Coshiua
An Autistic Kyogre~!
- Location
- The Ocean
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.
Cetashwayo
Lord of Ten Thousand Years
- Location
- Across the Horizon
Marana will grow larger 
The discussion has somewhat convinced me not to go hard for Master Bala. I'll keep putting into Marana until we're over and then I'll think about that we need next based on the arc.
The discussion has somewhat convinced me not to go hard for Master Bala. I'll keep putting into Marana until we're over and then I'll think about that we need next based on the arc.
- Location
- Source of confusion itself.
Being able to use our abilities, without revealing ourself would be nice.
Kinruush
Who?
- Location
- USA
@Omicron
All of the omakes and art up to when you last gave xp, formatted as on the front page. I may have misattributed some things to Coshiua because of copy/pasting errors, but I think it's all right.
Canon Omakes:
Witness, by Floom
Welcome to the Jungle, by Phigment
Night at the Museum, by Revlid
Job Hunting, by Cetashwayo
Non-Canon Omakes:
Leviathan, by Gargulec
Fight or Flight, by Phigment
Ururu Quest Chapter ##, by Yama0
Hierarchy, by Chronic
Cunning Plans and Counterparts, by Revlid
Untitled, in Urahara's Shop, by NMS
Number None Abridged, Chapter 1, by Revlid
Fanart:
At Peace, by Coshiua
The Hero Hueco Mundo Deserves!, by Grigori
The Three Fairies of Los Noches, by Coshiua
Nemo and Cirucci Flying, by Yama0
Arrival, by Coshiua
Arrival 2, by Coshiua
Arrival 2 [Version Two], by Coshiua
Nemo Wearing Lipstick, by Coshiua
Pixel Art Nemo, by Krekian
Arrancar Sentai: Cirucci and Nemo, by Coshiua
Conquistadores ???? Page ????, by Coshiua
Conquistadors ???? Pt ????, by Coshiua
Arrival 001 and 002 [Version Two], by Coshiua
Colored Arrival 003 and Arrival 004, by Coshiua
Arrival 005, by Coshiua
Arrival 006, by Coshiua
Arrival 007, by Coshiua
Arrival 008, by Coshiua
Arrival 009, by Coshiua
A Moth of Demure Style, by Grigori
Ichigo x Luppi, by Yama0
Nemo Recolor, by Revlid
NYFLNN [BAQ] Chapter Zero: Cover, by Coshiua
Nemo, by Krekian
Another Version of Nemo, by Krekian
Soulless Eyepit Nemo, by NonSequtur
NYFLNN [BAQ] Chapter Zero: Page 2 and 3, by Coshiua
Nemo Elcobuzier Character Model, by Coshiua
NYFLNN [BAQ] Chapter Zero: Page 4 and 5, by Coshiua
NYFLNN [BAQ] Chapter Zero: Page 6, by Coshiua
People in Bed and Eslmeralda Drinking, by Krekian
NYFLNN [BAQ] Chapter Zero: Page 7, by Coshiua
Cirucci Hiding?, by Krekian, stolen by Phigment
NYFLNN [BAQ] Chapter Zero: Page 8, by Coshiua
Nemo with a Little Ghost, by Krekian
You know were turning into the most annoying and deadly miniboss ever. I mean we have regeneration, were fast as hell, ranged bombardment and we have our own unique equipment we use in battle. We keep this up we might be able to warrant having our own mooks after a while.
- Location
- Head in the clouds
I do believe we have a grand total of four omakes dedicated to the idea of Nemo being a very annoying/deadly video game boss.
chocolote12
A Penguin Flailing Against The Keyboard Of Life.
Now I want us to be the leader of a quirky miniboss squad.
Oh, wait, that's what we got the Artificial Soul research for. Hooray.
Oh yeah we can make living items and mooks with that research can't we. So that means neat weave we have two items to upgrade a new one to make and possible a small army of mooks.
Diomedea
A piece of the continent
- Location
- The interblag
- Pronouns
- She/Her
That just means she hasn't found her pride as a maid yet, is all.
ChildishChimera
A umbran summon
- Location
- New York
I want her to watch maid dragon with Cirrci nowThat just means she hasn't found her pride as a maid yet, is all.
- Location
- Texas
Should probably leave that one off, unless Krekian wants it in the index. It's in the art thread, so I assume there's no problem with people seeing it, but it should be Krekian's choice whether it gets flagged in this thread or not.
- Location
- ?
Chapter 8, LVI. Such A Good Idea At The Time
- Location
- Brittany, France
- Pronouns
- He/Him
LVI. Such A Good Idea At The Time
Your sleep is heavy but quiet, an endless sea of shadow into which you sink dreamlessly. Time loses its grasp on you, and you drift for ages.
When you wash to shore, it is a breath of fresh air. You open your mouth, inhaling deeply as shreds of sleep slide off you, and open your eyes.
When you went to bed last night your body was a map depicting a territory of pains, aches and sores, a complex geometry of fatigue. Today you feel none of these frailties. Your heart beats slow, steady and strong. You sit up in the two-people bed and flex your fingers, your wrists, your shoulders. They move smoothly and painlessly. You smile to yourself, slashing the air with your hand - is it a trick of the eyes or..? No, it is just the tiniest bit faster and steadier. You feel invigorated, full of renewed strength.
You touch the empty place beside you, where Cirucci's sleeping form is still cast into the mattress and bedsheets. Cold - she must have woken long before you. You slide out of bed, stretching your arms until they feel almost ready to snap, then go through your clothes with ritualistic method, the memory glove and the scarf coming last. Then you quickly make the bed. You are almost done smoothing creases in the sheets when Cirucci walks in.
"Ah, you're awake. I was beginning to think I wouldn't see you all day."
You bow apologetically, and she smiles.
"You slept twelve hours, love. I'm sure your adventures of yesterday took a toll on you. It's fine. I suppose I shouldn't have kept you awake last night."
You shake your head, blushing slightly. It's fine; you needed to talk, to set some things clear. You only apologize that you weren't there to make breakfast.
"Quite," Cirucci sighs. "It turns out that for all that he has a treasure trove of anecdotes and folkloric stories on the food of Hueco Mundo, the practicality of it escapes him. Ren would be able to burn water if you left him in a kitchen unattended. Well, it's given me more appreciation for your services. Come," she adds, turning to the door, and you quickly follow after her, hopping down from the platform onto the chamber's floor.
Cirucci sits down at her guéridon, and you hurry to brew some tea for the both of you. While the water heats, you rummage through the kitchen's drawers, snatching a handful of biscuits and a jar of honey. You only realize how hungry your long night of sleep had left you when you swallow the gold-slathered treats in two bites each, your mouth barely keeping up with the demands of your belly. You have to force yourself to put them away when the water starts simmering.
You pour the tea in Cirucci's second-best cups, fine porcelain veined with pink, and sit down in front of her. Something seems to be troubling her, you notice after a moment, and look up curiously.
"I had to push him a bit," Cirucci says frowning, "but Ren told me something which bothers me. Although I should have expected it. It would appear that Antenor paid my Red Chamber a visit yesterday."
You blink in surprise. What could he want? To stake out the place in case of a fight?
"Maybe… But I don't think so," she shrugs. "He ostensibly looked through my vault of trinkets, although nothing's been taken. Ren says they shared some old Hollow tales," she says with a dismissive wave of her hand. "Likely it was a show of power; to remind me that he knew where I lived, that my servants and possessions are not always safe, and that I should not try to cross him."
You nod slowly, unsure. It seems a bit brazen. They are supposed to be allies, after all, and this seems more like the behavior of an enemy.
Then again, Esmeralda used to drop by your appartments while you weren't there, and she never did you wrong. It's hard to wrap your head around these Espada machinations.
"So," Cirucci says with a ferocious grin that you know from experience presages nothing good, "I think we ought to return the favor."
You stare. Does Luppi even have a home you could break into? You're not sure you could get past his notice, although you did manage to fool that ex-Captain…
"No, no, nothing like that." Cirucci shakes her head. "His home doesn't interest me, his person does. I want you to find him and to… Study him. Like you did Yammy."
Oh. That's a more daunting prospect. You tilt your head, thinking. Luppi is nowhere near as oblivious as Yammy, and will be quite aware of why you're approaching him.
"I know," Cirucci concedes. "But I'm sure you can bluff him. Either manage to make up a pretense, or simply lure him into a position where he reveals useful information even if he knows what you're after… You're creative and quick-thinking. I'm sure you'll manage."
You nod slowly, unsure. Cirucci stares at you, briefly biting her lip.
"I know this is… A dangerous task. Luppi is more powerful than you and more perceptive than Yammy was. But it's important - vitally so. I need to know him if I am to protect myself from him. I wouldn't ask you if I didn't think you could handle it."
You nod again, thoughtful. Cirucci won't ask you if you accept her orders - they are orders. But you know that if you raised objections, she would listen. If you refused, she might be hurt or offended, but she would not force you. But… She's right. This is important.
You smile. You'll do your best.
"You always do. Now wouldn't be a good time to stop," Cirucci says sternly, sipping her tea.
You can probably snatch a few more biscuits before you go…
***
You're not sure where to find Luppi. You don't know where he sleeps, or where he spends most of his time. Your Pesquisa's range is far too limited to cover most or Las Noches, and you wouldn't be able to tell his signature apart from most of the Espada's anyway. And that's assuming he isn't concealing his presence with the same frightening ease he showed when he first came to Cirucci.
You think back to the first time you met him, when you entered the throne room for Cirucci's anointment. At that time, he was in the back of the room, chatting and laughing with… Ichimaru Gin. The smiling fox. You don't relish the thought of approaching the inscrutable Reaper, but it's as much as a lead as you can hope for. You take off across the white sands, running with a lightness you've never felt before, each step wide and easy. The sand barely shifts under your feet.
You head for the center of Las Noches, the largest buildings where dwell the Shinigami and their personal servants. Your first pulse reveals nothing, but as you approach the towering walls of featureless stone a second one reveals two lights side by side - one of them the distinct cold hue of a Shinigami, the other the more subdued, two-tone shade of an Arrancar. You've found your quarry; not inside the building, but high on its roof.
You remember the day that started you on this strange new path. The day Barragan sent you to fetch an old crown, and Findor took notice of you. That day, you tried to reach the window of your room in a building much smaller than this one, and almost failed. You smile to yourself.
You don't stop when you reach the wall, so vast as to blot out the sky. You kick the dune and rise in a spray of sand. Your feet hit the stone and you run on up, palms open on each side of you to balance your body, scarf flowing down in the wind. You run and run, boots hitting smooth grey stone with a rhythm like a song, one beat after the other.
When you reach the top of the wall you grab the ledge with your hand and push yourself up, twirling in the air and landing with grace on your feet, unfolding your cloak to bow for an imaginary audience. You doubt you could accomplish such a feat of wall-running in the heat of battle, but it still felt good to practice it.
Even here there are yet more walls. Towers rise from the building like the keeps of an ancient castle, round bulbs of stone stick out of the roof like tumors, their doors likely the normal point of access to get here from the inside. You send out another Pesquisa and feel the two flames, much closer now. It would not do to approach them running and panting, so you take a moment to relax and slow your pace. A few minute's walk reveals what you suspected: you will not need to ask Ichimaru Gin where you can find Luppi, as they are in the same place, Luppi sitting on the ledge with his legs dangling into hundreds of feet of void, Ichimaru standing with his arms folded in his sleeves and this perpetual grin stuck on his face. You repress a shudder.
You're not trying to hide, exactly. There are no convenient obstacles this side of the roof you could hide behind to spy on them, and it's likely the Shinigami's senses would be beyond your ability to avoid no matter how hard you tried. But you are making your approach as discreet as you can.
Their combined reiatsu is a strange feeling. You've rarely found people on the Espada's level, other than Cirucci's in circumstances such as these: not actively wary or posturing for the sake of an audience, but simply relaxed, thinking they're alone, chatting casually. Their spiritual pressures, which would be breath-taking with the slightest amount of effort on their part, is instead low and quiescent. You get no definite sensation from them, other than a deep lake of placid power - one in which you could lose footing and drown with the slightest misstep, but whose surface you are for now skimming safely.
Luppi's voice comes with its smooth edges, this perpetual smile in every word.
"...so of course I pick up the mask, say I'm sorry, and hand it back to him. Then I pause. Look at him. And I ask: 'so do you decide which one's the top based on who's highest up in your water tank?'"
Gin laughs, a low chuckle that makes you feel vaguely uneasy.
"Of course, he - they, I guess - weren't happy, but-"
"Pardon me," Gin says softly, raising his hand, and turning to you. "It seems we have a visitor."
Luppi lets out a theatrical sigh. "Can't a man find peace anywhere?"
Well, you reflect, this is a fortress on the brink of war. That makes Gin chuckle again.
"At least she has some repartee."
You apologize for the disturbance, of course, and bow respectfully before the Reaper. If it is not too much to presume, you would like to borrow Luppi Antenor's attention; you could, of course, wait until their conversation is finished.
"No, no, I'm sure y'all have plenty important and interesting things to say to each other. I'll get out of your way," the Shinigami says, his smile shifting an inch higher. It's not the smile that disturbs you, it's the eyes, the way they seem always half-closed, like some lazy snake warming its cold blood in the sun, waiting for a mouse to snap its jaws on it…
...ah, there's that reiatsu. It's not even a conscious effort on his part to impress you, it's just the brunt of his attention coming on you. Your hand twitches, thankfully concealed behind your back. You can't help but think of him as a fox, but you sense him as some snake-like figure and you're not sure why this is driving a wedge of a headache in your brain. Your senses can't grasp him.
But your composure remains perfect. You bow again, in gratitude and good bye, and he gives you a small nod. Then he's gone - not walking out. Not with the sudden noise of Sonido. He's just there one moment, and gone the next, a faint wind brushing your clothes. His reiatsu fades in the distance.
Luppi sighs and stretches lazily, a wavy motion of his odd uniform (the sleeves really are entirely too long). You briefly entertain the thought of kicking him off the ledge. It would almost certainly work thanks to sheer surprise, and it'd be very entertaining… But you doubt he'd even sprain an ankle. The boyish man pulls himself up, brushing his legs, and finally looks at you, tilting his head a little.
"So, what brings you here, little servant? Has your mistress sent you to deliver a message?"
Not exactly, no. But she did give you instructions. You decide that there is no point trying to lie to someone who will suspect your real motives anyway, so you present him with a version of the truth. Cirucci wants him to prove his usefulness before she commits to an alliance with him. She has nothing to prove: she is already an Espada, after all, but he is not. She wants to know that he will be a worthwhile ally, and so she has sent you to work with him.
Luppi raises an eyebrow and smirks.
"How forward of you, to come up and ask me to show you my abilities. Is your mistress that afraid of me?"
You give him as cold a glare as a Fraccion can direct to an Espada, for your mistress's honor is being infringed upon. Cirucci is not asking to be told or shown his powers or his Resurreccion; after all, any circumstance which would call for such a release of power on the part of Luppi would likely kill such a weak being as you, and your mistress would gain nothing from it. It is not about uncovering his abilities; it is about making sure he is competent enough to take the risk of fighting an Espada beside him. It is about studying his approach, his skills, his smarts.
Luppi's smile turns to a frown, and he takes a step towards you, his reiatsu ebbing ever so slightly, forcing you to catch your breath as you feel it slide over your skin.
"You're getting awfully bossy for a maid," he says flatly.
You look up at him, eyes firm. You're not a maid. You're a Fraccion. It doesn't matter how weak you are; you represent your mistress's interests, and when you speak for her to one of her equals, you will carry her words, not wrap them in niceties.
Luppi stares at you for a moment, quiet. His reiatsu flares the tiniest fraction of an inch, enough that you flinch, and that satisfies him; it shows him you really are weak, you just put on a good show out of excessive devotion. It's the truth, but it's also what you want him to see. He nods, and moves past you.
"I suppose I will have to do with an overly-eager lackey today," he sighs.
You don't show your relief. It was a gamble. You freely admitted to being here to study him, but claimed you wanted to test some nebulous 'competence' rather than his exact abilities. And instead of bending and deflecting when pressed, you put up a front of outrage. You don't think excuses and evasions would have worked with him, but the right amount of bluntness seems to do the trick. You wonder what it says about him; hell if you could figure it out.
"All right, so, lay it on me," the would-be Espada says, joining his hands behind his head. "What's today's programme? Or am I supposed to decide? Your mistress must have given you some kind of idea of where we might go to… Test me. Something, preferably, that's of benefits to all of us - I'm not fond of playing for treats like a good doggie, just to show mistress I'm worth keeping in the kennel until hunting day. Although I do have a few ideas of my own..."
Of course Cirucci didn't suggest where you might go. You do your best not to sigh. She probably didn't think of it in advance and left you to improvise. But you can probably come up with some ideas fast enough to not sound like you're making it up as you go…
The thought came simple and easy. On paper, it was straightforward and matched both your skillsets: you would go and spy on one of the weaker Espadas. It seemed like such a good idea. How could you have known that…
[ ] ...you would end up interrupting Aaroniero's prized meal.
[ ] ...it would be the day Szayel would finally put whatever remained of Yammy to a field-test.
[ ] ...the Exequias had questions to ask of Zommari today.
[ ] ...Grimmjow and Luppi mixed poorly.
Congratulations! You have achieved Rank Veteran in Sonido. Vote for one of the following upgrades (this vote will of course be counted separately from the actual update vote):
[ ] Mobility. Your agility has improved to the point of using all your environment as an aid. You can run on walls and ceilings in combat, and briefly suspend yourself on even smooth vertical surfaces. Your environment can serve as ramps which enhance the speed and distance of your Sonido. In the spirit world, you can briefly form reishi platforms under your feet, allowing you come to a rest for a second in mid-air (and then jump off again).
[ ] Energy. Your mastery of energy release combined with your Sonido lets you be carried on the wave of your own attack. When you unleash a Bala or a Cero, you either let the pull of the attack drag you forward, or its recoil push you backward. With a Bala this is only a short movement, allowing you to close distance with a nearby enemy or quickly get away; with Cero, this is a long-range but wild and uncontrolled motion that takes you to the end of your beam or throws you a large distance away.
[ ] Frenzy. The energy cost of your Sonido is proportionally smaller and its activation faster the shorter the distance you travel. While this does not allow for rapid long-distance movement, it allows you to use very quick Sonido bursts to dart away from or around opponents, or to confuse enemies with rapid zig-zagging. The more you use this ability in rapid sequence, the harder you are to hit - but the more you lose track of your environment and your enemy, making it harder for you to hit them in turn.
There is a moratorium of two hours on these two votes. Do not vote yet. Discuss your options.
Your sleep is heavy but quiet, an endless sea of shadow into which you sink dreamlessly. Time loses its grasp on you, and you drift for ages.
When you wash to shore, it is a breath of fresh air. You open your mouth, inhaling deeply as shreds of sleep slide off you, and open your eyes.
When you went to bed last night your body was a map depicting a territory of pains, aches and sores, a complex geometry of fatigue. Today you feel none of these frailties. Your heart beats slow, steady and strong. You sit up in the two-people bed and flex your fingers, your wrists, your shoulders. They move smoothly and painlessly. You smile to yourself, slashing the air with your hand - is it a trick of the eyes or..? No, it is just the tiniest bit faster and steadier. You feel invigorated, full of renewed strength.
You touch the empty place beside you, where Cirucci's sleeping form is still cast into the mattress and bedsheets. Cold - she must have woken long before you. You slide out of bed, stretching your arms until they feel almost ready to snap, then go through your clothes with ritualistic method, the memory glove and the scarf coming last. Then you quickly make the bed. You are almost done smoothing creases in the sheets when Cirucci walks in.
"Ah, you're awake. I was beginning to think I wouldn't see you all day."
You bow apologetically, and she smiles.
"You slept twelve hours, love. I'm sure your adventures of yesterday took a toll on you. It's fine. I suppose I shouldn't have kept you awake last night."
You shake your head, blushing slightly. It's fine; you needed to talk, to set some things clear. You only apologize that you weren't there to make breakfast.
"Quite," Cirucci sighs. "It turns out that for all that he has a treasure trove of anecdotes and folkloric stories on the food of Hueco Mundo, the practicality of it escapes him. Ren would be able to burn water if you left him in a kitchen unattended. Well, it's given me more appreciation for your services. Come," she adds, turning to the door, and you quickly follow after her, hopping down from the platform onto the chamber's floor.
Cirucci sits down at her guéridon, and you hurry to brew some tea for the both of you. While the water heats, you rummage through the kitchen's drawers, snatching a handful of biscuits and a jar of honey. You only realize how hungry your long night of sleep had left you when you swallow the gold-slathered treats in two bites each, your mouth barely keeping up with the demands of your belly. You have to force yourself to put them away when the water starts simmering.
You pour the tea in Cirucci's second-best cups, fine porcelain veined with pink, and sit down in front of her. Something seems to be troubling her, you notice after a moment, and look up curiously.
"I had to push him a bit," Cirucci says frowning, "but Ren told me something which bothers me. Although I should have expected it. It would appear that Antenor paid my Red Chamber a visit yesterday."
You blink in surprise. What could he want? To stake out the place in case of a fight?
"Maybe… But I don't think so," she shrugs. "He ostensibly looked through my vault of trinkets, although nothing's been taken. Ren says they shared some old Hollow tales," she says with a dismissive wave of her hand. "Likely it was a show of power; to remind me that he knew where I lived, that my servants and possessions are not always safe, and that I should not try to cross him."
You nod slowly, unsure. It seems a bit brazen. They are supposed to be allies, after all, and this seems more like the behavior of an enemy.
Then again, Esmeralda used to drop by your appartments while you weren't there, and she never did you wrong. It's hard to wrap your head around these Espada machinations.
"So," Cirucci says with a ferocious grin that you know from experience presages nothing good, "I think we ought to return the favor."
You stare. Does Luppi even have a home you could break into? You're not sure you could get past his notice, although you did manage to fool that ex-Captain…
"No, no, nothing like that." Cirucci shakes her head. "His home doesn't interest me, his person does. I want you to find him and to… Study him. Like you did Yammy."
Oh. That's a more daunting prospect. You tilt your head, thinking. Luppi is nowhere near as oblivious as Yammy, and will be quite aware of why you're approaching him.
"I know," Cirucci concedes. "But I'm sure you can bluff him. Either manage to make up a pretense, or simply lure him into a position where he reveals useful information even if he knows what you're after… You're creative and quick-thinking. I'm sure you'll manage."
You nod slowly, unsure. Cirucci stares at you, briefly biting her lip.
"I know this is… A dangerous task. Luppi is more powerful than you and more perceptive than Yammy was. But it's important - vitally so. I need to know him if I am to protect myself from him. I wouldn't ask you if I didn't think you could handle it."
You nod again, thoughtful. Cirucci won't ask you if you accept her orders - they are orders. But you know that if you raised objections, she would listen. If you refused, she might be hurt or offended, but she would not force you. But… She's right. This is important.
You smile. You'll do your best.
"You always do. Now wouldn't be a good time to stop," Cirucci says sternly, sipping her tea.
You can probably snatch a few more biscuits before you go…
***
You're not sure where to find Luppi. You don't know where he sleeps, or where he spends most of his time. Your Pesquisa's range is far too limited to cover most or Las Noches, and you wouldn't be able to tell his signature apart from most of the Espada's anyway. And that's assuming he isn't concealing his presence with the same frightening ease he showed when he first came to Cirucci.
You think back to the first time you met him, when you entered the throne room for Cirucci's anointment. At that time, he was in the back of the room, chatting and laughing with… Ichimaru Gin. The smiling fox. You don't relish the thought of approaching the inscrutable Reaper, but it's as much as a lead as you can hope for. You take off across the white sands, running with a lightness you've never felt before, each step wide and easy. The sand barely shifts under your feet.
You head for the center of Las Noches, the largest buildings where dwell the Shinigami and their personal servants. Your first pulse reveals nothing, but as you approach the towering walls of featureless stone a second one reveals two lights side by side - one of them the distinct cold hue of a Shinigami, the other the more subdued, two-tone shade of an Arrancar. You've found your quarry; not inside the building, but high on its roof.
You remember the day that started you on this strange new path. The day Barragan sent you to fetch an old crown, and Findor took notice of you. That day, you tried to reach the window of your room in a building much smaller than this one, and almost failed. You smile to yourself.
You don't stop when you reach the wall, so vast as to blot out the sky. You kick the dune and rise in a spray of sand. Your feet hit the stone and you run on up, palms open on each side of you to balance your body, scarf flowing down in the wind. You run and run, boots hitting smooth grey stone with a rhythm like a song, one beat after the other.
When you reach the top of the wall you grab the ledge with your hand and push yourself up, twirling in the air and landing with grace on your feet, unfolding your cloak to bow for an imaginary audience. You doubt you could accomplish such a feat of wall-running in the heat of battle, but it still felt good to practice it.
Even here there are yet more walls. Towers rise from the building like the keeps of an ancient castle, round bulbs of stone stick out of the roof like tumors, their doors likely the normal point of access to get here from the inside. You send out another Pesquisa and feel the two flames, much closer now. It would not do to approach them running and panting, so you take a moment to relax and slow your pace. A few minute's walk reveals what you suspected: you will not need to ask Ichimaru Gin where you can find Luppi, as they are in the same place, Luppi sitting on the ledge with his legs dangling into hundreds of feet of void, Ichimaru standing with his arms folded in his sleeves and this perpetual grin stuck on his face. You repress a shudder.
You're not trying to hide, exactly. There are no convenient obstacles this side of the roof you could hide behind to spy on them, and it's likely the Shinigami's senses would be beyond your ability to avoid no matter how hard you tried. But you are making your approach as discreet as you can.
Their combined reiatsu is a strange feeling. You've rarely found people on the Espada's level, other than Cirucci's in circumstances such as these: not actively wary or posturing for the sake of an audience, but simply relaxed, thinking they're alone, chatting casually. Their spiritual pressures, which would be breath-taking with the slightest amount of effort on their part, is instead low and quiescent. You get no definite sensation from them, other than a deep lake of placid power - one in which you could lose footing and drown with the slightest misstep, but whose surface you are for now skimming safely.
Luppi's voice comes with its smooth edges, this perpetual smile in every word.
"...so of course I pick up the mask, say I'm sorry, and hand it back to him. Then I pause. Look at him. And I ask: 'so do you decide which one's the top based on who's highest up in your water tank?'"
Gin laughs, a low chuckle that makes you feel vaguely uneasy.
"Of course, he - they, I guess - weren't happy, but-"
"Pardon me," Gin says softly, raising his hand, and turning to you. "It seems we have a visitor."
Luppi lets out a theatrical sigh. "Can't a man find peace anywhere?"
Well, you reflect, this is a fortress on the brink of war. That makes Gin chuckle again.
"At least she has some repartee."
You apologize for the disturbance, of course, and bow respectfully before the Reaper. If it is not too much to presume, you would like to borrow Luppi Antenor's attention; you could, of course, wait until their conversation is finished.
"No, no, I'm sure y'all have plenty important and interesting things to say to each other. I'll get out of your way," the Shinigami says, his smile shifting an inch higher. It's not the smile that disturbs you, it's the eyes, the way they seem always half-closed, like some lazy snake warming its cold blood in the sun, waiting for a mouse to snap its jaws on it…
...ah, there's that reiatsu. It's not even a conscious effort on his part to impress you, it's just the brunt of his attention coming on you. Your hand twitches, thankfully concealed behind your back. You can't help but think of him as a fox, but you sense him as some snake-like figure and you're not sure why this is driving a wedge of a headache in your brain. Your senses can't grasp him.
But your composure remains perfect. You bow again, in gratitude and good bye, and he gives you a small nod. Then he's gone - not walking out. Not with the sudden noise of Sonido. He's just there one moment, and gone the next, a faint wind brushing your clothes. His reiatsu fades in the distance.
Luppi sighs and stretches lazily, a wavy motion of his odd uniform (the sleeves really are entirely too long). You briefly entertain the thought of kicking him off the ledge. It would almost certainly work thanks to sheer surprise, and it'd be very entertaining… But you doubt he'd even sprain an ankle. The boyish man pulls himself up, brushing his legs, and finally looks at you, tilting his head a little.
"So, what brings you here, little servant? Has your mistress sent you to deliver a message?"
Not exactly, no. But she did give you instructions. You decide that there is no point trying to lie to someone who will suspect your real motives anyway, so you present him with a version of the truth. Cirucci wants him to prove his usefulness before she commits to an alliance with him. She has nothing to prove: she is already an Espada, after all, but he is not. She wants to know that he will be a worthwhile ally, and so she has sent you to work with him.
Luppi raises an eyebrow and smirks.
"How forward of you, to come up and ask me to show you my abilities. Is your mistress that afraid of me?"
You give him as cold a glare as a Fraccion can direct to an Espada, for your mistress's honor is being infringed upon. Cirucci is not asking to be told or shown his powers or his Resurreccion; after all, any circumstance which would call for such a release of power on the part of Luppi would likely kill such a weak being as you, and your mistress would gain nothing from it. It is not about uncovering his abilities; it is about making sure he is competent enough to take the risk of fighting an Espada beside him. It is about studying his approach, his skills, his smarts.
Luppi's smile turns to a frown, and he takes a step towards you, his reiatsu ebbing ever so slightly, forcing you to catch your breath as you feel it slide over your skin.
"You're getting awfully bossy for a maid," he says flatly.
You look up at him, eyes firm. You're not a maid. You're a Fraccion. It doesn't matter how weak you are; you represent your mistress's interests, and when you speak for her to one of her equals, you will carry her words, not wrap them in niceties.
Luppi stares at you for a moment, quiet. His reiatsu flares the tiniest fraction of an inch, enough that you flinch, and that satisfies him; it shows him you really are weak, you just put on a good show out of excessive devotion. It's the truth, but it's also what you want him to see. He nods, and moves past you.
"I suppose I will have to do with an overly-eager lackey today," he sighs.
You don't show your relief. It was a gamble. You freely admitted to being here to study him, but claimed you wanted to test some nebulous 'competence' rather than his exact abilities. And instead of bending and deflecting when pressed, you put up a front of outrage. You don't think excuses and evasions would have worked with him, but the right amount of bluntness seems to do the trick. You wonder what it says about him; hell if you could figure it out.
"All right, so, lay it on me," the would-be Espada says, joining his hands behind his head. "What's today's programme? Or am I supposed to decide? Your mistress must have given you some kind of idea of where we might go to… Test me. Something, preferably, that's of benefits to all of us - I'm not fond of playing for treats like a good doggie, just to show mistress I'm worth keeping in the kennel until hunting day. Although I do have a few ideas of my own..."
Of course Cirucci didn't suggest where you might go. You do your best not to sigh. She probably didn't think of it in advance and left you to improvise. But you can probably come up with some ideas fast enough to not sound like you're making it up as you go…
The thought came simple and easy. On paper, it was straightforward and matched both your skillsets: you would go and spy on one of the weaker Espadas. It seemed like such a good idea. How could you have known that…
[ ] ...you would end up interrupting Aaroniero's prized meal.
[ ] ...it would be the day Szayel would finally put whatever remained of Yammy to a field-test.
[ ] ...the Exequias had questions to ask of Zommari today.
[ ] ...Grimmjow and Luppi mixed poorly.
Congratulations! You have achieved Rank Veteran in Sonido. Vote for one of the following upgrades (this vote will of course be counted separately from the actual update vote):
[ ] Mobility. Your agility has improved to the point of using all your environment as an aid. You can run on walls and ceilings in combat, and briefly suspend yourself on even smooth vertical surfaces. Your environment can serve as ramps which enhance the speed and distance of your Sonido. In the spirit world, you can briefly form reishi platforms under your feet, allowing you come to a rest for a second in mid-air (and then jump off again).
[ ] Energy. Your mastery of energy release combined with your Sonido lets you be carried on the wave of your own attack. When you unleash a Bala or a Cero, you either let the pull of the attack drag you forward, or its recoil push you backward. With a Bala this is only a short movement, allowing you to close distance with a nearby enemy or quickly get away; with Cero, this is a long-range but wild and uncontrolled motion that takes you to the end of your beam or throws you a large distance away.
[ ] Frenzy. The energy cost of your Sonido is proportionally smaller and its activation faster the shorter the distance you travel. While this does not allow for rapid long-distance movement, it allows you to use very quick Sonido bursts to dart away from or around opponents, or to confuse enemies with rapid zig-zagging. The more you use this ability in rapid sequence, the harder you are to hit - but the more you lose track of your environment and your enemy, making it harder for you to hit them in turn.
There is a moratorium of two hours on these two votes. Do not vote yet. Discuss your options.
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- Location
- Britain
>Moratorium
Oh you mother-
For actual answers, Garg has very useful and helpful exposition on the options in the post shortly after this one.
Oh you mother-
For actual answers, Garg has very useful and helpful exposition on the options in the post shortly after this one.
Gargulec
impact!
- Location
- a garden
Let's review the options available and why they are all enticing:
Aaroniero: We are good at serving, and so it stands to reason that we should be also pretty good at being served. Certainly, any meal Nemo is a part of is a truly stylish thing.
Szyael: It is never too late to make amends to people we've hurt, such as Yammy. While he may not accept our apology straight away, meeting with him can certainly provide closure, or at least make us fundamentally incapable of being troubled by this matter anymore.
Zommari: matters of piety are very important, and only through conversation with ardent believers we can make our faith as strong as a bright torch (or become a bright torch ourselves, which is the next best thing.)
Grimmjow: boys will be boys! Grimmjow and Luppi are cute together, especially when they argue really energetically. In fact, it is kind of hot, and while Nemo is not yet yaoi trash, it is never too late to become.
Aaroniero: We are good at serving, and so it stands to reason that we should be also pretty good at being served. Certainly, any meal Nemo is a part of is a truly stylish thing.
Szyael: It is never too late to make amends to people we've hurt, such as Yammy. While he may not accept our apology straight away, meeting with him can certainly provide closure, or at least make us fundamentally incapable of being troubled by this matter anymore.
Zommari: matters of piety are very important, and only through conversation with ardent believers we can make our faith as strong as a bright torch (or become a bright torch ourselves, which is the next best thing.)
Grimmjow: boys will be boys! Grimmjow and Luppi are cute together, especially when they argue really energetically. In fact, it is kind of hot, and while Nemo is not yet yaoi trash, it is never too late to become.
In regards to Stark getting the Primera spot I will note that there believable in-universe reasons why that could have happened.
Consider Aizen's motivations and areas of focus. We know from the the end of his battle with Ichigo that Aizen was a once in a generation prodigy, freaksingly smart, strong and focused. This power isolated him from others and contributed to his sociopathic streak and self absorbed worldview. Somewhere deep down inside he is lonely, he wants to be like everyone else. In addition Aizen is a fan of evolution and refinement/growth with a particular focus on spiritual alteration.
Now consider Stark, a one in a billion oddity a naturally occurring Arrancar with power comparable to a high end Vasto Lorde. Even more interesting to Aizen Stark has another unique quality, instead of concentrating his power into an inanimate weapon/tool he created a living vessel to hold his power. Hell Stark has demonstrated that this wasn't a one off thing his special living wolf Cero's are stated to be the result of diving his soul.
On a personal level Stark's issues, overwhelming power isolated him from others echo Aizen's own. So bearing all this in mind it makes sense Aizen would consider Stark more interesting that Barragan and rank him higher in the Espanda. Stark is in a way the closest thing to a Arrancar Aizen. The irony being that Stark, a former cannibalistc monster is far less evil than the Soul Reaper Aizen.
And @Omicron has posted a chapter while I have been writing this. Yesss! Thanks oh epic writer your work is ever appreciated.
Consider Aizen's motivations and areas of focus. We know from the the end of his battle with Ichigo that Aizen was a once in a generation prodigy, freaksingly smart, strong and focused. This power isolated him from others and contributed to his sociopathic streak and self absorbed worldview. Somewhere deep down inside he is lonely, he wants to be like everyone else. In addition Aizen is a fan of evolution and refinement/growth with a particular focus on spiritual alteration.
Now consider Stark, a one in a billion oddity a naturally occurring Arrancar with power comparable to a high end Vasto Lorde. Even more interesting to Aizen Stark has another unique quality, instead of concentrating his power into an inanimate weapon/tool he created a living vessel to hold his power. Hell Stark has demonstrated that this wasn't a one off thing his special living wolf Cero's are stated to be the result of diving his soul.
On a personal level Stark's issues, overwhelming power isolated him from others echo Aizen's own. So bearing all this in mind it makes sense Aizen would consider Stark more interesting that Barragan and rank him higher in the Espanda. Stark is in a way the closest thing to a Arrancar Aizen. The irony being that Stark, a former cannibalistc monster is far less evil than the Soul Reaper Aizen.
And @Omicron has posted a chapter while I have been writing this. Yesss! Thanks oh epic writer your work is ever appreciated.
Well, I like Mobility, on the grounds that
PREPARE FOR MOTHFALL
PREPARE FOR MOTHFALL
ChildishChimera
A umbran summon
- Location
- New York
Your forgetting the most important reason he's petty, and agitating Barry is fun to him. The man seems to enjoy keeping around people who want to kill him, like with Gin.
- Location
- The Land of Many Bregrets
- Pronouns
- They/Them
I think, of the options, Frenzy is the one that works best with close combat, Energy with ranged combat whilst Mobility is equally useful for both of them. Speaking roughly, of course.
Frenzy makes short hops cheap but by extension long hops expensive and explicitly disavowed rapid long-distance movement; we wouldn't be able to use it for kiting / maintaining distance as a ranged fighter but use it in combo with all the shadow/ghost nonsense and Nemo could get ridiculously hard to track in a fight.
Energy is literally the 'how 2 kite' power
Mobility is as said equally useful on both fronts, for getting into odd angles for both ranged and melee and generally just being a pain to catch.
Frenzy makes short hops cheap but by extension long hops expensive and explicitly disavowed rapid long-distance movement; we wouldn't be able to use it for kiting / maintaining distance as a ranged fighter but use it in combo with all the shadow/ghost nonsense and Nemo could get ridiculously hard to track in a fight.
Energy is literally the 'how 2 kite' power
Mobility is as said equally useful on both fronts, for getting into odd angles for both ranged and melee and generally just being a pain to catch.
- Location
- Brittany, France
- Pronouns
- He/Him
I knew I should have expected the Sonido Trait vote to completely overtake the actual storytelling vote, but it's still impressive to watch it happen
In regards to the mission I'm actually in favour of Aaroniero or Szyael. There both characters we haven't interacted with either in quest or through omakes yet and that gives Omicron a chance to flesh them out.
Given the description used we can expect that all the missions we go wrong in some way and through this we can learn about Luppi. The field test of SCP-682 I mean what Szyael has made of Yammy seems a interesting thing to watch.
Given the description used we can expect that all the missions we go wrong in some way and through this we can learn about Luppi. The field test of SCP-682 I mean what Szyael has made of Yammy seems a interesting thing to watch.
Cetashwayo
Lord of Ten Thousand Years
- Location
- Across the Horizon
Let's go through the options:
1. This would serve as some kind of Aaroniero interaction. Obviously it's dangerous, but it can also serve to tell us a little about the ninth Espada and allow us to size up our options in that respect. I'm not sure if we're aware that he gains his abilities from eating other hollows, frex, and this is likely to be humorous. He's also a cool character.
2. This is likely to not be directly dangerous to us, besides being collateral, but it puts us in Szayael's sightlines which I don't think is ever a good thing. On the plus/negative side, it does reveal Yammy to us again, and that's an important piece of information for Cirucci to know. I doubt Omicron would have us do this without actively meeting Szayael, which means we'll directly interact with him in the first time with the quest (like Aaroniero).
3. The Exequias are not to be trifled with; Rudbornn in canon killed both Cirucci and Dordoni after they had been weakened (and almost killed Gantenabinne), and it'll be important to see what precisely he's doing and what he wants with Zommari. If he's thinking of probing the Espada and planning to make his own power play, we should know that. Probably something to do with Zommari's cult stuff.
4. This can allow us to get the most most obvious and direct view of Luppi's abilities, since he could well get close to getting into a bout with Grimmjow. Grimmjow knows us, but that's no safety with that man. However, it could also make us his enemy if things go bad. Who knows. Not a fan because we've had a lot of Grimmjow interaction already.
I am leaning towards 1 and 2 for the character interaction potential, and 3 because Rudbornn poses a direct threat to the other Privaron and potentially Cirucci, and of the most obvious competitors for spot number 10 he's by far the most opportunistic and with the least sense of moral scruple.
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