Early in life I had to choose between honest arrogance and hypocritical humility.
I chose the former and have seen no reason to change.
-Frank.
Barragan Louisenbairn. The very embodiment of death itself howled in anger at his impending demise. He had so much left to do. A kingdom to rebuild, a world to conquer and a lust for revenge to appease. He'd been humiliated once already, he would not tolerate a second stain against his legacy.
"AIZEN!" The God-King of Hueco Mundo roared as he used the last of his strength to hurl his axe at the man who ruined everything, the man who took his kingdom, lead his men into a hopeless slaughter, and most importantly treated him. Barragan Louisenbairn! As a tool! To be thrown away once their purpose was complete.
The axe spun through the air towards the man set on usurping the Spirit-King. Aizen slowly turned, to smirk at the dying Vasto Lord, looking at the axe as if it was a speck of dust in the wind. Aizen's grin widened as the axe turned to ash before coming near him.
Barragan gave one last roar as his skull started to decay, cursing Aizen and his foolish quest for power before the second Espada finally died. Starkk was the only one who seemed to care for his passing as he watched the golden crown of his former comrade fall to the ground, disappearing from sight.
"Farewell Barragan... a word for the second Espada, Lord Aizen?" Starkk tipped his head in respect at the former king, sending a lazy glance at his current boss who only chuckled and turned back to the fight as if the man didn't exist in the first place.
Barragan lay on a snow-white floor, arms spread out as he looked up at the blank sky. He knew he was dead. His power was absolute after all. The only thing that could kill him was himself.
He chuckled a bit as he sat up, seeing white as far as the eye could see. "This is the afterlife for the afterlife.. how comical."
As Barragan stood up, he noticed a few things about himself, he was younger or at least looked like he was. His moustache had vanished, his eyebrows thinned out slightly and his body no longer had the wrinkles that showed the countless centuries he'd endured. If he had to guess, he looked mid to late teens for a human, or a couple thousand years for one of those cursed Shinigami.
"Hah... Let's us hope that is the last I ever see of those blasted fools..." Barragan crossed his arms over his chest as he continued to look around. If there was nothing but the white void before him, Barragan would have to resign himself from forging his kingdom anew. A kingdom that he would keep for all eternity.
With nothing better to do Barragan set off in a random direction, to find any sign of civilization or life. He wasn't sure for how long he walked, fur-lined cape billowing behind him, but he never stopped. He was ageless. He was death in its greatest form. He was the former God-King of Hueco Mundo, Barragan Louisenbairn. To him, an eternity was nothing.
As he walked, he saw nothing but the nearly blinding whiteness before him. He had to admit, he expected more from the afterlife. Or Hell for that matter, if that was where he was. This didn't seem like a punishment for whatever sins he may have committed in his life, it was more like a rest station to whatever came next.
"Barragan Louisenbairn. It is a pleasure to meet you." Barragan turned around at the voice. The accent wasn't one he knew. It seemed like it had a bit everything in it, while lacking anything recognizable. To his mild amusement when he turned around, a female figure stood to greet him. He could figure out what she looked like, as her form seemed to shift constantly under his gaze.
"A pleasure to meet you as well, Spirit-King, Kami, whichever title you desire. I would offer you a seat, but as you see. My kingdom has been reduced to nothing but a bright void." The Hollow King held his arms out to show off the expanse that he sarcastically called his, with the same bored expression as usual.
The female giggled quietly at the youth before her. "I'm glad you are enjoying it. I was worried you'd be bored with nothing to do."
"All things fade in time. Animals, plants, buildings, even Shinigami. That is the only absolute."
"Indeed Lord Barragan, now I was going to offer you a gift, but if you were content with your current situation, don't let me intrude." Kami teased.
"A gift?" Barragan raised a tanned eyebrow in interest. "Why would you, Great Kami wish to give me a gift? I was the Ruler of Los Noches, King of Hollows and God of Hueco Mundo. I am the pinnacle of everything your little Shinigami's hated."
"Yes, you were. But you gave the Hollows order, rules and kept them in line with fear. Without you, there would have been greater casualties during the thousands of years you ruled. And.."
"And? Speak before I grow tired of this." Barragan grunted as he thought back to how he ruled Hueco Mundo. Any Hollow stronger than a Menos was banned from entering the Human world. After all, the Hollows in the shadow of Hueco Mundo were stronger and more filling than any pathetic soul that could be scavenged from the filthy Shinigami. Better to leave the scraps to the trash, while the strong feast.
In retrospect he had help keep the peace, unknowingly... 'How comical.' The Hollow-King chuckled to himself as Kami continued.
"And.. you aided in the destruction of Aizen's misguided plan..your dying wish, for Aizen to fail was heard by the HÅgyoku... it was touched by the absolute rage and sincerity behind your wish and it turned against Aizen when he needed it most... All of his planning.. all of the the trickery crashed down around on him. So consider this a thank you, and a chance to have your greatest wish fulfilled. A place where you may start life anew and do with as you see fit." Kami tilted her head slightly, smiling to herself as Barragan took a moment to digest what he had heard.
Barragan looked to the white sky above him and cackled, his laughter could be heard for miles as he enjoyed the pure joy that over took him, letting his spiritual pressure run wild. If anything other than Kami and himself had been nearby, it'd have been reduced to little more than dust. "AIZEN, YOU HILARIOUS FOOL! I TOLD YOU! I WARNED YOU! I WOULD GET MY REVENGE! I TOLD YOU! I AM THE ONLY ABSOLUTE! I TOLD YOU I WOULD HAVE MY REVENGE! HOW COMICAL! HOW AMAZINGLY COMICAL!"
Barragan kept laughing, while Kami simply stood and watched, enjoying the show before her before Barragan wiped away the tear forming below his eyes. He looked at Kami, wondering if she knew that bit of news was more than enough to keep him content. The Hollow-King actually smiled at the one person he considered an equal.
"I would happily accept your generous offer Kami-san. Ruling Hueco Mundo was getting tedious anyways. I will craft myself a kingdom worth my presence as ruler."
"Of course Lord Barragan. But I do warn you, I'll be placing you in a school where you can learn about the world that shall soon bow to you. I do not wish to over step my place, but I would recommend you enjoy a year or two there to learn before you begin to cause trouble." Kami bowed slightly with a teasing tone in her voice. She knew the best way to mess with men like Barragan was through their ego.
Barragan scratched his chin, feeling the scar from his battle against a former Vasto Lord as he took a moment to think before nodding. "A school would be useful. Knowledge is power... I shall depart now Kami-san."
Kami nodded, and flicked her wrist as a portal opened up beside her as she bowed before Barragan. "I look forward to next we speak Lord Barragan." She said with a hidden grin as the Hollow King gave her a nod farewell before stepping through the hole in space before himself.
Once Barragan had left, Kami giggled. "Oh I do look forward to seeing what happens."
Barragan let a small smirk cross his face as he looked around. He'd been dropped off out of the portal by the side of a road to see a bus driver with glowing eyes waiting for him. Apparently he was a friend of Kami's and had offered to give Barragan a ride to the school where he now stood, admiring the scenery. It was no Hueco Mundo with the rolling deserts and bone white trees, but it had a familiar. Dead trees stood everywhere, the sky was dark and gloomy, and the ocean was blood red.
Barragan had to admit, seeing the ocean was new to him, since water in Hueco Mundo usually meant he was fighting a certain female Vasto Lord. Barragan spared a moment to wonder what happened to the third Espada. He kind of hoped she survived, instead of that lay about Starkk. She'd be the best choice for running Hueco Mundo in his absence and Aizen's well deserved destruction.
Finally finished sight-seeing, Barragan picked up the bag which held a spare change of clothes. Apparently Kami was fine with making him younger, but she didn't dare touch his outfits. He seemed to have lost his Hollow mask and Hollow Hole in this word, but that didn't bother him, since he still had Arrogante with him, sealed away to resemble a pitch black cane with a golden skull pommel that fit in his hand perfectly.
As soon as Barragan set off towards the school, he heard something coming up behind him. Barragan turned around in time to see a pink haired girl barrelling towards him on a bike, having obviously lost control of the machine. "Coming through!" The girl warned.
Barragan stepped to the side of the bikes path before activating Senescencia to slow down time. He carefully picked the girl up into his arms, taking her off the bike before stopping his power, watching the contraption crash into a nearby tree. Barragan set the girl down gently on her feet as she started to apologize thinking it was rather comical he'd already run into someone.
Moka looked at the teen that held her in his arms. He was startling to say the least, with dark tanned skin set against snow-white hair and deep black eyes that commanded authority. The large scars across his right eye and down his left chin reminded her of viking lords she'd seen in her history textbook. He wore a black button up shirt under a white leather cloak with dark fur lining and short sleeves. Both wrists had thick golden bracelets in place, and his uniform pants were held up by three chains, attached to a large metal disc with an image of the sun on it which hung almost lazily to his left side.
She blushed a bit as the stranger set her down on her feet with a small bored-smile. It took Moka a minute, but getting a better look and a smaller distance away from the man gave her an idea why she was paying so much attention to him. He smelled intoxicating, like nothing she'd smelt before, and she didn't even see any blood.
Seeing that she hadn't said anything Moka bowed in apology. "I'm sorry! I get dizzy from my anaemia! I didn't mean to crash into you! Please forgive me!"
Barragan chuckled quietly at the girl. To say her reaction was refreshing was an understatement. There was no fear in her voice, only sincere regret for almost hitting him. As if something like that could wound the King of Hollows! So Barragan just smiled a bit and put a hand on the girl's shoulder. "I am not injured. Your apology is irrelevant."
He noticed that his voice was softer and not as deep in this form, but he didn't really mind. Thousands of years as an old man, made you appreciate the gifts of youth. And in those thousands of years, he had learned a lot of things. The proper treatment of the female race included. Female hollows were rare, so the general opinion on them was one of two extremes. In most cases they were viewed as weak, little more than glorified servants for the pack alpha's.
But Barragan was not most people. He had fought Harribel often enough to have some manners beaten into his thick skull. He knew that women should be treated with respect and care, for an angry women could make even a God-King feel the need to watch his back. So that is what Barragan did, especially since he could sense something in this girl, something hidden. She was nowhere near as strong as him, but she definitely had a power inside her that wasn't to be ignored.
"But I must ask miss. Are you alright? You said something about Anaemia? I'm afraid I do not know what that is, but I would not mind accompanying you to the nearest healer." Barragan continued, seeing the girl shake her head slightly.
"No! It's okay! I'll be fine! I'm just hungry is all." Moka looked at the ground as Barragan nodded.
"Well Miss, I'm sure there will be some food nearby to help. Come, since we are both lost, we may ask well travel together. Barragan Louisenbairn. Pleasure to meet you." Barragan took a step forward, offering Moka a hand in greeting.
"Moka Akashiya.. and.. um.. thank you.. Barragan-san. Would you mind being my frien-" Moka took a step forward as she replied, only to trip and fall forward, her head landing in the crook of Barragan's neck. Moka isn't sure what overcame her, but he smelled too good to resist as she opened her mouth.
"I'm sorry, you just smell.. too.. nice." Barragan watched with mild interest as the girl bit into his neck, apparently bypassing his Hierro with her fangs. The former Hollow-King had been told this was a world full of monsters by the bus driver, so he assumed that like Hollow's monsters might eat human's as well. But he didn't feel anything threatening from this girl as she drank her fill of blood. It's not like he needed it anyways. He could easily regenerate any blood he lost in this form.
After a minute of drinking Moka pulled away with a dazed look on her face, muttering how she may have drunk a little too much, before she eventually came to her senses.
"Barragan-san! I'm so sorry! I didn't! I mean! I'm sorry! I didn't mean to suck your blood! It's just that I'm a vampire and I was hungry.. and your blood is so... amazing.." Moka blushed and waved her hands around before looking at the ground, depressed. "I guess this means you don't want to be friends anymore... since most people are scared of vampires."
Barragan chuckled again. "Moka-san. To be quite frank you are the first of your kind I have encountered, nor do I care for something as worthless as discrimination. I will still accept your offer of friendship if it is available." A small grin crossed Barragan's tanned skin. "And maybe, on occasion let you have a drink of blood. So calm yourself, or we shall be late for the opening ceremony."
"Alright Barragan-kun!" Moka nodded excitedly as she went to grab her bike, while Barragan followed behind her, thinking he had been placed in an interesting world.
"Might as well enjoy my stay here. How Comical." Barragan whispered to himself as he and Moka made their way to school.
