which is why it would be perfect if you were to move up in the ranks, and I were to just… Gracefully slide into the now-empty seat you left behind."
There is a moment of silence. You relax slightly, sure now that Luppi is not going to attack here and now; but this physical dread is only replaced by a different kind of worry. Your eyes flick up to Cirucci's face, where you see a storm of emotions play off one another.
"For that to happen," she says slowly, every word carefully enunciated, "one seat higher in the ranks would need to go empty."
"Quite so," Luppi grins. Then he opens his arms wide, sleeves trailing at his fingertips. "But think about it. We are each worth an Espada. The Vasto Lorde are far beyond our power - they could squash us both flat in the same motion. But the others? Even if they are more powerful than either of us, the gap is small, so easily crossed. What are their chances against the two of us? Even accepting that we are each only worth the Tenth seat, for the sake of argument, do you really think the Novena could stand up to two Decima? Could the Octava? The Septima? With proper planning, preparation, a careful ambush, could even the Sexta withstand this?"
His voice has a manic edge now, shining white teeth showing through his grin, eyes wild with glee. You can feel his pressure creeping over the corridor, thin tendrils covering ground and wall inch by inch; you can feel them take hold of your feet, rooting you in one place, slithering their way up your legs.
And as you look at Cirucci, you feel these words reaching her. You feel the ambition and hope sparked in her breast. It scares you a little.
"Bold talk from a newborn who never had to fight for a seat," she says, but her heart is not in it.
"I am not telling you to decide right now," Luppi says, stepping back. Shadows shroud his lower half, but his teeth still shine. He makes a mock bow. "But think about it. Together, we could do great things. Once you are seated among the clouds, not just above the base earth, you will find your life much more comfortable. As for me… The base earth suits me just fine. I am, after all, a crawler."
And just like that, he's gone. As soon as he walks off into the dark, you can't follow him, his reiatsu eluding you, suppressed. The crawling shadow withdraws after him, leaving your legs free, and you gasp. Cirucci looks down at you, a shadow in her eyes.
"What a slimy little thing he is," she says with a thin, humorless smile. You nod.
"Do you think…" She hesitates, looks at the empty corridor where he stood a moment ago. "I can't trust him, I know that. He could betray me. He could use the very Espada we go against to conveniently remove me and take my seat. But knowing that, I could play against him. And if I can use this to my advantage…"
She bites her lip. You step back slightly, saying nothing, carefully watching her.
"He's right. Tenth is not enough for me. It's not just about safety from the Privarons, and other newborn like him that might come after me." She stomps the ground, gritting her teeth. "I beat Yammy when he was as strong as the Septima! I deserve better than this! And with him, I could claim my rightful place."
You nod carefully, and her head snaps to you, her eyes piercing, hungry.
"Don't you agree?"
Your throat feels dry. You swallow harshly, and think.
[ ] You agree.
[ ] You disagree.
The Tres Bestias are intimidating.
You've met them before, of course, while performing some menial duties as a Numero unworthy of note. They never paid you much mind, as you were no threat to them and they favored bickering with one another. It scared you at the time - three predators circling each other, throwing verbal bites at each other. You thought only their Espada kept them together.
Now you understand better, you think. Cirucci, Alphonse and Esmeralda, knowingly or not, have taught you more about friendship, alliances, and how people act with each other when bound by such fragile ties as Hollows can build. This constant feuding is one way to build a bond with each other. A vitriolic form of alliance, but one that is ready to lash out against any who would threaten the whole.
It doesn't make them any less intimidating, really. But you breathe in, steel your spine, and approach them. You hear a stream of broken words, loud voices talking over one another in a scramble. Unlike the other Fraccions loitering around the door, however, they are not simply standing and waiting; they are sitting on the ground, throwing bones in the manner of dice. You approach, studying their game, wondering how it works; then they see you approaching, and stop to turn their faces to you.
There's Mila Rose, tall and strong with a long mane of hair, intimidatingly beautiful even as she gives you a dubious look. Sung-Sun, who has something in her features reminding you of Cirucci - the pallor, the touches of purple make-up under her eyes, the fragment of mask as a hairpiece in her hair, and the lofty, distant demeanor; but her green hair is straight and long, and her outfit much more covering, reminiscent of a snake. And there's Apacci, the shortest of the lot, lithe and short-haired with a mask like a horn, who sizes you up as you approach, then gives a dismissive scoff.
"Hey look," says that last one, "here comes teacher's pet."
You do not flinch at the comment; you bow in curtsey #8 ("polite deference to nominal peers who are nonetheless acknowledged as senior and servants of a greater master"), and that makes Sung-Sun smile.
"Don't be rude, Apacci. It is our pleasure to welcome you among the Fraccions, young one. What is your name?"
You gesture quickly, spelling it out, which makes Sung-Sun chuckle.
"How cute," she says.
"I've seen you around before, haven't I?" says the amazonian beauty, and you incline your head. "Hm, you used to be an unbound Numero. Can't have been serving Cirucci for long."
You nod, recounting the time - two months, give or take. But you have grown very attached to her in this time, and hope to show her the same loyalty you know the Bestias show to their mistress. That seems to mollify Mila Rose a little, and she gives you a smile.
"Yeah, well, I'm not sure why she'd pick you of all people," Apacci says haughtily. She grabs the bones with two hands, shaking them in her joined palms. "She's the new Diez, people are gonna be gunning for her seat, and what's you going to do about it? Tiny little Gillian." She throws the dice carelessly, coming up with mismatched numbers. With a thrusted look she pushes a stack of bone-carved tokens towards the long-sleeved one, who chuckles at her victory.
You humbly acknowledge that you are not the greatest of fighters, but you have resolve and dedication, and you hope that it will be enough. When Findor went against you-
"Wait," Mila Rose interrupts, "you're the one who beat Findor?"
You bow lightly. Luck and good tactics, really. You take no pride in it. But your mistress had ordered you to win, and so you had no choice.
"I think I like her," Mila Rose says openly. "Please, come join our game." You blush graciously; you would never be so bold as to say such a comment out loud. You express great admiration for the Tres Bestias, who are known throughout Las Noches as powerful Fraccions with whom no one ought to pick a fight; you wish you were this strong. Then you sit cross-legged among them, turning their triangle into a perfect suare.
"Well, it's not your fault," Apacci says with a shrug. "You're only a Gillian, and with that big of a mask-" she taps one of your horns, and you refrain from flinching, "-your transformation probably didn't go quite right."
"Oh, Apacci, don't say such horrible things," Sung-Sun says with a sigh. "Just give her the dice."
"I said it wasn't her fault! And it's a good thing, too! It shows even weaklings can climb the ranks! If there's hope for her, there's hope for us, and for..." She doesn't finish her sentence. Groaning through gritted teeth, she gathers the bones and hands them to you. You look at them, unsure what they are supposed to mean or how their game works.
Finally you surrender yourself to fate, and throw the handful of knucklebones into the empty space at the center of your square. They come up with a handful of marked dots, identical on each one, and Apacci whistles admiringly.
"Good throw!" She says graciously, picking up the bones.
You smile weakly. You're not offended by her comments, you say. Everyone must live with the lot they're dealt. Although you wish you had enough of a face to wear make-up as well as Sung-Sun does; she is very elegant.
The snake-like Fraccion chuckles into her raised sleeve.
"What a sweet little thing! Do not worry, you have plenty enough to make good work with. You should paint those lips, for a start - a striking ice blue, I think, would complement your mask and hair nicely. You already have a great start with these clothes of yours; Alphonse must work faster than he used to, if you already have a personal uniform ready on the day of your mistress's anointment."
You blush again, bowing in a way that emphasizes the lines of your hakama. You are very glad to hear your uniform pleases her; you actually made it yourself.
"Truly?" Sung-Sun picks up the bones, nesting them into her sleeve, shaking them for a long while. "Then I understand the value of such a Fraccion to the new Diez. I would ditch any of these two brutes here for a good tailor. No vanity pick indeed!"
"Hey, what's that!" Apacci shouts. "I'm not a brute! And who'll keep your ass from getting kicked if I get 'ditched,' uh?"
Sung-Sun chuckles into her sleeve again, deliberately not looking at Apacci as she throws the bones. "The shorter Arrancar fulminates and starts flailing her arms. Mila Rose must intervene with a sigh, putting one hand down on her head to keep her in place.
"She won again," the lioness says, looking sadly at the bones, each one coming up with the same number of dots. You look at the bones and wonder if there are stakes, if victory gives one of the Tres Bestias a true advantage over the others. But asking would reveal your lack of knowledge, which would be a weakness, and so you say nothing.
Sung-Sun chuckles harder, which only makes Apacci angrier; for a moment you watch the two Arrancars flailing at each other until finally Mila Rose shoves Apacci away and Sung-Sun gathers the dice into her sleeve.
"Listen, Nemo," Mila Rose says in the silence before Sung-Sun throws again. "You look like a nice gal. But really, you shouldn't approach strangers like that."
You look down humbly. You didn't mean to offend-
"It's not that. It's just, there are realities to being a Hollow, even an Arrancar, and a tiny little thing like you is going to get eaten alive hanging around Cirucci."
You blink and stare at her.
"She's ambitious, all right? You can see it in her eyes. She won't be satisfied with being the Diez. She'll fight her way up to a ceiling she can't break, and get smacked down. And if you go along with her for that ride, you'll get smacked down too."
You clasp your hand on your heart, straightening up. You have all confidence in Cirucci. You've seen her strength, her dedication, and her cunning. She won't just throw her life away.
And besides, it's no better at the lowest rank, with all those hungry for her seat lurking in the shadows.
Mila Rose nods sadly - then her eyes light up.
"You know what? It doesn't have to be this way. Harribel protects the weak. She's a testament to how different Arrancars are from Hollows. We don't have to be ruled by hunger and greed. If your mistress came to her and asked her, Harribel would protect her against those who want to take her down."
"Yeah, but that's only the half of it," Apacci scoffs, her eyes still fixated on the space between you all . Sung-Sun scored high the last three rounds, allowing her to play again, but this time her dice are a jumbled mess of numbers. Apacci grins as she picks up the bones, and Sung-Sun pretends not to care, reclining as she hides her mouth in her sleeve.. "Harribel protects the weak, but she doesn't just enable greedy weaklings," Apacci adds. "If Cirucci asks for her protection, Harribel won't allow her to fight her way to the top. She'll be stuck as the Ten forever."
"That sounds like a sane decision, however," Sung-Sun chimes in. "Really, how high can Cirucci hope to climb? One does not simply pick a fight with the Noveno and Octava, and I highly doubt she has what it takes to challenge the Seven on up."
You assert that you have no knowledge of Cirucci's plans and the workings of her mind. If she intends to challenge another Espada, surely you do not know. You are sure she would be wise enough to listen to such an offer.
"Yes, an Espada's favor is not easily thrown away," Sung-Sun says with a smirk. "In fact, it reminds me of a story… Do you remember that human tale about the three fairy godmothers?"
Apacci frowns as she picks her ear. "I think I know the Hollow version of that one?"
"Pardon me?"
"Yeah, you know. Gillian finally feasts himself on enough of his kind and start cocooning. Out of his robe comes a newborn Adjucha, and he finds three old ones looking over him. Because it amuses them, they each grant him a blessing, but then another one comes in after the others, laughs at them, and gives him a curse. I don't remember how it ends."
"That is downright silly."
"Your face is silly!"
The bickering disrupts Apacci's attention; you can see her dice have come up all with the same number, but as the horned Fraccion starts yelling at Sung Sun the very composed, very serious woman makes a soft gesture of her hand, turning a dice upside down so it breaks Apacci's throw. No one notices, and you have to repress a giggle at this.
Mila Rose laughs out loud, but you're not sure if it's because she's seen the cheat, or because you amuse her. "You know, that's a fun idea! Yes, let's say we're the three fairies or the three Adjuchas, and we each grant you a blessing, because you're a cute little thing who's headed for bigger trouble than she can handle. My blessing is offering your mistress Harribel's protection, if she is willing to put aside her ambition. What's yours, Apacci?"
The short one scratches the hair at the base of her fragment of mask. She looks dejected about her failed throw, and glad to focus on something else for a moment.
"Hmm. If someone picks on you because you're weak, you can come to me. I'll kick their ass! But just once, got it?"
You nod rapidly. You did not expect such a gift from the powerful Bestias, and express deep gratitude.
"What about you, uh, Sung-Sun? Gonna say something or just chuckle some more?"
The long-sleeved Arrancar laughs softly (which upsets Apacci again), and looks at you carefully. Before saying anything, she throws the bones again, and Apacci growls loudly as they come up all with the same number.
"You fool!" Sung-Sun says loftily. "You've said it yourself, after the three blessings comes a curse from an evil spirit! If I grant poor Nemo a blessing, she is sure to receive a curse just as in the tale itself!"
"Don't be a jerk, Sung-Sun," Mila Rose says folding her arms. "It's not as this was really a fairy tale! Just give her a little something."
"If that is your wish, my leonine friend, then I shall. How is this?" She leans over towards you, her motions sinuous, and you barely keep yourself from stepping back in sudden fright. Her face is entirely too much like Cirucci's. "If ever you feel too weak, if ever you feel like you do not have the strength or resolve or bloodthirst to face the threats on your way, come to me, and I will buy your soul."
"Sung-Sun!" Apacci shouts outraged.
"I will teach you… The witch ways. You will find them rewarding, if painful, but I will expect hard work and service."
"Sung-Sun, you're a dick," Mila Rose says sternly.
Sung-Sun bursts in high-pitched laughter. "There's your blessing, deary! My make-up advice comes free of charge, however."
You bow deeply, expressing sincere thanks for the Fraccions' gifts. Mila Rose waves it off, picks up the dice, and offers them to you. You shake them in your joined hands, then throw them into the empty space between the four of you; each bone comes up with different numbers, and you use Bow #17 (gracefully losing at a game, and being eager to see who wins). Mila Rose picks up the dice and throws them, getting three 4s. She wins that round, even though she doesn't look like she cares about their game. It seems the Tres Bestias have forgotten their competition, throwing the dice out of instict, much more interested in you and your mistress than they are in their game. In a way it scares you; you do not like to be the center of attention.
"Think nothing of it," Mila Rose says. "It's nice to have another woman on the Espada."
"And among Fraccions, too," Apacci says with a sour look. "Lilynette is impossible."
"Ain't that the truth."
"This always struck me as strange," Sung-Sun sighs. "There seems to be no reason why there'd be so few women among our Lord's armies.
You admit that it confuses you too. There seems to be no reason why there should more male Hollows than female ones. All are equally soul-hungry beasts made to devour each other, and Hueco Mundo has never had enough of a society to enforce gender norms. You idly ponder if perhaps it comes in the rebirth of Menos Grande; maybe when their soul gathers itself from Gillian scraps, they reform themselves, and affect whichever gender they wish, choosing male selves for reasons that elude you.
But… No. You frown. As distant and fragmented as your human memories are, you are fairly sure you were always a girl.
"Eh, I don't care about this mystery stuff," Apacci shrugs. "Things are the way they are."
"Where did Cirucci shack up, anyway?" Mila Rose asks. "I hope she left that dusty old fort behind."
You nod quickly, and begin to talk about the Red Chamber, when a rising tension in the air cuts you off. Reiatsu thickens in the corridor and you hear something like a wolf's distant howl. You look to the great stone doors as they slowly open. Coyote Stark walks out, his slip of a girl in tow, and gives the gathered Fraccions a nod of acknowledgement before walking away.
The rest of the Espada follow.
***
Cirucci and you walk through dark corridors, silence hanging heavy in the air. You look at your mistress, and find her reiatsu troubled. You can sense her deep pride and satisfaction at her triumph, her happiness at being once again part of the Espada's war plans; but you also feel something darker, a kind of bitterness or disappointment.
You clear your throat. You'd never ask Cirucci to go against Aizen's orders, but…
"Oh, don't be silly," she says. "This was just a show of power. Aizen wouldn't forbid his Espada from discussing his plans with their best soldiers."
You're very glad to know this.
"I'm just… Still mulling it over. I don't want to talk about it just yet."
You accept this, feeling only slightly hurt. You begin to ask if at least she enjoyed-
You don't feel him coming, and neither does Cirucci until the very last moment. She stops walking suddenly, snapping to face a linked corridor, and out of the shadow comes Luppi Antenor, smiling, hangs floating at his side, strangely boneless.
Cirucci makes a ferocious smile.
"Come to salivate over the one treat you can't eat, Antenor?" She says, tilting her head suggestively.
"Perish the thought!" Luppi says with exaggerated shock. "I would never think to remove you from your position. I know how hard you must have worked to reclaim it."
"It wasn't so hard," Cirucci scoffs. "I'd just never really tried before. Once I decided to, I just really put my mind to it, and it was over-" she snaps her fingers, "like that."
"Then I admire your strength, and reiterate my wish not to fight you."
Cirucci narrows her eyes.
"Why are you here, Antenor? What do you really want?"
"Come now. We both know neither of us is satisfied with this outcome."
"Really? I'm feeling more satisfied every minute," she sneers.
"Yes," Luppi says mockingly, "I'm sure you're quite satisfied being the Tenth, lowest of the ranks, with every upstart biting at your heels to take your place. Ironically, emboldened by a hope you gave them with your own victory, that the weak could become strong!"
"Let them come. I will whip them into proper respect for their betters."
"Or," Luppi says, sliding across the corridor - his movements disturb you; he seems to undulate, his back and arms moving in one fluid motion, as if there was not a sharp angle in all his body. You instinctively inch yourself closer to Cirucci and ahead of her making a shield of yourself. "Or you could have a higher seat, one secure from such fools. The Espada have their conflicts, yes - but I am given to understand they are less… Overt. And there would be fewer contenders regardless."
"What in God's name are you talking about?" Cirucci frowns.
Luppi's eyes gleam with a mirthless, hungry shine. "I want to be an Espada. I am the equal of any of these fools. I don't care about the rank, I don't care about contenders. I like crushing idiots who underestimate me. Being Espada Diez would suit me just fine. I just won't allow myself to be dismissed out of sight when the big boys - and girls, I suppose - are talking. I will be acknowledged."
"And yet," Cirucci says darkly, "you have been forbidden to lay hand on the owner of that very tenth seat."
"Yes," he says with a smirk, "which is why it would be perfect if you were to move up in the ranks, and I were to just… Gracefully slide into the now-empty seat you left behind."
There is a moment of silence. You relax slightly, sure now that Luppi is not going to attack here and now; but this physical dread is only replaced by a different kind of worry. Your eyes flick up to Cirucci's face, where you see a storm of emotions play off one another.
"For that to happen," she says slowly, every word carefully enunciated, "one seat higher in the ranks would need to go empty."
"Quite so," Luppi grins. Then he opens his arms wide, sleeves trailing at his fingertips. "But think about it. We are each worth an Espada. The Vasto Lorde are far beyond our power - they could squash us both flat in the same motion. But the others? Even if they are more powerful than either of us, the gap is small, so easily crossed. What are their chances against the two of us? Even accepting that we are each only worth the Tenth seat, for the sake of argument, do you really think the Novena could stand up to two Decima? Could the Octava? The Septima? With proper planning, preparation, a careful ambush, could even the Sexta withstand this?"
His voice has a manic edge now, shining white teeth showing through his grin, eyes wild with glee. You can feel his pressure creeping over the corridor, thin tendrils covering ground and wall inch by inch; you can feel them take hold of your feet, rooting you in one place, slithering their way up your legs.
And as you look at Cirucci, you feel these words reaching her. You feel the ambition and hope sparked in her breast. It scares you a little.
"Bold talk from a newborn who never had to fight for a seat," she says, but her heart is not in it.
"I am not telling you to decide right now," Luppi says, stepping back. Shadows shroud his lower half, but his teeth still shine. He makes a mock bow. "But think about it. Together, we could do great things. Once you are seated among the clouds, not just above the base earth, you will find your life much more comfortable. As for me… The base earth suits me just fine. I am, after all, a crawler."
And just like that, he's gone. As soon as he walks off into the dark, you can't follow him, his reiatsu eluding you, suppressed. The crawling shadow withdraws after him, leaving your legs free, and you gasp. Cirucci looks down at you, a shadow in her eyes.
"What a slimy little thing he is," she says with a thin, humorless smile. You nod.
"Do you think…" She hesitates, looks at the empty corridor where he stood a moment ago. "I can't trust him, I know that. He could betray me. He could use the very Espada we go against to conveniently remove me and take my seat. But knowing that, I could play against him. And if I can use this to my advantage…"
She bites her lip. You step back slightly, saying nothing, carefully watching her.
"He's right. Tenth is not enough for me. It's not just about safety from the Privarons, and other newborn like him that might come after me." She stomps the ground, gritting her teeth. "I beat Yammy when he was as strong as the Septima! I deserve better than this! And with him, I could claim my rightful place."
You nod carefully, and her head snaps to you, her eyes piercing, hungry.
"Don't you agree?"
Your throat feels dry. You swallow harshly, and think.
[ ] You agree.
[ ] You disagree.
Gargulec
impact!
- Location
- a garden
Last edited:
Finagle007
[Verified Great Old One]
- Pronouns
- He/Him/His
[X] You disagree.
Aizen warned Cirruci about this. Besides, while she might be able to beat Aaroneiro - shattering that glass container shouldn't be too hard - his ability to broadcast his death will let everyone in Las Noches know she beat him, and how. And as she is now, Cirruci stands no chance against Szayel or Zommari.
Aizen warned Cirruci about this. Besides, while she might be able to beat Aaroneiro - shattering that glass container shouldn't be too hard - his ability to broadcast his death will let everyone in Las Noches know she beat him, and how. And as she is now, Cirruci stands no chance against Szayel or Zommari.
[X] You disagree.
You shake your head gently. Luppi is a boneless creature of the deep sea, a creature that kills by crushing in the lightless depths where none watch. You do not wish him to gain any leverage over Cirruci. Any leverage - any at all - is something he will use to latch on and tighten his grasp. Perhaps he wishes to push her into annoying Lord Aizen more than he can tolerate by throwing her plans into chaos. Perhaps he is lying about his lack of ambition, for Cirruci were to slay the eighth or the nineth, she would no longer be protected and he would seize her when she was tired from the fight - because, your lip curls up, he has not one honourable bone in his body. Perhaps he merely wants her taking all the risks so he can slither into the Diez spot.
There is an old saying in the mortal world - keep your friends close, and your enemies closer. You fear that Luppi knows those words well.
You shake your head gently. Luppi is a boneless creature of the deep sea, a creature that kills by crushing in the lightless depths where none watch. You do not wish him to gain any leverage over Cirruci. Any leverage - any at all - is something he will use to latch on and tighten his grasp. Perhaps he wishes to push her into annoying Lord Aizen more than he can tolerate by throwing her plans into chaos. Perhaps he is lying about his lack of ambition, for Cirruci were to slay the eighth or the nineth, she would no longer be protected and he would seize her when she was tired from the fight - because, your lip curls up, he has not one honourable bone in his body. Perhaps he merely wants her taking all the risks so he can slither into the Diez spot.
There is an old saying in the mortal world - keep your friends close, and your enemies closer. You fear that Luppi knows those words well.
Omegahugger
Inattentive Idiot
Sounds like an Advanced Skill... Welp, that's a bargain!
[X] You disagree.
I don't trust that sea anemone.
- Location
- United States of America
[X] You disagree.