Hueco Mundo [Bleachitp] III

[H. Zee]

http://i105.photobucket.com/albums/m224/HazJT/espadaintheplayground.png

Espada in the Playground I (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=112810)
Espada in the Playground II (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=116074)

Welcome to Hueco Mundo. Try to avoid Erscheinung Von Geister and you'll be fine.

[Callos_DeTerran]

"Von Geister? As in the Espada Von Geister's 'daughters'?" Shoken says levelly, once more expecting that surge of hate that had lead to the battle in the volcano, but again nothing happened. (They did something to your mind!) So again, Shoken gave that absent-minded shrug and gave a shake of her head. "I never expected to be in here, unless it was as a conqueror. Funny how things seem to work out isn't it?"

A shake of the head again.

"This isn't some bizarre dream, is it? Am I really in Hueco Mundo right now?"

[Draken]

"Yes. You were lucky that father took you here, you would probably not have survived these wounds.

And you are definitely awake."

[strawberryman]

"As we speak the tercera fights what can very well be the last battle of his life."

Vanessa

"Excellent." Vanessa smirks coldly. "And it's only a matter of time before I'm sitting in his throne..."

[Lorolar]

Sondio, Kine enters the passages of a suitably nondescript area of Las Noches. He closes his eyes and draws a necklace from the folds of his jacket which he then dons. His reaitsu now vanishes entirely. Checking to make sure he wouldnt be seen physicaly either, the corridor was utterly abandoned, he drew Arlequin and ran the blade slowly down a crack in the stone of the wall, then along another followed by a series of strokes drawing a complex pattern uppon the wall which then grinded open revealing a rather spacious and well furnished apartment where a pair of arrancar lounged together on a sofa. The male was the cat helmeted numeros from before, his companion a sleek female with short cropped black hair and a long sweeping jawbone complete with wicked fangs adorning the right hand side of her face. The two apeared to be playing cards and if the look on the male's face was any idicator he was loosing.

"Its good to see you again, wheres Alivise?" Kinezumi asked collapsing into the chair opposite the table they were using, the wall grinding shut behind him.

"Out, getting food probably. Hmmm, in this game you want the ones with the pictures right?" He threw down his cards on the table and scratched his head, then spaced out for a moment as the girl did the same to him. "Mmmm, how'd it go Kine?"

Kine picked up the cards, rearranged a few then placed two back on the table and drew two more from the deck. "Well enough, Liz was already planning on it which makes things way easier. She seemed a little... off though, something was bugging me the whole time I was talking to her."

The girl laughed and resumed causing her companion to space out "Thats called being honest to the outside world Kine, you should try it more often." she said with a playful grin on her hand then swapped out one of the cards in her hand.

"Yeah yeah," Kinezumi said, smiling triumphantly as he picked up the card she had just thrown down then revealed his winning hand. "Fran, you suck at this game. Two turns in and I already won" A possible mumbled protest about distractions was his reply. Kinezumi relaxed into his chair, for once things were precceeding to plan, life was good.

[Innis Cabal]

Koyama drug herself off the roof, which by this point was a task, and made her way...slowly...to the Machine

[Callos_DeTerran]

"How odd. Something tells me I should be panicked and yet I'm not." Shoken murmurs to herself before making her way abruptly towards the door of the medical room and exiting out. That over-riding sense of strangeness was still there, but it was tempered some as the Olympian begins to explore the corridors of Las Noches and feels that comforting presence of...It could only be described as the same as her old home, but the various powerful reiatsu about it certainly wasn't the same anymore.

For now she merely contents herself exploring her surroundings, taking stock of her surroundings and little mental notes so that she wouldn't get lost within the labyrinth like fortress. Eventually she found herself outside, looking up at the 'sun' of the dome, a feeling almost like nostalgia sweeping through her.

[Draken]

"Careful out there, and I hope you undertake the transformation into arrancar soon."

Helena returns to her work as Shoken leaves.

---

Of all the reiatsus in Las Noches, Von Geister's is the most encompassing, seemingly felt with the same strength no matter where one might be, permeating the walls themselves, it gives the nagging feeling that one might bump into him at any moment.

A feeling most of the numeros have learned to ignore by now. As the reiatsu alone doesn't match the spine-chilling dread that announces his approach most of the time.

---

As for Von Geister himself, he is watching Abishai fight Shirubaru, he is watching Taniko and Cecilia, and odds are he is not watching it alone.

"Why, look at that. I didn't know old Nannan had so many tricks."

[Hadrian_Emrys]

"We'll just have to see to it that they aren't wasted on an audiance that won't appreciate them. There is business to be attended to in the Gotei, Von Geister. I trust that you can open a path directly to Sokyoku Hill."

Toho's calm 'voice' carries throughout Las Noches. "The time has come for another stroll through the gardens of 'heaven'. Sweep the execution grounds clear for my arrival, but leave Abishai to settle his own affairs."

[OverWilliam]

Ruy just finished tossing on a brand, spanking new shouldercoat that was tailored exactly like his old one. As a matter of fact, he'd found exact duplicates of all of his clothing in his room-- exactly how it had come to be there was completely lost on him, and he marveled. For a second he tossed his thick, blue-hued mane with all of the fingers on one hand, but then shrugged and let it fall where it would.

Just then, Ruy heard (or thought...?) Toho's voice in the room (or in his head...?), the voice of the Man to whom he owed everything. Ruy did not have the patience or the desire to decypher the quasi-mystical reference to Soul Society, but whatever this was, something was going down and he wanted in on it.

Leaving his room, Ruy set off at a brisk stroll toward Toho's throneroom (which was the only place Ruy had ever seen him, and therefore the readily logical place that he would look). Along the way he may have delivered a shattering kick or two to random passing Numeros, but he wasn't really paying attention as a vaguely cheerful whistle left his lips.

[Draken]

"I could open a garganta in the middle of Daisuke's office if I wanted, my lord.

And the place already appears to be rather clean. The shinigami themselves are taking their own away, and the Kidõ Commander did a nice job of scaring the rest with his spells.

Of course, that rain is making the place rather disgusting. But I can handle that with one wave of my hand."

[strawberryman]

Vanessa

Vanessa watches the goings on through Von Geister's "windows". She's merely standing silently, with an indifferent look. Toho's announcement injects some interest into her eyes. "I wonder..."

Her hand moves to the hilt of her sword.

[Hadrian_Emrys]

"I may take you up on that offer someday, Ersch. Until then, cleared filth or no, I'd rather everyone with a white haori kept out from under foot when I join the advance party." Toho addresses Elizabeth/Vanessa. "I had planned on testing Ruy and Kine on this errand, Valkyrie. However, your actions may yet earn you a seat among the Espada in the event of Abishai's fall."

[strawberryman]

Vanessa

Vanessa does not seem surprised by Toho's seeming knowledge of her taking over. After all, he was the leader of people like Von Geister... So he had to be a lot wiser than he let on. Nonetheless, she had an act to keep up. "Valkyrie, hm? Very well, Lord Toho-sama... It would be my honor to serve you."

[Draken]

"Worry not my lord. My templarios are more than ready to drive any interlopers away.

And if worse comes to worse. There is always velo del miedo."

One could wonder how does Von Geister watch the garganta broadcast with his eyes closed.

[Hadrian_Emrys]

"I have the utmost faith in the abilities of you and yours, Von Geister. However, your personal priority, as always, is to oversee the logistics of our forces and the disruption of the enemy's." Toho 'smiles' at Vanessa. "Valkyrie, as is fitting for a woman with a Norse theme to her powers, for one who's potency has grown so much. It does sound much too formal for my tastes though. Methinks I'll shorten it to Val."

[strawberryman]

Vanessa

Vanessa forces a sincere-looking smile. "I do think it suits me. But, you are full well to call me whatever you like, my Lord." She bows. "I am ready at any time, Erscheinung-sama."

[Hadrian_Emrys]

"Pfeh. Val rolls off the tongue. Monosyllabic nicknames waste less time to address than formal completion."

[Draken]

"I take it that is the real reason no one calls me Erscheinung. It must roll off the tongue like a morningstar for you."

Von Geister shifts the angle of the screens showing Taniko, the Klossners, Marco and Alicia.

"Heh. I remember that young man. Brave, smart, good for him that he doesn't have to work for the Olympians anymore."

[Hadrian_Emrys]

Toho lightly 'laughs'. "Your assessment rings quite true, Ersch. I'm afraid that your complete given name tends to aerate the tongue a bit. As for the Olympians, I come to understand that you've been having your fun at the expense of their 'god of war'."

[Draken]

"Carcharadon ate his tail, and last time he came he showed up with an odd girl, I doubt they are married but he was emasculated already.

Quite literally, someone decided the rabid dog needed a fixing."

One of the garganta screens changes to the image of a baseball player making a homerun for a brief moment.

"And I am sure you have felt Athena's reiatsu wandering the fortress already. It felt like such a shame to kill her, luckly, I have options."

Options. That word alone brings about the feeling of slime weighting on you.

[strawberryman]

Vanessa

"Athena, hm? Goddess of Wisdom, if I'm correct..." Vanessa puts a finger to her lip. "Interesting... As long as she's under a close watch."

[Hadrian_Emrys]

"I often find that the more I know, the less I want to. Have your fun Ersch, just do me the favor of not thinking about it too hard around me."

[Draken]

"Telepathy sure is a curse my lord."

An extra window opens, showing Lance and Luther.

"Oh, it is the americans. Hmm... I wonder if it was one of the two who killed Shakespere, poor Palillo, she is so heartbroken."

[Hadrian_Emrys]

"It is." With interest, Toho looks at the pair. "I never thought I'd be grateful for the alterations made to my form. It would appear that that 'Shakespeare' character has drawn some very unwelcome guests to our upcoming party. As much as I feel for Palillo's loss, I suspect that the trials that she and Mia have in store for their individual targets will be no less... significant."

[Ganurath]

Palillo decides to pop in at this time. Take your pick as to whether the cause was her name being mentioned or Morgan's. "Tickle-chan's coming too? Who's she after?"

[Draken]

"Mia is not going. The person she has her vendetta against is not in Soul Society."

[Ganurath]

Palillo nods in understanding. "You mean that intruder that keeps coming in pretending to be Bite-san? What'd he do to Mia?"

[Hadrian_Emrys]

"Nothing to her Palillo, it's his actions towards little girls that has set her on the warpath. Tell me, is it one of the Americans that you seek?"

[Ganurath]

Palillo looks at the relevant screen as she nods, then points Lance out. "The punchy one, there. He stuck his arm in his mouth and used that big blue lightning spell. Cuarta-san, can you make a giftwrapped box big enough to fit him in?"

[Draken]

"..."

Von Geister just stares at Palillo for a second.

"Yes. Sure. It will be your christmas gift."

[Hadrian_Emrys]

Spoken directly into Ersch's mind as he glances at Palillo: "Yes, telepathy is a curse."

"I suppose that I'll leave planning entertainment for our foreign guests to you two."

[Ganurath]

Palillo jumps up and down and claps excitedly. "All new toys should come in giftwrapped boxes. Oh, this is gonna be fun!"

What Palillo is thinking right now:She's planning the order she'll be taking the bones out of Lance's arms and legs with her taxidermy kit. While he's still alive and concious.

[Hadrian_Emrys]

((Oh the default horrors that Toho's mind must bear witness to on a daily basis...))

Toho gives Palillo a small 'smile'.

[Draken]

"My, oh my. Abishai shot the girl. I bet Iway is screaming inside his head now. Hope that doesn't prove too distracting from the battle.

My lord. Do explain why I never conditioned Abishai into a more civilized creature."

[horngeek]

Takeshi walks in. Because he doesn't listen to me who outranks him, never mind you.

Who's winning?

[strawberryman]

Vanessa

As Takeshi walks in, Vanessa forces herself to look away from him with a troubled look. She's silent, for now.

[Draken]

"I am not sure."

Von geister summons a cup of tea for himself.

"And if I needed someone to listen to me in order to condition them. I would be fairly lousy at my job. No sir, I go straight to the brain."

Von Geister points his finger down, shooting a long, thin claw of Reishi straight through the stone floor.

"Hope I didn't hit anyone this time."

[Ganurath]

Palillo starts counting on her fingers. Her eyes then widen in realization, and she sonidos off. She's back in a few seconds. "The 8th is okay, he fell over since feeding time."

[Krazddndfreek]

((

What Palillo is thinking right now:She's planning the order she'll be taking the bones out of Lance's arms and legs with her taxidermy kit. While he's still alive and concious.
This is what Kira does in his free time:smallamused:))

Speak of the devil, Kira comes bouncing in, trembling happily.

Kira comes too? Toho-sama?

It is quite apparent that he is trying hard to stifle his excitement. But to no avail

[H. Zee]

"We'll just have to see to it that they aren't wasted on an audiance that won't appreciate them. There is business to be attended to in the Gotei, Von Geister. I trust that you can open a path directly to Sokyoku Hill."

Toho's calm 'voice' carries throughout Las Noches. "The time has come for another stroll through the gardens of 'heaven'. Sweep the execution grounds clear for my arrival, but leave Abishai to settle his own affairs."

Carcharadon looks up from his tending to Dolores as he hears Toho's voice cut through into his mind.

I need to be there, he rumbles, remembering the strange way Abishai had been behaving earlier. He rubs a section of blade tenderly. Back soon, my dear.

He turns and begins to walk away from the Machine, towards Toho's location, then spots Koyama.

Hrm, are you the one who volunteered to be my newest Fraccion? You do know what happened to the last one?

[Innis Cabal]

Koyama sobers up slightly, nodding once

"Ya ya...killed in whatever or something for sure. What ever, Carcharadon-sama. Where's the fire."

[H. Zee]

I was just trying to make them stronger and I broke them, sighs Carcharadon. It makes me really sad to remember all their little smiling faces. They were so happy to be my Fraccion. I was just trying to help.

He looks back at Koyama.

Well, I need to test out your abilities. I guess coming to Soul Society with me is the best way to do it. A baptism in fire.

He turns and resumes his walk towards Toho's location, clicking his fingers for Koyama to follow. It should be noted Carchy is now sixteen feet tall once more - he has spent a good few seconds inside the Machine.

[Innis Cabal]

Koyama shrugs, dragging her massive jug behind her. She will arrive moments after her new Espada master, completly sober

"Ya ya ya...."

[H. Zee]

Carcharadon bows to Toho.

Toho-sama, I would like to formally request that I am allowed to come with you on this mission, he says. Abishai visited me before he started this madness. He was acting very... oddly. He even called me my friend. I feel as though I need to be there for this.

[OverWilliam]

One thing that must be said for Ruy, he does clean up well.

Once again too lazy to open the Throneroom doors himself, Ruy bowed to tradition and forced the doubledoors to come crashing open with an impassive blast of reatsu, a feat that even those of Great standing within Las Noches would require a good deal of effort. Ruy strode in, hands shoved in pockets, completely aware that at least for the second every eye was on him, and smiling roguishly right back.

"For whom does thy Bell Toll this day, Toho?" Ruy dropped to one knee in a respectful bow, but perhaps again aggravated the others in the room by his highly conspicuous lack of Honorifics.

[Innis Cabal]

"HAH!"

At least Koyama enjoyed the display as she leaned against the wall

[Draken]

Von Geister spreads and enlarges the screens, lifting himself from his chair to adress the gathered arrancar.

"Ok. Listen up you masklings. Because I will only explain it this once. Lord Toho has no wish to fight any captains while we are there. So none of you will attack unless commanded. In fact, I will do my worst to make sure they will not attack either."

Von Geister extends a hand towards Kira, who will suddenly feel himself pulled down by the tongue.

"I mean it. No attacking."

He will then be released.

"Now. If you look towards screen number two. You will see two soul reapers slacking off. The tattooed one belongs to Palillo, no one touch him. The other falls on the range of don't strike first. If need be, Elizabeth or I will restrain him.

Turn your attention to screen number three and you will see two bount girls. Their names are Viatrix and Eirine Klossner. And they can control time and space. Do not engage them because their tactics are fairly similar to my own.

If you look at screen number four, you will see Captain Satoshi. I will keep him from acting by threatening his girlfriend. He shouldn't be a problem.

If you look at screen five, you will see Mad Dog Kiljaeran. He will probably not be an issue once he finds out none of his allies will be ready to attack.

Takeshi. You will stay here. Your freaking reiatsu is like a lamp and your brother is the moth."

[Lorolar]

Kine waved a farewell to Alivise, the other two already having vanished into one of the several side chambers of their secret appartment.

"I Have to go, Toho-sama has summoned me. I imagine this will likely be the final test before I become Octava."

His large friend nodded and looked grim "Don't die Kine. Especialy without us, you know our promise"

"I know, I know. It will take more than our lord's test to finish me off. I'm the smart one remember" Kine replied with a wink before stepping out of the appartment, the wall grinding shut behind him. He decided to leave the necklace on, the others may wonder how he was cloaking his reaitsu but he decided he would need every advantage he could get.

Within a minute and a long chain of sonido through his various secet passages he arrived at where Toho, Von geister and the others stood. Likely surpising them with his soundless emergence from the wall and total lack of detectable reaitsu. "So Toho-sama," He asked, bowing first "why have I been summoned?"

[Krazddndfreek]

Von Geister spreads and enlarges the screens, lifting himself from his chair to adress the gathered arrancar.

"Ok. Listen up you masklings. Because I will only explain it this once. Lord Toho has no wish to fight any captains while we are there. So none of you will attack unless commanded. In fact, I will do my worst to make sure they will not attack either."

Von Geister extends a hand towards Kira, who will suddenly feel himself pulled down by the tongue.

"I mean it. No attacking."

He will then be released.


Kira

Awight! awight! ah won' aghack ayione!

Without whining, Kira wiped his tongue off from Von Geister's touch, and spat.

Crazy old man...

He thought to himself



"Now. If you look towards screen number two. You will see two soul reapers slacking off. The tattooed one belongs to Palillo, no one touch him. The other falls on the range of don't strike first. If need be, Elizabeth or I will restrain him.

Hey! That's not fair! How come she gets to fight and I don't!

Von Geister will probably giving him a menacing glare or do something as rude as he did before, making Kira quiet. But he pouted silently with his arms folded.

[Innis Cabal]

"Yare yare...we're going to Soul Society ya? Seshhh you missed the battle plan, what were you doing?"

Koyama waves dismissivly at the newcomer, despite not really paying attention to the explaination herself.

[strawberryman]

Vanessa

Vanessa keeps a hand on the hilt of her sword. She eyes Ruy with embarrassment to keep up appearances. Then turns to each of the screens.

"Very well... How dangerous is Palillo-chan's target? I would much prefer restraining him if he's a risk to her or the others." She didn't really care.

[Draken]

Von Geister's reiatsu washes over Kira like the Kraken roaring in front of Jack Sparrow.

"She won't fight him. I will help her capture him. As for the restraining, that can be left to my designs."

A thunderclap roars outside, along with a flash of lightning.

"Lastly. I am in charge of this operation. So I will be clear and concise.

Harsh my mellow and you will swim a hundred laps with Marro in the moat surrounding the fortress."

The thunderclap roars again, as does the lightning.

"Any questions?"

[Innis Cabal]

Koyama jumps, saluting

"Yes, Von Geister-sama."

[Draken]

"Then ASK genius. I am not Lord Toho, I can't read your empty mind.

Not in this form anyway."

[Innis Cabal]

"Erm...I meant, yes i'm ready to go"

Koyama grins sheepishly, clearly not as sober as previoudly thought

[H. Zee]

Carcharadon facepalms at his Fraccion's behaviour.

I have a question, says Carcharadon. What will we do if Abishai is... beaten? I'm not letting his murderer go unpunished.

[Lorolar]

Idiots... Kinezumi sighed mentaly, why oh why did Von idiot need to be here. Surely in all the arrancar of hueco mundo someone else could have the necassery profficiency in Garganta. Clearly fate was having one last poke at him before he earned what was his. The ugre to make sarcatic remarks was overwhelming, but that would not do in front of Toho-sama.

"When are we leaving Cuarta, surely it would be to our advantage to strike while they stil fight each other" There we are, polite, formal, and with practicaly no hate at all.

[Draken]

"If Abishai finds himself defeated I will gather the spirits that form him and we will proceed as the necessary to the plan.

As for your suggestion Kinezumi, let me show you something."

Von Geister enlarges Taniko's image.

"This is the captain of the fourth. But from now on we will refer to her as Abishai's girlfriend. Now. I will make you remember that I always have my eyes on all of the espada and similarly powerful arrancar." - cue broadcasts suddenly opening and closing - "And I must say. Abishai never treated any one individual better than he did this woman. And I am not speaking about the second personality in his head. I am speaking about Abishai.

A few moments ago he threatened her physical health in a rather gruesome way, in the case she interfered.

Let me get this straight Aritza. Abishai's love for you isn't a centesimal fraction of what he feels for that Shinigami. So interfere at your own risk."

[strawberryman]

Von Geister's reiatsu washes over Kira like the Kraken roaring in front of Jack Sparrow.

"She won't fight him. I will help her capture him. As for the restraining, that can be left to my designs."

A thunderclap roars outside, along with a flash of lightning.

"Lastly. I am in charge of this operation. So I will be clear and concise.

Vanessa

"Very well, Erscheinung-sama." She bows. "I will follow your orders as if they were Lord Toho-sama's themself. ...It looks like about time to proceed."

[Draken]

Abou now, Abishai gets exploded by Abokku, the scene clearly visible in the screen behind Von Geister.

"Well. Look at that. I think it is time we go.

Hmm... Elizabeth and Palillo will come with me and the templarios. Kinezumi, Ruy, Carcharadon and Takeshi will be Lord Toho's retinue, along with Theresa. You will enter when our lord decides to."

The gargantas shift, opening a large space, upon which Von Geister forces open a far larger one.

"Oh. One last thing, all of you. Don't hurt the mortals. Mia would be fairly sad if you did."

With these words, Von Geister and the templarios cross the garganta.

[horngeek]

Takeshi. You will stay here. Your freaking reiatsu is like a lamp and your brother is the moth."[/COLOR]

The same could be said of his reiatsu and me. But I see you point.

It's a good plan, overall.

[OverWilliam]

Ruy listened to the planning silently. His expression was difficult to read, particularly given his... Predispositions, but underneath it all he was actually understanding the plan rather well, even the parts that were not explicitly stated out loud.

When 'Liz' turned to leave, Ruy watched her step through the Garganta with an odd expression, but he shook it off.

[strawberryman]

Lance

Lance, in his cage, crunches into the floor of Las Noches, just around Palillo's domain. He's still leaning against one of the sides nonchalantly. "Get whatever you want to do done with already... Or take your time, I don't really care." His self-pity is actually not that heavy. Seems more pissed at himself.

[Ganurath]

Palillo hops off the cage before turning the cage, slowly, to look upon the current collection. Thirteen shinigami lined against the wall, one from each squad. All seem to be missing the bones from their limbs, have beads in their eye sockets, and their tongues cut out. "Have a look at your future while I get the kit out."

She then sonidos off, keeping an eye on him with pesquisa.

[strawberryman]

Lance

Lance doesn't seem too impressed. In fact, he doesn't react much at all. He sighs (again) as Palillo leaves.

I deserve this... It's ultimately my fault Leila died... I suggested she go on the attack force for Morgan... And I killed him because I was angry at myself. So it's come full circle. Nothing new...

I don't even know why I suggested it. I knew it was a suicide mission... But I still suggested she go along. And she listened. I don't even know if I was in my right mind...

These coins... they're a curse. I don't even know how they have so much power over my life, but they've kept me from getting close to anyone... and those that I do, I eventually betray... like Leila. Lance sighs again, thinking while Palillo is away.

[Ganurath]

Palillo comes back with all sorts of chemical, needles and surgical thread, and a large dish filled with bones. She sets the kit down, then starts pouting as she gets a good look at Lance. "Oh, come on! I haven't even started yet! What's with you?"

[strawberryman]

Lance

Lance raises an eyebrow. "If you expect me to scream for help or something, sorry. Never really in my nature. I'm more the silent suffering type." He shifts. "And I'm resigned to this. You're absolutely right, I killed your 'boyfriend' out of some twisted sort of vengeance when I was really angry at myself. You have every right to be pissed at me. I don't make it a point to be particularly revealing to my captors, but I'll make an exception this time: Nothing you can do can hurt me. Sure, I'll feel pain, but..." He flips a coin in his hand. "Nothing much more than these things have caused me. You're lucky, you know... To have been able to show love for someone... Well, assuming it is love and not lust anyway -- trust me, missy, I've had my share of that just to get some of the weight of my chest, and it only goes so far --... But at least you didn't send your boyfriend to his death... He was a victim of circumstance, and by all means..."

"I'm sorry." He seems utterly sincere.

[Ganurath]

Palillo crouches in front of the door to the cage, assuming there is one. If not, she'll be in front of Lance's field of view. "What's with the coins?"

[strawberryman]

Lance holds up a handful of his coins... and, not really feeling up to making a weapon as of now for likely interpretation as a breakout, decides on a beautiful silver rose. It only takes one coin to make this. "They're my Purifier. And my burden... and my curse. Go ahead and take 'em if you want, it won't do any good, they always find a way back to me..." He chuckles sickly. "Unless you have an exorcist or something, I dunno. They're kind of like this..." He pulls out a vizard mask, showing off an impressive maw, and a jagged top, with feral-looking eyeholes. He crushes it in hand, then pulls it out of his jacket again. "Damn things won't leave me alone... You know, I probably have more than enough power to fight on par with the Generals of the ARC... But with all the crap these damn coins put me through, one wonders if it's even worth it... Something unnatural about 'em, too, I mean, they feel like they're mine, but they aren't at the same time." He shrugs again, twirling the rose in hand and purposely poking himself a few times to get the blood flowing. "Don't suppose you know how that feels? ...Whatever, you probably don't care anyway."

[Ganurath]

Palillo suddenly puts on an excited grin. "Be my Fraccion."

[strawberryman]

Lance... blinks. "No idea what that means, I'll assume some kind of subordinate, though." He points the bud of the rose at Palillo. "Just so you know, I'm all well and fine with the idea to repay you for Morgan or something, but these coins of mine... Well, just, will the knowledge that I'll likely betray you at some point change your mind?"

"If not, well, sure, whatever that means, part of me really wasn't all that hot on becoming a motionless doll anyway." He shrugs.

[Ganurath]

Palillo laughs and opens the cage. "You're not going to betray me. I took you away from the world where your life was horrible. Besides, if those coins screw you at every turn, that'll ensure you stay loyal, right?"

[strawberryman]

Lance shrugs again, and walks out. "All right... Don't say I didn't warn you... I'm already betraying 'my Country' by talking to you, let alone allying with you. Lance Delaney. But you can call me Quicksilver. Don't think I caught your name." He looks vaguely glad to get out of that cage.

[strawberryman]

((Huh? How'd he get in here? :smallconfused:))

[Ganurath]

Palillo smiles and holds her hand out for a handshake. "Palillo Mentiralas, Novena Espada. It means 9th Strongest Badass. All the Espada have Fraccion, which is fancy talk for minions. Usually. It means food for the Tercera, daughters for the Cuarta, secrets for the Quinta... I guess it varies, really."

Palillo points toward a large bowl filled with gruel with a proportionate wooden spoon. "First task: Feeding the dolls! Just pour it in, and rub their throats. It's thick enough that they couldn't breath it if they tried. They have, too."

[Krazddndfreek]

((Sorry guys thought it was the execution thread for some reason. bleh:smalltongue:))

[strawberryman]

Lance takes the handshake. He holds off on the smile for now, though. "Nice to meet you, I suppose." He held off on flirting, too, obviously.

Lance sighs, obviously a little disgusted. He'd been through the rigamarole, though. Get menial tasks up until your superiors like you, then get the big stuff, and payment. He was vaguely tempted to put a bullet through each of their heads to release their suffering, but... That would no doubt not sit well. "Like circus tricks, Palillo?" He walks over to the bowl, idly forming a silver spoon of equal size to the one in the bowl, throws it into the air, then another, and another, until he's juggling a full 13, and starts flickering to and fro, afterimages (or are they?) finishing the task that probably would have taken minutes normally in a matter of not even half that time. All the while, he seemingly stands by the bowl, juggling the spoons until an afterimage grabs it.

When finished, Lance is back by the now-empty bowl, and the spoons break back apart into coins, which he promptly catches. He forces a slight grin, and opens his mouth to speak, and is now speaking in that of Von Geister's voice. "Have a lot more tricks than that up my sleeve, too." He coughs. "...For some reason, it feels wrong even mimicking that guys voice. Weird."

[Ganurath]

Palillo is grinning like an idiot, and claps when the performance is complete. "That was so cool, Silver-san! Although, it does raise the question of how to keep you busy until the others get back so we can get you properly situated as a Fraccion. Whine-san will want to take security measures, Cuarta-san will want to mindrape you, Tutu-chan will want to give you flowers, the usual stuff."

She then snaps her fingers, pointing at a rather obese and noisy 2nd squader. "Say, mind dragging the fluffy one on to the bed? With Surfer-san gone, I'm going to have to go back to cuddling with my toys when I sleep."

[strawberryman]

Mindrape, eh... Maybe that would get rid of the compulsion he was under to follow his damn coins... The thought... actually cheers Lance up a little. Then he looks to the chubby 2nd squadder that may or may not be based off of a certain canon Vice-Captain with a penchant for eating (:smallwink:).

...Might be a bit awkward. Oh well.

"Sure thing." With that, he lugs the poor ninja over his shoulder and takes it slow for Palillo's bed. ...Funny, any other time he'd probably be trying to get in himself. Assuming no incident, he finally tosses the lug onto the bed, and wipes his brow. Massive strength never was his forte.

[Ganurath]

Palillo examines her other toys in the meantime, checking to see which one was which number down the line. "4th is soprano..."

When she hears the big lug that is by no means based on any character that annoys Palillo's player dropped on the bed, Palillo turns around with her usual childish grin. She then sonidos to Lance's side, pointing at how the dolls are set up. It is not in numeric order. "Got a favorite song?"

Before he can answer, Palillo starts firing a series of deliberately weakened bala at the helpless shinigami, their cries of pain sounding vaguely like the 1812 Overture, with the sound of the cannon being provided by a full bala being shot at a wall.

[strawberryman]

Lance, having saved a sick sense of humor for this sort of occasion, manages a light chuckle. "Not bad."

[Ganurath]

Palillo squees and gives Lance a hug. "Thanks! I would always get really bored before Surfer-san showed up. Flying around Las Noches, trying to strike up conversations with people while they try to ignore me, eating puppies... My other Fraccion has been a lot of fun for practice fighting because he likes fighting and there are lots of Mean-Os in the forest, but eventually you get bored with that. Well, I do. Battle-san doesn't."

[strawberryman]

...This had to be the fastest someone had went from unconditional hatred to apparent friendliness for anyone Lance had met. The Reaper channels a slightly embarrassed look as Palillo hugs him. "I know the feeling... Was boring between jobs for me, too. I managed to find stuff to amuse me, though. Helps when I can turn these into about anything I can think of..." He flips a coin. It lands tails.

[Ganurath]

Palillo looks at the flipped coin, still hugging Lance. She probably forgot to let go. "What's with the flipping coin? Mean anything that it landed that way?"

[strawberryman]

Lance shrugs. "Tic I developed with these damn coins... Sometimes I think how they land is their way of communicating with me. Not much that can be done with two choices, but... Something tells me they are generally disapproving of the situation I'm in. Who gives a rotten hell what they think, though..." He tosses the coins to the ground, and they promptly roll up to his boot. "They are still quite clingy, though. It's kind of funny, after a while with them, I've learned their mannerisms... but still don't know the damn thing's name."

[Callos_DeTerran]

Something big was going on and it didn't take a psychic to tell that in the least, over the past half hour, various sources of reiatsu had gathered together into one spot and one of them was even familiar to the woman. Given the hostile nature between the Espada, the shinigami, Olympians, and who knew what else, it seemed likely they were planning some sort of assault on somewhere but Shoken finds little interests in their plans.

It wasn't like they directly involved her anyway, she had no stake in the power-games of the Espada and didn't want one. No, she was content to put off what she knew must be done and observe the workings of this new place. Of course...something drew her attention almost right away, and that was the presence...of a shinigami? Eyes flashed and Shoken rose to her feet from where she had been sitting on the edge of a building, stalking into the corridors of Las Noches towards the source of her ire. It took some time, but not too much before she was glaring at Palillo's territory, searching for the shinigami's presence specifically.

[Ganurath]

Palillo claps her hands in excitement. "Coin toss charades! Flip them all, and the number of heads can be how many letters there are in the name! And then you can ask how many syllables, that'll get a lot of tails..."

[strawberryman]

Lance chuckles. "Not bad, I never thought of that. Sure, let's try." He picks up the handful of coins on the ground, pulls the remaining 25 or so from his picket, and tosses them into the air.

Palillo will notice that each coin is different, if she observes closely, but the heads and tails are all easy to tell. There are 8 heads total the first time. After that, Lance directs a hand over them and they roll back into a pile, which he promptly picks back up and tosses again. 3 Heads the second time. "...Kind of creepy that worked, guess there's a start, assuming it's not just messing with me. Still... a lot of possibilities." He runs a hand through his hair.

[Ganurath]

Palillo is getting really excited about the guessing game, probably because she had an idea that's working that the other person didn't think of. "How many letters are in your countries alphabet? Flip a coin at a time until it comes up heads, then go along in the order- Does your country's alphabet have a specific order?"

[strawberryman]

"Yeah, 26." Lance puts 4 back. Then flips his coins one by one. ...They all come up tails! "Hm." He tries again, to the same result. "...Okay." Sigh. Another attempt, and no dice. "...Looks like it doesn't want me finding out just yet." He shrugs. Another try. One of the coins spins on its side for a few seconds before settling on tails. "Though why it gave the other two is beyond me..."

[Ganurath]

Palillo tightens her hug. Yes, she has been hugging him the whole time. "Maybe your purifier doesn't like me yet?"

[strawberryman]

"Probably. It's a hard one to read." Lance mentally remarks at just how long this girl can keep a hug up. At least she wasn't suffocating him during it, or anything. "It's always been that way, though... It's my hope if I ever learn it's name, maybe it'll let up on some of the crap it gives me." He shrugs again, and returns the hug for a second. "You seem like a pretty fun gal to me, though." After which, if possible, he'll pull back to finally get some space/air.

[Ganurath]

Palillo does indeed let go, her smile shifting to teasing. "Can I quote you on that during Shoot-san's rescue attempt?"

[strawberryman]

"Luther? Sure, if your Cuarta-san friend can really fix my head, I doubt I'll care if the Gunny finds out." Yes, he actually considers that Von Geister mindraping him will make him better off. "So... What exactly is this place? Las Noches... Was it?" Lance scratches his head and looks around. "I think that's what the old guy called it..."

[Ganurath]

Palillo nods and snaps her fingers. "That's it! The sole seat of civilization in the Heck-o Mondo... Although calling it civilization is stretching it."

Suddenly, pesquisa. "Ooh! We have a guest!"

[Callos_DeTerran]

"I wouldn't call it that." Comes the smooth voice as Shoken enters the room, crossing her arms over her chest as cold hard eyes stare down Lance with unbridled hate flaming in them. She didn't have her axe (axe?) or Calx Aegis with her, merely turned all the raw, seething loathing she felt for the shinigami into her gaze.

"This. Is the last place I would have expected to find your filthy kind." Finally she seems to notice Palillo fully and it brings a brief pause to her advance. "...And who are you? You feel...strong enough. Why do you consort with this vermin?"

[Ganurath]

Palillo sonidos behind Lance and throws her arms over his shoulders. "I'm the Novena Espada. This is Lance. He killed someone close to me, so I was going to add him to my collection."

Palillo then points at the line of tortured shinigami up against the wall. "I saw how miserable he was, though, and realized physical pain wouldn't do much to him. So, I'm gonna have Cuarta-san mess with his head, and he's gonna be my Fraccion!"

[strawberryman]

Lance raises an eyebrow at Shoken. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say you have a grudge against Reapers." He shrugs. "But that isn't really fair to me, now is it? I don't know you... I don't think." He scans Shoken over, noting her to be fairly attractive! "And I don't think you know me. So how is it fair to look at me like that? If I'm right, well, I don't blame you. Some of the stuff those guys do is just horrible and needless. That's why I'm freelance. But, hey, that probably won't change your opinion of me, so I'm probably just talking to deaf ears."

[Callos_DeTerran]

Speechless was a good word to describe her surprise at the situation. Stunned was good too.

"He stole away someone close to you...So you reward him by removing his misery and giving him a step up in life? Has he struck you in the head perhaps?" The Olympian asks incredulously, unable to believe what she had just heard or the bizarre child-like nature of the Novena Espada. Granted, she had only met the one, but she had thought it right to assume the others would have been equally grim or serious individuals in order to get done what they needed to get done.

Then Lance had to go and ruin Shoken's surprise.

"Never speak to me shinigami! If not for the Novena being here, I'd rip you limb from limb for merely existing close to me!" Shoken growls, eyes flashing as her hands clench and only just barely able to keep from supressing the urge to put a cero into this worm's head.

[strawberryman]

"Didn't think so." Lance sighs. "That's too bad, I don't see why we couldn't be friends."

[Ganurath]

Palillo waves a hand dismissively, the other pulling out Mariposa so she can use the Hierro-strengthened ribbon on Lance like a gag to keep him quiet. "No talking to the angry lady. As for me being struck in the head, I get that a lot. In actuality, I'm always like this. Comes with the Aspect of Death. I think..."

She doesn't.

[Shades of Gray]

Alicia and Vanessa should just be arriving in Hueco Mundo. The former weeping. The latter grinning.

-ve you. She says with a grim expression, trying her best to suppress tears.

[strawberryman]

Vanessa

Vanessa's smirk disappears as she enters Las Noches. She looks to Alicia, assessing her hostage. "Sajo Sabaku." The yellow stripe locks around Alicia, binding her arms around her torso, and about now the Bakudo controlling her actions wears off. "It would be a waste to eat you... There's no potential in that. We'll see if Helena can't keep you taken care of until the others return." She pulls on a strand of the stripe hanging off, pulling Alicia along with her as she heads for the infirmary.


Lance

Lance shrugs, and remains silent for now.

[Shades of Gray]

Alicia remains silent, glaring at Vanessa now and then when she's not weeping. Her chain dragging 29.5 feet behind her.

[strawberryman]

Vanessa

Vanessa, being the aloof, utterly unempathetic type, completely ignores Alicia to the infirmary. She looks around for Helena, even while hanging on to her captive.

[Ganurath]

Mia passes Vanessa and Alicia as they make through the halls, working on some papers as she walks. She gives the pair a dismissive nods as she passes by.

Then double takes. Her face is not a happy one. It's almost like she's feeling sympathy for Alicia. "Did I miss something?"

[Draken]

"Sister. Vanessa... Alicia Eve Ryder?"

Helena turns to face Alicia, looking surprised to see her.

[Shades of Gray]

Alicia looks up, looking horrible. Then it registers.

H-Helena Daikano? Alicia asks. Wh-what are you doing here?

[Ganurath]

"Helena Von Geister is my sister." Mia redirects her attention to Helena. "You know her?"

[strawberryman]

Vanessa

"I needed to take a hostage to escape a dangerous situation." Vanessa responded in her cold tone, knowing full well both Mia and Helena knew of her. "I do not care to look after her. I figured I would bring her to you." She hands off the strand holding Alicia in.

[Draken]

"As Mia said, I have not used the name Daikano for ten years now.

Hand her over Vanessa. I will take care of her."

She might be an arrancar. She might have a hole in her chest and those odd spines by the sides of her head. But she doesn't really feel any different.

[strawberryman]

Vanessa gladly does so, and strides off to plot more. Not before giving snide looks to Helena and Mia, of course.

[Ganurath]

Mia peeks around the corner. With her Father absent and probably busy, she decides a little payback is in order. "Thanks to my good friend for helping me overcome my relationship issues, among other things. I hope you get well soon!"

Mia then pops back into the infirmary. "So, Helena... What's the plan?"

[Shades of Gray]

Alicia is just staring at Helena's hollow hole. An awkward place to be staring, but there's a gaping hole there.

[Draken]

"I have nothing. I don't know how to deal with that witch to help Elizabeth regain control. And unfortunately father and the templarios like her.

I would rather not involve Takeshi in this, because odds are he will just blame it on father for some inscrutable reason and that won't help much."

Helena helps Alicia onto a medical bed.

"Is that a second division symbol Alicia? Looks like old Alexander did stick you there in the end."

[Shades of Gray]

Alicia nods. It t-took a lot to get m-me there. I was going to g-go to kido corps. Alicia frowns, still shaken. She pulls her legs into her chest. You would have b-been captain by now, Helena.

[Ganurath]

Mia blinks, then smiles happily. "I was actually referring to... Alicia, is it? I'm Mia."

Mia holds out her hand to Alicia, offering a handshake.

[Draken]

Helena smiles in a motherly way.

"Possibly. But I can't really claim the station as an arrancar can I?"

[Shades of Gray]

Alicia nods and cautiously takes Mia's hand, and is honestly surprised when it doesn't fall off.

She still looks as shaky as a freshly shaved sheep in a rainstorm. And now Shades of Gray sounds like a redneck.

[Ganurath]

Mia shakes her hand, then takes a seat next to Alicia after the handshake is done. "You're probably fairly freaked out by all this."

Reminder for Alicia's ease: Mia's hole is covered by her shirt.

[strawberryman]

Mia peeks around the corner. With her Father absent and probably busy, she decides a little payback is in order. "Thanks to my good friend for helping me overcome my relationship issues, among other things. I hope you get well soon!"

Mia then pops back into the infirmary. "So, Helena... What's the plan?"

Around another corner, Vanessa loses her balance for a moment and curses, holding herself up against a wall. That was really beginning to get old... She had to get rid of the pathetic woman in her head for good. Somehow.

[Shades of Gray]

Alicia nods, still shaking. Sure, Mia's hole was hidden, but the brain squid was most probably not.

As Alicia takes her hand back either of the Von Geisters will see a LO Reverse burnt into her palm.

[Draken]

Helena does notice.

"What is this Alicia? VE? I can remove that burn if you like."

[Shades of Gray]

She shakes her head. I'm keeping it. I've got someone back home. She then gets even more depressed. IS she going to be able to go back home?

[Ganurath]

Mia didn't need to see it. She shook her hand, and her void ink has made her skilled with tactile awareness. "Boyfriends initials?"

[Shades of Gray]

No, I already have MG tattooed on my-

No. Something about the last thing I said to him. She looks at the retconned LO on her hand, smiling slightly. That's good.

[Draken]

"Oh dear... These kinds of tattos are incredibly stupid ideas."

"I am happy that you found someone and sad about the circunstances of your parting Alicia.

But I can't tell if you will or not be allowed to leave."

Can't tell as in: Doesn't know. Not that she won't say.

[Ganurath]

Mia nods, glancing at her paperwork in thought. "So, Helena. What sort of quarters should I arrange for Alicia?"

[Shades of Gray]

Alicia is still petrified, she seals her zanpaktou, and places it next to her, keeping one hand on it.

Also, her stomach growls.

[Draken]

"I think keeping her here in the infirmary is the safest bet out of the mansion or one of the inner rooms in the royla palace."

She pauses in thought for a moment.

"Who am I kidding. No one respects the rule against fighting in here. There is a vacant room in the second floor of the mansion. We just need to get the gravitational orientation back to normal."

Then the growl.

"Still with that hunger issue Alicia?"

[Ganurath]

Mia tilts her head. "Hunger issue?"

[Draken]

"She spent one fourth of her family's fortune on food in one year. This girl must have a garganta inside her stomach."

[Ganurath]

"Well, if there's not accounting for taste, Polilla always makes too much of that slop she's always brewing up for those tea parties of hers. She only ever uses one bowl." Mia actually has the relevant paperwork on her person, and holds it up to demonstrate.

OOC: When I looked back at the character sheet for Palillo, I realized I've been spelling her name wrong. We'll say she likes her new name better, but Mia's going off the obsolete documents.

[strawberryman]

Vanessa

Meanwhile, Vanessa slumps against a wall to relax for a moment. Her eyes close...

Mindscape:
I am getting increasingly tired of your struggling.

Vanessa walks up to the mirror with a scowl on her face. Liz is still colorless, with a dazed look on her face. ...Though Vanessa's eyes widen at something as she looks the shadow of her other half over. Color had begun to drain into her fingers, and they were twitching against the movement of her opposite's stance. H-how...

She stares for a few moments. Then growls. You... You are truly a pest of the worst variety. There is no room for your pathetic behavior. Especially not with my body! She turns, and Liz falls to her knees, mumbling something weakly to herself, still in a daze. Do you know why you're here!? Because you are weak. Even if you weren't in control, you wouldn't be able to protect "your family" because of this fact, and you never could. The world is better off without you, it was better off without you, and it always will be better off --

WITHOUT. YOU.

Now, as I told you before, do yourself a favor and stop fighting me. Your family will benefit more from it than if your pathetic self became Espada. Vanessa walks away. Liz stares weakly and still mumbles to herself. You... me... I... you... ...She repeats this, even as her other half disappears from view. Her mind was simple, only repeating those words... Over, and over. Her will was so weak that she couldn't comprehend the meaning of the words she spoke, but that it was important to speak them... Even if there were some holes in what she needed to truly say.

Vanessa's fist impacts the side of the wall as she rises again. "Damn it... This cannot be happening." She wanders aimlessly through the halls of Las Noches once more.

[Shades of Gray]

I've been getting better, it's not as bad. Alicia says, coming as close to a smile as she possibly can. Her stomach growls again, but louder.

[Ganurath]

Mia laughs and gets up from her seat. "The Novena's leftovers it is, then. I'm sure we can arrange for something better in the long-term, though. I should be back soon enough."

Mia then takes her leave, taking the paperwork with her.

[Hadrian_Emrys]

OOC: When I looked back at the character sheet for Palillo, I realized I've been spelling her name wrong. We'll say she likes her new name better, but Mia's going off the obsolete documents.

((HA! *points* HA! Jumped up my butt for trying to spell it correctly... :smalltongue:))

[Shades of Gray]

Alicia

Alicia shakily waves goodbye to squidhead, still curled up in a ball of fear, sitting next to her zanpakutou.

[Draken]

"So Alicia. How have things been in the sereitei in these last years? Specially the fourth. How are Xavier and Taniko?"

[Shades of Gray]

They're doing well. Except Xavier says he hadn't seen a lot of Taniko recently, and Xavier's been... different, these last few days. She loosens up a bit now that squid-head leaves.

[horngeek]

Takeshi, having been attended to by some of the Numeros, walks out of the infirmary.

Well?

I suspected that Liz had somthing wrong from what you told me about her, and what I saw on the Hill only confirmed it.

I believe that Liz has been split off from the person we know. What we know...

Isn't Liz?

Possibly.

Damm.

I don't know enough about the powers that split her off, however, and therefore I can't make more accurate assesments.

[Draken]

"Good. Good. I hope they have a good captain right now."

[Shades of Gray]

She nods. Taniko's doing well, even though she hasn't been at it long, and a lot has been happening. I don't really blame her for not wanting to work a lot.

[Draken]

"... I will take that to mean Taniko is captain now. Makes me quite proud, in fact."

[Shades of Gray]

Alicia nods. She's only a few years older than me and she's already captain. I have to get my act together. She jokes, moving her legs away from the fetal position, hanging over the edge of the table.

If I ever get out of here... She thinks to herself.

[Draken]

"Well."

Joryoku Tane stretches from Helena's waist, pulling a large chair for her.

"The last shinigami taken here was allowed to go. Nice kid. So maybe you will just have to wait for the espada to return."

[Shades of Gray]

A-alright. But, what will happen if they don't? She asks, looking at the Helena's mask fragments.

She says this to mean "don't let me out" not "don't come back", obviously.

[horngeek]

{{Where are they?}}

Takeshi, sensing a Shinigami's reiatsu in Las Noches, goes to try to investigate.

[strawberryman]

((There are actually two shinigami! Lance and Alicia. :smalltongue:))

[Draken]

"Well..."

Helena passes a hand through her hair, making her mask fragments more visible on the left side.

"These things aren't as unconfortable as they might look, and don't worry, arrancar don't have to eat any souls."

[Shades of Gray]

She still looks scared.

Then, won't I be the enemy? Alicia says, thinking of all the scary captains. Fine, the scary captain. But seriously, Kil-J is bad enough for everyone.

[horngeek]

Takeshi knocks on the door of the room they're in.

[Draken]

Infirmary. No doors.

Von Geister and the four templarios enter Las Noches through the throne room, and start heading to the Infirmary.

Should be noted that Von Geister remains in his segunda etapa.

---

"Well. Not our enemy. If the espada decided to have you stay, then you would need to fit in better."

[Shades of Gray]

The enemy of Soul Society, and my family. She says, looking down.

[horngeek]

Takeshi walks in. A shinigami. Interesting.

[Draken]

"Well... That can't be helped. Over these past years I have found that - "

Enter Takeshi.

"Ahem. Are you wounded segunda?"

[horngeek]

A bit bruised from my fight with Daisuke, but largely treated.

I simply sensed the Shinigami here.

[Shades of Gray]

Alicia goes back to putting her legs to her chest, trying to look everywhere but at Takeshi. This isn't very succesful.

[Draken]

"Very well... This is Alicia. She is a prisoner. Anything else?"

[horngeek]

As long as she is treated well, no.

Takeshi has this thing about prisoners. You do what you must to keep them escaping, but you do nothing else harmful.

Criminals... that's a different matter.

[Draken]

"... This is the infirmary Takeshi."

This is said with a tone that should imply a profund meaning.

[horngeek]

Yes, but not everyone pays attention to that.

[Draken]

"Right...

Takeshi, do you mind leaving? You are scaring her."

[Shades of Gray]

And scared she is!

[horngeek]

All right.

Takeshi leaves. He goes to the Throne Room. Toho-sama, will we be attacking these Olympians next?

[Shades of Gray]

Alicia calms down when he leaves. She slowly moves her legs back. She unties her hair, taking off the hairband with the moon symbol.

So he's the second strongest? Alicia asks, using her knowledge of the espada and spanish.

[Draken]

"Technically. But I have my doubts."

---

Upon entering the throne room Takeshi will be passed through by Von Geister in his segunda etapa.

It gives an odd, rather solipsist, feeling to be surrounded by Von Geister. Like you are the one thing that exists in the entire universe. Luckly it ends fairly fast.

In the Throne room remain the four templarios. But no Toho, who is still there with Masato in the episode thread.

[Hadrian_Emrys]

((Toho is still attempting to make his exit. Everyone, and their little dog, seems to be out to gut him. People can be so cruel. :smalltongue: That being the case, when Toho finally wades through the kill crowd, it'll be recon time. given that Old Man Fear is out of it for now, the Espada faction will have to figure out how to manage without. This will certainly complicate matters. Aren't you all excited to have a chance to problem solve?))

[horngeek]

Takeshi stops. That is the wierdest thing that... ugh.

He shakes it off.

[Shades of Gray]

Alicia nods, the less she needs to talk about him the better.

So.. where were we? She asks, twiddling her thumbs.

[Draken]

"Well, you were saying about how you would become Soul Society's enemy if that happened. But if you look carefully, I have not changed any... Save for the hole and the spines. The main reason I never tried to return is that I knew they would not accept me."

"Living among arrancar... You soon discover our two species are not really any different."

[Shades of Gray]

Alicia makes an effort to smile.

I, well, I hope you don't take it personally if I really want to get out of here. She says, feeling guilty.

[Draken]

"I don't blame you. I have always been quite distant from the rest of my old family, while I know you are very close to yours.

It would be nice to have you here, however. Heh, maybe you could even convince your family to join here."

Alicia might feel a slight chill, as Von Geister draws closer.

[Shades of Gray]

She shivers, but then again, she's been shaking this entire time.

The Ryders? Not even my brother, just to get our grandfather angry. And he's done some pretty unacceptable things. Alicia is holding off on telling her that her old family is dead, in case she doesn't know.

[Draken]

"I remember Alexander's reactions." - She stiffles a giggle.

About now, Erscheinung slides through the double doors. Helena rubs her temples, foreseeing Alicia freezing again.

"Father, we have a guest here and -"

"The girl Vanessa captured. Yes, yes. I saw it happen. Please have her turn around and get me a few potions Helena. I think my Hakama is a bit less than intact."

The large shade sits on a bed across from Alicia, basically staring her in the face.

[Shades of Gray]

Alicia turns around, looking away from Von Geister's sexy body. She stares at the wall, frozen.

[Draken]

Von Geister puts a hand to his head, and silently tears the dark skin off, revealing his sealed self beneath, eyes closed and smile there.

His cape it torn off and much of the abdominal region of his hakama is gone. Revealing... Nothing. Just a large empty space. His arms and legs bearing considerable wounds.

Luckly, Von Geister quickly fixes his clothes.

"It is safe to look now my girl." - Adressing Alicia.

Helena throws him a flask of deep red liquid, which Von Geister downs in a single gulp, his wounds closing without a single scar.

"Much, much better."

[Ganurath]

Mia knocks at the entrance to Palillo's chambers before she steps in. "Hey Polilla, I need to use some of your leftover-"

She sees Lance wearing a gag made of Palillo's zanpaktou, and a Vasto Lorde. She quickly puts on a WTF face. "...Is this Take Your Shinigami To Work Day?"

"...We have one of those?!"

[strawberryman]

Vanessa

Vanessa twitches as she feels Von Geister's presence leak back into Las Noches. ...Perfect. She sonidos back to the infirmary. She enters, completely disregarding Alicia and Helena and walking over to Ersch. "Greetings, Sir Erscheinung."


Lance

Lance eyes Mia, pulling the gag off with his fingers. "Why, hello, miss. I don't believe it is, I'm Palillo's new... Fraccion, was it?" He looks to Palillo for confirmation. "Lance 'Quicksilver' Delaney." He holds a hand out. Mia might notice that he has a pile of silver coins gathered around his feet.

[Draken]

"Yes Vanessa? What is it?"

Von Geister is staring intently at a cape hovering in front of him, before dismissing it and summoning an All-Encompassing Mantle (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/AllEncompassingMantle).

[Ganurath]

Mia smirks. At this rate, she'll have a horrible stereotype established about the American military. She reaches out to shake his hand as Palillo pulls the gag back into place. "Mia Von Geister, Fraccion of the Cuarta and girlfriend of the Sexta."

Mia glances at Palillo as she lets go of Lance's hand, holding her arms out expectingly. "I'm looking for leftovers of the feed you give your dolls."

Sonido. Mia suddenly has a large bowl and spoon in hand, filled with the gruel Palillo feeds her dolls. "That enough?"

"Hopefully. From what Helena said, the other shinigami we took hostage has the Tercera's appetite." Mia turns to take her leave, nodding at Shoken in recognition as she passes.

[Shades of Gray]

Alicia scoots against the wall, terrified of Vanessa. Her hand is still on her zanpakto. She shivers.

[strawberryman]

Vanessa

"...I was under the impression you were here for something else. I have a request of you, but I suppose it can wait until you are well." Wow, an actual degree of empathy. "I would like to get rid of this pathetic woman in my head once and for all...", she mumbles, so only Ersch can hear it.

[Draken]

"You offend my daugther's healing skill and my own physical resilience by assuming such Vanessa. What wounds I had are gone without sequels already!"

Von Geister dons his new mantle, raising to his feet and striding to the entrance of the infirmary.

"Whatever you wish to discuss, this is not the place for it. Also, I believe we must make preparations for your promotion. Given the dreadful fate that befell Nannan."

Read: Being stuck in a ball under Von geister's care.

[strawberryman]

Vanessa

Vanessa smirks, following after Von Geister. "Very well, Sir Erscheinung." Still ignoring Helena and Alicia.

[Draken]

Somewhere secluded.

"What are you planning Vanessa?"

[Callos_DeTerran]

Shoken can't help but stand in silent disgust at the actions of Palillo and the shinigami, turning away as the other is ribbon-gagged, and storming out of the play-pen. The flighty and air-headed Espada had gotten underneath her skin faster then even Von Geister had, which had to be some kind of an accomplishment for antennae'd Espada.

"Flighty and dull-witted creature. About as loyal as a hungry dog in a butcher's shop. If the others are like this one, then why have they managed to survive for this long?" Shoken mutters darkly to herself, casting a hard glare back towards where Mia and Palillo were likely still talking. Compared to the Novena's air-headedness, perhaps it was time she did take her journey into the depths of Hueco Mundo. To keep herself from doing...unpleasant things to the Novena's pet if nothing else.

Barring being ambushed by somebody else, Shoken would continue on until she reached the dome that separated the 'sunny' Las Noches from the perpetual night of Hueco Mundo. Shield in hand, she was ready to trek to where she had died.

[Ganurath]

Mia soon arrives back at the infirmary with Palillo's slop, sporting the grin of someone who dared someone else to do something stupid. "Soup's on, Alicia."

Palillo, meanwhile, adjusts the ribbon so that it's wrapped around Lance's neck from behind rather than his mouth from the front, and starts tugging him through Las Noches like a puppy on a leash. "Let's find Cuarta-san so he can take a look at that head of yours."

[strawberryman]

Somewhere secluded.

"What are you planning Vanessa?"

Vanessa

"I would like to to enter my head, as you can do... and exterminate what is left of my other half." She growls decisively. "Somehow... she is still hanging on by a thread, and it would not do to lose balance as I have been in the middle of combat. I have no doubt that with your assistance I could be rid of her for good."


Palillo, meanwhile, adjusts the ribbon so that it's wrapped around Lance's neck from behind rather than his mouth from the front, and starts tugging him through Las Noches like a puppy on a leash. "Let's find Cuarta-san so he can take a look at that head of yours."

Lance

"Gah!" Lance is pulled off his feet at first, but after he adjusts the leash around his neck, he's following Palillo, slightly bent over (he's a full head+ taller than her). "...Off to see The Wizard, I suppose?" He manages a choked, but sarcastically cheery tone.

[Draken]

"Vanessa. I fear that I cannot just erase her consciousness in such a way. I could mingle the two of you into a single entity, perhaps, or I could splinter her soul from you, which would also shift your body out of her appearance, but if I did that, you would lose her powers."

[strawberryman]

Vanessa

Vanessa bites onto the tip of her glove, cursing. "...That is unfortunate. Those options will not do... I cannot risk being tainted by that wenches' softness... Or her taking the bulk of our powers. Damn!" She punches a nearby wall, demolishing it. ...The lady Arrancar looks to Von Geister with the barest glimpse of remorse. "...I apologize, I lost my temper. I suppose there is not much else I can do but try and debase her further... Surely there must be a way to keep her under my thumb for good..." She contemplates.

[Ganurath]

Palillo nods, her pace slowed enough that Lance can keep up. Probably due to the skipping. "You got that right, Tinman!"

[Draken]

Von Geister glares at the wall and it just rebuilds itself.

"I have no further suggestions, unfortunatelly. Your condition is something I have never seen."

Truth be said there are a lot of conditions he never saw showing up. It's been a fun year.

[strawberryman]

Vanessa

"Very well, I suppose... She hears/feels Palillo incoming. ...Thank you, Erscheinung-sama. It was helpful talking to you..."


Lance

Lance laughs, walking along with a spring in his own step. "If he can fix whatever's up with my Purifier and my head, I'll call him a God for all I care." He throws a triumphant glare at the coins following beyond him.

[Ganurath]

Palillo rounds the bend, Lance literally in tow. "Cuarta-san, he's too miserable to torture, so I'm gonna make him my Fraccion instead. Think you can work with his head to make him fit the job?"

[strawberryman]

Lance

Lance scans over "Liz". "Is every female here at least an 8 on the looks scale? Seriously, you'd think this were the cast of some kind of anime, or something..." The sound of a stage set wall falling over echoes through the halls. Vanessa fakes blushing before she walks off, then grumbles something after turning the corner about idiotic playboys.

The Reaper looks to Von Geister after she leaves. "But, seriously, I'd appreciate you taking a look, if nothing else."

[Shades of Gray]

Alicia will have the soup, smiling slightly and nodding her thanks to Mia. She then eats it slowly... Then quickly. Then the bowl is done in record time.

[Draken]

"An odd turn of events. But let me see."

Von Geister jumps, passing through the ceiling as if he were immaterial, and almost at the same time, his segunda etapa glides from floor.

"This might feel a bit cold."

The tendrils in his head stretch, and the tips lside into Lance's head to evaluate the situation.

[strawberryman]

Lance

Lance freezes. His eyes seem out of focus. ...Oddly, the coins around him start glowing lightly.

Mindscape:
Von Geister finds himself... In what seems to be a TV studio. A very foggy TV Studio. There are catwalks and staircases leading off of the platform he finds himself standing on/floating over that lead directly into the yellow oppressing fog, to places unknown. In the middle of the platform is a tower of old-style TVs stacked on top of each other with a single remote resting on one of them, within arms reach. The tower is resting in the middle of a giant striped circle that encompasses the entire platform, alternating yellow and black, and placed randomly around it are the outlines of about 30 bodies, somewhat like a crimescene body placement marker. Lance is nowhere to be seen or felt.

All of the TVs are off.

[Shades of Gray]

Alicia swallows the last bit of wet cardboard soup. Guh... She says, forcing the last bit down. At least she was full. She's already missing all the restaurants of Sereitei, even Luigi's sketchy Pizzeria.

[Ganurath]

Palillo removes the "collar" from Lance as Von Geister does his thing, leaning against the wall with her head perpetually tilted in waiting.

Mia's head is also tilted, as she has donned her WTF face for the second time today. For context, that bowl's contents is enough to feed thirteen shinigami for a day. "...Helena, when you were a shinigami, did you give this girl's appetite much study?"

[Draken]

Da mindscape mon.
Von Geister crouches next to a body and pokes it with an overly long, black claw.

Out of the mindscape.

"An abandoned TV studio. Looks like a big, broken ego to me."

---

"Eeerr... No, never."

[strawberryman]

Lance

Lance gasps. Then looks to... the general area of Von Geister. "...Well, I do admit to having a bit of an ego, but aren't you going to... work your magic, or something?" He looks inquisitive, and disappointed.

[Ganurath]

Mia brings her head upright as she nods slowly. "...That was about forty meals worth of Palillo's gruel. You may want to give her an examination. If her appetite is that big as a shinigami..."

[Shades of Gray]

My brother checked, he has no clue either. Could be anything. She says, brushing her hair out of her face, putting the empty bowl next to her. It's just something I've become used to.

[Draken]

"Thirty corpses in your mindscape and not a sight of you.

Time to tamper a bit."

Mindscape
Von Geister summons a chair for himself out of dreamstuff, picks up the remotes with his tendrils and turns the TVs on, one by one.

[Ganurath]

Palillo glances down at the floor. "Thirty corpses for thirty coins? Maybe they'll be zombies when he's touching them!"

Mia smirks at Alicia's comment. "I think it's a fair bet that my sister is better than your brother."

[Shades of Gray]

I- thanks for the offer but... The last thing she wants is someone poking around inside of her. I thinkk I'll pass for now, really, it's fine.

And then her stomach rumbles.

[Ganurath]

That's three times today with the WTF face. It'll get stuck like that at this rate. "That was forty full meals! Did you eat a hollow or something?!"

[Draken]

"I will agree with her on this matter, I trust Xavier's skills. Would be a terrible teacher if I didn't.

Mia, could you get some food from father's stach in the first basement of the mansion? They should be more filling than the wet cardboard Palillo gives to her dolls."

[Shades of Gray]

N-no. I've had it since I was little, and Xavier would have found it if it was inside of me. She fixes her hair again. ... I've eaten more...

[strawberryman]

Lance

Lance raises an eyebrow at the "thirty corpses" thing, then freezes up again as Von Geister enters the mindscape, eyes glazing over a little.

Minscape:
All but one TV shows static. The TV that doesn't... Shows a man that looks somewhat like an older Lance... In Arrancar uniform, with stag-like horns as a mask, slaying Shinigami with the same silver coins Von Geister saw with Lance turning into different weapons. It's got a strange sense of reality about it... Almost like Von Geister is seeing a window to the past.

Or something else...

[Ganurath]

Mia nods and heads out, filling out the papers she was working on en route. She'll spot a numeros along the way, who she'll ask to have a summary of the Battle at Sokyoku Hill delivered to her office before she continues along.

[Draken]

Part of Von Geister's flowing darkness converts into a flat, round mirror surrounded by dark mist, which projects the images of the TV to the outside world.

Mindscape
Hmm... Vizards perhaps. Hardly what he wanted. Where the heck are his inner personas anyway?

"Is there sentient life somewhere in here?"

Sentient, not intelligent, Von geister has no hope of finding intelligent life there.

[strawberryman]

Lance

Lance does not react as he's in a bit of a trance.

Mindscape:
There is no immediate response. But Von Geister may notice one of the outlines disappearing. And then... the man inside steps out in front of the shade, staring right at him.

Name's Roger Alamilla. And you are?

He feels... like an Arrancar. Looks like an Arrancar. And smells slightly like... pine. And an Arrancar. There's a black sack that jingles as he steps out of the TV, wrapped around his waste, and he's got a silver longsword formed in his hands.

[Draken]

Mindscape
"Erscheinung Von Geister. I will be Lance's shock therapist for today, Mr. Alamilla."

Suddenly, Von Geister has glasses in his eyeless face, is holding a pen and a notebook.

"Tell me about Lance, you and this place. I don't want to hear anything about your mother, mind you."

[strawberryman]

Lance

Lance mumbles something under his breath, still dazed...

Mindscape
Alamilla raises an eyebrow. Who the hell is Lance? This place? I dunno, I've always been here. Or in the other place. He points at the TV. Me, though... I'm a freelance Arrancar. Doing stuff for my own good, all that... Don't see a point in getting involved with that man and his 'Espada'... Unless I'm getting paid somehow, anyway... He shrugs.

Always felt I have some kind of higher calling, though.

[Ganurath]

Palillo watches the mirror. She is very confused. As indicated by her eyelids growing heavy.

Mia eventually returns with a cart sporting several crates. "This should keep her busy long enough for me to get back to my job."

[Shades of Gray]

Thank you Mia. She says nervously, feeling embarassed. She was probably the worst prisoner ever.

[Ganurath]

Mia antagonized her captor with the death of his Vice-Captain, so Alicia isn't that bad yet. Nodding goodbye to Alicia and Helena, Mia takes her leave to get caught up on recent events. Mainly, how things went for her mortal friends. She had a strange feeling she'd have to do a bit of damage control.

[Draken]

Mindscape

Von Geister would raise an eyebrow now. Shamefully, he has none.

"... Right. Tell me about the other place."

Palillo should notice Von Geister just wrote "loon" on the notebook.

[strawberryman]

Mindscape
Right. Well, it just seems to play my memories over and over. There's no end to it. Alamilla runs a hand through his hair.

...I much prefer it to this, though. Is there a point you're trying to get across or can I go back to something interesting?

[Draken]

Mindscape.

"There are quite a few points, really. Let me say some.

One. I am an Espada. Cuatro, in fact, and never saw you before, which is odd.

Two, this mind belongs to a shinigami, he looks like you, but he is not an arrancar. My intent here is to kick his brain into shape a bit, make him useful.

Three, all these facts given, I am really curious about you now. Specially because I feel a number of scents coming from this sod. Vizard and... A different one, in fact, one I do not expect you to know."

Von geister abandons his notebook, pen and chair, the things vanishing in the mist.

So tell me everything. Everything, little one."

[Shades of Gray]

Alicia lies down, sighing. She will soon drift into sleep. Or her mindscape. Doesn't really matter.

[strawberryman]

Mindscape!!
Huh. Weird. I don't remember you either. And that's about all I can tell you. Von Geister feels he's telling the truth. I can show you... The TV plays through Alamilla's memories, from creation to... well, it just seems to end, after a few memories... A blackness just seems to swallow the contents of the screen. Otherwise, aside from the odd presence of the Silver Coins Lance possessed as well, he seems to have existed as a fairly normal Arrancar. ...That's weird, too. I don't remember that...

[Draken]

Mindscape.

"Right."

Von Geister taps his fingers over a walkway, and then shoots his tendrils into the yellow fog off the platform, as many as there are different pathways to follow.

"This place is truly intriguing."

[strawberryman]

Mindscape!!
The fog seems to consume everything but the platform. There is absolutely nothing of note. After a while, the tendrils come back on opposite sides, suggesting a loop.

Alamilla shrugs. You got me, Cuarta.

[Ganurath]

Palillo, getting tired of Lance's mindscape being boring and confusing, picks up Lance's coins and sticks them in his hand to see if that does anything.

[Draken]

Mindscape.

"Indeed, Mr. Alamilla."

Truth be said, Von Geister has no flippin' idea what is going on. Hell if he will let that slip.

"Should I presume you are the spirit of this shinigami's zanpakuto? Or are you the inner hollow? Maybe both?"

Utter shoot in the dark there.

[strawberryman]

Lance

The coins form into a silver longsword. Otherwise, Lance is still in a trance...

Mindscape
Me? Some punk shinigami's zanpaktou? Yeah, right... He doesn't seem to be lying. But Von Geister feels something... underneath. Pulling the strings. Never known anything about being an inner Hollow, either. Now, did I answer all your questions? Even if I didn't, you better say something important or interesting, or I'm leaving. He motions back to the TV, with his thumb.

[Draken]

Mindscape.

"Hmm... No, not nearly done. Who are you then?"

Von Geister's tendrils coil back to him, wrapping around and into his form.

[strawberryman]

Mindscape
You daft? I told you already... Roger Alamilla. Freelance Arrancar. Screw this... Alamilla walks... back into the TV. It turns off. One of the chalk outlines reappears, and Von Geister is very alone again. But not really. He feels he's drawn the attention of something.

Must be an odd feeling for him, usually being the one to give the feeling to others instead of receiving it himself.

[Draken]

Mindscape.

Von geister thrives in oddness.

"Well, that was pointless."

Von geister fiddles with the remote of a different TV.

[strawberryman]

Lance

Lance blinks, finally. Still out of focus, though.

Mindscape
The screen that Von Geister points at is yet again the only one that shows anything. On this one, another Arrancar, female this time, steps out of the TV. Another outline disappears in her place. Her hair is short and black, her eyes red, with heavy black eyeliner painted around them. Her body is shapely, but muscular. She's in the usual Arrancar hakama, and her mask is a set of canine teeth arranged around her mouth. She has the coin pouch by her side, just like the last one, and two silver kukri in hand.

Natasa Volkov. What the hell do you want? She has a heavy Russian accent.

[Draken]

Mindscape
"Your life story, an explanation of this mindscape, and maybe a phone number."

Ok, maybe not a phone number.

[strawberryman]

Mindscape!!
Born a few years ago. Was a Hollow a long time before that. Did not want to be involved in the Espada. So I defected... I just kill anything that gets in my way. These coins make it fairly easy. Who are you? And why should I not be killing you right now...? Natasa growls.

Von Geister gets the sense that this new Arrancar's behavior seems programmed, as well. There's a seperate conciousness in front of him, but there's still a sense of something pulling the strings...

[Draken]

Mindscape.

Von Geister just points the remote at another TV, and does so until something that isn't an Arrancar shows up.

[strawberryman]

Lance

Lance's coins reform into two kukri, like the woman on the screen.

Mindscape!!
Natasa disappears as Von Geister changes the channel on another TV. Luckily, the next one is a strawberry blonde female Soul Reaper, in a French Reaper uniform (whatever that may be). She's short and as muscular as Natasa was, but has a much kinder look about her. She holds a silver rapier, with a elaborate guard.

Anne Marie Ivers. Greetings, Demon. How might I serve you? French accent. Big surprise.

...and now, a rapier.

[Draken]

Mindscape.

"I prefer the term Hollow, personally. Demons are creatures that inhabit hell. Which I do not.

Let me guess. You are a freelance soul reaper who wants nothing to do with the local organization?"

[strawberryman]

Mindscape
...Yes, how did you know? anne looks curiously at Von Geister. I do try to be helpful, but I have no intention to have my hands tied by such things... And even if I wanted to, I could not. The last time I became involved with someone... She sighs... ...Well, that is not a story I would like to share to someone I hardly know. She wipes a tear from her eyes.

Tell me... are you here to liberate us? Her look is inquisitive. ...Almost a complete 360 from what she was a second ago. The feeling of that thing pulling the strings is even stronger, now. Von Geister may even get the sense he's talking to It directly now. It matters not if you are... This mans' mission is not complete...

[Draken]

Von Geister splinters his attention between the real world and the mindscape, and with a hand, he forces Lance to release his current weapon, intent on making a recount of the number of coins. He knows they are thrity, but wants to confirm it.

Mindscape.

"Start explaining. In detail, this is incredibly curious."

[strawberryman]

Lance

There are thirty.

Mindscape
This mans'... The shinigami from whom I am speaking through... the two arrancar you spoke to... They all have the same mission. They all had the same mission... And, up 'til now, they've failed. We have gone through many faces. Many different ideals... But many things in common. Some of them lost the way, and were destroyed... but we always found another. Lance is the newest addition... "Anne" walks to the edge of the platform, hands behind her back.

But if he fails, We will move on again, adding his conciousness to ours. It sounds cold, but her tone is sad. We have been giving you breadcrumbs. The feel of this place is familiar to you, yes? You have noticed certain... Trends between Our wielders, yes?

[Ganurath]

Just about everyone thinks things through longer than Yumi.As she watches the mirror display of the mindscape, Palillo sneezes.

[Draken]

Mindscape

Von Geister stretches his wings before folding them again.

"Rebellion is the trend I noticed. Be it against hollow or reaper rulers.

There is also an odd scent about this entire place. Matches a bunch of self-righteous snobs called Olympians, a less instructed arrancar could say, but I can recognize the scent of the void bellow.

But your story, interesting as it might be, is not why I am here. I am looking for his mind. It desires to be rebuilt."

[strawberryman]

Mindscape
"Anne" turns and smiles. Unfortunately, I cannot allow you to do that. However, if one were to help him with his mission... And help direct him towards it, you may find him to be more loyal than Our previous incarnations. And it may be in your interest to assist him as well...

...They were called many things, but Olympians was one name, yes. You need not worry that Lance's mission corresponds with their own. We were betrayed by them. She crosses her arms. But perhaps you can help Us stop this cycle... For both your own sake, and Lance's.

[Draken]

Mindscape.
It got interesting now.

"I am listening."

Von Geister summons a confortable chair from the mists again, sitting with his wings folded like a mantle.

[strawberryman]

Mindscape!!
That, We are afraid, is all We can tell you. "Anne" shrugs. Lance must discover his mission on his own... It is one of the laws We must follow by. All We can do is give... supporting evidence, as it were.

As for the Olympians, as you so call them... They have changed hands many times. There is one that has been through as many existences as We have, however... We suggest you be wary of him. He is the one known as Hades. The world darkens a bit. On one of the TV screens, a black-robed adolescent with the upper half of his face obscured in an iron mask is displayed.

[Draken]

Mindscape.

"That you are afraid I know. And that you are wary of one who would intitulate himself the god of death, I am sure."

"But to be wary is not in my nature. For I am terror uncarnate."

"It's a play on words see. I have no flesh to be incarnate."

Don't explain the joke.

"And for now, I have what I need, and bid you farewell."

Von Geister snuffs himself out of the mindscape.

Von geister's tendrils coil back, he puts one of his claws on his face and pulls it, ripping the black 'skin' off himself and throwing it aside, where it just vanishes in the air, revealing the old man there, smiling as usual.

"Well. Must say there really isn't much I can do. But I learned quite a lot on you."

Von Geister then points at the coins.

"And a bit about them too."

[Ganurath]

Palillo smiles happily. "They used to be Olympians, y'think? That should really narrow down the names. Eight letters, three syllables, god with zero worshippers... Am I going to have to go to the library?"