[BitP:R] Hueco Mundo 3

[horngeek]

[Las Noches - Octava District]

When Ivaz finally opens the door, she finds herself in one of then few times in her life that she's been totally speechless.

She just stares at Mei for a moment with a dumb look on her face.

Then her normal, malicious grin returns.

Well, well, well...look who it is. Where the hell have you been?

"Away. I need to know if you'll help me take down Ruwa quickly and non-lethally."

[Terry576]

Cecilia snarled as she entered her room, slamming her fist into the wall.

"Not good Caiphus. This is definitely not good."

She purses her lips, glaring at the wall momentarily. "New tech in Las Noches? There's no way in hell she's going to miss it." The loathing in the blonde's words would startle most, but Caiphus knew her. He knew who she was talking about, and knew why this angered her so much.

"Check her last known location. I need to be prepared to see her again." She had never been prepared before. Not the first time, and definitely not the second time. She'd nearly died on the third time.

It was ironic, in a way. The Espada who was renowned for her madness, who could strike fear into any opponent, was afraid. Of a single, stupid, arrancar, who was nowhere near Hueco Mundo at the time, and still sent shivers down Cecilia's spine.

"Caiphus, we'll need to scout. Make sure she doesn't find out about what's going on."

Stretching, she arches her back, and then cracks her neck - once, twice, before grinning widely again.

"Let's go have a friendly little chat with the King."

[Kuroimaken]

"I should've known you wouldn't talk." Pico mumbles in response to Apolinar's lack of response. He shoots off a glare towards Rouga as he hears that he has to run those laps still. With a kick, he's standing by Rouga's side, still giving him a bit of a glare. "Not until I take care of some unfinished business. And don't you dare forget about those ten crates of scotch you said you'd give me if I didn't cheat."

Pico then turns to Apolinar. "You heard right. I'm back in the game." At that moment, he remembers something, a look of dawning realization soon eclipsed by that of sadistic mischief. "Oh, by the way, how was your deal with Private...crap, what's his name, Salter-something? Saltamontes! That's it."

"Laps first, unfinished business later. If nothing else it'll warm you up, Pico.

I won't forget, but you DID take some hits. That match wasn't exactly curbstomp city for you. You're high from the victory yet, and that means you'll make mistakes." Rouga spoke with all the seriousness of when he told Pico to climb that mountain with only one arm.

"I can't stand the idea that a disciple of mine would do something that reckless. You don't want to waste the effort I put into training you, do you? Or should I have you run around in the desert with worm bait on your pockets again?"

Pico, meanwhile, just stares at him, rather surprisingly unaffected by any of what just happened. He waits for Apolinar to finish screaming, before he reponds. "That's right, frikkin' Novena pal. And this won't be the last time you see me take a step up in the ranks." He narrows his eyes for a moment. "Besides, what makes you so sure you can even get to the 'kill me slowly' part of your plan there?" He turns his head to Rouga at that moment. "Should I even give a crap that he's like this, or should I make him shut up right now?"

"Let him fume. He will probably only get more pissed after he processes the part where it was I that engineered your upgrade."

[KerfuffleMach2]

"Away. I need to know if you'll help me take down Ruwa quickly and non-lethally."

Las Noches - Octava District

*blinkblink*

Why you wanna take Ruwa down?

Ah, right. Don't think anybody told her what actually happened yet.

[Steilos]

The AEWBNGFE*BG)ERG

Apolinar stood panting, his rant over and his mind just beginning to clear. Then something horrific slid its icy way into his brain.

He looked at Rouga, then back at Pico, then back at Rouga. His mind tried to process what he just heard. It failed. He tried again.

Apolinar.exe has encountered an error and needs to shut down. Abort?
>yes
>kill rouga

The general began spluttering as his mouth finally caught up with what Rouga just said, his mind following s- ROUGA TRAINED HIM.

"Ghkt." Sonido, and he is gone.

[horngeek]

Las Noches - Octava District

*blinkblink*

Why you wanna take Ruwa down?

Ah, right. Don't think anybody told her what actually happened yet.

"...Ruwa is the one responsible for my... absence... and It's likely she's going to try again once she knows I'm back. I want to wrap this up quickly."

[Kuroimaken]

"...I think that's the most praise he's given me since I first met him. 'Ghkt' indeed.

...I think he's earned himself the right for a second nickname. Say Pico, how does 'Napori-tan' sound to you?"

Spoiler

Show

It's yet another play on Apolinar's name. Apolinar is pronounced as Aporinaru. -Tan is a cuteified form of -Chan. So, Apori-tan. Just add N for ICE CREAM!

[KerfuffleMach2]

Las Noches - Octava District

Ivaz thinks for a moment. Then she grins.

So...the little snake decided to try to knock you off, huh?

She gives a short, harsh laugh. As a Fracción to the Octava Espada, it is my duty to protect your honor. She stands at attention, complete with her arm raised in a salute. Consider my sword yours, my leader!

Since Mei and Serazel both know Ivaz pretty well, they should be able to tell she's slightly mocking the whole situation.

But, yeah, she's in.

[Kuroimaken]

"Hey, hey, this is serious, toots! The Boss has some serious reckonin' to do!" Said one of Serazel's impromptu illusions with his hands in his pockets and his head angled down, like a yakuza.

[maximus25]

[Las Noches]

Absalon starts traveling around, wandering aimlessly for now.

[Callos_DeTerran]

Spoiler

Show

The man stands eeriely unresponsive and still as the onslaught closes in, only at the last moment grabbing the first flying Hollow by its mask and smashing it to the ground head first, using its body as a stepping stone as he swings his axe in a deadly arc, cleaving several of his enemies in halves and sending their blood flying through the air. With disturbing deftness, he brings the axe to halt and turns it around, now grabbing the handle with both hands as he commits a second strike, carving a path through the tide of lost souls with frightening ease.

Then he glances upwards, seeing the Arrancar girl's approaching form. His legs tense in anticipation of a jump, but the mirage fades before he manages to do anything. His head swivels around, empty stare meeting the Hollow from the front first. He lets go off the axe with his right hand, blocking its oncoming claws and then - grabbing it by the arm, whirls it around like a club, knocking back those surrounding him, his axe following in its wake!

White Sands

The axe swing sends the ex-prisoners sprawling back away from their prey, those who weren't killed outright that is, and each Genoveva felt the bite of the axe only a few moments later, which made the only problem that all of them faded away into nothingness in the after-math of the wide swing designed to fend off multiple attackers. Not that the vizard would have the time to wonder just where the real Genoveva had went, when the crystal sand explodes around Hannibal as a small figure jets out from the ground with a pleased grin on her face. A technique learned, and modified, from Canguro's own, a pair of equally charged ceros fire from the base of Genoveva's feet, neither force greater or more powerful then the other, acting as a tremendous speed boost as shes catapulted from the crystallized sand with reckless abandon towards the waiting Hannibal. But, at this distance, she could hardly miss as the twin ceroes propel Genoveva up into a devastating knee strike to the ex-shinigami's masked face with all of her strength.

Apparently, she had already learned from the last time. Genoveva had noticed how a blow of moderate strength had failed to throw Hannibal about when he was expecting such a cheap-shot, to actually throw the big brute back now would require a bit of extra oomph! She put all of her monstrous strength in that knee strike, aiming for that third eye placed in the middle of his forehead to try and put it out. Even if it only knocked Hannibal's head back, there's still more then enough left over propulsion to send the former Primera spinning up into the air until she abruptly skids to a halt and spins about to cast her hand down. A rectangular beam of yellow light erupts from her palm to slam into the ground around her target, if he wasn't quick enough to get out of the way, boxing him in and the only exit being up past Genoveva...and the glowing ball of energy clasped in her hand. In such tight confines, and given the unique nature of Negacion, Genoveva's usual wide-spread and immensely destructive cero would be focused, controlled into a much tighter beam since the excess energy had nowhere to go but...towards Hannibal.

It certainly didn't help when the Negacion's 'pull' began, lifting the vizard slowly up towards Genoveva and the charging cero.

"Don't tell me dis is yer limit Hannibal, Ah heard such gud dings about ya. If yer gonna survive, if yer gonna win den ya'll have to fight much 'arder den dis!" Genoveva growls out, finally releasing the pent up energy, sending it roaring down the rectangular shaft towards her foe.

[horngeek]

Las Noches - Octava District

Ivaz thinks for a moment. Then she grins.

So...the little snake decided to try to knock you off, huh?

She gives a short, harsh laugh. As a Fracción to the Octava Espada, it is my duty to protect your honor. She stands at attention, complete with her arm raised in a salute. Consider my sword yours, my leader!

Since Mei and Serazel both know Ivaz pretty well, they should be able to tell she's slightly mocking the whole situation.

But, yeah, she's in.

"Taking it seriously, please.

I'd prefer to catch her off guard, if possible..."

[KerfuffleMach2]

"Taking it seriously, please.

I'd prefer to catch her off guard, if possible..."

Ivaz thinks for a moment.

I could go have with chat with her. Give you two a chance to set up an ambush or something.

If I can find her, that is.

[Frozen_Feet]

[White Sands]

It's a lucky thing the man did not stop moving for a second, causing the Arrancar to miss slightly and hit the side of his head - it's likely the only thing that prevented his head from being blown clean off his shoulders by the her kick. The gaping maw of the Hannya mask is slammed shut as the kick impacts with its jaw, its fangs snapping and teeth cracking from the force.

The man is sent flying for a short distance until he falls heavily on the ground, causing dust to billow in every direction. He gets up mere second later though, coughing and spitting white shards of bone from his mouth... just as the yellow barrier springs to existence around him.

For once, he is silent, looking up at the girl, though retaining his balance even as the ground below him breaks loose and starts floating up. Light of the charging Cero reflects as tiny, crimson dots from his blackened eyes.

The only exit is, indeed, past Genoveva.

The man drops his axe, throwing both of his hands above his head and on the path of the approaching light. Pressure of the attack pushes him back towards the ground, air beneath his feet screeching as he tries to hold it back.

The red inferno rages inside the tower of transculent energy for a while, disturbing the eternal dark with its radiance. Then, it is abruptly diminished, almost extinqushed.

From her vantage point, Genoveva can see the man crouching on the ground, forced on his knees. Last remnants of burned flesh have been peeled from his hands and forearms, but interestingly, this seems to have revealed another layers of skin, intact and markedly pale compared to the man's prior, tanned complexion, glistening in the moonlight.

His hands are clasped tight together.

There's a trickle of red light shining from between his fingers.

The man stumbles up, bringing his hands before his face, loosening his grip just enough so he can see inside his hold. There, between his palms, is a small burning sphere, like core of near-extinquished sun.

His eyes dart up, fixing on Genoveva even as his left hand whips back, clutching the bloody red orb - and, with all his considerable might, he throws it back at her, the crushed energy expanding back into a colossal fireball as it speed upwards through the shaft!

[Kayne650]

Spoiler

Show

Cecilia snarled as she entered her room, slamming her fist into the wall.

"Not good Caiphus. This is definitely not good."

She purses her lips, glaring at the wall momentarily. "New tech in Las Noches? There's no way in hell she's going to miss it." The loathing in the blonde's words would startle most, but Caiphus knew her. He knew who she was talking about, and knew why this angered her so much.

"Check her last known location. I need to be prepared to see her again." She had never been prepared before. Not the first time, and definitely not the second time. She'd nearly died on the third time.

It was ironic, in a way. The Espada who was renowned for her madness, who could strike fear into any opponent, was afraid. Of a single, stupid, arrancar, who was nowhere near Hueco Mundo at the time, and still sent shivers down Cecilia's spine.

"Caiphus, we'll need to scout. Make sure she doesn't find out about what's going on."

Stretching, she arches her back, and then cracks her neck - once, twice, before grinning widely again.

"Let's go have a friendly little chat with the King."

Caiphus was taken aback by his lady's outburst. Absurd displays of emotion were nothing strange from Cecilia, but they were never anything this genuine. She was truly furious, and Cecilia's fury was a terrible thing to behold. It was made even worse by the fact that she was mentioning...her.

Caiphus' investigation about this Arrancar had brought about absolutely nothing. It was as if this creature had never truly existed. But she was certainly real enough to infuriate Cecilia. It wasn't hard to make Cecilia angry, but to truly incite her rage was something only someone very skilled could do, and only someone very stupid would do.

"Would you like me to go investigate the Mortal Realm, my lady?" He asked her, hoping to find some way to mollify her anger. Then she mentioned seeing the king. Which put Caiphus in rather an awkward position. If he let her go to the king, it was very possible that she would say the wrong thing in her rage and make the king angry, thereby rendering her life forfeit. However, he dare not attempt to stop her, because she could very well strike him down for defying her. He had literally no choice but to go along with her decision and attempt to run damage control.

"Very well, my lady. Where you lead, I shall follow."

[Steilos]

Ciudad Baja

Apolinar stands in the middle of his training grounds, panting slightly. "Enough of this crap!" he snarled to no one in particular, pacing back and forth like a madman. Up to now, he'd just impotently raged as those two had mocked him and made a fool of him!

Well, no longer. Apolinar was cycling frantically through his head for plans for destroying both of them, his pacing picking up speed as he did so. As much as he hated to admit it, Pico did beat him. But back then, he wasn't softened by decadence and booze, so Apolinar could be in with a good chance now. Well, he would be if rouga must die had not apparently beaten the booze out of Pico.

So... that left him with only one option. It was time to train, to push himself further than ever before in the name of caving Rouga's face in. Perhaps he should start with Necromancia... Who put that forward again? Cuerva, was it? Feh, he probably wouldn't need her help.

"Okay, so I have to realise my true self in order to do this. So! I am Apolinar Rodriguez, Privaron - gonna get you, pico... - Espada to the Ghost King of Las Noches... My aspect is not actually honour, despite what it may seem. It's pride. All who insult my name will die. As will all who insult Las Noches or the Ghost King."

A pause. Nothing happened.

"This is slightly more complicated than I imagined."

[horngeek]

Ivaz thinks for a moment.

I could go have with chat with her. Give you two a chance to set up an ambush or something.

If I can find her, that is.

"...that could work."

[KerfuffleMach2]

Las Noches - Octava District

Ivaz nods. Odds are good that she doesn't know you're back yet. So, you got that working for ya.

She glances at Serazel. Ruwa fight you, too?

[Mina Kobold]

Miki laughs with a twinkle in her eye. "You know, all of us were pretty huge traitors to the Gotei by defecting like this. When I told Takeshi my lack of courage on this 'dare' all he did was to smile and reply "When the people have committed some of the biggest daring deeds in their lifetimes, what's a few more along the way?" and I spent some time thinking about it. No doubt Hollowfication is a taboo and even as a source of power, not a very reliable one. But I'm already here, and knowing very well that the Gotei 13 will not take it lying down at our defection, why should I still hold onto inhibitions?"

Getting up from her seat, Miki dissolves the mask and sticks her hands in her pockets. "It is still all a matter of free will, Takeshi helped me when I volunteered. Now both of us will help him when he takes the serum. Don't worry about daring or not, Takeshi deep down inside would rather not have anyone try it except him. Let's wait for him to come back shall we? He said he has to go back to the mortal world for awhile."

Alice continues her smile, although she seems to twitch ever so slightly. Barely noticeably.

"I apologise again, but the Gotei are not the reason I do not wish to risk... They are not what I base my decision on"

Taking a deep breath, Alice quickly addresses Miki's last point. Almost as if wanting to drive attention away from her actual reasons. She continues to smile as she speaks, however.

"Yes, Takeshi is doing a great sacrifice for our cause. Helping him undergo it is more important than whether we wish to undergo it ourselves"

[Nicklance]

Alice continues her smile, although she seems to twitch ever so slightly. Barely noticeably.

"I apologise again, but the Gotei are not the reason I do not wish to risk... They are not what I base my decision on"

Taking a deep breath, Alice quickly addresses Miki's last point. Almost as if wanting to drive attention away from her actual reasons. She continues to smile as she speaks, however.

"Yes, Takeshi is doing a great sacrifice for our cause. Helping him undergo it is more important than whether we wish to undergo it ourselves"

Miki grins, catching Alice's attempt at evasion. "Oh? So its not the Gotei? What's your reason then? I'm curious to know. Oh okay alright, let's trade our reasons yeah? You tell me yours and I'll tell you mine."

[Kuroimaken]

[Some time later]

It wasn't entirely unusual for Rouga to be by himself. When he was, however, he liked to think. Sometimes he'd look up at the endless night sky of Hueco Mundo and lie down on the 'sand', gazing fixedly up at a constellation in particular: the Southern Cross.

He always found it a little curious. No other set of stars on the sky held this pattern quite that well, and yet it was so very symbolic. It's a constellation he knew well before men even knew what stars were. Hell, before they even gave stars NAMES. And that constellation had been the salvation of men and women seeking guidance everywhere.

Guidance, huh... It's been a long time since I did any guiding. With Pico it was more like pushing, though once I got him started he pretty much did the rest himself.

Necromancia... I just might give this a shot.

A fearsome howl echoes for miles through the night. It's a crescent moon, and so many denizens of Hueco Mundo think they are safe in hiding...

They are wrong.

For today, a proud wolf hunts!

[Callos_DeTerran]

Spoiler

Show

[White Sands]

It's a lucky thing the man did not stop moving for a second, causing the Arrancar to miss slightly and hit the side of his head - it's likely the only thing that prevented his head from being blown clean off his shoulders by the her kick. The gaping maw of the Hannya mask is slammed shut as the kick impacts with its jaw, its fangs snapping and teeth cracking from the force.

The man is sent flying for a short distance until he falls heavily on the ground, causing dust to billow in every direction. He gets up mere second later though, coughing and spitting white shards of bone from his mouth... just as the yellow barrier springs to existence around him.

For once, he is silent, looking up at the girl, though retaining his balance even as the ground below him breaks loose and starts floating up. Light of the charging Cero reflects as tiny, crimson dots from his blackened eyes.

The only exit is, indeed, past Genoveva.

The man drops his axe, throwing both of his hands above his head and on the path of the approaching light. Pressure of the attack pushes him back towards the ground, air beneath his feet screeching as he tries to hold it back.

The red inferno rages inside the tower of transculent energy for a while, disturbing the eternal dark with its radiance. Then, it is abruptly diminished, almost extinqushed.

From her vantage point, Genoveva can see the man crouching on the ground, forced on his knees. Last remnants of burned flesh have been peeled from his hands and forearms, but interestingly, this seems to have revealed another layers of skin, intact and markedly pale compared to the man's prior, tanned complexion, glistening in the moonlight.

His hands are clasped tight together.

There's a trickle of red light shining from between his fingers.

The man stumbles up, bringing his hands before his face, loosening his grip just enough so he can see inside his hold. There, between his palms, is a small burning sphere, like core of near-extinquished sun.

His eyes dart up, fixing on Genoveva even as his left hand whips back, clutching the bloody red orb - and, with all his considerable might, he throws it back at her, the crushed energy expanding back into a colossal fireball as it speed upwards through the shaft!

Genoveva

When Hannibal seems to survive another cero, Genoveva's frown returns, deeper then before as he holds it in his palm as if it was nothing. There was certainly something unusual about the way his skin flaked away to reveal armor below it, like hierro but not quite, that has the former Primera pausing for a moment as the fireball comes roaring back up the shaft towards her position.

Planting her feet solidly in the air beneath her, the petite arrancar girl extends her hand to take the blast straight in her grasp. The shockwave sends her blond hair blowing back from her face, clothes gusting about her slender frame as the energy crackles and burns against her palm. And then...it pushes her back. Not by much, just a fraction of an inch, but it has Genoveva baring her fang-like teeth in a grimace as the reflected cero gradually begins to leak past her finger tips. Finally, as if frustrated with her resistance, it simply explodes.

The negacion begins to fade away into nothingness as smoke obscures where Genoveva had been standing, though a figure can still be made out amidst the destruction...

[Frozen_Feet]

In reaction, the man, or maybe beast would be more proper, draws in a long breath... then blows a warm gust of wind from its mouth, clearing away the smoke. If Genoveva is still there, she can smell sulphur, blood and hot iron in his breath. He tenses his muscles, preparing to rush after her once again.

[Mina Kobold]

Miki grins, catching Alice's attempt at evasion. "Oh? So its not the Gotei? What's your reason then? I'm curious to know. Oh okay alright, let's trade our reasons yeah? You tell me yours and I'll tell you mine."

Alice's smiles faints as she tries to reply.

"I-I do not believe it is important. It..."

Pausing, she takes a deep breath and does a short bow.

"I apologise, but I do not believe this is the time for moral discussion. I will be happy to discuss another topic while we wait, however."

[Nicklance]

Alice's smiles faints as she tries to reply.

"I-I do not believe it is important. It..."

Pausing, she takes a deep breath and does a short bow.

"I apologise, but I do not believe this is the time for moral discussion. I will be happy to discuss another topic while we wait, however."

Miki grins and shakes her head in mock disappointment. "You are boring, Alice-chan. What other topics do you wish to chat about then? I'm up for anything."

[horngeek]

Las Noches - Octava District

Ivaz nods. Odds are good that she doesn't know you're back yet. So, you got that working for ya.

She glances at Serazel. Ruwa fight you, too?

"It... wasn't exactly a fight. Ruwa caught me by surprise."

[Kuroimaken]

"It... wasn't exactly a fight. Ruwa caught me by surprise."

"I was away when Mei-sama was attacked. I was very surprised to think Ruwa-san would do something like that...

...she was acting really strange, too."

[KerfuffleMach2]

Las Noches - Octava District

Sneak attack, huh? So, she probably doesn't think she could take you on herself. Ivaz smirks. Man...this is gonna be fun to watch.

[Kuroimaken]

"Ivaz, this is no laughing matter. Ruwa has no idea just how big a problem she may have caused..."

[horngeek]

"While I can certainly take her down in a fair fight, I'd prefer to take her down quietly, if at all possible. And without injuring her."