Chapter 1 – The Gathering
The weather was unbearable, as a large temple-like building located in the middle of a broad mountain range, covered in vines and thorns, stood tall and proud, the winds hissing through the open window holes located in straight lines along the separate floor walls, each formed in a simple, rectangular shape. Through one of its long hallways, two men were marching down to a large door structure, possibly towards a large hall. One of them was a very tall and slim, yet muscular man with arched brows and a close-shaved goatee. He had shoulder length wavy hair that is sometimes tied in a ponytail. A pet pigeon was perched upon his shoulder, wearing a black tie over its chest. He had a tattoo of a crossed-out square on each upper arm, as well as five cannonball scars on his back, which were currently covered by a neat black suit with the sleeves normally rolled up, with black leather shoes and a white tie and handkerchief in the breast pocket. The other man was a a slender, yet fairly muscular male of average height with a melancholic appearance, fairly short, messy black hair, pale white skin, a black upper lip, and green eyes with slit-shaped pupils similar to a cat's. Part of his bangs fell between his eyes, and he had distinctively thick eyebrows. He had teal lines that descend from his eyes, making it appear as if he was crying. He wore notably peculiar clothes: a white jacket, black sash, and a white hakama. The jacket had long coattails, and the collar was rather high.
"Has Lord Slade found what he is searching for yet?" demanded the pale-skinned male, turning to the man with the suit, who shook his head slowly, his pigeon chirping in reply. "Thought so. Destroying this pathetic world may not be as hard as it looks, but according to what our master plans to do, he will need much more difficult methods to make his dreams reality. Not that I am a man who believes in dreams, however…" the other man sighed a bit, interrupting the pale on.
"You don't believe in much… Ulquiorra." The man said slowly, turning his gaze towards the other man, named Ulquiorra. "I've never understood nihilism, and I doubt I will at any point. However, as long as you're under Slade's wings, I assure you, you have my trust." Ulquiorra nodded slowly, turning up to see that they were right in front of the door.
"Might I as well add… Rob Lucci…" he turned to Lucci, his eyes glaring deep into his gaze. "If I find you going in my way of my missions… or disobeying Slade's orders… I will kill you." Lucci glared back, with a gaze that would kill mortal men and freeze their spines, but he kept his calm.
"Trust me Ulquiorra… I will never give up my servitude to Slade. Nor would I let anyone persuade me into leaving him." Ulquiorra was left silent after Lucci finished his talking. "His dedication to this world is something that I've come to… admire, to be honest." They opened the door, and stepped into a vast, empty-looking hall. But what looked like a hall, was in fact the base of a huge tower, spiraling upwards in a cascade of staircases, the walls covered in chandeliers and paintings. "Once he has destroyed this world… he will rebuild it with the hands of perfection, and Absolute Justice will reign supreme."
"Perfection." Ulquiorra gloated. "Perfection is individual. I for one see 'perfection' in this world's ruin, that humans are not capable of living in it. All their 'emotions' is a hindrance to their true potential, and because of them existing, perfection can never be reached for them. They are… an inferior race." As the two of them strode towards the centre of the room, they could see shadows shifting in front of them. Five of them, to be exact. They all looked at him and Lucci, and then gazed towards the end of the room, where a huge throne was erected. Upon it, sat a man, covered in shadows. However, his left eye was visible, which gleamed red in the darkness.
"So… have you two found the location I implied for?" he asked, his voice thin of patience, and with a hint of irritation, making it raspy and unclear. Ulquiorra bowed and nodded slightly.
"Yes, Lord Slade. We've found the location you asked for. Lord, if I may… send us and Lucci to deal with the inferior Liberty Squad at once. We'll perform a swift, and painless execution on your or—" his words were cut off by a hand with three circular digits on each finger, aiming at his head with a dark, pulsating sphere forming between the three appendages. Sighing, Ulquiorra simply grasped the sphere with his own hands, glaring into a pair of purple eyes. "I understand. So I guess our Lord won't accept our request… Mewtwo?" the owner of the hand snarled, dispelling the sphere and revealing himself. He was of a humanoid posture, but had a lot of feline features. His body was grayish-purple with a purple underside and a long, purple tail, along with two short ears on its head. It also had a strange tube connecting its back-head with the tip of its spine.
'Lord Slade has numerous times demanded that no such thing is to be occurring. Not until he has figured out a perfect way to deal with the pests.' He didn't move his lips while speaking, assuming he was using telepathy to communicate directly with their minds. Lucci frowned a bit as he heard Mewtwo's harsh words, but just then, they saw Slade arise from his throne.
"Actually…" he said, a hint of enjoyment filling his voice now. "I think I will permit this." He looked towards Ulquiorra, who had been observing him all the time. "Your request is accepted this time… but I hope I make myself clear that you won't kill them… just warn them. Warn them… of The Gathering."
"Yes, Lord Slade." Ulquiorra bowed, as he and Lucci made their way towards the exit. Slade sat back on his throne, a smirk behind his helmet.
"Soon, this world will bow before me for mercy… the minute before I annihilate it all."