Contrary to appearances, there were indeed children in Hueco Mundo.
True, there weren't very many, and what few who did survive were slightly twisted, but they were still children.
"Ooowahhh…" cooed a particularly charming blonde specimen sporting a triangular bone piece upon his crown.
More often than not, Wonderweiss Magera spent his time wandering around Los Noches. Each nook and cranny got his fuzzy attention. Anything that happened to be living and conscious enough to process emotion got a raging case of the heebie-jeebies from the soft stare and innocent threat within it.
Wonderweiss honestly didn't notice. The looks were returned in the form of blank stares before the young arrancar wandered off, or grew fixated upon something shiny.
At the moment, he was wandering through the massive furnaces working away deep within the underbelly of the castle. This was not like his other trips to the warm, dark subbasement at all.
No, this time, he found himself a prize!
Awed, small hands pulled the blanket back from the bundle tucked into an out of the way corner. An egg was swaddled cozily in the blankets, for all the world like an infant would be. The ovoid sphere was as big as a basketball and the warm shell under his soft hands was leathery and pulsed gently with power.
"Ahhhh," he murmured to it as he lifted it from its too-small cocoon.
"Whatcha got there?" An easy-going voice inquired from behind him.
Skinny arms clutched his new 'baby' closely to his thin chest possessively. The boy-arrancar looked over his shoulder and fixed the silver-haired man with a wide eyed stare.
Gin only grinned as he strode over and bent at the waist to examine the bundle his arms. "Is that an egg?"
"…aaaaaahh…"
"I see," the creepy man tilted his head. "Ya know what humans do wit' eggs t'day?"
Wonderweiss stared blankly, but crooned, "Ooohh…?"
Squinted eyes met the blank gaze, and the cap of silver hair shifted gently when Ichimaru tilted his head. "They paint 'em."
The grinning man was granted with another vacant stare.
"C'mon, let's find some paints." Gin turned and strode easily from the furnace room.
The childlike arrancar trailed behind, clutching the leather egg to his chest the whole way.
After a trip to Szayel's palace and a quick rifle through of drawers, they two alighted from the chamber with three jars of glowing paints, a brush, and a disturbing amount of Peeps.
It would appear that the pink haired Espada had an unhealthy obsession with the sugary treats. Gin wished he could see the scientist's face when he returned to his computer room only to find the sweet little birds stuck to monitors and keys in patterns of smiley faces and lopsided hearts.
"Mmnggg," Wonderweiss attempted to utter around a mouthful of sugary goodness.
"Yeah, who knew?" Gin bit the head off of a blue peep and contemplated upon how to gain access to Tousen's hair care products. The blind man could use a little more color to his look, and a couple of brightly dyed purple candies dropped in the shampoo would do the trick. Best part of the whole thing would be that the somber man wouldn't have a clue of what happened until someone told him.
They drifted to a stop on a stairwell leading up to quarters for ex-numeros, and sat on the steps like a couple of school kids.
"Now, lessee that egg." A long fingered hand was extended, only to be yanked back when the Wonderweiss's gaping mouth made an advance on it. "Err…how 'bout you do tha paintin', then?"
That seemed acceptable to the boy, who cradled the egg in both hands and gazed at it.
Gin uncapped the paints, which picked up a brighter glow as soon as air hit their surfaces, and set them before the boy. The paintbrush was taken from his hand, and the child stared as the brightly colored liquid saturated the bristles in pearlescent luminescence.
With concentration granted only to children set at a task, the brush swept over the leathery white surface. Lopsided, pulsating patterns soon covered the smooth surface. As the paint dried, the glow also faded, and the leathery shell toughened slightly. Once the entire surface was coated with dried paint, Wonderweiss held up his masterpiece to show Gin. Any other child would beam with pride at the colorful mess of an egg, but the blonde boy only stared at his elder with wide eyes, and a slow curving of his lips. "Aaahh…?"
"Very good!" The already broad grin expanded into a smile as he recapped the half-empty jars and shoved them against the wall for Granz to find later. "Now, y'know what ya do wit' it?"
"Oohh…?" The colorful egg was drawn back towards the thin chest again.
Fluidly, Ichimaru rose to his feet and watched the boy expectantly "We hide it, an' make Grimmjow find it!"
"Ahh…" Slowly Wonderweiss stood, cradling the ovoid in his arms.
"I know just tha place." If there were more light in the place, his pearly whites would have glinted.
The former Captain of the Third ascended the stairs, Wonderweiss trailing behind him by a few steps.
Happy Easter to those who celebrated it! Happy Sunday to those who don't!
Every time I see "Los Noches" I crave nachos. And Menos Grande remind me of nachos grande. Mexican food for Easter it is! :D
... *snorts* ...I uploaded this file in the morning, and completely forgot to update the actual story. *facepalms* I think sweet lil' Wondy rubbed off on me.