[Bitp:R] Hueco Mundo 2

[KnightDisciple]

(OOC: Previous thread here (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=156070))

Vicente had, by now, returned to his "lair" in the Cuarta's District. He was once more locked inside his lab, feverishly working at his workbench.

The Ghost King had told him to push himself to new heights, heights unique only to him. So first, he had to perfect some ideas he'd had. Then, maybe, he could go about testing his newest...tools.

A cruel smirk crossed his face as he spoke softly to no one in particular.

"Do not rest easy, Sereg. Your time will come, even if I have to take the journey in stages. You've shown me your truest weakness, and I shall exploit it..."

Cruel chuckles filled the lab, and the various Numeros that happened to be anywhere even mildly close to the lab gave off an involuntary shudder.

[KerfuffleMach2]

"I'm good, Mei-Mei-chaaaaan.~<3" Ruwa smirks seductively... then is shocked out of it by Ivaz. "...why would you want to go there, Ivaz-chan? It'sss boring... And none of the human men can sssee usss..." She shakes her head, then turns back to Mei. "...ssso, how'sss our ssshinigami toy doing, Mei-Mei-chaaaaan?~<3"

Ivaz turns her head to face Ruwa and grins. It's fun to mess with the humans! Plus, it's really easy to grab some to bring back and mess with here.

[Lord_Asmodeus]

Caballos had left after Vicente and the messenger from von Geister had, returning to his training, and he marked Vicente's return as well. He had forgotten to ask if he knew Alejandro's location, and he knew seeking him out know would likely yield no results, and so he would merely return to his training. Perhaps when he had given his report he could visit around, with those he knew and remembered, and the faces old and new that were not a part of his memory.

[horngeek]

Mei looks at Ivaz. "As long as you're careful about it, yes."

[KerfuffleMach2]

Woohoo! Ivaz moves like she was going to throw her fists in the air. But, she's still tied up.

[horngeek]

Mei chuckles as Ivaz (presumably) squirms. "Hmmm... do either of you want to be unwrapped now?"

[KerfuffleMach2]

Ivaz looks down at herself (or up, depending on how she's tied up), then thinks for a moment. Then gives as much of a shrug as she can.

I don't care. Your web.

[horngeek]

She's currently right-side up. Of course, Mei is capable of changing that. :smalltongue:

"So, hang around for a bit, then?

...hmmm. There's an idea."

[KerfuffleMach2]

Idea? Ivaz tilts her head a little. What idea?

[horngeek]

Mei chuckles. "Would you mind being upside down for a while?"

[KerfuffleMach2]

Ivaz grins. Do I have a choice?

[horngeek]

Mei grins, and arranges it so Ivaz is hanging upside down from the web.

She lowers herself on a thread so she's next to her. "Not really."

[KerfuffleMach2]

Didn't think so.

For the record, I didn't mind.

[horngeek]

Mei chuckles. "So, what other rumors are going around Las Noches at the moment?"

[KerfuffleMach2]

Far as I can remember, just that you're beat up and easy pickings.

Well, she didn't butter that up at all.

[horngeek]

Mei looks at her. "Well, we'll have to deal with that one...

You said you wanted to go to the Mortal World. Looking for anything in particular you want to grab? Probably best to ask permission from Lord Geister first."

[KerfuffleMach2]

Ivaz attempts a shrug again. Not really. I just wanna get out of here for a while. Breath of fresh air, if you will.

[Kuroimaken]

"Which, if the pyre I've started outside does its work, will soon be revealed for the blatant lie it is." Serazel's voice crept into Mei's chambers as he looked over Ruwa and Ivaz. "I have finished setting the corpses of the intruders alight. There were only a couple of Numeros, however, so I decided to stake them through and THEN set them on fire."

[horngeek]

Mei 'hmmms'. "Well, it might be possible... I'll talk to Lord Geister about a trip to the Mortal World. We'd have to be careful, though..."

She looks up. "Ruwa, do you want to come down here as well?"

She then looks at Serazel. "Hello, there, Serazel. Even so, I think it might be a good idea to lay some traps for anyone else foolish enough to try, and I was wondering if you had any ideas."

[strawberryman]

Ruwa rolls her eyes at the conversation between Mei and Ivaz.

[KerfuffleMach2]

Ivaz, currently tied up and held upside down, looks to Serazel.

Say we need a pendulum! Say we need a pendulum!

[horngeek]

Mei looks at Ruwa. "Do you want to come down as well? Or do you want to be unwrapped now?"

[strawberryman]

"Sssure, Mei-Mei-chan. ...Ssso, where are you keeping the ssshinigami?" Ruwa looks pleadingly at Mei.

[horngeek]

Mei smirks, as she gets Ruwa in the same position as Ivaz. "Well, I've currently got him in one of the cells..."

{{Dependent on whether Tacky is still playing him. Might not be.}}

[KerfuffleMach2]

Ivaz has a hanging buddy now.

How long you planning on keeping him?

[horngeek]

Mei shrugs. "Depends on how easily he'll snap."

[KerfuffleMach2]

I hope not too easily. It's never fun when they give up so quick.

[horngeek]

Mei chuckles. "Oh, I'd agree with that..."

She looks at her two Fraccion. "Hmmm..."

[KerfuffleMach2]

Hmmm...hmmm? Ivaz looks to Ruwa, then back to Mei.

[horngeek]

"Well, I was just thinking that we have spent a lot of time hanging around here... and it is getting a bit boring."

[KerfuffleMach2]

Well...that can be fixed. Ivaz grins.

[horngeek]

"Hmmm... maybe somewhere else, though. One of your rooms."

Mei smirks.

{{Also, deadtime for about half an hour}}

[KerfuffleMach2]

Ivaz would give a mock salute here if she could.

You're the boss lady!

[strawberryman]

[Palacio Octava]

((Geez, give a guy a chance to watch The Daily Show without looking back to 6 posts between his posts. :smalltongue:))

Ruwa sighs, grabbing at her zanpaktou, and promptly entering resurreccion. Before Mei can so much as say a word, the snakelike fraccion whips at some of the webbing keeping her up with her tail and slithers away. "Don't really feel like any more, Mei-Mei-chan."

...After working her way out of the web, Ruwa reseals, and exits the palacio, wandering around lost in thought. It isn't fair Mei-chan got the shinigami all to herself... but do I even want him? It's just the same thing as any other man in this city... or even Mei-chan... it's all about the physical. I want something more... but what? What more could I want?

[KerfuffleMach2]

Ivaz watches Ruwa leave, surprised at her outburst.

Huh. Didn't see that one coming.

[horngeek]

Mei looks at Ruwa. "All right. See you around, then, Ruwa."

[KerfuffleMach2]

Wonder what's got her tail in a knot.

[horngeek]

Mei shrugs. "I don't know...

so... where do you want to go?"

[KerfuffleMach2]

Well...you did say my room...

[horngeek]

Mei smiles as she begins unwrapping Ivaz. "Shall we?"

[KerfuffleMach2]

We shall.

And deadtime.

[Zerkai]

Pleasant scent of fresh tea begins floating from the kitchen as Canguro explains herself. Soon enough, Lalita walks back and lowers a familiar silver tray on the mahogany table. "Strenght for strenght's sake, hmmm?", he asks as he pours the beverage into two, flawless porcelain cups. "Power and recognition... maybe one day, you'll be greater than all Espadas, even the King, and rule as the Queen of Hollows. Live long enough and miracles can happen, I've heard someone say."

"Do you believe you'll be happy then?"


"I'm happy now, I'm just not content." Canguro explained, picking up the cup of tea, looking it over curiously before taking a sip.

"Maybe I'm still not use to really living in the city yet... just feel like the stronger I get, the less likely something will try to eat me."

[Kuroimaken]

It was always funny how the exchanges between Ivaz, Ruwa and Mei left little space for Serazel to intervene. "Hmmmm. Well, the Palacio itself doesn't lend itself to great remodeling, so we might need to have something slightly less sofisticated. If anything... a pendulum might be interesting, as Ivaz pointed out. Consider that we are not the only ones who must enter the Palacio, Mei-sama. If the Ghost King decided to pay you a visit, he would no doubt find the idea of walking a tortuous path to dodge them unacceptable."

[horngeek]

"See, that's when I pull a strand disabling every single trap. They're pretty much all going to be offshoots of the same web."

So that Mei can detect when someone's caught in them, of course!

[Kuroimaken]

"Then there is no help I may offer, Mei-sama - I have no understanding of the intricacies of weaving a web."

[KerfuffleMach2]

"Then there is no help I may offer, Mei-sama - I have no understanding of the intricacies of weaving a web."

What about what's on the end of the web, then? The traps don't have to be web based or anything. Just one of her strands connected to it.

Hmmm...maybe Vicente could be convinced to assist? He already knows, and I think he'd love an excuse to make things.

[horngeek]

"I'd prefer not to bring in anyone from outside on this job. That's why I'm going to be spinning the traps myself."

Mei finishes unwrapping Ivaz, and carries her down. "I'll start on it a bit later, and I'll leave a diagram so you guys know where the traps are."

She looks at Ivaz. "But that's for later. For now, you lead on."

[KerfuffleMach2]

Ivaz grins, and turns to lead the way to her room.

She swings her hips about as much as she can as she goes.

[horngeek]

Mei chuckles, as she follows Ivaz, taking in the view.

[KerfuffleMach2]

Ivaz's room has many...devices set up. Some for victims, and some for...other victims.

She turns to face Mei, leaning against a table, grinning.

Where would you like to begin, my lady?

[horngeek]

"Hmmm... well, what do you have?"

She's grinning.

{{Mei will, probably, want to be the one remaining free. She is cautious about this sort of stuff, given her position. :smalltongue:}}

[KerfuffleMach2]

((Ivaz really doesn't care either way. She's pretty open about this stuff.))

Ivaz spreads her arms out. Take a look. Take your pick. I've been getting a nice...collection over the years.

((Pretty much anything you can come up with will be there.))

[horngeek]

Mei looks around, and looks at what looks like a coffin. "...what's that for?"

[KerfuffleMach2]

Hm? Ivaz looks at where Mei's pointing. Oh, that works for a few things. Claustrophobia, for one. Making people think they're buried alive. Always fun to hear somebody who wakes up in there. She grins as if having happy memories.

Makes a pretty sturdy table, too.

[horngeek]

Mei chuckles. "Don't think I'd want to go in there, that's for sure."

[Draken]

A shinigami reiatsu, with the taint of hollow powers approaches Ivaz's chambers, one that the octava and her fraccion should recognize with ease, Von Geister's son, Damien.

He announces himself with a knock on the door and a shout.

"I heard that you wish the Ghost King's grace, Mei, and hope that I am interrupting something."

[KerfuffleMach2]

Ivaz smirks. Afraid of the dark?

When she senses the reiatsu, she turns her gaze to her door and waits for his appearance. And smirks a little at his comment.

[horngeek]

Mei pulls on her dress, then answers. "Ah, yes. Basically, we'd like to ask permission from His Majesty to pay a visit to the Mortal World- undertaking to not cause a fuss with any Shinigami."

[KerfuffleMach2]

Ivaz nods in agreement with her Espada. A breath of fresh air, if you will.

[Draken]

The door opens to reveal the sandy, messed hair of the man in white vests, as he cautiously walks past, keeping his back to the wall.

"You lot, always so willing to bother the King with your inane requests when it would be just as effective to do what you will and be dilligent to not let your duties slip when you do so."

Which is followed by a scoff.

"Who am I kidding, it is not like anyone but me - and maybe Guerrero - actually works in this entire sector."

[horngeek]

{{Mei actually does keep up her duties. :smalltongue:

...I just don't know what they are.}}

"If His Majesty had something planned that might be affected by an Espada being in the Mortal World, it's better for him to know about that fact and veto the trip if required, right?"

She smiles- and it's an honest smile, not a mocking one. "We'll head off tomorrow, and probably take a day there. Does that interfere in anything?"

[KerfuffleMach2]

Plus, if he happens to need one of us, he'll know where to find us. Which is easier, and faster, than trying to find us.

Also, torturing victims can be very hard work.

[Draken]

Damien rubs his forehead.

"Fostering souls to join the host, new hollows and bodies for my brothers and sisters... Shouldn't be too hard to not interfere. Just avoid the sources of reiatsu and don't kill mortals like a wild one."

"And don't cross paths with my mother."

[horngeek]

"Thank you."

[KerfuffleMach2]

Ivaz gives a short nod.

[Kuroimaken]

"And I presume you might like me to watch over the two of them to ensure they will not try to find loopholes in your requests, Damien-san?" Serazel's voice came seemingly out of nowhere. Apparently, he had been trailing the two of them for a while now.

[Draken]

"Loopholes in my requests? I would expect you to not try to strain the limits of my recomendations, in fact. It is not me you will answer to if you cause trouble after all."

Damien smiles, and a pale bone armor with a faceless mask covers his form, the drone shape.

"I am merely here as your intermediate to the King, after all. And maybe now I will have a silent night of sleep at long last."

With that, he slithers up the wall and off the door, closing it a moment later with his hooked tail.

[horngeek]

Mei looks at Serazel flatly. "I have no intention of finding loopholes. I want to avoid any confrontations on this, myself."

She then looks at Ivaz. And shrugs. "I like the dark, it's more the complete confinement. No room to make any movement, of any kind."

[KerfuffleMach2]

Ivaz waits for a moment after Damien leaves, then sticks her tongue out in his direction. She turns to Serazel. I'm not gonna try to find loopholes. Just use them if I stumble across them. She flashes a grin, and turns to Mei. Oh, I got a bigger one in the back for that.

[horngeek]

Mei looks at her. "Oh?"

[KerfuffleMach2]

Ivaz chuckles. Come on now. Did you really think I wouldn't have one? You know me better than that.

[horngeek]

Mei chuckles. "I don't do torture, most of the time. Part of it's the reason that I just haven't had real cause to."

[KerfuffleMach2]

Ivaz nods a little. There is a certain pleasure I get from torturing victims. A different pleasure.

[horngeek]

Mei shrugs. "I don't get that much out of outright torture, myself..."

[KerfuffleMach2]

To each, their own. Me, I love it.

[horngeek]

"You know their effects through experience, I presume."

[KerfuffleMach2]

Ivaz grins. Naturally. Always have to know your tools before you use them.

[horngeek]

"You mean you've used them on yourself?"

Mei looks... surprised at this.

[KerfuffleMach2]

Ivaz nods. Have to. How else will I know how it works? What changes can be made? What my victims feel?

[horngeek]

"...how did you do the ones where you'd need someone else to get you out of it?"

[KerfuffleMach2]

I asked for help. Serazel, usually.

[horngeek]

"Hmm. Good choice, there.

How does the larger coffin work, anyway?"

[KerfuffleMach2]

Just a big enough coffin for two to fit comfortably. Torture wise, I can stick a dead body in there with somebody. Freak them out.

[horngeek]

"What about the other one?"

[KerfuffleMach2]

What, the single one? Like I said, claustrophobia, waking up in a coffin. Not much physical, other than restraints. And maybe tossing it around a little.

[horngeek]

Mei nods. "Could you show me that one? Maybe a couple of others that don't do damage- well, for now. I'd like to know a bit of how to use them in case I ever have to. Better to know now, and even if I don't enjoy it... well, I've got someone who can teach me, I might as well learn."

[KerfuffleMach2]

Ivaz nods. Sure.

She goes over to the smaller coffin. Simple, really. Tie them up, toss them in, close it, lock it. She points out the locking latches. From there, just do what you want.

[horngeek]

"Hmm."

Mei has a walk around it, looking at it. "So this one is more psychological than physical. I suppose I could use my silk for the first part if I ever used it."

[KerfuffleMach2]

Ivaz nods. Yep. Mostly up to your imagination. Helps if you know what the victim's afraid of. Like drowning. Then you pour a bunch of water on it, make him think your putting it in a lake.

Or, you could actually put it in a lake.

[horngeek]

Mei looks at it. "What was it like? For you to be in there, I mean."

[KerfuffleMach2]

Me? I get bored. Too long in one spot with nothing to do.

[horngeek]

Mei chuckles. "How did you get put in?"

[KerfuffleMach2]

Just climbed in and waited. For about an hour.

[horngeek]

"Probably had something to do with it. You didn't go through what someone else in it would have, maybe. I mean, couldn't you have gotten out any time?"

[KerfuffleMach2]

Ivaz nodded. Yeah. But I didn't. I waited.

[horngeek]

"It still probably would've been more effective a test if you couldn't get out on your own."

Mei looks at the coffin.

[KerfuffleMach2]

Ivaz shrugs. Then looks from Mei, to the coffin, and back.

Are you trying to make a suggestion here?

[horngeek]

Mei shrugs. "It's a comment. If you do want help getting closer to what your victims would go through..."

Mei sighs. "To be honest, I wouldn't take pleasure in it. I care for you three, and causing any of you actual pain- physical or psychological is something I'd prefer to avoid. But if it helps you when you need to do this for, say, information... then I'll help in this way."

[KerfuffleMach2]

Ivaz smiles. Aw, that's so sweet.

In all honesty, I take pleasure in pain. Punching me would make me feel happier. Sure, it's strange, but that's just how I work. And something like this... She looks back at the coffin for a moment. I really don't foresee it doing anything to me.

But, you are right in that I should get the full experience. So... She offers her wrists for Mei. Tie me up!

[horngeek]

Mei nods. "But even if you have a different reaction to what others have, this might still help, right?"

She reaches for any rope at hand, and will bind Ivaz and put her in the coffin. "Ready?"

[KerfuffleMach2]

Ivaz nods. Probably. Only way to find out is to do it.

Once in the coffin, Ivaz nods. Yep.

[horngeek]

Mei nods, then swings the lid down and locks it. She unlocks it half an hour later (or if Ivaz starts to panic).

She'll then open the lid and help Ivaz out, including untying her. "You all right?

...to be honest, a part of me has always cared for anyone I've been with if both of us consented. Serazel, on the other hand, is a dear subordinate. You and Ruwa... have both that, and what most who encounter my Aspect have from me. That's not an easily broken bond, and I will do whatever it takes to make sure you are all as well off as possible."

[KerfuffleMach2]

Ivaz does not panic at all. In fact, when Mei opens it, she'll find evidence of Ivaz trying to play tic-tac-toe on the inside of the coffin. Using a spike to carve it, of course.

Ivaz nods. I'm fine.

After Mei's confession, Ivaz stays silent. She was never good at these kinds of talks.

I...really don't know how to respond to that, Mei. Really. Um...I guess...thanks.

[horngeek]

Mei smiles- not a flirtatious smile, but a genuine one. "It's all right. And if you need any more help like that, just ask. Although... that one didn't look very effective on you, did it?"

She chuckles.

[KerfuffleMach2]

Ivaz grins and shakes her head.

Didn't think it would be. I've found I'm fairly resistant to all this.

[horngeek]

"Looks like it, doesn't it?

Well, let's get working on these traps for now, all right? You might be able to help me with a couple of things..."

[KerfuffleMach2]

Ivaz snaps to attention and salutes.

Yes ma'am!

And deadtime.

[Callos_DeTerran]

Genoveva

"..."

"'ey...ya gots all silent on meh. Ah didn't kill ya yet, have Ah?" The irate drawl is met by silence, the reek of burned flesh filling the surprisingly large antechamber within Genoveva's Palacio. A long and sturdy chain hung down from the ceiling, the beshadowed figure dangling from their wrists where they had been strung up. Large craters dotted the white marble room, smoke still rising from them though no source of fire can be spotted.

A frown graces Genoveva's face as she reaches up to wipe her brow with the back of her arm, swiping away the sweat there even as her eyes return to their normal-'slitted' appearance that most people found so very unsettling. The Primera's normal sleeveless vest had been discarded in favor of the normal jacket that arrancar tended to favor, mostly to avoid the necessity of having to wash her favored garment any more then it needed to be.

"...Please..."

"Eh? Still kickin'? Good fer you! Yer times 'most up..ya hold on anuder ten minutes and yer golden!" Genoveva says, entirely too happily, as the body sways back and forth in mid-air, feet lifted up off of the ground. A mocking smirk comes to the Primera's face as she resumes her new training regime...

Ten minutes later and her punching bag was almost unrecognizable as a human form, partly because the desperate arrancar had released mid-beating in a bid to escape and partly because the escape had failed and Genoveva had continued what she was doing. Whistling a jaunty tune to herself, the Primera wipes the sweat from her brow again. It takes some time to find another denizen of her district who didn't flee on sight from her long enough to relay her demands.

"Tell da Ghost's brood Ah need ta speak ta Daddy."

[Kuroimaken]

Serazel was mostly silent when Mei spoke of how she felt. He... didn't exactly understand what she meant, to be honest, but he didn't want to speak of it. His face was pretty much asking of it in his place, though.

It wasn't as though he wouldn't have appreciated enjoying the pleasantries of being in Mei's arms. But unlike Ruwa or Ivaz, he didn't think of himself as having earned that. He was, perhaps, a touch too serious for his own good.

At the very least, Mei would probably amuse herself seeing in how many different ways she could embarass him.

[Draken]

Genoveva

"..."

"'ey...ya gots all silent on meh. Ah didn't kill ya yet, have Ah?" The irate drawl is met by silence, the reek of burned flesh filling the surprisingly large antechamber within Genoveva's Palacio. A long and sturdy chain hung down from the ceiling, the beshadowed figure dangling from their wrists where they had been strung up. Large craters dotted the white marble room, smoke still rising from them though no source of fire can be spotted.

A frown graces Genoveva's face as she reaches up to wipe her brow with the back of her arm, swiping away the sweat there even as her eyes return to their normal-'slitted' appearance that most people found so very unsettling. The Primera's normal sleeveless vest had been discarded in favor of the normal jacket that arrancar tended to favor, mostly to avoid the necessity of having to wash her favored garment any more then it needed to be.

"...Please..."

"Eh? Still kickin'? Good fer you! Yer times 'most up..ya hold on anuder ten minutes and yer golden!" Genoveva says, entirely too happily, as the body sways back and forth in mid-air, feet lifted up off of the ground. A mocking smirk comes to the Primera's face as she resumes her new training regime...

Ten minutes later and her punching bag was almost unrecognizable as a human form, partly because the desperate arrancar had released mid-beating in a bid to escape and partly because the escape had failed and Genoveva had continued what she was doing. Whistling a jaunty tune to herself, the Primera wipes the sweat from her brow again. It takes some time to find another denizen of her district who didn't flee on sight from her long enough to relay her demands.

"Tell da Ghost's brood Ah need ta speak ta Daddy."

An arrancar enters the room just as Genoveva makes her request.

"My name is Malak, Genoveva. It can't be that hard to remember."

"What do you want?"

[Frozen_Feet]

"I'm happy now, I'm just not content." Canguro explained, picking up the cup of tea, looking it over curiously before taking a sip.

"Maybe I'm still not use to really living in the city yet... just feel like the stronger I get, the less likely something will try to eat me."

Lalita sits besides his mahogany table and absent-mindedly sips his own tea. A hint of disappointment has again appeared on his face. For a moment, the fair man just stays silent.

"... I don't think that will be the case, Miss", he finally says. "You won't have much less people trying to eat you - just many more that are less likely to succeed." He finishes his tea and stands up.

"But enough of that. Your leg should be in perfect condition within a week - maybe earlier, it really depends on your vitality, Miss." He offers his hand to pull Canguro up from the bed. "If you're still uncustomed to city life, maybe you can come with me to train in the desert for a while. But before that, would you like me to show the other residents of this good palace?"

[Lord_Asmodeus]

Amore had not been in Las Noches long. He was still a ways away from getting used to the great City of Hollows, and it was hard for him to break his old habits. Slipping about the city quietly, trying to escape the notice of those potentially more powerful than himself, he wanders with wide eyed wonder about the Palacio of the Segunda Espada. He still could not quite believe that he was here. That he was an Arrancar.

[Callos_DeTerran]

An arrancar enters the room just as Genoveva makes her request.

"My name is Malak, Genoveva. It can't be that hard to remember."

"What do you want?"

Genoveva

The Primera shrugs as the arrancar enters and speaks to her in such a tone, already smiling fully once more.

"Aren't ya all inner-changeable or sumthin'? Coulda swore if ya disappeared one of yer six brood siblings could just fill the slot. Makes 'memberin' yer name seem like an unnecessary hassle to me." Never mind the fact she had just told Malak that he was about as unique as sand in Hueco Mundo. "Tell yer pop Ah'm goin' ta replinish mah stock of prisoners soon. See if 'e wants a lil' take-out. Now off with ye."

To add salt to the injury, she makes a dismissive gesture at the, technically, prince in the same manner one would dismiss a bell-hop or waiter.

[Draken]

"We like to think each of us has our positions due to specific qualities, but thanks for remembering how underappreciated our presences are."

"The King of Hollows has nothing to add or detract from your goal, do as you will."

Malak sneers at the gesture and leaves the presence of the primera without further word.

[Edge]

((Have Steilos' okay for this.))

[Arena Fight]


As Roux twists the shard in Apolinar's leg, he'll find Apolinar has been trying to lock the twisting arm. After locking the joint, he twists, making a spirited attempt to snap it. At the same time he attempts to flip Roux over, so that the Numeros is lying on his other arm -the one trying to claw out the General's throat - and face-down on the floor.

Apolinar felt a twinge of triumph as the arm Roux had been using to wield the shard broke under the pressure he applied. Seeking to take advantage of the pain his opponent was feeling, he attempted to flip the Numero.

Except that Roux wasn't in (much) pain.

As the Privaron moved to initiate the flip, Roux brought a knee crashing into the General's groin. Apolinar's face went red with fury, but instinct made him go on the defensive, giving Roux a chance to slip out of his opponent's grip.

As Apolinar struggled to his feet, the Numero paced back and forth, his right arm hanging limply at his side, a jagged section of his humerus protruding from the flesh of his upper arm. Roux let out a growl from his cracked mask fragment, taking a moment to spit out the few fragments that had fallen into his mouth.

The General took the time to regain his composure and recover his weapon from the site of the grapple. The anger that had earlier been so present on his face had been forcefully reduced to a look of mere annoyance.

"C'mon. Bring it, tough guy."

Apolinar lunged forward with a largely incoherent battlecry, leading his assault with piercing tip of his halberd. Roux sidestepped the attack, turning to leave only his right side presented to his opponent, but Apolinar simply swept his weapon towards the Numero in an arc.

Roux back-pedalled to avoid the blow, but the tip of the Privaron's weapon caught him lightly across the stomach. The Numero mentally chided himself before taking advantage of the continued momentum of Apolinar's attack to launch his own, a flurry of snap kicks and roundhouses that forced the Privaron to back up.

This is getting tedious.

The general vanished from in front of his opponent in a burst of sonido, only to reappear at his back, his halberd already in motion.

The polearm's haft met the Numero's left leg and both combatants felt the bone crack and give way. Roux snarled and tried to twist round to face his opponent, but ultimately it only left looking up at him from the sand on the arena floor. The General pointed his zanpakutou at Roux's neck.

"Fine. I yield."

--------

[Skybox]

Aléjandro raises an eyebrow behind his mask.

"Oho? They're finished?"

[Steilos]

((Changed writing style, because it was previously a confusing wall of text.))

Apolinar's halberd remained at Roux' throat for a few seconds.

"Very well. I accept your surrender. Garoux, was it? I shall remember that name."

The general removes his weapon and turns to walk away. His sudden shift towards civility may surprise Roux, but Apolinar doesn't really notice or care about his reaction.

"There is room for people like you in the Ciudad Baja, Numero. In the meantime, this is where I take my leave."

Almost as an afterthought he grabs a nearby shard of bone, splinters it in half, and tosses a splinter back to Roux, and walked out of earshot. Roux's leg was broken, he could figure out what to do with it... Apolinar normally didn't hold for helping people out, but forcing Roux to drag himself through the sand was a level of gloating and humiliation that the Privaron didn't often go for.

"...Is that it? No one else left? They can't have all left the arena..."

[Terry576]

Cecilia calls out to Apolinar.

"Don't worry Polly, just wait for my Fraccion to bring Zeiko back!

I WILL NOT LET HIM SURRENDER! REAL ARRANCAR FIGHT!"

[Dorizzit]

Fortunato looks coolly over at Cecilia.

"Your champion left the arena; I believe that disqualifies him from the contest."

[Terry576]

Cecilia pouts.

"Fine. Be that way.

I'll beat up Zeiko by myself! On fair terms! You'll see!

Or won't, I'm fairly lax, and he's not part of my sector anyway."

[Dorizzit]

Fortunato smiles unpleasantly.

"Oh yes, quite fair, I'm sure."

[InyutheBeatIs]

When Pico learns of his victory, he stands up. He then does something that not many people would expect...he applaudes Apolinar. He starts with a slow clap, speeding up the clap until he starts hooting and hollering, the smile on his face growing more and more smug.

"WOOOOOH!! NICE ONE!! HAHAHA!!"

[Terry576]

Cecilia nods determinedly.

"Yes! I'll won't release! Or use my sword! That's fair!"

[Dorizzit]

Fortunato snorts derisively at Cecilia's concept of "fair," but cares little about Zeiko's fate and has no interest in needling Cecilia further. Instead, he looks over at Pico.

"Enjoying yourself?"

[InyutheBeatIs]

Fortunato snorts derisively at Cecilia's concept of "fair," but cares little about Zeiko's fate and has no interest in needling Cecilia further. Instead, he looks over at Pico.

"Enjoying yourself?"

Pico looks at Fortunato with a smug, mirthful grin, and a malicious gleam in his eye. "Of course I am. I just won on so many levels just now." At this point, he reaches into his fancy coat, and pulls out a cigar. He then strikes a match and lights it. "Wan' one?"

[Terry576]

Cecilia starts writing calculations in the sky.

"Let's see... If I remove the variables of "x" and "y", x being my resurrecion, and y being my sword, and Zeiko starts with his release, then a value of "q" determines if I can win, but "q" can vary if I use any abilities...

Oh screw it, I'll just pound the snot out of him."

[Dorizzit]

Fortunato holds up a hand and smiles thinly.

"I can't stomach the smoke."

[InyutheBeatIs]

Pico shrugs, and chuckles. "Sshuit yershelf, den." He says that still with the cigar in his mouth, puffing a couple of times before grabbing it and letting out a draw of smoke.

"I think this is gonna be a real good day..." A smirk crosses Pico's face.

[Dorizzit]

Fortunato leans back, and his smile fading to a somewhat patronizing smirk.

"Be careful what you say. You never know when you might have a run of bad luck."

[Terry576]

Cecilia gets up, stretching.

"By the Nine Ghosts, I'm cramped."

She grins at the Fortunato and Pico.

"Which one of you lovely boys would like to accompany me on a glorious hunt?"

[InyutheBeatIs]

Pico grins and looks to Cecilia. "I can head with ya." He then looks back to Fortunato with a sarcastic look in his eyes, as if to say "you were saying?".

He then takes a few more puffs from his cigar.

[Dorizzit]

Fortunato's patronizing expression changes not at all at Pico's look. He stands slowly, his cloak closing around his body as he does so.

"I'd come, but I have more important things to being doing. You kids have fun."

He vanishes using Sonído, reappearing on the floor of the arena near Apolinar.

"A magnificent showing, General. Congratulations on your victory."

He blurs away once more, this time leaving the arena entirely.

[Terry576]

Cecilia grins at Pico, and vanishes, leaving a scribbled note.

"TO THE MIDDLE OF Nowhere SOMEPLACE! Meet outside LN.~Cecilia"

[InyutheBeatIs]

Cecilia grins at Pico, and vanishes, leaving a scribbled note.

"TO THE MIDDLE OF Nowhere SOMEPLACE! Meet outside LN.~Cecilia"

Pico looks at the note and grins. "Well now, this should be interesting." He looks to Amada. "Looks like we're heading home, kid." He shoots a glance to Sereg. "Yo Sereg!! Feel free to take the beer that's left."

Pico then opens up a garganta, and picks up Amada, whether she likes it or not. Pico then walks into the garganta, dissappearing without a word of courtesy to anyone.

[Pico's Palacio]

They soon arrive at the Palacio, namely at Pico's suite, right next to his bed. The man himself dumps Amada rather unceremoniously onto it, though not necessarily aiming to hurt her. Plus, the bed is rather fluffy and comfy, so it's a soft landing. "Oh, and don't worry about paperwork or any of that crap. I'll have Percivel take care of your share." He practically rips off the solid metal choker that had been at his neck for some time. He then takes off his coat, revealing a popped-collar black shirt. "Take the time to relax, hang out. Hell, you can hang around here, even. Bring some guy in you like, get some wine, do stuff. Whatever, just have some fun." At this point, his voice is coming from a rather fancy, if oddly decorated bathroom. He soon arrives in his normal outfit. Fur-collered white coat with a black cloth choker, and white leather pants with a black linear design on the sides. Before Amada can have a chance to protest, he ruffles her hair. "Relax, I'll be fine." And then, he was gone, the only sign of his leaving being an electric whine and a small sonic boom...

[Outside Las Noches]

Pico soon arrives outside Las Noches, hoping to find Cecilia.

[Terry576]

Cecilia crouches behind a rock, totally obvious.

It's the only plastic rock in Hueco Mundo.

[InyutheBeatIs]

Cecilia crouches behind a rock, totally obvious.

It's the only plastic rock in Hueco Mundo.

Pico looks at it, and sighs audibly. "You know, if you don't wanna hunt with me, you should just say it instead of hiding behind a plastic rock..."

[Kayne650]

Caiphus, hearing all of noise from the arena, looked up from Zeiko's fallen form to Cecilia and Pico leaving the arena.

The fight must have already finished. Caiphus thought, somewhat wantonly. This meant that he had taken too much time in beating Zeiko. He hoped that this didn't put him in Cecilia's bad graces, but she'd probably forgotten who Zeiko was by now anyway. He turned to his fallen foe.

"Count yourself lucky today, boy. The fight is already over, so you're off the hook. But you have earned my ire for insulting my lady; that is a slight I shall not soon forget."

And with that, Caiphus vanished in a crackle of Sonido, off to look for Cecilia. He wasn't sure if he trusted her alone with Pico. He may only be the Decima, but he was trouble; Caiphus was sure of it.

He found her easily enough. Always the same fake rock. He wondered why she even bothered hiding at all when her reiatsu made her a beacon for about a thousand yards. "My lady," Caiphus began. "I believe you mentioned something about a hunt?"

[Steilos]

When Fortunato sonidos to Apolinar, congratulates him, and flits off again, Apolinar just shrugs and heads for the exit. Completely ignoring Pico's applause, he stamps out of the arena in an even fouler mood than when he entered.

"That was crap."

Apolinar sonidoes off back to Ciudad Baja, nearly killing a recruit on the training fields as he zips past. Soon he was standing in front of a batch of raw recruits, whose lives he was going to make hell. Business as usual in the Undercity.

[Terry576]

Pico looks at it, and sighs audibly. "You know, if you don't wanna hunt with me, you should just say it instead of hiding behind a plastic rock..."

Cecilia snickers.

"I'm well aware. Come on, race ya!"

She speeds off to the north.

[InyutheBeatIs]

Pico chuckles, then looks at Caiphus before, crouching, as though to lift off of the ground. "Keep up if you can!" With an electric whine, Pico gives chase to Cecilia.

[Kayne650]

Pico chuckles, then looks at Caiphus before, crouching, as though to lift off of the ground. "Keep up if you can!" With an electric whine, Pico gives chase to Cecilia.

Caiphus had been considering heading back. After all, Caos Encarnado wasn't going to run itself, no matter how much Caiphus wanted it to. But then, Pico challenged him. Sonido was one of his best attributes. He wouldn't lose. Caiphus took off after them.

[Viera Champion]

Zeiko blinks as Caiphus leaves. Struggling to sit up.

[Zerkai]

Lalita sits besides his mahogany table and absent-mindedly sips his own tea. A hint of disappointment has again appeared on his face. For a moment, the fair man just stays silent.

"... I don't think that will be the case, Miss", he finally says. "You won't have much less people trying to eat you - just many more that are less likely to succeed." He finishes his tea and stands up.

"But enough of that. Your leg should be in perfect condition within a week - maybe earlier, it really depends on your vitality, Miss." He offers his hand to pull Canguro up from the bed. "If you're still uncustomed to city life, maybe you can come with me to train in the desert for a while. But before that, would you like me to show the other residents of this good palace?"

"I guess you're right... the 'less likely to suceed' part sounds appealing though." Canguro downed the rest of her tea, setting it down on the stand as she took his hand to stand up, wincing a little

"Training sounds good, once my legs are fixed up... I wouldn't mind seeing who else's staying here while I recover."

[strawberryman]

[Cuarta Sector]

In her wanderings, Ruwa eventually reaches the Cuarta's part of the city. She stops after entering the boundaries, looking thoughtful. ...I wonder if Alejandro-sama knows anything about what I'm feeling... For a moment, she considers this...

Then nods, pressing onward.

[Edge]

[Middle of Nowhere]


Despite Eriku's grand explanation when he returned his gaze to Gwen he saw her back as she continued walking. He heard a loud gulp as she finished the last of the food. "Ahhh... Oh, I'm Gwen Pryce" She said, remembering that she heard something about him asking her name, she couldn't really recall. "This was really good. Thanks, umm... Eriku" She says as she struggled to remember his name, handing the container back to the loquacious gentleman whom she had ignored.

Eriku's left cheek twitches slightly. He was not used to be being ignored.

"Y-you are most welcome, Gwen. Perhaps we should continue onward to the city? Keep moving, avoid any unnecessary attention, et cetera?"

-------

[Arena]
Roux did little in response to Apolinar's offers other than glare. He ignored the bone thrown his way, and hobbled out of the arena under his own power, his broken leg apparently not causing him much in the way of pain.

[Skybox]
Aléjandro sighed and rose from his seat.

"Well, it passed the time I suppose."

With that, the Cuarta vanished in a burst of sonido, reappearing several seconds later in front of the limping Roux.

"Do you require assistance, Lobosolo?"

"S'fine. I've had worse."

"As you wish. When you're ready, come find me and we shall visit his Majesty to discuss the favour I owe you for your services."

The Numero spat blood and a few broken shards of teeth.

"Fine." he said curtly, before limping off to a doctor he knew he could trust.

Aléjandro sighed, and began sonidoing back towards his sector, slowing to his normal walking speed as he enters the Cuprum Quarter, pulling out a battered book to read as he does so.

[strawberryman]

[Cuarta Sector]

Ruwa twitches as she recognizes Alejandro's reiatsu moving into the sector. She picks up her pace to catch him... And, assuming Alejandro doesn't go to any lengths to avoid the fraccion, his path soon crosses hers, as she stands in front of him, looking troubled (which might be slightly odd, considering her usually bubbly countenance).

"...Alejandro-sssama..." She bows deeply. "...isss there any chance I could ssspeak with you?"

[Edge]

[Cuarta's Sector]
Aléjandro raises looks up from his book and blinks upon seeing Ruwa.

"You're one of Mei's lot, aren't you? ... Ruwa, is it?"

He sighs and closes his book, returning it to the pocket from whence it came.

"You're lucky I wasn't terribly involved with anything. Go on, what is it you desire to converse about?"

[strawberryman]

[Cuarta Sector]

Ruwa nods, doing her best to keep a respectful, deferential stance in relation to Alejandro. "W-well... I know you like booksss... Ssso..." She shuffles her feet a little.

"...Normally, I've been okay with having ssstrictly physssical relationssshipsss to get what I wanted... but... I'm the Fraccion to an Essspada who I don't really care about, assside from that ssshe givesss me whatever I want... But I want more. And yet... not. Do you know why?..." She blinks. "...Isss thisss what heartache feelsss like? Or love? What isss love, anyway?..."

[Edge]

Aléjandro freezes for several seconds before, of all things, chuckling. It isn't a pleasant noise, sounding forced and hollow.

"What a... a fascinating question. Come, walk with me."

Without waiting for a reply, Aléjandro begins walking towards his Palacio.

"I may be the worst possible person to ask such a question of, Ruwa. I feel little in the way of emotion, and ignore what remnants I have left of it in favour of reason and logic. As far as I am concerned, love is little more than series of chemical reactions firing within one's neurons."

The Cuarta falls silent for a period, before suddenly resuming speech.

"However, one man's opinion, even if empirically and logically supported, is not necessarily fact. Mortals have been toying with this question for millennia, if not longer, and many works have been written on the subject. Ruwa - to answer your question, I must do something that I personally have never done before."

[strawberryman]

Ruwa nervously keeps pace after Alejandro, listening intently. She blinks at the last bit of the Espada's response. ...oh no, am I going to take his virginity? ...No, how could someone like him... Why did he have to make it so vague? Is he going to get mad if I ask? ...The suspense is killing me!

"...You aren't asssking me to sssleep with you, are you?" Ruwa instantly flinches after letting her thoughts out loud.

[Edge]

"No, no, no. Nothing so... crass. What this forces me to do is much, much worse." he says, his voice darkening.

"To answer your question, Ruwa, I am going to have to unlock the Romance and Poetry floors of the Grand Library."

[Draken]

An ominous thunder claps in the otherwise clear sky of the dome of Las Noches.

[Las Noches Weather Control]

An arrancar gets kicked in the face for falling asleep on the "Thunderstorm" button.

[strawberryman]

"...oh." Ruwa's face flushes red from embarrassment. "...okay."

...I am so stupid. And dead.

[Edge]

"Let us hurry, then. I'd rather get this deed over and done with."

[Callos_DeTerran]

Genoveva

Malak's presence went entirely un-noticed after he gave his message, the Primera chuckling to herself about some inside joke as she went to put back on her traditional sleeveless vest. Getting a good work out always seemed to do wonders for the Primera's mood, especially when developing a new skill with which to torment her enemies...which reminded her...

=====================

Segunda's Palace

Genoveva arrives at Edward's palace about as abruptly as she had left her own, sniffing the air curiously before her noise curls with distaste. It was always too...flowery in Edward's sector, like a mortal flower-shop or something. Instead of bothering to try and find her 'prey' by some more subtle method, Genoveva places her finger on the ground and sends out a pulse of her unique reiatsu sense to locate her target.

It takes a couple of minutes for the pulse to return, but by the time it has Genoveva was already on the move...

...To abruptly come through one of the walls where Lalita was having his chat with Canguro, smiling like a fiend as she did so.

"Hey you." the Primera says un-helpfully, looking at them both in equal measure, "Ah wanna see what ya got. Capiche?"

[strawberryman]

Ruwa nods, figuring it best if she didn't speak any more, and just follows Alejandro.

...At least this doesn't mean I have to sleep with him. He's probably mean. I've heard a few things about his rule... She blinks. ...though if he asks for something in return...

[Viera Champion]

Zeiko blinks up at the sky.
Was that thunder?

[Shades of Gray]

[Middle of Nowhere]

Eriku's left cheek twitches slightly. He was not used to be being ignored.

"Y-you are most welcome, Gwen. Perhaps we should continue onward to the city? Keep moving, avoid any unnecessary attention, et cetera?"

The arrancar nodded. "That sounds good." In truth, the arrancar never had to worry about unnecessary attention. The only people she had ever dealt with, for the most part, have been food. "So have you been to the city before? What's it like?"

[Draken]

[Throne Room]

Some peace and quiet, just what any tyrannical overlord wants, a few hours to themselves, to get their toughts in order.

Or in this particular case, other's toughts, as Von Geister runs through Gralster's memories of the combat between the Janitor and the students, his eyes closed and his head lazily supported by one hand.

But soon enough, the memories end, not unlike a movie, and his free hand reaches for something besides the throne, coming to rest on something large, which is not quite a sphere, and beating ever so slowly, with a life of its own.

And then, without much warning, the egg cracks and the king helps pieces of the shell off, driving his hand in to pull a small creature, not unlike a white bird, which he brings up to eye level, and then throws into the air, after which the small being takes wing through the space between worlds.

[Lord_Asmodeus]

[Cuarta Sector]

Caballos notices the return of Alejandro, and ceases his training, glad that his leader has not changed since he left on his mission. Quickly donning the top half of his uniform, he leaves in a dignified haste from his own quarters, and quickly travels to Alejandro's location.

Upon arrival, he bows before his Espada leader. "Sir, I have returned from my mission and am ready to report on my findings."

[Frozen_Feet]

"I guess you're right... the 'less likely to suceed' part sounds appealing though." Canguro downed the rest of her tea, setting it down on the stand as she took his hand to stand up, wincing a little

"Training sounds good, once my legs are fixed up... I wouldn't mind seeing who else's staying here while I recover."

"I think we should start with Amore Love", Lalita replies. "He's someone else I introduced to my good Master in the past. Very pleasent man, if a bit shy. I'm sure you two..." While Canguro might guess the rest, she'll never actually hear it, as Lalita is cut off by Primera barging in through the wall.



"Hey you." the Primera says un-helpfully, looking at them both in equal measure, "Ah wanna see what ya got. Capiche?"

Lalita is already in motion before Genoveva says her first word. He bolts up and kicks the heavy table towards Primera without a word. Before the silver tray and all its beautiful contents hit the ground and shatter with a mournful crash, he's already grabbed Canguro by her waist and carrying her through the throne room door as fast as he can.

[nothingclever]

Some time ago Edward wordlessly left the arena and hastily began his return to his domain. He found the drama that had unfolded tedious and wished to quickly find something to take his mind off it. Perhaps he would pay Canguro a visit, wherever she was...

OOC: Feel free to include/exclude Edward from the current scene in his area.

[Zerkai]

Lalita is already in motion before Genoveva says her first word. He bolts up and kicks the heavy table towards Primera without a word. Before the silver tray and all its beautiful contents hit the ground and shatter with a mournful crash, he's already grabbed Canguro by her waist and carrying her through the throne room door as fast as he can.

Canguro blinked, looking surprised as the Primera broke down the wall, seemingly wanting to fight. She raised a hand, about to comment on her condition until she was swept up by Lalita and carried off.

"Eep!? Geez, not a moments rest..."

[Callos_DeTerran]

Genoveva

There's a lot of ways someone could react to the sudden appearance of someone like the Primera anywhere in their vicinity. Attacking was definitely one of the poorer options, while running was certainly valid. That didn't mean the sudden table throw wasn't any less surprising though, because of all the forms of attack...a table didn't really rank up there.

Which was probably why it slammed against a startled looking Genoveva's face, though to little effect considering...well hierro, but it definitely bought Canguro and Lalita a couple more moments to flee.

Until the Primera shoves the table aside and levels a hand at the two...prompting a yellow rectangle of force to materialize around the two, the only opening back towards a more then slightly irate Primera. The technique was easily recognizable though, Negacion. It's MEANT to be used to rescue beleaguered troops.

"Vat de hellz iz your problem, pretty voy?" the Primera grumbles, reaching up to brush some shattered pottery out of her hair and off her face.

[Frozen_Feet]

Lalita skids to halt. He had hoped to get into the throne room, where there would've been more room, and maybe to throw Canguro out of a window too so she'd be out of the harms way, at least for a second.

For tenth of a second, Lalita laments that his master isn't present, though he isn't sure if Edward would actually save him instead of swooning over Genoveva.

As they stand facing the impenetrable yellow barrier, Canguro will feel an uncomfortable heat singing her side. If she looks at what's causing it, she'll see a bright crimson swirl gathering in Lalita's palm, hidden from Genoveva's view by her body.

Then, the brief moment of suspense ends, as Lalita whirls around on his heels as fast as he can and throws his palm forwards, shooting a wide jet of burning energy against Primera's face. His legs tense as he leaps forward in desperate attempt to vault over her.

"You."

[Kuroimaken]

"YO, EIS-CHAN! LONG TIME NO SEE!"

The voice that poured into the throne room from the door sounded familiar to the Ghost King, despite being almost as old as himself. It was a voice filled with strange, youthful vigor for its age. Like someone who hadn't grown old at heart like he had.

It belonged to a tall, lightly muscled Arrancar. He wore a black vest of some sort that ended in a white furred collar, but left a square of flesh free over the chest, where a massive, star-shaped scar could be seen, and a choker made of his mask fragments, which made it look like he had a jaw clenched over his throat. On his wrists, bracelets not unlike large shackles made of black metal. His lower torso was covered in black leather pants that ended in equally black, calf-high, steel toed combat boots. The Arrancar in question looked to be no older than 25, maybe 30 years old in mortal years. He sported wild, spiky, short-length gray hair, a very toothy grin with pronounced canine fangs, and his murderous gold eyes seemed fixed on the figure of the Ghost King.

And he was walking right into his throne room, without a care in the world...

[Draken]

And right into a plated tentacle rising from the ground into what could easily compare to a groin kick.

"Chan" is not an acceptable term to refer to Erscheinung Von Geister.

[Kuroimaken]

Lucky him, Hierro isn't something that doesn't cover the groin. Doesn't mean he's not startled quite a little bit by what would have meant a lot of pain or instant death to many.

"Sheesh, Geister. It's been several millennia since you've left me for dead and you still can't take a joke! Simmer down, willya?"

The braggart Arrancar chuckled slightly.

"Honestly, it wouldn't kill you to grow a sense of humor. Hell knows you grow a lot of much creepier things."

[Zerkai]

"You know... I'm starting to think this city isn't very different from the outside." Canguro said nonchalantly as Lalita carried her, blinking as the Primera used a Negacion to corner them. She turned and looked back at the Primera, wincing a bit at the uncomfortable heat coming from Lalita's hand.

Feeling like she should do something instead of just being luggage, she opened her mouth, green energy gathering in a small orb of reiatsu forming in her mouth. When Lalita jumped to leap over Genoveva, she turned her head to look behind them and at the Negacion as she fired off a green cero from her mouth, hitting it Negacion in an attempt to propel them away from the Primera faster.

[Terry576]

Cecilia stops running in the middle of nowhere.

Several Adjuchas meander about.

Cecilia grins, giddy.

"Lunchtime!"

[Kayne650]

Cecilia stops running in the middle of nowhere.

Several Adjuchas meander about.

Cecilia grins, giddy.

"Lunchtime!"

Caiphus stopped beside her. He observed the Adjuchas that Cecilia had seen, and sized them up. They didn't look terribly strong, but Adjuchas in general were not opponents to be taken lightly, at least for a Fraccion. In all likelihood, Pico and Cecilia wouldn't have much trouble with them.

Three Adjuchas. Three of them.

"One for each of us, my lady?" Caiphus asked Cecilia, wondering if she had noticed him yet.

[InyutheBeatIs]

Cecilia stops running in the middle of nowhere.

Several Adjuchas meander about.

Cecilia grins, giddy.

"Lunchtime!"

Pico slides next to her, and grins when he spots their prey. "I'll cut the big guy outta the herd, here. You can take him out then, but wait until I've got the big guy out."

Pico then points to the adjuchas in question, a gigantic hulk of a hollow that has to be 12 feet tall at least. Within a second, a field is generated around the adjuchas, causing it to look like it's in black and white monotone, with thin cracks all over it that are barely noticable even up close. This causes some alarm to the other adjuchas, causing Pico to stand up in a hurry. "NOW!"

With an electric whine, Pico sends a punch one of the smaller adjuchas's way.

[Kayne650]

Pico slides next to her, and grins when he spots their prey. "I'll cut the big guy outta the herd, here. You can take him out then, but wait until I've got the big guy out."

Pico then points to the adjuchas in question, a gigantic hulk of a hollow that has to be 12 feet tall at least. Within a second, a field is generated around the adjuchas, causing it to look like it's in black and white monotone, with thin cracks all over it that are barely noticable even up close. This causes some alarm to the other adjuchas, causing Pico to stand up in a hurry. "NOW!"

With an electric whine, Pico sends a punch one of the smaller adjuchas's way.

So, that was Pico's ability. What was it he called it? He couldn't remember what it was called, but that hardly mattered. It seemed very interesting.

Caiphus looked to Cecilia. "Which would you prefer to take, my lady?"

[Terry576]

Cecilia looks around, then grins and dives at a smaller Adjuchas then Pico's.

She grabs it by the neck, and bites into it.

Looking up from her now limp prey, her face covered in blood, she grins again.

"Delicious."

[InyutheBeatIs]

As for Pico, he pretty much punched the Adjuchas he was attacking a new Hollow Hole. No, I'm being serious here, his arm is literally going through the Adjuchas's body. Pico then looks at the large Adjuchas, who is now beginning to run away as fast as he can. "Yo CAIPHUS!! Your prey is getting away!"

[Kayne650]

As for Pico, he pretty much punched the Adjuchas he was attacking a new Hollow Hole. No, I'm being serious here, his arm is literally going through the Adjuchas's body. Pico then looks at the large Adjuchas, who is now beginning to run away as fast as he can. "Yo CAIPHUS!! Your prey is getting away!"

Caiphus grinned. "No, Pico-san. I'm merely making sure that I have room for this." Caiphus responded. He waited until the Adjuchas was precisely 50 meters away before performing this, knowing that he'd need the room for it.

Charging a Cero in his right hand, Caiphus shot a Bala straight in front of himself, creating a smokescreen so that the Adjuchas wouldn't see his angle of approach, which, ironically enough, would be directly in front of it. Caiphus Sonido'd straight ahead to grab the head of the Adjuchas and release the Cero while continuing his movement. When he stopped, he held only about a quarter of the Adjuchas' head; the rest had been vaporised by the point-blank Cero.

Looking at his work, he brought it back to Pico and Cecilia, having already consumed half on the way there. Oddly enough, the lower half of his face was still covered by his mask. It was anyone's guess whether he'd taken it off to eat or simply eaten through it somehow.

[Draken]

Lucky him, Hierro isn't something that doesn't cover the groin. Doesn't mean he's not startled quite a little bit by what would have meant a lot of pain or instant death to many.

"Sheesh, Geister. It's been several millennia since you've left me for dead and you still can't take a joke! Simmer down, willya?"

The braggart Arrancar chuckled slightly.

"Honestly, it wouldn't kill you to grow a sense of humor. Hell knows you grow a lot of much creepier things."

"I have a sense of humor, and I can take a joke. If I couldn't, you can be sure the skin on your face would be melting down as we speak."

Von Geister pushes the empty eggshell to the back end of the throne room, before bringing his hands together.

"What brings you here?"

[InyutheBeatIs]

Caiphus grinned. "No, Pico-san. I'm merely making sure that I have room for this." Caiphus responded. He waited until the Adjuchas was precisely 50 meters away before performing this, knowing that he'd need the room for it.

Charging a Cero in his right hand, Caiphus shot a Bala straight in front of himself, creating a smokescreen so that the Adjuchas wouldn't see his angle of approach, which, ironically enough, would be directly in front of it. Caiphus Sonido'd straight ahead to grab the head of the Adjuchas and release the Cero while continuing his movement. When he stopped, he held only about a quarter of the Adjuchas' head; the rest had been vaporised by the point-blank Cero.

Looking at his work, he brought it back to Pico and Cecilia, having already consumed half on the way there. Oddly enough, the lower half of his face was still covered by his mask. It was anyone's guess whether he'd taken it off to eat or simply eaten through it somehow.

Pico was busy taking his arm out of his prey's corpse when Caiphus did that. He seemed pretty impressed overall. He was trying to chow on some of his prey, when Caiphus drug his back to them. "Nice one." Pico then held his hand up "By the way, one little thing..." He then moved in front of Caiphus, getting within a hair's breadth of his face. "Don't. Ever. Call me 'Pico-san'. Again." Leaving that in the air, he then grabs the corpse that Caiphus had and threw it into a pile with the other two. "So now what?"

[Kayne650]

Pico was busy taking his arm out of his prey's corpse when Caiphus did that. He seemed pretty impressed overall. He was trying to chow on some of his prey, when Caiphus drug his back to them. "Nice one." Pico then held his hand up "By the way, one little thing..." He then moved in front of Caiphus, getting within a hair's breadth of his face. "Don't. Ever. Call me 'Pico-san'. Again." Leaving that in the air, he then grabs the corpse that Caiphus had and threw it into a pile with the other two. "So now what?"

What an overdramatic reaction, Caiphus thought to himself. So, he not only disliked being referred to as an equal, but apparently felt a deep animosity towards such actions. It was in some ways understandable. A lack of respect in Hueco Mundo usually led to a person being usurped, and Pico was at the bottom of the food chain of Espada. Still, it was an easy way to rile him. That was a fact to file away for later use.

Outwardly, Caiphus stayed quiet. The Espada would decide on the next activity. He did look at Cecilia, though. It was as if she were trying to distract herself. Probably from thoughts of this "Elder" person.

But who was Elder? Why did Cecilia feel that she needed to find it? Why had she never mentioned Elder before? And most importantly, who in Hueco Mundo would know who Elder was?

No...there was one person. A self-professed scholar that Caiphus knew of, with whom he had stood at the arena. Perhaps he might know something.

"My lady," Caiphus began suddenly, "I am afraid that I have urgent business awaiting me in Caos Encarnado. Forgive me, but I must take my leave."

[Kuroimaken]

"I have a sense of humor, and I can take a joke. If I couldn't, you can be sure the skin on your face would be melting down as we speak."

Von Geister pushes the empty eggshell to the back end of the throne room, before bringing his hands together.

"What brings you here?"

"Why, I came here to cut off your arms and legs, slowly torture each of your subordinates one by one, then burn you down and piss on your corpse, naturally."

It's clear that he is, once again, joking.

"But then I realized all the hard work you put into this place. I don't think I'd be able to pull off the same given that much time, Ecchan. My hat would be off to you, if I wore a hat. Simply put, this looks like a great place to live. Which brings me to my change of plans."

At this point, Rouga gave an exaggerated bow. Followed by a patented Wright finger-point.

"I'm going to work for you. Even if I could take your throne away from you, I wouldn't have the means to keep your kingdom intact. And that'd be an effin' shame.

Let's get one thing straight though - you're the only one I respond to, because you've got my respect. Anyone gives me crap about being the new guy, I ain't stopping unless you order me to.

And I get to call you Ecchan. I can save it for when no one else's around, though."

[Draken]

Woosh. I had the impression he was supposed to already be settled in the city, not a new arrival.

Ersch pulls himself up from his throne and begins the slow stride down the steps of the central throne room, hands clasped behind his back.

"A threat, even in jest, is a terrible thing to make. Specially when you come here to graciously request me to, basically, simply elevate you to a rank amongst my most powerful and loyal, without truly earning yourself a place there."

But... He stops midway.

"Doesn't sound fair, does it? To those scant few who have achieved sufficient power to rise prominently among their peers, including you."

[Kuroimaken]

"You know what sounds even more unfair? Me robbing you of a perfectly good servant to satisfy my whims."

There was a point, though he wasn't necessarily making it clear.

"I ain't asking to become an Espada. But I don't think I'm fit to become anyone's Fraccion. That leaves me asking for something else out of you."

Rouga scratched the back of his head.

"If I wanted to attack you, I'd have done it by now. And I'm sure memory serves - I got my whole pack to back off when we last fought. I ain't the kind to gang up on a man.

I'm making you an offer, Geister. I know it's a tempting one. I don't care how you choose to use me, as long as I get to see this place become more magnificent than it is now."

[Draken]

"Your argumentation skills are so severely lacking."

A pulse of pesquisa echoes through the ciudad baja, returning to Von Geister in but a moment.

"And I will admit you are a cut above the majority. In spite of that changing little. All citizens of Las Noches are equal in my eyes, all are given the same opportunities, based on their prowess and skills, no favorites, nothing handed freely to the undeserving."

"You don't want to be a fraccion? Very well. I will give you command of a legion of the Ciudad Baja, on par with the privaron espada, answering directly to me and to no one else."

"But you were never an espada either... So I guess that is undeserving of a number, perhaps a null value is in order. You can refer to yourself as Privaron zero zero zero. Deprived of a number, until you seek one out for yourself."

Von Geister stares down.

"Take it or not, if you care, this is non-negotiable."

[Kuroimaken]

"I'm thinking it suits me just fine, as the man who couldn't be King instead of you." Rouga shrugged. "That was exactly what I wanted anyway. The number doesn't matter, as long as I get to see how you will make Hueco Mundo flourish...

...Your Majesty."

That Rouga chose to use the appropriate address for Geister was a show of gratitude.

"Well then. I should probably look into getting myself acquainted with my legion. Unless you'd have me fulfill my first task."

[Callos_DeTerran]

"You know... I'm starting to think this city isn't very different from the outside." Canguro said nonchalantly as Lalita carried her, blinking as the Primera used a Negacion to corner them. She turned and looked back at the Primera, wincing a bit at the uncomfortable heat coming from Lalita's hand.

Feeling like she should do something instead of just being luggage, she opened her mouth, green energy gathering in a small orb of reiatsu forming in her mouth. When Lalita jumped to leap over Genoveva, she turned her head to look behind them and at the Negacion as she fired off a green cero from her mouth, hitting it Negacion in an attempt to propel them away from the Primera faster.

Genoveva

Canguro's plow does seem to throw Lalita and herself forward at least a bit faster, just was Lalita's energy blast rushes towards where Genoveva had been standing. Just to be abruptly halted in mid air, as if it'd had hit a brick wall through the truth was far more ominous. The Primera holds the cero with one hand, a frown on her slit-eyed face before she redirects the blast to the side, letting it harmlessly smash against the side of the Negacion.

Far more troublesome was the fact that Genoveva's free hand lashes out like pale lightning to snarl slender fingers in Canguro's hair, gripping it painfully tight as she digs her heels into the ground in an attempt at arrest the escape of the two.

"Go on girly-boy, 'eep runnin'! Ah'm sure da lucky rabbit foot won't mind lossin' 'er pretty head of hair!" A sharp yank punctuates Genoveva's statement, even as the other is pulled back in a clawed position as if to fire a cero of her own, "Now...ya wanna explain what's so disagreeable 'bout chattin' with lil' ol' me?"

Feel free to have Canguro escape Zeiko. :smallwink: I know the hair grab was a bit godmoddy.

[Edge]

[Cuarta's Sector]

Ruwa nods, figuring it best if she didn't speak any more, and just follows Alejandro.

...At least this doesn't mean I have to sleep with him. He's probably mean. I've heard a few things about his rule... She blinks. ...though if he asks for something in return...

"Come, time is slipping through our fingers while we dawdle."

Aléjandro then hurries toward his palacio, stopping only at the foot of the stairs in the entrance hall to wait for Ruwa to catch up.

-------------
[Middle of Nowhere]

The arrancar nodded. "That sounds good." In truth, the arrancar never had to worry about unnecessary attention. The only people she had ever dealt with, for the most part, have been food. "So have you been to the city before? What's it like?"

"I cannot say that I have, Gwen. But the rumours of the place have reached the ears of my Lord and myself, and others within our congregation. It almost sounds wonderful. Only the king of the city stands between it and the perfection of Change."

The fae/shinigami continues walking, a wry smile on his lips.

[Lord_Asmodeus]

[Cuarta Sector]

as Alejandro enters the Palacio, Caballos, who had resumed his training as he waited, made great haste to meet with him. Hurrying almost as fast as he could, which was quite fast indeed, he arrived to bow before Alejandro. "Sir, I have returned from my mission. I am prepared to brief you fully on it's successes when you are able."

[Segunda Sector]

Amore, who had been shyly awaiting to be introduced around by Lalita, noticed something strange. He began to hurry as quickly as possible over to where Lalita and Canguro were, concerned about what might be going wrong.

[Edge]

[Palacio Cuarta]

"Later, Caballos. Important, if infuriatingly emotive, philosophical problem to be solved. Leave a written report on my desk, I will ask for you if I need any clarification or explanation."

And with that, the Cuarta breezes past his Fraccion, seemingly ignoring for now.

[Lord_Asmodeus]

[Palacio Cuarta]

Caballos nods quickly "Yes sir." that said, he essentially vanishes, bouncing to and fro back to his room. As soon as he returned he began to write an exhausting report on his mission. He knew Alejandro had an eye for detail, so he left nothing out that he could remember. He would have the report ready for Alejandro before he was finished dealing with his latest quandary. Then he could once more return to his training.

[Zerkai]

[Segunda's Palacio]


Genoveva

Canguro's plow does seem to throw Lalita and herself forward at least a bit faster, just was Lalita's energy blast rushes towards where Genoveva had been standing. Just to be abruptly halted in mid air, as if it'd had hit a brick wall through the truth was far more ominous. The Primera holds the cero with one hand, a frown on her slit-eyed face before she redirects the blast to the side, letting it harmlessly smash against the side of the Negacion.

Far more troublesome was the fact that Genoveva's free hand lashes out like pale lightning to snarl slender fingers in Canguro's hair, gripping it painfully tight as she digs her heels into the ground in an attempt at arrest the escape of the two.

"Go on girly-boy, 'eep runnin'! Ah'm sure da lucky rabbit foot won't mind lossin' 'er pretty head of hair!" A sharp yank punctuates Genoveva's statement, even as the other is pulled back in a clawed position as if to fire a cero of her own, "Now...ya wanna explain what's so disagreeable 'bout chattin' with lil' ol' me?"

Feel free to have Canguro escape Zeiko. :smallwink: I know the hair grab was a bit godmoddy.

Canguro

Canguro let out a yelp as Genoveva grabbed and yanked on her hair, reaching up and placing her hands on the Primera's, trying to get her to let go. She was hitting the Primera's arm with one of her serrated armbands to no avail "Grrr... dammit, I'm not a rabbit."

OOC: I'm fine with it, though with Lalita's hand aroudn her waist and Genoveva's hand on her hair she can't do mutch, but will try to bite into the Primera's arm/hair/clothing/ and any limb withing biting reach when she can.

[strawberryman]

[Cuarta Sector]

Assuming Alejandro doesn't go at his full speed, Ruwa is able to keep up admirably. One would wonder how she manages to keep so nimble with such weight on her shoulders.

Insert rimshot here.

[Kayne650]

Caiphus

"If I may, I must take my leave," Caiphus said, speaking to Cecilia and Pico. His pensiveness had ended, and he had decided to take action. He had to find out who this Elder was, regardless of whether or not Cecilia would tell him.

Cecilia-dono, Pico-sama, if you will excuse me. Cecilia-dono, I will see you at the city later." And with that, Caiphus vanished, leaving only the crackle of Sonido.

He reappeared in Alejandro's territory, in front of the Palacio Cuarta. He had business with Vicente. After getting directions from a Numeros (being the Fraccion of one of more unbalanced Espada had its privileges), Caiphus approached Vicente's laboratory. If anyone knew who Elder was, Vicente would.

With some minor trepidation (it was never fun to approach another Fraccion in their demesnes), Caiphus knocked on the door.

[Steilos]

Apolinar was sat back at his desk sorting through papers when there was a knock on his door. The lieutenant outside was waved in and saluted smartly, before placing a letter on his desk with a quick "From His Majesty, sir" and leaving considerably faster than when he had entered.

The general carefully picks up the letter, opens it, and places the contents on the table. As he read the message his brow knotted, until he finally got to the end, a twitch barely suppressed on his face.

"You are kidding me."

[Kuroimaken]

It was likely not long after that a very brash presence made itself known close by Apolinar's office. There was no knocking on the door, but rather a very muffled "scuze me" as Rouga entered the office.

"Yo! Ecchan - I mean, His Majesty Von Geister - told me we'll be working together from now on. Pleased to meetcha."

[Steilos]

The General shot a glare like a cero at the newcomer, before rising from his seat and standing in front of his desk.

"You seem to have completely misjudged how I operate, Prvaron 000.
First, you knock before entering my office.
Second, you will address me as 'Sir.'
And thirdly, you will salute me in my presence, unless I tell you not to. Are we clear?"

The man at the door probably couldn't tell, but Apolinar was a seething cauldron of rage right now.

[Kuroimaken]

Actually, he could tell. It was just funnier to push his buttons.

"I'm going to need a new nickname to address you by."

Rouga let that sink for a couple of moments as he cleaned out his ear with his pinky, then blew on it.

"Relax. I'm still going to do my duties. You are under the command of His Majesty after all. If he says I'm supposed to obey you, then I guess I don't have a lot of choice.

Maybe I should bring some booze next time."

[Steilos]

"... The title is not negotiable. As for the rest, I expect you to be obedient above all else. You can drink all you like off duty, but whatever you call holy help you if I catch you drunk on duty."

Apolinar pulls up a seat for the Privaron and sits behind his desk.

"First things first: The only reason you are to be put in a position of authority at all is because the Ghost King said so. So I will be watching you closely.
"The legion you will be commanding is the Tenth. It has about 600 soldiers, comprised mostly of recruits, with a few regulars and the occasional veteran. Your job will be twofold: Firstly, to manage the administration of your allotted Legion, and secondly, to supervise their training and discipline. This is especially important as most of the troops under your command have only basic training. You may set whatever laws amongst your troops that you wish, and you may adopt any training regimen you choose - with the caveat that I will be checking the discpline of your men monthly in drill and other exercises. Do you have any questions?"

After his rather impressive wall 'o' words, Apolinar stares intently at Rouga, watiing for a response.

[Kuroimaken]

"Understood, Ringo*."

Rouga smiled at Apolinar, hoping he wouldn't blow a gasket over that. It was fun pushing the Privaron's buttons like that.

"So let's see. Paperwork and training. I don't think that should be too hard. I hope they don't mind live flaying."

Rouga looked upward as he considered for a few moments what he ought to do.

"I don't think you'll need to worry about their capability. For all you know they'll be eating other recruits alive by the time I'm done with the basics..."

Rouga turned his back on Apolinar and started to walk off.

"How about you? You got any questions?"

*Ringo is "apple" in Japanese. Since Apo would be short for Apolinar, I figured it was a good fit as a pseudo-hidden jab.

[Steilos]

Apollinar stands absolutely stock still when those two syllables are sropped. His hand visibly clenches and unclenches. His face twitches as he gives Rouga a glare from the bowels of Hell.

"...I have no questions."

The General slowly goes and sits down on his seat as Rouga leaves. After he has left and a few minutes have passed, Apolinar suddenly snatches at a book and hurls it violently across the room. It shatters against the wall, cracking it. Smashing his fist agimst the desk, he lets out a primal bellow of fury before kicking down the chair that Rouga occupied and trampling it into splinters. Throwing his helmet to the ground he slumps back into his chair, frothing slightly.

"Ringo!? RINGO!?!? That insubordinate... His Majesty will hear of this!"

[KnightDisciple]

Caiphus

"If I may, I must take my leave," Caiphus said, speaking to Cecilia and Pico. His pensiveness had ended, and he had decided to take action. He had to find out who this Elder was, regardless of whether or not Cecilia would tell him.

Cecilia-dono, Pico-sama, if you will excuse me. Cecilia-dono, I will see you at the city later." And with that, Caiphus vanished, leaving only the crackle of Sonido.

He reappeared in Alejandro's territory, in front of the Palacio Cuarta. He had business with Vicente. After getting directions from a Numeros (being the Fraccion of one of more unbalanced Espada had its privileges), Caiphus approached Vicente's laboratory. If anyone knew who Elder was, Vicente would.

With some minor trepidation (it was never fun to approach another Fraccion in their demesnes), Caiphus knocked on the door.There is a delay for almost a minute, before Caiphus can, faintly, hear the sound of bolts sliding in the thick metal door. After those sounds stop, the door quietly slides about halfway open, with Vicente standing there.

Currently, he lacks his typical cloak. Instead, he has on thick leather gloves, a leather welding apron, and black-tinted goggles. He's clearly been working on some scientific endeavor or another. He stands there for several seconds, saying nothing. Then, he speaks in a flat tone.

"What do you want?"

[InyutheBeatIs]

Caiphus

"If I may, I must take my leave," Caiphus said, speaking to Cecilia and Pico. His pensiveness had ended, and he had decided to take action. He had to find out who this Elder was, regardless of whether or not Cecilia would tell him.

Cecilia-dono, Pico-sama, if you will excuse me. Cecilia-dono, I will see you at the city later." And with that, Caiphus vanished, leaving only the crackle of Sonido.

He reappeared in Alejandro's territory, in front of the Palacio Cuarta. He had business with Vicente. After getting directions from a Numeros (being the Fraccion of one of more unbalanced Espada had its privileges), Caiphus approached Vicente's laboratory. If anyone knew who Elder was, Vicente would.

With some minor trepidation (it was never fun to approach another Fraccion in their demesnes), Caiphus knocked on the door.

Pico jerks his head upwards towards Caiphus. "Later."

Then when he's gone, Pico looks towards Cecilia. "So, now that he's outta the way, what do you wanna do with all these corpses?"

[Kuroimaken]

Rouga will go to the training grounds for his legion. He will make elite warriors out of them... or they will die trying. They may even choose to try their luck running, but then they'll just die tired.

[Frozen_Feet]

[Segunda's palacio]

Lalita feels his muscles strain painfully as Genoveva abruptly halts their advance, thought the situation is undoubtedly more painful to Canguro. Considering he hasn't a second to waste, Lalita grabs his right earring with his free hand, then redirects his momentum and twists his body, few drops of blood spilling around as he tears the bauble from his ear.

In split of a second, the trinket enlargens to a full-size wind wheel (http://www.wle.com/media/W044-T.jpg), sharp, flame-like protrusion of soulsteel speeding towards Genoveva's right eye fast as a lightning. "Don't they say actions speak louder than words, Lady Primera?"

[riccaru]

As the fighters and spectators leave Sereg waves over an arrancar, one that had been a part of the crowd. The arrancar slowly walks over to the skybox and stands by Sereg. The arrancar's tight black jacket was hooded, covering his face. Pale skin shows at his wrists before being covered again by black leather gloves. On his back is a large sword, not unlike Ichigo's sealed form.


"Zane. You saw what had happened today, yes? Serazel and Vincente will know their place soon enough. But first, you have some havoc to cause in the mortal world." Sereg says without looking at the fraccion.


"Yes, Sereg. Shall I speak to Genoveva like we discussed?" Zane does not move as he speaks either.

Sereg waves slightly "Yes, do so please."

With that, the mysterious arrancar flashes away, off toward the primera sector to speak with Genoveva. As he nears he feels the reiatsu flashes, and goes to that area to wait and watch the goings on.
"Genoveva, I am here to speak with you. How long will this take?" He crouches down lazily, hands hanging to his sides.

[Kayne650]

There is a delay for almost a minute, before Caiphus can, faintly, hear the sound of bolts sliding in the thick metal door. After those sounds stop, the door quietly slides about halfway open, with Vicente standing there.

Currently, he lacks his typical cloak. Instead, he has on thick leather gloves, a leather welding apron, and black-tinted goggles. He's clearly been working on some scientific endeavor or another. He stands there for several seconds, saying nothing. Then, he speaks in a flat tone.

"What do you want?"

"I want a favor, Vicente-san. I have a question that I hope you have the answer for."

Recently, Cecilia-dono has mentioned a person by the name of Elder. She has said nothing more on the matter but the name, and that this person is obviously someone important to her. I find myself consumed with a curiosity for this person who fascinates my lady so, and I was wondering if you would know of this person. Unfortunately, all I have to go on is the name."

Caiphus didn't look particularly hopeful, but he did look rather desperate. It was obvious that this had been wearing at him.

[Callos_DeTerran]

Genoveva

The good news was that the Primera releases the death-grip she has on Canguro's hair when the other begins to fight and the wind-wheel is thrown right at her eye. The bad news was that she let go to frantically lean back and avoid the weapon that had been thrown at point blank range, only for it to cut over where her face was. For a single terrifying moment it seems as if Lalita had not only succeeded in blinding the Primera...but killing her as well...

Until the wind-wheel continues flying over Genoveva's bent-backwards body and the Primera snaps back up right, hands clutching over her right eye as she gives a pain maddened howl. "Ya lil' 'hit! Ah came here for both yer gain and ya frakkin' blind mah?! Dat's it! Ah'm gonna rip yer arms an' legs off! Ya'll wish ya never turned into arrancar!

Finally the bent double Primera straightens, a rage-filled look on her slit-eyed face as she continues to cover her right eye with both hands...until she abruptly opens them up to reveal the undamaged orb and her grin turns malicious.

"Jus' kiddin'!" she snickers out, reaching back to grab the handle of her falchion and swinging it out to stab into the ground at her feet, "But if ya wanna play den Ah'll play. Can learn what Ah wanna know jus' as easily dis way as by talkin..."

Abruptly her attention is distracted by the sudden arrival of Zane, though she keeps one closed eye firmly fixated on Canguro and Lalita, "Who be ye? Speak boy, c'mon!"

Then there was the briefest flash of light along the edge of Genoveva's sword's edge, though the Primera hadn't moved...not until the after image faded a moment or two later, the flash almost too fast to spot on it's own, let alone the Primera's movements as she appeared behind Lalita and Canguro.

FF and Zerkai: Genoveva went for Clothing Damage Devastation, as she usually does when 'fighting' arrancar/hollow. :smallwink: Up to you how much she got or when their clothing falls apart/if it does.

[Frozen_Feet]

Lalita doesn't waste his time while Genoveva goes through her act. He chucks Canguro into the corner and rips his other earring to his hand as well, carefully weighing the circular weapon as it returns to its intended size. His face is like stone as Genoveva reveals herself to be undamaged.

When Zane appears to the hole in the wall, Lalita's muscles tense as he considers leaping past Genoveva to fetch his other weapon, crimson light gathering in his free hand, but as he lifts his right foot to move, he realizes he's already too late.

So, as his shirt is suddenly torn apart, revealing his lithe upper body, he swings his right foot backwards, sending a strong and fast kick where he sees Primera's head being from the corner of his eye.

[Zerkai]

Canguro

Canguro grit her teeth as she was pulled between Lalita and Genoveva, relieved when the Primera let go of her thanks to Lalita's attack, though looking frightened when Genoveva pretended to be injured. She let out a yelp as she was tossed over into a corner, disappearing with a sonido and reappearing on the nearest wall, wincing a bit as she clung to it and watched Genoveva and Lalita.


"Hey! Didn't we just get back from Fraccion and Espada attacking each other?!" She shouted to both of them in an aggravated tone

[riccaru]

Genoveva

The good news was that the Primera releases the death-grip she has on Canguro's hair when the other begins to fight and the wind-wheel is thrown right at her eye. The bad news was that she let go to frantically lean back and avoid the weapon that had been thrown at point blank range, only for it to cut over where her face was. For a single terrifying moment it seems as if Lalita had not only succeeded in blinding the Primera...but killing her as well...

Until the wind-wheel continues flying over Genoveva's bent-backwards body and the Primera snaps back up right, hands clutching over her right eye as she gives a pain maddened howl. "Ya lil' 'hit! Ah came here for both yer gain and ya frakkin' blind mah?! Dat's it! Ah'm gonna rip yer arms an' legs off! Ya'll wish ya never turned into arrancar!

Finally the bent double Primera straightens, a rage-filled look on her slit-eyed face as she continues to cover her right eye with both hands...until she abruptly opens them up to reveal the undamaged orb and her grin turns malicious.

"Jus' kiddin'!" she snickers out, reaching back to grab the handle of her falchion and swinging it out to stab into the ground at her feet, "But if ya wanna play den Ah'll play. Can learn what Ah wanna know jus' as easily dis way as by talkin..."

Abruptly her attention is distracted by the sudden arrival of Zane, though she keeps one closed eye firmly fixated on Canguro and Lalita, "Who be ye? Speak boy, c'mon!"

Then there was the briefest flash of light along the edge of Genoveva's sword's edge, though the Primera hadn't moved...not until the after image faded a moment or two later, the flash almost too fast to spot on it's own, let alone the Primera's movements as she appeared behind Lalita and Canguro.

FF and Zerkai: Genoveva went for Clothing Damage Devastation, as she usually does when 'fighting' arrancar/hollow. :smallwink: Up to you how much she got or when their clothing falls apart/if it does.

"Me? I'm simply Zane. I am of no consequence to you at this moment. Feel free to continue your escapades on these two. I'm sure Sereg wouldn't mind them dead." He says before standing up on the edge of the wall and stepping down onto the floor.

As he does this his sonido flashes, bringing him to where Canguro and Lalita are, though in the air above them, upside down. He continues his rotation to end up standing beside Genoveva, if she doesn't move.

"But do please make it quick. I have something to speak to you about on behalf of the Septima."

[KnightDisciple]

"I want a favor, Vicente-san. I have a question that I hope you have the answer for."

Recently, Cecilia-dono has mentioned a person by the name of Elder. She has said nothing more on the matter but the name, and that this person is obviously someone important to her. I find myself consumed with a curiosity for this person who fascinates my lady so, and I was wondering if you would know of this person. Unfortunately, all I have to go on is the name."

Caiphus didn't look particularly hopeful, but he did look rather desperate. It was obvious that this had been wearing at him.Vicente looked at the other Fraccion for several long moments.

"Never heard that word as a name before."

And the door slams closed, the bolts sliding back into place. Vicente is clearly returning to his work.

[Kayne650]

Vicente looked at the other Fraccion for several long moments.

"Never heard that word as a name before."

And the door slams closed, the bolts sliding back into place. Vicente is clearly returning to his work.

Caiphus looked at the door, not quite sure what had just happened. Vicente had snubbed him. That was distressing. However, it didn't sound like he was lying, so unfortunately, Caiphus had to take him at his word or risk angering someone who was very much in his domain, and therefore had an immense advantage. With a sigh, Caiphus returned to Caos Encarnado.

He would wait for Cecilia, and confront her then. He didn't want to anger Cecilia, but she had never answered him. Why hadn't she told him about this Elder? Why didn't she trust him? He would find out, one way or another.

[Shades of Gray]

[Middle of Nowhere]

"I cannot say that I have, Gwen. But the rumours of the place have reached the ears of my Lord and myself, and others within our congregation. It almost sounds wonderful. Only the king of the city stands between it and the perfection of Change."

The fae/shinigami continues walking, a wry smile on his lips.

Slightly off-center from the Middle of Nowhere

"Perfection of Change?" Gwen had a confused expression as she strolled along the cold dark sands. "You're going to try to kill the king? Wouldn't he be the most powerful hollow ever?" She asks skeptically as she balances the lamppost against her shoulder.

[Edge]

Slightly off-center from the Middle of Nowhere

"Perfection of Change?" Gwen had a confused expression as she strolled along the cold dark sands. "You're going to try to kill the king? Wouldn't he be the most powerful hollow ever?" She asks skeptically as she balances the lamppost against her shoulder.

"Kill the king? Hardly. I know my capabilities, and he is beyond me. I was merely musing on how close to the societal ideal my Lord and we his follows dream of."

Eriku's smirk becomes more prominent for a brief moment, before returning to its usual subtlety.

"Methinks we have dawdled in our travels enough, Gwen. How is your sonido?"

[Shades of Gray]

Sonido

"Sonido... Sonido... That's the wooshy one, right?" She quietly asked her lamppost. "Uhhh, I think Post-San said I'm good at that one. Yeah." The arrancar said as she kicked at the sand. "I haven't done it in a while though."

Decima's Palacio

Anita, fraccion to Genoveva, was seen leading ten prisoners of various races and genders to the Decima's Palacio in chains. The prisoners did not even bother to put up the facade of being rebellious, rowdy, or even hateful. Anita seemed to have a quiet control over them.

[Callos_DeTerran]

Lalita doesn't waste his time while Genoveva goes through her act. He chucks Canguro into the corner and rips his other earring to his hand as well, carefully weighing the circular weapon as it returns to its intended size. His face is like stone as Genoveva reveals herself to be undamaged.

When Zane appears to the hole in the wall, Lalita's muscles tense as he considers leaping past Genoveva to fetch his other weapon, crimson light gathering in his free hand, but as he lifts his right foot to move, he realizes he's already too late.

So, as his shirt is suddenly torn apart, revealing his lithe upper body, he swings his right foot backwards, sending a strong and fast kick where he sees Primera's head being from the corner of his eye.

Genoveva

"'ey, he piced da fight wid me. Ah just want' ta chat." Genoveva says lightly, giving an entirely too nonchalant of a shrug given the situation that had sprouted up with so little effort. Truly the Primera was a force of...well...utter chaos wherever she went, though if this was by design or simple presence could be a matter of debate among certain circles. Then her head swivels to face Zane...even as Lalita's foot passes through the Primera's body and the arrancar appears a couple feet back.

"An' you, ya pale-skinned dawg. Ya have no right ta be so familiar with someone as far above yer station as Ah am. Hold yer tongue, an' wait like every odder bollocky boyo who dinks 'e can condescend mah." A quick dash over to the other fire wheel, having seen Lalita eye it, and an even faster kick sends the weapon clattering across the floor over towards Canguro, almost as if to dare the ex-Numeros to aid Lalita.

"Now pretty boyo..." the Primera says with an ever-cruel smirk, re-sheathing her falchion at the small of her back before cracking her knuckles, "Lesse da real you. Da core of yer bein' ya seemed to have 'id from everyun else."

Then Genoveva was dashing forward, fast as fast could be, to grab hold of Lalita's wrist tightly with both hands. A powerful tug pulls the Fraccion's arm up into the air and hanging out from his body...then the Primera was blurring across the chamber once more, but this time with Lalita in tow...right towards one of the artful pillars that supported the domed roof of the chamber.

Crack.

Thick cracks spread across the pillar from where Lalita's elbow struck it, though the noise hadn't come from the stone. His arm is bent at a most peculiar angle, one that can't be reached naturally, even as Genoveva begins to chuckle and wrench the arm even further into that bone-breaking angle with the awful strength she possesses in abundance.

"Now sing mah lil' songbird. Sing to meh of Wrath." Even as her last word was said, the Primera glows a bloody red color as a feeling of searing hot rage and blood-lust begins to emanate from Genoveva. A berserker rage would begin to creep into the bodies of those too close to the malicious arrancar woman, a desire to rend and break that which angered them. But to a creature of Wrath...

[Frozen_Feet]

Lalita's pretty face twists in agonized grimace as the bones in his arm give away. However, there's one positive side to the situation that's not lost on him: this time, he knows exactly where Genoveva is. As she leans closer to bend his arm, his free hand strikes forwards, letting loose a cero against her chest. Another one is already forming in his hand before the flash from the first fades.

Burn.

Lalita's lips are squeezed tight and his eyes are open wide in expression of unparalleled hatred. That's how much Canguro and Zane see of him, before another blast of crimson flame blinds their vision. Who or what it hits is impossible to tell, as backlash of the explosion shatters what's left of the support pillar, causing the roof of Lalita's apartment to come crashing down, dust and falling stone obscuring the fighting pair from view.

Burn, you wretched little whore!

[Draken]

Ciudad Baja

Apolinar has only enough time to cool down a bit after his meeting with the new "privaron", before a soldier appears to him, paying all proper protocols that Draken doesn't really remember.

"Sir! There has been a report of the discovery of a body in the immediations of the primera district, the clothes matching the uniforms of one of our princes!"

[Steilos]

Apolinar looks up at the messenger and gets up off his chair when he is given the news.

"Dead, you say? Why would a prince of the Ciudad Baja be dead on one of the surface districts? I sure as hell didn't send one up there!"

Just when he was beginning to calm down too. What a day.

"I suppose I should go and look. Take me to this body, now! And if you're lying to me..."

The General leaves the threat hanging while he picks up his helmet and heads for the door.

[Kuroimaken]

There was a good chance Apolinar would pass by a large, wide open space on the way.

Apparently, it was the place Rouga chose to train his legion.

They were all doing push-ups... with blocks of sekkiseki on their backs.

At least one would HOPE it's sekkiseki, because otherwise those were really heavy rocks painted the right color.

They were all in synch, and yelling out their counting. It was currently on the 2000-something.

"You vermin, you should be done with your 20.000 pushups by now! And to think I'm even letting you use both arms! You're a DISGRACE! Perhaps I should have you bring my love letters to the female Espada out there and watch their reactions?"

For some reason, they started speeding up.

[Steilos]

Apolinar did indeed see and hear the Legion getting trained - and he approved greatly. Perhaps this Rouga person might actually be of some good - although 'Ringo' still stung a bit. Okay, so it stung quite a bit.

Turning to his messenger, Apolinar asks some more questions that have just occurred to him as he walks.

"Do you know what he was killed by? His exact location?"

[Kuroimaken]

With that, Rouga started sniffing the air.

"Oh, hi Ringo. What are you up to?"

His Legion suddenly grew very, very tense. It looked as though they'd heard the voice of Death itself.

"HEY YOU! I DIDN'T SAY STOP!!"

[Draken]

The messenger answers dutyfully.

"Ten infantes and infantas serve his highness, the Ghost King, as direct envoys to the Espada, Malak, Astrid, Maldrea, Helena, Sarine, Zamir, Gaston, Damien, Revean and Athos. The body was found mauled into disfigurement and the area isolated."

[Steilos]

The General nods to himself as the messenger talks. Ah yes, that's right. Those princes. Although why someone had mauled one...

Then Rouga interrupts, in his own inimitable way.

"WHAT DID I SAY ABOUT CALLING ME THAT!?"

[Kuroimaken]

"Nothing that I can remember. Anyway, what's that about someone being mauled to death? Sounds pretty serious."

Why yes, Rouga IS selectively hard of hearing. How did you know?

[Lord_Asmodeus]

Amore, who had been hiding somewhat till this point, appeared near Lalita, looking somewhat panicked, a shield of powerful blue Cero appearing around them. L-lalita, w-whats going on?"

[Steilos]

"Nothing that I can remember. Anyway, what's that about someone being mauled to death? Sounds pretty serious."

Why yes, Rouga IS selectively hard of hearing. How did you know?

"That is none of your business. Return to your duties, privaron."

That sentence was absolutely not loaded with hate. Ok, it was.

"YOU! Down there! Did I see you trying to get that stone off your back?"

The recruit looks up, caught in the act with the stone slipping off his shoulders. The General looks at one of the braziers lighting the path, and then back at the recruit. Then, with a sudden rush of air, Apolinar is behind the brazier...

...Kicking it straight onto the work-dodger. His screams should liven up the place for a few minutes or so.

[Kuroimaken]

Rouga didn't seem happy with that.

"Hey Ringo... I don't care that he actually deserved that, but next time, you give me a heads-up if you're going to physically punish one of my recruits. Your method seriously sucks."

[Steilos]

"Did I give you permission to criticise my technique? No, I did not. Did I ever say that I needed my underling's permission to do anything? No, I did not! Now, I must go on my way. I have matters more important to attend to than a whiny subordinate."

And indeed he does, following the messenger away from Rouga. His habit of asking questions was seriously getting on Apolinar's nerves.

[Zerkai]

-"Now sing mah lil' songbird. Sing to meh of Wrath." Even as her last word was said, the Primera glows a bloody red color as a feeling of searing hot rage and blood-lust begins to emanate from Genoveva. A berserker rage would begin to creep into the bodies of those too close to the malicious arrancar woman, a desire to rend and break that which angered them. But to a creature of Wrath...


Lalita's pretty face twists in agonized grimace as the bones in his arm give away. However, there's one positive side to the situation that's not lost on him: this time, he knows exactly where Genoveva is. As she leans closer to bend his arm, his free hand strikes forwards, letting loose a cero against her chest. Another one is already forming in his hand before the flash from the first fades.

Burn.

Lalita's lips are squeezed tight and his eyes are open wide in expression of unparalleled hatred. That's how much Canguro and Zane see of him, before another blast of crimson flame blinds their vision. Who or what it hits is impossible to tell, as backlash of the explosion shatters what's left of the support pillar, causing the roof of Lalita's apartment to come crashing down, dust and falling stone obscuring the fighting pair from view.

Burn, you wretched little whore!

Canguro

"...Why do I even bother!?" Canguro glared down at the too, gritting her teeth before her the collapsing roof turned her gaze upwards to the falling debris. despite her injured leg, she lept up from her position on the wall, the greaves on her good leg glowing green "Bala Patada Rapida!" her relatively uninjured leg swung around in at a series of rapid kicks, shooting over a dozen bala at the debris falling near her before using sonido to speed over through the hole Genoveva made when she burst into the room in the first place.

[Kuroimaken]

"I ain't saying you gotta ask permission..."

With that, a bala ricocheted off the ground near Apolinar's feet.

"...I'm saying it would be polite to let me know first, biatch."

[Steilos]

"Politeness implies I actually give a damn what you think."

The bala is not unnoticed, although Apolinar is far too busy to even worry about such a small trifle for now. He continues walking away towards the surface.

[Kuroimaken]

"Fair enough. Suit yourself, Ringo-chan. Oh, and for the record, legion. Anyone who follows with my compliment gets excused from their pushups.

Now repeat after me: catch you later, Ringo-chan!"

"Catch you later, Ringo-chan!"

[Steilos]

Ringo-chan.

He had to get on with this body business... Better get it wrapped up qui-

Ringo-chan.

I mean, what could have possibly caused that to happen? Outside the Underc-

Ringo-chan.

Sod it.

Wheeling around, Apolinar appears with a crack of Sonido two inches in front of Rouga's face.

"Say. That. Again."

[Kuroimaken]

There was visible tension on the legionnaire's faces. Rouga was baring all of his pearly white teeth, his canines particularly showing.

"Ri.N.Go.Cha.n" <3

[Steilos]

Apolinar says nothing. He just stands stock still for a few seconds, face not even moving, eyes remaining locked on Rouga and that smile he wanted to punch so much.

For a further 10 seconds, he just stands there, before inhaling as if to bellow full force at the Privaron's face. At the back of his throat, however a Cero forms...

And is released at point blank, right between Rouga's eyes. The General then takes a few steps back and vanishes in a blur of sonido, leaving his voice echoing in the air.

"I would love to smash that arrogant little face of yours into the ground, worm, but I have pressing business to attend to. Now cease this frivolity and GET BACK TO WORK!"

[Kuroimaken]

There was a whole lot of smoke, specially because it WAS a point-blank Cero.

Apolinar would be able to tell that Rouga reflexively extended his aura of Hierro when the energy built up, from the pressure alone. In effect, it would have practically blown off on Apolinar's face as it left his mouth, all things considered, though why it didn't could be attributed to the Sonido he executed immediately thereafter.

Once the smoke dissipated, Rouga looked no worse for the wear.

"And THIS, everyone, is why Hierro is an important capability in an Arrancar's suite of powers. I want you all to clap in thanks for Ringo-chan's gracious aid in this practical demonstration, or I will maim you all where you stand!" He said with the same giant smile as always.

*cue furious clapping*

[Callos_DeTerran]

Genoveva

The Primera's expression briefly shows some startled excitement, likely at how quickly Lalita bounced back already, but then there's nothing to see as the cero hits her dead on. And it had hit this time, because the Fraccion could still feel her holding unto his arm as the violent energy blasts the other arrancar.

In the aftermath of the explosion, Genoveva flits out of the smoke, back towards Canguro but, oddly enough, stays a good way back even as her grin all but splits her face.

"You. Canguro. Do dat again, tis what Ah wanted to talk to ya 'bout." she demands, despite the fact her vest is blackened and smoking, turning her back on the enraged Lalita with almost casual disdain...

Not to Lord Asmodeus, if Amore is close to Lalita, then he's likely within range of Genoveva's Aspect Aura of Wrath right now. She's actually specifically staying back away from Canguro so it's not affecting her.

[Frozen_Feet]

[Segunda's Palacio]

Lalita rises from the rubble, striking Amore to his chest with his healthy hand, shoving the smaller man away. Amore might find this horrifically out of character from his usually polite and friendly comrade. "Stay away", he hisses with a voice that's clearly a command. Horrifying stare of his cold, grey eyes adds 'or face my wrath as well.'

Then Lalita turns towards Genoveva's back, grasping his remaining weapon so tightly his knuckles pale. He forces a smile on his face, but there's no warmth in it - only malice and hatred. "My my, is the little girl curious?", he says with sickenignly fake sweetness in his voice. "I'm sorry, but we adults don't have time for your games. Why won't you go home and grow up a little?"

Her seeming calmness, obfuscating mannerism... all so obviously feigned, all so infuriating. Lalita speaks, because part of him remains convinced he can't physically break Genoveva's concentration - but he wants to see that mask of hers break. See that something can get throught to that pesky, arrogant, hateful brat.

It's incredibly petty, yes. Hatred often is.

That's what Lalita thinks as he lunges towards Genoveva's neck, aiming to cut her jugular with one, swift slash.

---

[Middle of Nowhere, getting closer to Las Noches]

Post-san keeps quiet during Gwen's discussion with Eriku, content to just lay balanced on her shoulder. The trip holds no particular interest to it - around them, there is just sand, sand, sand and more sand. Only a slight change in the position of the moon tells him they have advanced.

But then, something rises from the moonlit horizon - great stone spires, and a vast dome. At first, it looks very small, but it steadily grows as they run towards it - and much to Post-san's shock, once the structure has already grown greater than any mortal-made building he'd ever seen, he realizes they're still leagues away.

Whoever had built such a structure? How long had it taken? Why would anyone spend effort to build it in such a place?

He can't help but wonder, and he wants to ask Gwen if she does, too. But Eriku's presence makes him remain silent.

I don't want to go in...

[Callos_DeTerran]

Genoveva

In a sense, Lalita gets exactly what he wants in seeing something get at Genoveva, though the jury is still out on if that was a good thing or not. As Lalita lunges, he catches a bright glimpse of color from Genoveva's eyes as her arm raises to block his own just past the blade, seconds before his broken arm erupts in pain as she plants a hard spinning kick right against his shattered elbow. The momentum carries the Primera around until her back is facing towards him once more, until she pushes off just barely and effortlessly flies into the air about Lalita to land squarely on-top of his shoulders.

"Ya over-step yerself and tread on what lil' patience Ah have left fer ya." Genoveva says softly, though still infuriatingly calm. Her eyes have opened the tiniest bit to appraise Lalita with re-newed interest, up until the moment she gives a short hop and a sharp kick to the side of Lalita's head to send him flying across the chamber and skid across the ground...just to find his murderous rage leaving him as suddenly as it had arrived. In the absence of her perch, Genoveva lightly lands on the floor and stuffs her hands into her pockets once more with a knowing grin plastered across her smug face. "Tell mah...are ya as lily-livered as de odders den? Is dis yer limit? Da grand glass ceiling? Or is der more?"

Slowly she approaches Lalita, the soft taps of her tabi boots on the floor seeming all the louder and more ominous for it, until her shadow lays across him. The rage doesn't return but rather...a sense of nothingness. Canguro, Zane, Amore...all seem to disappear in the face of the yawning nothingness that opens up to the Fraccion once the Primera was close to him. Nothing but empty desolation, nobody but Genoveva and himself in all of Hueco to distract him from the inevitable, terrible truth. Death was at hand, not the paltry sensation given to mortals before they passed on, but the true death of the mind and soul. The spirit-shattering isolation that ate away at a person's very vitality until their mind broke from the sheer depressing monotony of it all. A promise from the wretched creature in front of him, to embrace him the crushing despair that she represented.

"Which is it? Are you a lion...or a dog?"

[Frozen_Feet]

[Segunda's Palacio]

The kick to his head causes the world to whirl around in Lalita's eyes, and for a moment he thinks he'll pass out. Pain causes bile to rise to his mouth, and he barely resists throwing up.

However, the mindless rage dissipating makes all the fade from his mind. The clarity he'd tried so hard to gather from shards of a person inside him during his time alone in the White Sands... it's a welcome turn to have it back.

He grits his teeth as Genoveva saunters closer, weighing his chances, crimson light swirling all around his body. He's about to lunge at her again, when the wave of isolation washes over him, threatening to extinquish the flickering flames dancing on his skin.

It brings up memories... memories that had never really belonged to him, but defined his whole being. The crushing despair... it's the same feeling he'd felt when wrestiling in the mud with an aborginal, trying to reach a knife faster than his foe, when staring an oncoming cavalry charge with the crowd of others pushing you forth so he couldn't turn around, when rising from the trenches to run across the No-Man's Land towards certain death...

Giving up is futile.

Face to face with an enemy again. No turning back, no chance to run... only way forward, through someone else. He hates it, hates the world for forcing him to it, and especially... hates Genoveva, the way she thinks she can just play with his life. For that moment, she embodies everything the young man sees as wrong in the world, and it makes the horrible rage resurge all on its own.

Fight her. Harm her. Take her down with you. Maker her burn.

The feeling causes the crimson flames burn brighter, and Lalita's eyes shine nearly white with power as his pupils twist and warp, into two black crosses threatening to burn a whole through Genoveva's visage. "No more a dog than you are, First blade of the Ghost King", he hisses, throwing his working hand forth, three Bala blasting forth toward Genoveva. "As far as I'm concerned, you only have a bit stronger bite than I do!" At the same moment, he leaps forth, aiming a roundhouse kick against her side, but at the same time swinging his Fire Wheel through the air around him with purposeful strenght. He'd already learned he couldn't trust her to stay where his senses told her to be, so he fight as if confronting multiple opponents... there are only so many places to be around one's body, after all.

He'd turn that despair back against her, make her feel what he does, and watch her break under it... he'd find a away. Somehow.

"Tell me, is this your real nature....", he snarls, charging and firing a Cero from before his torso, cutting through the room to reduce possible places for Genoveva to be. Zane, Canguro and Amore might all realize they should get away, lest they be caught in the systematic destruction of the Palacio as well. "... or is it something you stole from someone else when they refused to play your silly little games? Such a sad, broken, lonely little girl you are."

In the corner of the room, the abandoned Wind Wheel begins pulsating with malignant energy, red flames taking demonic shapes around it as they begin to creep up the walls. Air quakes around Lalita as he jumps after Genoveva again and again, determined to push her on the defensive.

"Scorch...!"

[Zerkai]

Canguro

"Geez... this is getting bad... and ridiculous." Canguro glared as she watched and avoided any stray blasts that came her way before landing on the ground a ways away from the two.

"Preparese... (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_qCY5PsVNec) Salto Poderoso!" Canguro's bladeded greaves and armguards started to glow and crackle with green energy, followed by a release of reiatsu that kicked up dust and debris around her. She was now in her releases state, serrated greaves and amrguards forming long blondes mounted on her wrists and legs. With a Sonido she was near the Genoveva and Lalita, now standing six and a half-feet tall as she stared down at them, eyes not visible form under he half-helm.

"That's enough! If you two keep fighting each other and tearing this place apart, I swear to the Ghost King I will eat you both." Her tailed then slammed against the ground behind her with a resounding crack, making a small crater with a slight wince visible in Canguro's face as it happened, now standing on two legs and hitting the floor like that didn't help, but it was for emphasis. Just in case she was ignore again, she raised her arm, the long blades mounted on her forearm now in Genoveva's way to keep her from getting closer to Lalita

[Kuroimaken]

And as if things weren't chaotic enough...

...Rouga just so happened to be letting his Legion take a break from his gruesome training regimen by the time things started heating up at the Segunda's Palacio.

Now, his Sonido wasn't exactly first-rate. Of all the standard Arrancar abilities, it was the one he paid the least attention developing in his early years. But even a relatively slow Sonido was still faster than the eyes could see.

As such, Genoveva might sense an unfamiliar Reiatsu growing closer and closer, practically like a cannonball...

...aimed at her.

Of course, between her speed and the fact she could sense it coming, it was unlikely the cannonball would hit. But it's the principle of the thing.

[Kayne650]

Caiphus stood over the proceedings, a reasonable distance away. He had felt the massive fluctuations in reiatsu from Caos Encarnado, and had been curious as to their origins. He had never imagined that the Primera would be fighting a Fraccion, even if it was one of the Segunda's.

Caiphus smiled beneath his mask. Perhaps Edward would get involved. If that was to happen, then it would be possible that he would be harmed and weakened as a result, potentially even killed. Or maybe, outnumbered as she would be, Genoveva would be hurt. A disturbance in the hierarchy that high up would cause a great deal of turmoil in Las Noches.

That sounded like fun.

[nothingclever]

Edward finally arrived and upon seeing the combatants that were tearing up his palacio he tried to place himself between them as quickly as possible assuming they would even bother to stay still for a moment once they noticed him. "What the heck is going on here? Why are you two fighting each other? Can't we all just get along?"

[Callos_DeTerran]

Genoveva

Lalita's strategy wasn't a bad one, attacking all about him at once in hopes of catching the Primera with an errant strike...but he had forgotten that she didn't need to be that close to torment him. A bloody-colored bala explodes against his back, just as a fire-wheel cuts through a snickering image, the rush of displaced air having him spin around with a wild kick only to find the space empty. Arcelia might have been to use sonido longer and Edward be faster (debatably!) but Genoveva was surely enjoying her own abilities with sonido at that moment. Precision stops and starts, contorting around Lalita's blow even as she only continues to grin like a mad woman.

"Heh heh...it ain't just da bite kiddo. Ya know right well how dings are, dontcha?" Genoveva taunts, slipping away from a strike once more though this time her vest bears the cut from a narrow escape, "..."

Something seems to have gotten to her though, because as Canguro intervenes between the two of them (now towering over the rather short Primera)...well the effects were obvious. The blade of Genoveva's falchion, forgotten in the little skirmish considering it hadn't been used, was beneath Canguro's arm with it's point digging into Lalitla's throat with a little trickle of blood rolling down from where it had nicked him. Her eyes, slitted for as long as anyone could remember, were open fully as well. They were yellow in the center, around her snake-like pupil, a neon bright color that veritably glowed but towards the edge of her eye the yellow was overcome by crimson almost as if she was bleeding into her iris. Wide and full of cold anger as they burned into Lalita's own, though it's impossible to tell if they looked as such all the time or because of his words.

"Ohh, all sorts o' blokes lookin' ta get involved now. Ya sure ya want to do dis Roo-girl?" Genoveva says in a terrible, soft voice even as the other sources of reiatsu continue to close in on the little spat. Even Edward was showing up!...Though the one heading towards her specifically...found her exactly there. Probably to the surprise of those who had suddenly arrived. Especially when Genoveva was forced away by the momentum to slam into a wall as the Segunda popped in finally...to find the normal slit-eyed and grinning Genoveva.

"Ask yer pretty boy. All Ah wanted was ta talk to der Roo and he flips out. Not mah fault dat Ah deceded ta humor 'em." she replies easily enough.

[Frozen_Feet]

When Canguro had jumped between him and Genoveva, Lalita had seen his chance. He had thought about using her as a shield or distraction while lunging at the Primera to cut his throat...

Thus, it frustrates him to no end that she had been faster. He had stopped barely in time to avoid his neck from being pierced.

Time seems to stand still as he stares back at Genoveva, boiling fury meeting her cold anger with equal intensity. So this is how you really look like?

Then Rouga crashes into Genoveva, taking her blade away from Lalita's throat. With a flick of his wrist, he reduces the Fire Wheel back to earring, and slightly touches his throat where the wound is. There's a breeze of cool air as the crimson flames die out. For a moment, he glares at Genoveva as she resumes her act, before a coy smile starts spreading on his face.

"Ah, I'm sorry, Master Edward. Me and dear Lady Primera just decided to have a little friendly spar here. I'd fix the damage immediatly, but it seems I might have hit my arm". He nods lightly to the side, towards his damaged arm that lies limply on his side.

"I promise to get the repairs done as soon as possible. I hope this isn't too much of an inconvenience." He beckons Canguro to stand aside and gives Edward a deep bow.

[nothingclever]

"I find that hard to believe considering all the damage that's been done..." The Segunda crossed his arms and gave his subordinate a look of deep disappointment as if to say he had no idea what to do with him. "Geez Lalita, isn't she only the sweetest, kindest, most innocent person ever? Why did you attack her? You said you were off to get Canguro patched up and here you two are even worse for wear than before. Did she scare you? I wouldn't blame you, the extent of her beauty is quite frightening." Edward's voice was as casual as ever and without a trace of sarcasm, of course his choice of words was another story.

[Kuroimaken]

As Rouga recovered from his impromptu cannonball, he finally had a chance to get a good look at his surroundings - which ended in the slammed-against-the-wall Genoveva. One could almost SEE his eyes turn into little hearts as he set eyes on the Primera.

"I wasn't aware Ecchan kept girls with DFC around!" He said as he positively leered at the Primera.

Then he looked back at Edward and the others. "Sorry, guess my choice of entrance didn't really help, huh?"

[nothingclever]

"Hey, hey! Stop gawking at her like that. That's my privilege. And I'm sure her chest is delicious but it certainly isn't flat! No one has any manners these days! Can you believe him?" said Edward in exasperation as he turned to Genoveva.

[Kayne650]

The fight looked to be winding down. Unless Genoveva decided to keep it going, which was possible, it was probably almost over. Which meant that no one would receive any serious injuries, and be left vulnerable. Such a shame.

But then again, the fight wasn't necessarily over yet. Caiphus shifted his stance and continued watching the proceedings.

[Zerkai]

Canguro

The Fraccion let out a sigh of Relief as the battle was interrupted by several newcomers, including the Segunda. She lowered her arm, glancing down at Lalita for a moment, before turning her attention back to Genoveva.

"You don't burst through the walls for a chat, it was to 'see what we got' if I remember right. Don't complain when you got what you wanted." Canguro was leaning back a little on her tail as she folded her arms across her chest. She tore her eyes away from Genoveva reluctantly, though they weren't visible under her kangaroo skull shaped half-helm, to move to Lalita's side, bowing to Edward