Fate

Families aren't meant to see each other after they part ways in death. I thought good riddance as the hollow ate away at me, and even laughed as the bone cracked to reveal my espada state. I stopped laughing when the 15th numeros was born. It was then I realized fate was snickering behind my back.

Spontaneous

Ilforte always did things I never expected. Said things I never thought I'd hear, it was only when he said that he planned on taking my spot as the 8th espada did I label him as truly spontaneous, as well as an idiot.

Truth

We fought a lot. Then again, siblings always did fight. Ours just consisted of clashing zanpaktou's, snide remarks and me getting the upper hand of my brother's short fuse. It was then he realized the truth that he wasn't stronger then me anymore.

Fiction

I heard him say I live in a fantasy world when I'm in my lab. It's true, with all these new forms of technology around me, the power to execute, experiment and the torture… it was like I was living in a world of fiction. One of the horror genre.

Balance

I heard words from the higher ups in the espada ranks; rumors ramblings, rants. They had a debate once on who was the better of the Grantz brothers. I of course was the default, but they always mentioned Ilforte being physically stronger. Didn't they get it? He was the brawn and I was the brain, the imperfect balance.

Short

"So how –did- you end up being so short? Our family was known for being tall." I heard him bicker from around a cold bend of a metal corridor. I was too busy looking over the smooth black panel that held records from the first arrancar assault on earth. I could hear him standing impatiently from behind, being stubborn on leaving until he got an answer. "Maybe we're half-siblings." I could only wish.

Peppermint

We got into a fight again, over petty issues. I got sick of hearing him proclaiming on how he was going to be the best arrancar, and he got sick of me putting him down. By the end of our scuffle, He was on the ground in a pant, clutching the bloodied splotch on his shoulder. I couldn't help but be reminded of the ivory and crimson swirl of a peppermint. I liked that.

Treasure

"What do you treasure most brother? Other then your ego." I caught myself being curious one day while watching the next arrancar be born. Ilforte's eyes looked glazed over for a moment before focusing on me. For once, I could see a thought process behind those dark brown eyes, "Memories of back then." He looked away and for once I felt like the idiot.

Leaves

I only visited the human plane when I needed to collect more specimens. More souls to twist into hollows to be apart of my fraction. It was like picking out of a stack of leaves, they're all different color, stature and age. I liked the seasoned leaves, not to vibrant and not too fragile.

Ballroom

Sometimes the throne room in Las Noches reminds me of a ballroom, its massive walls arching well over a few stories, ivory beams crossing down flat paneled walls. Why I can remember ballrooms is beyond me. I'll blame Ilforte for his memory talk later.

Moon

Night was the usual in Hueco Mundo. I never recalled much of the scenery while I was a hollow, but when I get the sensation to touch down onto the white sands and wander about; I look up to the crescent moon above. It stuck out in the sea of black, out of place even.

Paintbrush

Aizen-sama talked about culture today, and how they would create their own world for people to look on. That day I thought on art while taking my latest experiment, a younger woman's soul. She was my canvas to paint upon and my tools were my brushes. I'd make a masterpiece of this hollow.

Folk art

Apparently my brother was inspired by Aizen's speech, for when I completed my failed masterpiece, I took to wandering the halls of the grand fortress once again. I looked to see if he was about to bring up my spirits, but he was nowhere in sight. I caught glance of a few ochre-fringed papers in his quarters. It was 1940's folk art. I looked for only a second, for the flash of red stirred an unpleasant feeling within me.

Vase

He was injured again. I never liked to call myself a doctor or a healer for that matter, but he always came to me when he was in trouble. As if I wanted to save him. "You have to- numero Sexto espada is expecting me to go on a mission with him! This'll be my time." To prove yourself. Yes, Yes, I know. The curiosity bit the back of my heels when I drew out my tools and a new syringe. I shook the contents about and was reminded of the post-modern vases humans sold for thousands of dollars. "Healing will come with a price, brother." The needle drew into the side of his neck, and my lips tipped into a hidden grin. Lets see if he 'proves' himself.

Indian

They looked like a bunch of Mohegan Indians, ready to embark onto the new world with fire in their eyes and lacking tomahawks to blunder their enemies with. They snuck out under the shade of night, when they all expected Aizen wouldn't notice. Perhaps he didn't, either way, I figured to give them an hour before telling him.

Mountain

I sat outside for once, leaning up against the chilly wall of the fortress's exterior. I stared at the shifting sands and apparitions of hollows in the distance. Maybe I was bored in waiting the hour, or maybe I couldn't complete one single hypothesis in the hour. As I stared out to the shades of black, I noticed a mountainous shape move in the distance. Maybe I could entertain myself with acquiring a new Fraction member after all.

Big

This hollow was big, of a Gillian rank no less. I couldn't help but think that Ilforte had been this tremendously huge and ugly. All of my fraction members never amounted to anything in looks aside from him. As I took the beast down and beat him into submission I reinstated to never make any of my underlings attractive.

Strength

I came back late. The Gillian proved to be more of a hassle then it was worth, but it was stowed away nicely in my holding chambers, prepared to be taken to the stage of arrancar at Aizen's approval. Though now he had no approval of anything.

"Numeros went to earth unattended?" He sounded curious more then mad and I for one took annoyance to that, "No, the sexto espada went with them. I believe it was-" "That'll be all, Zaerapolo."

An unseen pulse of reiatsu slapped against my skin. I winced and stumbled back, taking my leave as quickly as possible. All Aizen had to do was bat an eyelash and we all suffered from strength.

Alive

It wasn't until the next day did the report of the unauthorized arrancar assault find its way down to the lower levels of my laboratories. I didn't bother reading the fluffed text that was jotted down as a decorative heading. I only read two things.

Alive: 1

Dead: 5

That idiot.

Idea

I journeyed to earth on my own 'secret' mission. It wasn't to get revenge on Abarai Renji or any of the shinigami still stationed within the city. I simply looked for the remnants of the solution I injected the idiot with the other day. I found a few spirit mushi laying about, ready to deploy all sorts of delightful pieces of information on bankai's, power limiters and in the end, my brothers untimely demise.

He actually ran.

I spun about casually within the earthly night air, sure to summon the opening to Hueco Mundo before any alarms struck out. The shinigami won't even notice.

Shinigami.

I wonder, as I replay the scene of my siblings demise under the impact of Zabimaru's release. Truly damned souls go to hell, and yet all I saw was a glimmering destruction of particles. It was an idea, perhaps a foolish one that he might have gotten to seireitei after all. If I see him ever again, I'll be sure to make him regret that.