Emilou Apacci brought her zanpakuto down on the hollow's pale mask, splitting it down the center and ending the large beasts life. She smirked as she took a small leap back, watching the vaguely crocodile shaped creature dissolve into the air. Her boots gave a slight squeal as they landed onto the marble-like floor in the corridor she was in. As with most of the rooms in Las Noches, the floors, walls, and ceilings were a pale white, providing a good pallet for the fallen hollows blood to paint. The Arrancar examined the long hall. Portions of the walls were missing, allowing the artificial sun outside to shine into the room, the rays of light catching the dust and grime that floated up from the floors.
She took a few steps into the light, glancing outside. Strewn across the inside of Las Noches were remnants of battles. Half-destroyed walls, toppled towers, and pillars of smoke all around. The artificial sky above had holes in it as well, providing a window into the true sky of Hueco Mundo. Part of Apacci truly missed the black sky above her, the vast, dark world being oddly calming.
Apacci sighed and began walking down the hallway. She could no longer sense any new or malevolent reiatsu, only those of her comrades and the freeloaders who live in what was left of Las Noches. The blood that fell from the hollow before began to dissolve as she stepped by the scarlet smears. A voice called out from behind her.
"I hope you gave this one a chance to leave."
Apacci turned around to face the source of the comment. Sung-Sun greeted her with her usual stance, her right hand sheepishly covering her mouth behind her long, white sleeves. Apacci gave a scoff and turned away, her chin length dark hair swiftly falling into place as she began walking. "Of course I did. Now shove off, I really don't feel like putting up with you right now."
"My, my, as rude as ever I see," Sung-Sun replied as she silently began walking behind her ally. "Is there something that has you upset, Apacci?"
Apacci could feel her aggravation level already rising. "Go away, Sung-Sun. Shouldn't you be sweeping the west corridors right now?"
"I have already finished my duties. Again, there were no hollows present. Perhaps they are beginning to learn to avoid Las Noches again, hmm?"
"I don't know, but hopefully Lady Harribel's plan will actually work at this rate."
The two turned a corner, now side by side, and walked through the crumbling hallway.
Sung-Sun chimed in as they passed by a large boulder that had lodged itself into the inside wall, half-way between the floor and the ceiling. "I certainly hope so. To have Las Noches again be a place of peace would be quite nice."
"Which is why you should leave me alone to do my job. I still have several rooms to look through before I'm done, and it's hard to concentrate on spiritual pressure when I'm pissed off."
"Is simply my presence enough to upset you?"
"Hell yeah it is."
The two turned and came to a large set of double doors. The dark green doors led into the room of a former Espada member, and through past experience, Apacci was aware that rooms such as these were where most wild Hollow liked to hole themselves in.
It had been a week since the Arrancar had last came through, and she was unsure of what to expect in the room. Secretly she was glad Sung-Sun was with her, but she sure was not going to admit that. Apacci quietly reached for the handle.
"Wait."
Apacci stopped, sharper and more spooked than she would have liked to show. Fortunately, Sung-Sun was facing away from her. She tried to stay calm after the little scare. "What is it?"
"Do you not sense that?"
Apacci tried, though a knowingly half-assed attempt, and could not pick up on anything. "What are you talking about?" She looked over at Sung-Sun to offer some quip off the top of her head, and was surprised to see the long-haired Arrancar holding her Sai-shaped zanpakuto in a defensive stance.
Apacci focused more, though the effort was pointless. The ceiling down the hall they had just walked in from collapsed, and a rush of reiatsu flooded into the corridor. Out of the cloud of dust that was kicked up, a dark skinned Arrancar flew backwards, both feet and a hand skidding across the floor, a broadsword extended out for balance. Mila Rose stopped herself in between Apacci and Sung-Sun, as the two turned toward the opening in the ceiling, both with zanpakuto now in hand.
"Gettin' your ass kicked already, Mila Rose?!" Apacci called out after seeing the woman was alright.
"Oh, shut it! I can handle this guy, so stay out of it." Mila Rose replied, her long, wavy hair shuffling as she yelled her retort.
The dust in the room settled, and Mila Rose's attacker was now in full view. An Adjuchas class Hollow, standing roughly twenty feet high, growled quietly. The creature was built like a gorilla, with small legs and an arched back, and massive arms that reached to the floor. However, unlike an ape, the beast was covered in small, blue scales, and had a tail that was just as long as its body. Two rows of spikes led down its back to the tip of its tail, and a third row down each arm, connecting on the back of its neck. Its mask was shaped like a rabbit's head, minus the ears. Its yellow eyes crawled toward the three Arrancar, unwavering in its ferociousness.
It let out a roar and charged.
Apacci and Sung-Sun leapt to the sides of the wide hallway, though the beast did not slow at all. It angrily brought one of its massive hands down toward Mila Rose, who raised her zanpakuto over her head to take the blow. The Hollow's hand crashed into the blade, causing Mila Rose to sink a few inches into the tiled floor.
Apacci placed her feet against the wall, and launched herself at the beast, an excited smirk pulling at her cheeks. The Adjuchas suddenly let out a surprising amount of reiatsu, and blindly swung its free arm out. Apacci grunted as she was swatted to the floor. Her head bounced off the floor, which actually hurt more than the Hollow's thick arm. She quickly rolled to her feet, ready for the next blow.
"Way to pay attention, dumb ass!" Mila Rose called out, jumping backwards, away from the hulking beast.
"Oh, don't start! At least I didn't get shoved through the fuc-"
The Hollow let out an ear-piercing scream, stopping any retort Apacci tried to cook up.
The beast quickly turned to face Apacci, its eyes shifting sporadically as it swung its tail toward Mila Rose. The amazon-esque woman dove to the floor, the tail flying over her, sending her thick hair in an uncontrolled frenzy.
Apacci resisted the desire to yell something insulting, and leapt toward the oncoming Hollow. Ready to deliver the finishing blow, she prepared to strike it right between the eyes, but much to her surprise, the beast was suddenly behind her.
Apacci caught on too late. "Sonido!"
She tried to turn, but was not fast enough. The Hollow struck her in the side, sending her soaring toward Mila Rose, who had just gotten to her feet. Apacci crashed into Mila Rose hard, sending both sprawling to the ground. Apacci was thankful her head hit Mila Rose's chest. The large breasts were a softer pillow than that bitch's hard head.
Apacci began to get up, and found herself pushed off before she could even set up. "Watch what you're doing!" Mila Rose roared.
Apacci couldn't hold it in. She clashed her forehead into Mila Rose's, teeth grit, eyes glaring. "Why don't you just butt out, fat ass!"
"Fat ass?! You're just jealous, ya flat chested freak!"
"Oh, I'm gonna kick your ass!"
The two quickly stopped, staring blankly at one another, realizing the Hollow was towering over the pair. They both turned in unison. "Oh, crap!"
The Hollow swung both fists down with a bark, saliva soaring out from under its mask.
Suddenly, with a Sonido, Sung-Sun appeared between the Hollow and her allies. A dark pink light filled the room as the thin Arrancar charged her cero. She silently unleashed her attack, the ensuing blast stopping the Hollow's attack mid-swing. The wave of energy let out a distorted cry, and annihilated the beast from the waist up. The blast sailed through the ceiling, breaking into the floor above them. Dust fell from the new hole as the Hollow's legs fell, dissolving as it did so.
The three silently watched as the Adjuchas disappeared.
"Hm. As useless as always." Sung-Sun announced, her hand covering her mouth.
"What was that?!" Apacci and Mila Rose called out.
"I believe you heard me. Honestly, your two's constant bickering causes more trouble than these weak hollows ever will."
"Oh, don't even act like you're the mature one, ya snob!" Apacci cried out, standing up into a defensive position.
"Yeah, you swoop in and wrap things up at the end of the fight, and take all the credit? What right you have to talk down to us?!" Mila Rose chimed in.
"Hm," Sung-Sun replied as she began to walk away from the two.
Apacci was going to call her out and being a coward who walks away from the problems, but Mila Rose was already on it, fast-walking after the pale woman. Apacci watched her two friends start bickering, and felt a warm smile paint itself on her face.
Apacci honestly hadn't liked rule under Aizen too much. Sure, she was still under the direct command of Lady Harribel at the time, but there was a constant fear from being surrounded by various, unknown, untrusting, sexist, and violent Arrancar. One could never truly relax under the rule of the fallen Soul Reaper, though at the time there was little other option. There were some benefits to living under Aizen's rule as well, though not enough to live happy. Finally, though, Apacci felt content with what she was doing.
Helping Lady Harribel make Las Noches a safe haven, with no true leader to enforce rules, only to live in peace, was an effort Apacci felt she could truly get behind. Taking weekly round trips around Las Noches to fend off wild, uncontrolled Hollow, or to get violent individuals to leave, was paying off. Each time they take their rounds, less and less violent Hollow show up. More often than not, the group finds docile Hollow and Arrancar, wishing to live under the safe roof of Las Noches. Slowly, Lady Harribel's goal was getting closer, and Apacci couldn't wait for the day she could just laze around with her three favorite people.
She jogged to catch up with her friends, ready to jump into the fight that was already raging.
If only these kind of days could last . . .