Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach or will I ever debate Tite Kubo on the matter, they are all his in idea as are the concepts I use. However the original characters(Tou Yuushin, Kousou Yuushin, and Niyna Yuushin) just so happen to be my ideas, so please play nice if you want to use'em or something. Just ask =3.
(End Disclaimer)
A/N: Well moving on rather quickly, I bring you the second chapter in the installment of my Bleach Fanfiction. I am really excited and yes people, if you haven't figured it out things are moving faster than my other fics.
This is more of a form of discovery and mostly from the hollow standpoint. In my understanding Hollows/Arrancars and Shinigami/Vizards differ like these two subjects of: Emotion/Feelings and Intellect/Thoughts. I will be very much exploring how Arrancars (or Emotion/Intellect) and Vizards (Intellect/Emotion) will interact. Better yet consider how Arrancars still feel emotion first, while having their wits about them they still act on instinct or what they are used to. While Vizards were Shinigamis who grew to understand they were not so different from the Hollow. Instinct is keen in Arrancar/Hollows are in that more important in what guides their philosophies and I just remember no matter how much intelligence they have; most arrancar prefer to live by that instinct; which is often violent like Grimmjow or Nnoitra. But it is hardly limited to arrancar, examples like: Starrk, Harribel, and Ulquiorra are potent examples of those who are not as simple in their choice and their demeanor drastically differs.
This will be coming out in the more intimate scenes (which yes are inevitable) throughout the fiction, I hope this clears up some of the things I will be getting into. Hope it gives you a glimpse into my thoughts as to how I portray the fraccion and their interactions with Kousou. And without any further adieu, here is the fiction. To those who don't understand 'Yami' is a translation I think roughly meaning 'dark' and this is why I have dubbed Daikaras; Kou's inner-hollow Yami-Kou whenever he speaks. This is also because Daikaras (in his fullness) is very violent and wants to challenge Kou again. Yet a part of him has accepted Kou's partnership and this part of him is that 'Yami-kou' that I refer to. Just in case that caused any confusion.
(End A/N)
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Chapter II: At the whims of Arrancar Nature
For Kousou this was probably the best kind of situation for him given his standing as a prisoner. As far as he came to understand the other Espada appeared to be either too violent to be trusted with his care or uncaring about his safety in the palace. As it seemed the Espada, Tia Harribel as he'd heard her name spoke was the kindest of the entirety or at least the one with whom Aizen preferred to trust with his care. He was very sure of how this would go had he resisted or been rude, such things were very simply not wise to be considered.
As Aizen made it clear: Kousou was to be treated like one of them, put through regular tasks and well kept like any fraccion, but with one special rule and that was that he was also to be something more or less of an adjunct of those who had captured him. He imagined that was thrown in probably to test his humility or whether his pride could take it, but to Kou it was just as well since this meant that his position was even lower. It was better that way, if he did what he was told and simply acted as he had been raised…at the very least his health was guaranteed to be good.
Though this was bad since he knew for one fact sure, that since he could not guage his new commander's power, this meant she far outweighed his own and that if the fraccion/Espada system was anything like the Shinigami Lieutenant/Captain system…then the gap was endless and boundless as the skies of Hueco Mundo were black as night. There was the reason that he knew that he should not ever step out of line. Though he doubted it would ever come to simply Harribel dealing with him and in fact it was going to be likely that her fraccion would be the one disciplining him in any fact if he ever stepped out of line, it wouldn't be something of a big deal since they could easily handle him.
As he was in a daze of thoughts while he walked, Harribel and her fraccion led him to their palace and he seemed to settle in pretty well, there was just those thoughts on his mind most important. He cleared it finally and when he next blinked he found himself in the center of the large palace at hand. He almost did a double-take at the sheer size of the massive structure, he had rarely been overtaken by the sheer grandness of size, not unlike this 'sub-palace' as he surmised it was, given that Las Noches itself was a larger and far more grand establishment.
"Kousou, you understand that you are under my watch...I will give you freedoms equivalent as long as I come to find that I can trust you." Harribel spoke and watched his reaction, she was equating whether she could trust him directly or not.
He gave her a soft nod before speaking, it was something she could trust him with.
"Harribel-sama, I say this out of respect...you can trust me on word of my honor. I understand the situation and to be simple about it: If I were to act up, it would only result in my getting hurt. By understanding things as it were, I am not strong enough to challenge anyone here and making a ruckus is thus futile. I shall obey your commands without fail, of this you can be sure." his voice was clear and his tone truthful. He was being earnest in his understanding of the situation.
Harribel gave a light nod, while taking note of his fairly keen observation. Though she felt something was off about his reiatsu, she couldn't quite place it. Much to his word from what she could sense he was maybe around the strength of a Shinigami lieutenant according to Aizen's explanation of the whole system used by Shinigami. Even if his Quincy powers increased his strength, she doubted it was very marginal.
"Very well, Kousou I will hold you to your word on your honor. From now on you are considered fraccion, you answer to your direct superiors: Sun-Sun, Apache, and Mila Rose. The only circumstances that change this are unless you are summoned by Aizen-sama, Gin-sama, Tousen-sama, or myself. I expect the tasks to be simply completed, you are free unto yourself aside from that. You may do what you wish, but...be careful where you visit as you have heard the other Espada do not take kindly to Shinigami's presences. But you are under my protection, this will be something relayed. Are these simple rules understood Kousou?" she spoke frankly, since he seemed to udnerstand with little trouble.
"Of course, Harribel-sama. Thank you." he bowed his head lightly, a head-now and bow crossed so as to be polite.
She nodded to him and turned to leave the room.
"Ladies, I leave him to your watchful eyes, show him his room and then do as you will." she said this before leaving the fraccion hall; she had proper chambers for those under her with anything they could want or need within limitations of course.
Sun-Sun leads him to the room to the far right, it was the one room that hadn't been used by any of the fraccion and since they never had another join their ranks, the room was of course well furnished and upkept by the lesser arrancar who upkept the housekeeping in Las Noches.
"Kousou, you will be held to your word by Harribel-sama and so I will trust you. However, give me a reason to do otherwise...and you will regret it." Sun-Sun's warning was simple and direct, her hand held to her face in a very simple manner as she held out to him his Zanpakuto.
He accepted his Zanpakuto with a head-bow and both hands extended to accept the hilt and scabbard into his hands.
"Thank you Sun-Sun-sama." he said with a soft smile, showing the same respect and of course a genuine smile.
She appeared unfazed by his kindness, though gave him a small nod before she left him and returned towards her room.
Mila Rose was next to approach him and speak up it seemed in all, she was amused by his sudden choice but if Sun-Sun could trust it, then there was nothing wrong with it. She shook her head at him and then spoke as he stood in the doorway of his room.
"Hey new kid, I'll call you Kou since I prefer a short name to that. Don't call me "-sama" or I'll punch you in the head. I am nobody's leader or superior, but you will do as your told got it?" she got to the point that there would be no formalities between them.
"Understood Mila-Rose." he said in turn, this was going to be simple he thought overall, it wasn't half as bad as he thought.
Apache was the last person that he had figured on having to talk to and yet there she stood before him, looking very pissed off at the entire outcome of the moment, though her direct sense was to tell him to shove it all: his kindness, his formality, very simply she wanted a rematch and wasn't going to be waiting for much from him. She was going to clear this up right now, her thoughts were already focused on what she wanted.
There was an odd silence between them within the first moments since he said nothing to her beyond give her a calm look, something contemplating because he could see that she wanted to speak. But of course it wasn't that she wasn't clear, it was that she didn't say a single word to him.
"Look here Kousou Yuushin, you are going to be sucking on your teeth after we have our rematch. I'll leave the orders to Sun-Sun or Mila-Rose, you are one thing to me and that is my opponent. You aren't gonna give me anything more than that, do you understand?" she said it, on edge and waiting for him to say something stupid.
"Of course Apache-sama." he said with a soft nod, not smiling or anything else since he wasn't trying to set her off.
She clenched her teeth, was he mocking her or something? He would just give up and become a fraccion without struggle because of some stupid reasoning? Oh that pissed her off and she clenched her fist and then snapped at him.
"Your not my subordinate! Don't call me "-sama" you stupid bastard! Show some goddamned backbone! You understand?!" her outrage sent her storming off to her room after she'd said this.
Kousou shrugged and then headed to his room, he had much to discuss with Yami, to contemplate the situation he would need the input from one who understood this world and whom lived within his mind; this was something that he was considering to be of a point nearing emergency if it was not addressed properly. So into his room he went...to talk to himself, the thought made him chuckle as he settled onto the floor, Yami talked best through a shadow he found.
--In Kousou's Room--
After briefly exploring the room Kou found that the floor lacked tiamat, that would be fine really...he loved to string the spiritual threads together and to make something more solid. It appeared that it was more possible for him to in a weird way 'knit' together the spiritual particles using his abilities to manipulate reishi into a more solid form. This was something that was a great fact in places like Hueco Mundo or Soul Society where the reishi was far more plentiful and to a Quincy of his level, it was perfect for him to practice what was quickly becoming a hobby of spiritual knitting of sorts.
"You are one stupid kid you know that?" The obvious thought coming directly from Yami as Kou sat and looked at the wall.
He gave enough focus for the dark shadow of a large crow form to take part and show itself on the floor and wall.
"What's with snapping at me for Yami-san? You are always so rude." Kou said while shaking his head.
"What kind of special ed kid are you Kousou? You pissed off a fraccion by simply doing one thing: your being too nice or too forward makes you stupid. Not everyone wants to be friends or thinks that things can be solved by discussion. Apache is one such arrancar." obviously Yami was hitting the nail on the head since due to Kousou's blind attempt to make people happy or to try and be friends, it was irritating being his other at times.
"Is that all? Well then fine I won't make the same mistakes twice that's all, I'll have to tread my ground more carefully with her around." he said as he looked at the shadow, the bird cawed and laughed, and it was to this point that another voice was heard.
"You...are...truly the stupidest other I could have. You know I still don't like you since the moment I first met you, your weakness pissed me off. You have this gentle air about you and it's really pathetic. This is what she sees, not just that it's what she smells and what she now knows as a fact. You are thinking the wrong way Kousou, she's instinctual and she feels by that. Can you understand what instinct is? We hollow live by it, even though my instinct is getting dull by being one with a wuss like you, I can clearly see it in her. I admire the wildfire that rages in her." Yami's words had made Kou blush and this made him laugh again.
"H-Hey shut up Yami! That's not funny, to know that you are attracted to our superior, that is...unprofessional. This is a very simple relationship that we all have, I am the subordinate and I do what I'm told for now. Till I can find a way out of here or at least get stronger in a hurry; then I can't possible escape. And to that point I will do what I'm told, while it may leave me seen as a traitor. I would much rather have bruised and tarnished honor than be dead, it would devastate mom." he was thinking very clearly it seemed, sure being a subordinate hurt what pride he had; but he was intelligent and used that to outweigh what was important and otherwise.
"She's your superior, not mine kid. I have no qualms about liking someone's sass, in fact I think it's sexy. And you idiot, don't even look at dirty magazines being such a damnable goody-goody. You really annoy the hell out of me sometimes, but no matter since she'll be around and soon. You pissed her off and she wants retribution for hitting her in Karakura Town. Good since I want another shot at her myself." Yami of course was looking forward to a rematch since he wouldn't have to hold back at all and could show the fullness of his destruction powers.
Kou sighed but knew that Yami was right, though it seemed he had been too wrapped up in his own thoughts to sense his coming visitor.
There was no knock, Apache opened his door and seemed irritated directly by his mumbling and speaking and it wasn't until she heard the laughing that she chose to enter and see who else was here. She sensed no other reiatsus but his own within that room and yet she distinctly heard another voice. Eavesdropping? Of course she was, she had nothing more on her mind than this stupid boy that she wanted to make a fool of. One way or another it didn't matter what his responses were; they'd be fighting and for real this time.
"Alright runt, who the hell is in here with you? I heard voices and the other wasn't yours." she said as she marched over to him, the same angry look on her face that was in the hall.
For that moment Kou was being affected by Yami's thoughts and was in that same fact looking at Apache in a daze, his face turned soft red and he looked down at the wall as she approached him. He cursed lowly, stupid Yami had put thoughts into his head and he was hating that right now since it took some moments to clear his mind.
'Hah, what did I tell you idiot? She's sexy.' the voice whispered into his mind and was immediately silenced, Kou had to focus now.
"That voice was a projection from within my mind, one of those that lurk inside of my being." he gave her the truth, though kept up the veil of vagueness, she didn't need to know this to the full extent.
"Tch. I've never heard of that." she said as she looked at him skeptically.
"Well it is one of the things that most Shinigami learn to do as we come into contact with our Zanpakuto-spirits. It is the way we learn to become stronger with our partners." he said with a soft nod, keeping a very careful look on his face.
She knew he was telling the truth, but that face he was making pissed her off. He was being false there and now she had something that she could complain about.
"When I told you I didn't want any of these formalities, this meant falseness as well. I will not stand for any of these controlled expressions you stupid boy!" she said as she glared at him.
He broke into a smile, this was something that he'd been wanting to do for a while. This made her suck at her teeth, she hated the way that he smiled so genuine...what the hell was he so happy about?!
"Don't smile you brat!" she yelled as she leaned over partway, very close to grabbing his face and ripping it straight off.
"I cannot help that I am happy, even if I am a prisoner and not in a familiar place, I have my health and am being cared for. So there is no need not to smile or be happy I find." he said it clearly, not lying and maintaining a very light smile on his face, this was just what she hoped.
She was about to grab his collar and caught something out of the corner of her eye, she caught a strange shadow shape there against the wall. Kousou saw her gaze and quickly acted and just as she blinked and looked at the wall, there was nothing. He hoped that she might think it was just a coincedence or some strange occurance.
As she looked again she saw a regular shadow and sneered as she faced him. Her instinct told her something was off about this kid, he was hiding something and trying to cover it up. She hated how careful he was and just seeing this look there on his face; that same placid smile as before seemed to be arrogant in a way she found. It was kind and probably even endearing, but all she saw was pure and unadulterated arrogance; he was being condescending and thought she couldn't see through his damned tricks?!
"What the hell was that on the wall? And don't bullshit me, I know that I saw a strange shadow." she was trusting her gut on this, what she was nothing that was a coincedence and she knew it.
She wanted him to trip up...that was really all she wanted, she'd let him have it the moment he did.
"You did see a strange shadow, the moonlight was playing and I shifted when you looked." the voice was as carefully neutral as he could have it, luckily it was all true. She was a lot sharper than he wanted to give her credit for, she had seen Daikaras and he knew that she knew she saw it. But he had shifted, since he was uncomfortable at that moment, he was very very lucky...he would have to be more careful around her.
She gritted her teeth and raised him to the wall, she heard nothing but truth and yet she knew that he was holding back.
"Fine, try to hide your damned secrets. I'll beat them out of you!!" she yelled as she threw him out the large open window with all the force her anger could muster, she turned and followed his ragdoll body and once clear of the window broke into highspeed; she was done screwing around with him. He'd gone and pissed her off beyond all else, she'd had it. Rage was so much easier to handle, just find a target and fire away at them with everything that you had.
--Outside of Kousou's Room--
Kou had caught himself partway and immediately landed on his feet, he raised his reiatsu to it's fit levels and caught her fist as she came at him. Turning with her momentum he tossed her with that same explosive force that she shot at him, while he took stance and brought one hand in front of him and left the other down at his side. He had taken some Chinese martial arts that were offered and mixed it with the Hakuda and Karate his mother had known. With these tools he would show this arrancar and all of her anger that he was not so easy to push around.
Apache caught herself and skidded to a stop, her eyes focused on her target. Instead of being blinded by her rage, Apache had a unique control with it and thrived on it for power.
"About Goddamned time, but your going to need more than that." she said as she threw herself at him again.
Making her moves more timed, she swept her leg at his mid-section and aimed to catch him off balance by throwing a quick punch for his face a few moments following this. To her surprise, not only did he catch her leg with his arms, but he'd turned his head to the right and widely dodged the punch so her force flared out through the length of his hair and sent it blowing wildly into the reverse direction. While not one to waste motion, Apache brought her head forward and tried to headbutt him in the face. Kou countered by letting her carry herself forward before he tossed her leg and body off of his form, letting her fly forward while he caught his balance.
Kou rubbed his cheek and felt the bruise there...she was not playing, her power was nothing to laugh at either; as even with his elevated reiatsu in this current state he wouldn't be able to cause her any serious harm. Hand to hand was a bad idea also, since her Hierro made her skin much harder than any blow he could manage in this state. He removed the seal from his upperneck and slid it away into the sleeve of his Kimono while he drew Kazashiryuu. Now he felt more confident with his mixing reiatsu, he'd be determined to stand his ground better.
"That...is more like it! You stupid runt, I don't know where that reiatsu comes from or goes, but from now on if you don't fight like that; I'll break a limb." she said seriously as she threw herself at him again.
Kou knew more than to underestimate her, he blocked her punch with his zanpakuto and twisted the blade into a rising arc, slicing at her face with the counter move. Apache threw herself backwards and kicked Kou in his stomach, finally a shot off! She felt good feeling that she could hit him, his moves and counters pissed her off at any rate.
He recovered from the kick easily enough, in time to block her next punch with the flat of his blade while he brought the katana around to thrust at his face; one move he expected to miss. To his prediction's sake, it did and she dodged left while he caught her with his heel and kicked off of her and into a backflip. He used the force to separate them while releasing his shikai.
"Slash with the four winds, Kazashiryuu!!" he called the sudden release of his Zanpakuto and the surge of reiatsu gave Apache a sudden feeling that made her grin.
The defeaning sound of his pressure filled her ears and to match that her body lit up in a violent shuttle-loop display of her own red reiatsu; to her satisfaction releasing this much of her real power made her feel better. Finally a worthy opponent that she could contently use her skill on. She'd kick his ass and show him that what happened in town was a did he hold all of this back? It continued to bother her for a moment, well that was until she felt it again.
"You'd better use it all, otherwise I'll shatter your damn ribs and send you on a worthless mission tomorrow!" a threat of course that she could easily keep her promise on. She found no need to use her zanpakuto against him and to that same plus did she now seek some kind of closure, that even though they held the same levels (or near the same) that he was not her match.
To her surprise that was not as true as she once thought that it would be, he proved to be her equal in the skill of combat; in fact he was likely better than she chose to admit.
As they made passes at each other, again and again each one seems to prove her more and more wrong. He had skillfully sliced her forearm, her left leg, and her hip with his blade. To his credit he'd only taken a fierce shot to the stomach and one to his pretty little face once, it was something that bothered her. He had donned a mask one time in the city. His power was impressive to her now, seeming to be greater since he held nothing back, but now what was there to see? But this mask...she needed to feel that pressure again.
Without warning she launched from her left wrist, the near-chakram styled blade was sent directly at his face; from the halfway range even at his levels of agility he'd be screwed unless he used it.
"Show Time." to Yami-Kou's credit he had been the one to predict now when Kou would need his power.
At that instant it had been true, Kou's left hand rose over his face and quickly brought the gathering reiatsu to the side of his face, prior to the explosion of a dark gold and navy blue tinted aura. His power almost devouring her own in that instant when it had exploded forth, his pressure enveloped all of the surrounding and snapped to the attention of the other fraccion; Harribel too easily noting who's reiatsu it was.
For that instant Apache was stunned and that was all it took, Kou was suddenly in her face having knocked her chakram aside and to her own credit; instinct saved her a new cut. She blocked his Zanpakuto and withstood the greater pressure with her own determination. She grunted as she held her ground and felt her foot being forced to weak greatly, before she shot him back from her; on a quick blast of Cero.
Kousou slid back from the pressure of the Cero, before he deflected it off to his left and turned his attention to Apache appearing overhead, both Chakrams suddenly in hand and aimed for his face. He was gone the instant that she was within 5 inches of his face, while indeed everything was augmented, his speed and agility by far had been the greatest increased. Kou appeared at her side and swept the blade past her side; unveiling a mighty explosion of swirling void wind that sent Apache into an uncontrolled spin for a few moments.
She shattered the void around her and gritted her teeth, was this kid really this strong? He wasn't stronger by much she found, but it was enough that it gave him an edge; she was incredibly stunned to say the least. But it was time to end this game of course, her horntip lit the cero on the edge; it was time to see him put up with this.
"Pretty good kid, let's see if your wind can stop this!!" she was grinning somewhat, did he think he could stop her Cero?
Kou watched her and his eyes widened at the size of the ball, that blast was going to be a wide arc blast, that was what he was thinking. So he simply decided to counter, holding up both of his hands he gathered the swirl of navy cero around the edges of his knuckles it seemed; bringing the energy together via the swirling of Kazashiryuu which he still held.
For the moment she didn't give a damn that he was somehow using Cero, she simply released it in a wide range shot, aiming it for his body.
"Dodge this kid!!" she yelled as the wide-radius potent cero aimed for his entire being.
At the same instant, Kou released the fastest charged Cero he'd ever managed in his time. He wasn't sure that it was enough to counter her cero completely and so he disappeared, after having released it he headed to the ground panting. Before this Kou was able to hold his mask for as long as 20 minutes without being pressed, it was maybe at anywhere from 5-7 minutes when he was 14 about 2 years ago. How much had he improved? Kou wasn't sure, he had been using it for a bit over 6 maybe 7 minutes and was feeling the wear and tear from it now.
Both Cero had met in a swirl of red and navy, for a brief moment melding together before they exploded in a blast wave that made even Apache slide backwards from the force; she couldn't believe that this blast had managed to be the equivalent of hers, what the hell was going on here? If a kid could match her reiatsu then she knew there was a big problem with what she thought of him at first. He was just about even with her in terms of power and destruction, but that didn't explain how the brat could use Cero...
Before Apache could continue, it became clear that they had spectators of the different kind. It wasn't something that Apache was expecting, but not only were her fellow fraccion watching, but Harribel-sama had come out as well? The display of power probably had something to do with that she imagined. It wasn't like they were playing by the book or anything, she'd insisted on a near full-powered exercise.
Kousou's mask had broken by now and fallen off, he knew that his trump card had been found out. Though he figured it was best for it to be seen now rather than later since it would have been found out either way and there was no better way to put it than that.
"That is enough for now Apache, Kousou." Harribel's voice was calm and enough to show that she was present, and to her expectation both of her fraccion stopped without a word more needed.
Kousou sheathed his Zanpakuto and placed it back in its sheath in its sealed form, his reiatsu returning to their more normal levels; albeit a bit lower since he'd been so active in battle with someone who was his equal. Apache sighed as her reiatsu lowered, though she had wanted to continue more it was Harribel-sama's presence that reminded her not only to keep a coolhead, but also that this kid...was still essentially one of them as of today. She'd have to remember that.
"That was impressive Kousou, you were able to keep pace with Apache when she decided to up the ante. I can see also that your power did more than just rival hers. Your power felt a lot like our own...and to my surprise you used Cero. Care you to explain that?" she made it a very simple question for him to come forward and answer. She honested wondered if he would keep the truth from her? She'd smell it on him like one animal could easily sense the hidden presence of a predator...or in her case prey.
He needed nothing more than a moment to catch his breath before he spoke up of course.
"That Harribel-sama is something I inherited from my father, a power that is in fact very similar to your own. It would be me as a Shinigami tapping into the powers of my inner-hollow, the manifestation of which is a mask." he said with a soft smile, at this telling the truth would be a simple matter. He knew that she'd be telling Aizen about this and he would have the described terms that Kou had not described.
"Your inner-hollow? That is an interesting consideration...I would like to hear more about this, at a later time. You should rest Kousou, you have a task to complete tomorrow." Harribel had of course been simple in her explanation, a task tomorrow would be what he needed to conserve his strength for.
Kousou had bowed his head lightly and that had been enough, she nodded to him.
"Apache, see your sparring partner off to rest and then retire as well. Come Ladies, that is enough entertainment for this evening." the little show had been more than worth their attention and now it was better for them to be off.
Mila Rose looked at Kousou as he placed his Zanpakuto back on his belt and straightened out his attire, was he really that strong? She couldn't deny what she felt and this meant one thing of course: she'd be testing that power that she felt today. She knew that he was skilled after what he'd shown in his defense in Karakura town, but the fact that he'd stood his ground against Apache was more than reason enough for him to be surprising to her. She looked forward to it, that meant that the foolish kid did have some skill after all.
Sun-Sun didn't think much of it since a show of brute force wasn't too impressive. Even if he did have some tactics in the very end it was nothing but power vs. power, it was embarrassing to see that yet another amongst their ranks shared so much in common with her associates. In truth it was just as well, she was the brains and both Apache and Mila Rose the brawn. They listened well whenever it counted and they could work together with her; though it was unlikely that either had half the wit that she herself did. Refined and elegant moreso after their leader, Harribel-sama.
Apache looked to Kou and grinned at him while she rubbed some of dust from her face and her clothing. Maybe she could at least respect this kid, he finally gave her just what she wanted and didn't avoid it: he was real with her and in the way that she'd wanted. No masks of illusion, just action and the power to back himself up.
"C'mon Kou, get yourself together and let's get you to your room." she said as she took to the air and tugged him along by the shoulder. It was enough that she wasn't much for waiting, drop him off and then off to bed; that would be fine now that she'd gotten to use her anger towards something that had pissed off in the beginning.
--Back in Kousou's Room--
As she dropped him off at the windowsill, she stepped onto the floor and started thinking about something while she moved to the exit. She was about halfway to the door when she felt his reiatsu suddenly spike lower, the darker reiatsu was suddenly gone and that made her blink.
"What the hell..? What are you doing?" she asked him straight away, surprised by the drop of his reiatsu.
Kou blinked, what was this now about? he had put the seal back on and hid away his hollow-powers once more.
"I am revitalizing my inner-hollow powers by sealing them away. It is the way that I operate since sleep helps my powers return, my hollow powers double up this way." a straight up fact that he gave her, this had always been the way that he operated in the past; he didn't figure what was wrong with it now.
She sensed no lies and felt that he wasn't holding back a single thing, but it didn't solve the moment for her. How could he just do that after he was using his powers so expertly in battle? He just wanted...to seal some part of his natural powers away? That was just as bad as wearing a real mask. A repeat of what had set her off earlier. Didn't he get it? He just showed her the truth of his power and she respected that, she did not respect this show of weakness, hiding it away for whatever reason was unacceptable in any reason that he might have, period.
"Oh no you don't, I just got to see the real you; you'd better take that damn thing off right now and live with it. That is your real power, I don't want to see any of this holding back trash out of you again. Do you hear me?!" he was starting to tick her off again, he was supposed to obey his superiors no matter what. She wouldn't have another word of it.
He blinked again and was now confused, he reached out for Yami for some kind of help, she was irritable and he was unable to tell just how...or why? What did he do this time?
'Oh no Kousou, you will figure this out on your own...you made your bed, now sleep in it.' and again to his credit, Yami-Kou was using one of those sayings that floated in Kou's mind to his advantage, one such thing that made him laugh.
Kou cursed mentally and then cleared his mind, trying once to think this out without pissing her off. On his own he had to do this, so what to try now was the thought? He contemplated it for a few seconds and then spoke. And as soon as he did, he'd wished he hadn't.
"The properties of the seal make it more logical to use for regeneration does it not?" to this Kou never saw it coming, Apache was just too fast.
She threw him down by the neck, taking him to the floor and knocking the wind out of him. While he coughed, she had already been there in his lap and settling down on him while she looked into his eyes with nothing but irritation; the fire had come right back and set her off. He had questioned her for the last time and now he was going to be paying for it.
Soon he felt her hands on his neck, but they were feeling for something, he could feel her gloved hands moving around along the length of his neck and violently gripping the points of his neck; till she found the seal and ripped it right off. The pressure from the seal surprised her but it didn't matter; she was fuming once again and that made anything irrelevant.
"You will never hide behind this mask again before me." she said coldly as she incinerated the seal with her reiatsu, it was a simple matter of execution for her for.
She let the ashes fall to nothing before she decided it best to make sure he had no more. Without any word further she grabbed his kimono and began to force it open, almost ripping into it until it parted way and she threw it to the side, she was sure he probably had a spare somewhere. She'd find it whether he wanted her to or not, it made her laugh at the sheer fact that he was squirming so much, what was he so afraid?
Kou was in fact very timid and within reasons of right for his own modesty sake, as he felt her struggling with him to get his Kimono off and reveal his bare chest to her, she had been squirming and rocking in his lap. Pressed as hard as she was to his groin, he turned redder and redder in the face until he was scarlet and trying to desperately think of something to get her off of him. This couldn't be allowed to happen, not this way. He couldn't have her find out that he was not only excited; but now becoming erect at her actions. He felt shamed by his reactions to her, it was indecent for such at thing.
"Please Apache, you must not do this! I assure you that I have no more seals!" his tone was still trying to keep calm, but he could not keep the elevated fear from his tone, yes fear of the moment and of her strength.
Apache knew that he was telling the truth, but that smell made her want to do this more. She hadn't put two and two together at first, immediately that was solved. She felt his erection pressing itself against her backside and smirked more, was this what he was whining about?
"Honestly, for a Shinigami you are pathetic! Your whining about what? This?" she said as she grinded in his lap, his grunt had answered the question for her.
"Y-yes, now please get off of me. It is indecent for me to be like this around you, I cannot be like this before you, so get off." he said in an attempt to re-affirm his calmness.
But it was far too late, she leaned down over his chest and forcefully spread his arms out while she curled her legs around his outerthighs. There was something that he seemed to forget, in the world that he was in it was only natural to do whatever one felt. The stronger being made the rules and no pathetic pleas would curb her thought now, she had decided just what to do to make him know his place.
"Little brat, I'm not embarrassed to feel your excitement. I thought I told you not to hide behind masks, anything you've learned about these masks I am going to help you unlearn while your here. Stupid boy, this is natural understand?! I will show you what it makes me feel like doing." she said this, grinning widely since she could smell something else on him, not only was he trying to maintain deceny...but his chastity as well.
She seemed to have a chance to break him into this, though it was nothing that he knew; she herself held the same chastity, though it would not be lasting beyond this evening's time.
(---Mature scene ahead, to avoid move to the next set of "( )"---)
There was no wish to rush her enjoyment and as she spoke her words of choice, to her delight his eyes filled with dread as he renewed a futile struggle. As it were she ran any fight out of him during their battle and what was left was a pathetic struggle that would bring her amusement and little more she found. Adding to his strife was the fact that one thing he knew was absolutely true without question: That Apache was in charge and he couldn't despute the fact with her.
"Stop your whining or it will hurt more." she said cooly as she used one hand to lock both of his wrists above his head. Unlike Kousou, she had plenty of reserve strength left and used it to exact what she had been after the whole time: dominance over this foolish prisoner.
It wasn't because he was made an equal that she was pissed off, it was the fact that he dared to try and play with masks. To hide his true self behind these pathetic structures of society's rules and standards: like modesty or his damned manners. All of which made him weaker than she, this was a right that she had by nature's law: she the stronger would exact whatever she saw fit as a rule.
"Y-You can't!" he said as he pushed up against her, using his full body to try to move her. All he'd managed to do was press their heated bodies closer together, Apache laughed and persisted in ignoring him.
Then she headbutted him once and laid him flat on his back while he was dazed, she tugged off his Hakama and tossed them to the side. She removed his garments slowly with her fingers, looking his full body over and seeming to approve of what she saw. He was just as pretty as his face was, it was a handsome look well defined by his eyes and now full with an element that helped her undressing him to be all the easier: his fear.
Her fingers traced over his chest and smoothed over the several wounds he'd had, so the boy had seem some battle and had been hurt. All of his stupid tactics and strategies didn't help him, it was his strength. What he showed her earlier was what made him strong, these muscles that she traced over made him strong, not that stupid mind of his. A strong will made him capable in battle, those tactics slowed him down and made him her victim today.
"Tonight Kousou, you will not only become one of us, but you will also see the flaws of your thinking; it made you my victim and this is why you are nothing but a squirming prey that tries to escape the fate that his conqueress has decided to inact upon him." her words dripping with pride, her victory over him had been completely assured.
Without another moment's notice did she begin to remove her clothing, there was no slow way about doing it: she simply tossed off her top and her pants and panties went off as well; all into a crude pile somewhere into the setting of the room while she'd settled back upon him. Something that further stroked her pride was the fact that he stared at her and was at a loss of breath.
"Some lessons are learned hard, what you are feeling is natural, you go with what you feel. This feels right to me, for my weak enemy to be at my whim and tonight I have decided this is what I do. You are not only going to be bonded to me little boy, I will do this whenever I choose; lest I don't find the time appropriate do you understand?" of course it wasn't for him to answer.
She sat upon him and took his hardness into her hand, stroking up the length of him and smirking; she'd never really tried this before but knew exactly what to do. The reason why she knew? Simple and pure instinct.
As she cradled his length, Kou shivered and looked at her; was this really happening? He was about to lose his virginity to someone he'd pissed off...he wasn't sure what logical sense it made at all. What had brought this...
"Ahhh!" a sudden gasp escaping his lips as Apache wasted not time. His mind and thoughts remained scattered.
Apache had thrusted her hips downward, with great force she forced his length into her heated walls and let off a sharp grunt. It was a mix of some minor pains and to her delight mixed with a strange pleasure. She hadn't exactly felt such sensation, that pain was nothing like the pain of battle...she felt a sharp stab on her insides, but it didn't hurt as much while she wiggled her hips. She could feel him inside, shifting and moving as her hips moved; but each tingle brought her another moment of a growing wave of heat. She felt her innerwalls gripping him, felt his full member encased by her muscles and she squeezed him; hard enough to make him cry out.
"Mm...well maybe there is something about you I can like.~" she said with a musing tone. This before she returned to what was important to her now, exploring this new sensation.
Apache made her moves all varying: from her swishing hips from fast to slow, grinding to rocking, thrusting hard and thrusting softly. They all felt really good to her, but in her mind's choice she found that thrusting hard and slow, while squeezing him tightly made her feel best. She loved the way he pulsed inside of her, the feeling of his member within made her feel incredible. There were no words to describe what pleasures she was sampling now, it seemed that Apache had found a steady rhythm with him also. Her legs tightened around his legs, holding him firmer while she pumped her hips up and down. At first her hands on his chest, then slowly moving to his stomach, so that rising and dropping became easier for her. It was a carnal passion that was overtaking her needs to have this pleasure.
For Kou it had been a mix of pain and pleasure for him, to the point that he was in semi-serious pain and yet absolutely trying to resist the bliss that gripped him. Apache was incredibly strong, as he imagined she was easily capable of hurting him as her harder thrusts nearly crushed his pelvis. He was fortunate that at least while in his Shinigami-form he would not be hurt so easily in a more permanent manner. He let off soft moans and gasps, as each of her moves that radically changed threw him for a spin; his mind was nothing but a mash of thoughts that were trying to steady themselves out, he had no control. Being in utter chaos within his mind, Kou did the only thing that he felt that he could right now, squirm and clench his fists as Apache rode him. There was no choice in the matter.
In that same fact Apache was just enjoying every moment of watching his squirming and his clenching fists, she was really having this kind of an affect on him. There was no mask here between them. It was her flesh to his flesh, his heat encompassed by her own, and most of all her dominance being established through an act he seemed to fear. She stopped thinking about what she was doign to him and just about the building heat within her. Where it came from? It didn't matter...it felt good...not it felt hot...amazing! Her hips slapped harder against his while she squeezed and kneaded his member within her heat, oh...it was something irresistable to her.
She was suddenly close to something? She couldn't place her fingers on it...oh yes...as her hips began to pound his harder, she knew whatever it was she was close to. A glow...some kind of glow! She could see it whenever her eyes shut, yes...yes it was right there on the edge. She tightened her knees around his thighs and pounded him harder, grabbing his shoulders while she jammed him into the harder harshly, so close...so very close!
Then it hit her, her prey was weak and had given up first, she felt him reaching his peak first. He went rigid and arced his back while she suddenly yanked him back up by his shoulders, she brought him up to face her and slammed down on him hard; even during the sudden feeling of his essence filling her. It was truly glorious of a feeling to have, but she was fighting for her own release and grinded hard at his base a few times before bucking him into her once more before she shuddered and rested tightly against him, bringing up one leg around his lowerback, gripping his waist tightly with that leg as she let off a cry; something strong from even her that echoed the room and the halls outside before she felt her body suddenly go limp.
(---End Mature content---)
There was a moment of silence between the two, just a moment of panting from the both of them. For Apache it was a very odd sensation the whole thing, she felt something strange with the boy as she looked down at his flushed face; she briefly looked him over and was satisfied with that look on his face. She saw relief on his face and it wasn't because she stopped.
For a few more moments the silence remained, that had been of course until Apache had finally come up with something to say.
"Remember this night Kousou Yuushin, the night that I claimed you and showed you what being true to oneself is really like. This is something that perhaps none of you pitiful Shinigami can ever grasp. But like it or not, I've made you see the light. Understand I will do this whenever I want: You are my subordinate just as Harribel-sama has told you." she said with a proud look on her face.
She saw the vulnerability of his weakness and she liked it, she preferred this side to him and saw that look in his eyes; he understood her perfectly.
"But you will address me only as Apache, I will hear no formalities from you. At least in battle you are an equal, albeit pathetic when your power leaves you. There is nothing then to protect you, and as your superior I'll see you toughen up." she mused a moment.
She hadn't contemplated ever getting up or leaving his room at first, though she considered things for a moment. The time had passed while this act had been commenced. She sighed once and got up, feeling his limp length slide out of her annoyed her; though more from the fact that she enjoyed the way it felt. Well that mattered not, in her leisure this would be her act alone to take from Kousou. She might have found the boy pitiful, but at least he had this merit to him; he'd be a decent subordinated provided she learned ways to make it even better.
"And you will tell no one else of this...little activity. Clean up and get some sleep, tomorrow's a busy day." she said before re-dressed and went to go bathe. The only way of course to remove his scent from her body, though of course she hadn't considered that it might be simple to trace by other standards; she figured it would all be fine by tomorrow. Her little secret.
But even as Kou used their oversized bath and soaked, he could feel of the aches present on his body, his pelvis in particular was aching with a dull pain. The soothing water and some of their oils helped. His body was going to heal decently fast with all of his reiatsu present, but he knew that such unsightly moments of his limp would still be present; he surmised one outcome. The other fraccion and likely Harribel-sama would know of what happened.
--The Next Day--
As simply as the day began, Kou went about daily ritual of stretching out and doing some warm-ups for the morning. He kept his reiatsu low by constant practice of exerting power without using up much of his resevoir of energy. The practice was what made him so smooth in everything he did: his swordplay, his hand-to-hand, his archery, and his spells. Yes Kido might be useful in his activities here, his slaying hollows would purify them he imagined; especially if they were common it would be of a simple matter.
Though as he practiced a few kicks, he felt the pain in his leg around his pelvis. Even though the stretching helped loosen up the tight muscle he knew it would ache for at least the next two days, maybe one or less. If it was anything that he'd noticed with the freedom of his hollow reiatsu mixing with his regular flow, that his body seemed to react in a more positive way. Everything was heightened, of the general senses and his healing, with this even his reflexes were masterful. He was fine for the day, but being found out was something he hoped to avoid as well. He had no idea what the reaction would be.
Harribel had sent her fraccion to settle a small uprising in a village of Hollow not far from Hueco Mundo. There were many factions that opposed Aizen-sama's rule on the grounds that only a hollow could truly rule Hueco Mundo, they were putting it within the ways of saying that he was nothing more than a dirty Shinigami who was distorting things. All sorts of conjecture rising that was basically irrelevant, the mission was very simple: Quell them peacefully unless they preferred battle. Harribel was betting on the latter.
While on the move, Apache had made her glances at Kousou, obviously she was noticing more of his appearance while maintaining an outward sneer. She had overall decided he wasn't so bad once he wasn't running his mouth and he was on the ground beneath her; where he belonged. Only then was he really tolerable.
Meanwhile being as perceptive as either of them were, Sun-Sun and Mila-Rose had easily caught onto the strange limps that Kousou gave whenever he wasn't toughing it out, his Shunpo was fast enough to move with their Sonido at his mixed reiatsu's level. He was going to be tested by his performance both here and when under Aizen's influence. Mila Rose was curious about his limps, he hadn't taken any damage in his fight with Apache she noted and now he had some bruises; plus his scent smelled fresh of the bath, but with a hint of something familiar to her.
She mused over what it could be while they headed to their little job, it wouldn't last long at any rate and she would be finished there in a hurry. It was all in the matter of how he chose to react to her prodding, now the prey they'd caught was under the gaze of a curious lioness; he had better watch his step.
(End Chapter)
Now indeed the longest chapter I have written, the content is most certainly going to make the series interesting. As you can imagine I am going to be experimenting and exploring with my knowledge of the arrancar and their relation to a Vizard whose very being is confusing to the question.
Now the question is what will happen if Mila Rose finds out right? There are so many things in mind to bring forth as a question. Far to many to let pass. Well hope you enjoyed the chapter, and see you around for the next one.
-Quentix
