Chapter 9: Lurk Versus Matthias

Starrk was sitting at the entrance along with another Arrancar. Starrk was leaning on his fist, boredly watching the desert of Hueco Mundo.

"My name is Shakars Bisico. It's a pleasure to meet you, Primera Espada."

Is she just nice, or is she being nice because I'm the Primera? Starrk thought. Oh well, it doesn't matter.

"I'm Coyote Starrk. It's nice to meet you too."

"I heard you were once the strongest Arrancar."

"Hmm? Didn't you call me the Primera just a moment ago?"

"Yes. That was your former rank. However, now with all these people showing up, there's bound to be a few stronger than you."

"Yeah, I guess that makes sense. Although, I haven't sensed anyone with a higher energy than I am. However, I cannot sense anyone from Baraggan's team, so I suppose they could have someone stronger than I am."

"Doesn't that scare you? Someone with higher spirit energy doesn't scare you in the slightest?"

"No, it doesn't. Spiritual energy doesn't determine fighting ability. For exam, Nnoitra Gilga has more spiritual energy than Grimmjow Jaegerjquez, but Grimmjow is a better fighter."

"Huh. Then wouldn't it be easier for someone to take your spot as Primera, then?"

"Potentially. I didn't say spirit energy has nothing to do with ability, it does help. Spiritual energy helps someone to become stronger, but if they don't work at it, all their energy gets wasted."

"That's interesting..." Shakars stood up and stretched her back. "How about we practice combat?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"Train with Dingo. He's strong as well."


Ulquiorra and a young-looking Arrancar with a dagger were guarding the rear exit. "So..." Said the other guy.

The Cuarto looked over to him for a second then turned back to the desert behind Las Noches.

"If you have something to say, then say it." Ulquiorra told him.

"Uh... it wasn't important..." This guy is impossible to talk to... Severiano Fuente thought to himself. This is gonna be a long shift...

"Then why bother?"

"... I don't know, sir."

"I don't understand you."

I don't understand YOU! However, he didn't dare say it out loud.


Loly had a makeshift board game out of rocks and sticks, and she had just finished teaching Matthias how to play chess.

Solomon was leaning against the wall with his glaive in his lap. Menoly was lying on the bed, asleep.

"So what did you do in your free time?" Loly asked Matthias. Both of them had around half their playing field leveled.

"Nothing. I had no free time."

"What... that had to be boring as hell."

"I was almost always intoxicated with some form of drug, administered by a Soul Reaper with a white visor and dark skin. I don't remember feeling bored ever."

"That's weird." She said as she thought of her next move. "I can't really relate to that. All I had was free time, really. Life was pretty easy, before and during Aizen's rule."

"You speak highly of this Aizen. Who is he?"

"He's a Soul Reaper who came to Hueco Mundo, because he needed more numbers to challenge to Soul Society."

"And the Soul Society is the land of the Soul Reapers?"

"Yes."

"I suppose he is fine, then. The dark skinned Reaper and a grinning one are the only Soul Reapers I've ever meet, and both of them tortured and experimented on me. As long as Aizen has nothing to do with the other Soul Reapers, then he is fine with me."

She didn't have the heart to tell him that Ichimaru and Tosen worked for Aizen.

"Check." He said.

"What? How didn't I notice that!"

"Someone's coming." Solomon said. "Disguising his spiritual energy. However, I can still feel it."

"You couldn't, Matthias?" Loly asked.

He shook his head. "I'm a combat type, not an energy type. Sensing spirit energy comes hard for me."

"If you're a combat type, maybe you should have served under Baraggan or Harribel."

"Loly saved me. I serve her and her alone. However, I owe you as well for allowing us to work with you. So I will protect your home with my life." He grabbed his Nodachi and stood up. "This Arrancar won't get anywhere near your house, I promise that."


Soon, Lurk appeared. She had a Xiphos, a straight, one-handed Greek weapon and a buckler- a small European shield around the size of a dinner plate.

"I hoped to get you by surprise." She admitted. "However, I will fair well against you in combat."

Red energy boomed off of Matthias as he drew his sword. "Leave or die. Those are your only options."

"Or I can kill you all and bring your heads to Baraggan."

"Go ahead and try."

She drew her sword and gripped her buckler in her off hand. Matthias easily had at least a foot longer reach than her if they were unarmed. Her blade was around twenty four inches, and his was around thirty five inches. He could get more power in his attacks, due to having two hands on his weapon.

The only advantage Cirilli had was the fact that she was faster than this man. She had no definiative way to prove that yet, but she was faster than most warriors she encountered. This was because she sacrificed strength for speed. The big man in front of her was likely strong but slow. If he hit her once she'd be a goner, but he'd leave himself wide open when he slashed.

"Well?" Matthias asked. "Aren't you going to kill me?"

"Die." She stabbed at him, but he effortlessly swatted her sword away and slashed down at her. She blocked with her buckler, but the impact still shock her arm straight to the bone and up into her shoulder muscles.

He opened his mouth and shot a crimson Cero from his maw, directly at Cirilli. Had it been a Bala, she wouldn't have enough time to dodge. But being as it was a Cero, she had plenty of time. She Sonido'd out of the way and stabbed up at his back.

A long tail smacked her in the side of the head, knocking her to the ground.

He's got a tail...? She thought.

At that point, Loly and Menoly went outside to watch. "I thought his energy was blue...?" Menoly asked.

"I did too. It was when he fought Grimmjow, I remember it vividly."


Speaking the Sexta Espada, he sensed that a battle was going on. He immediately went to tell Harribel. But stopped.

I know exactly what she'll say. If it isn't our fight, we should stay out of it. But this could easily get to Las Noches and cause problems for us. I could go there, kill them both, and come back and she wouldn't know. Who am I kidding, she probably already knows they're out. By going out, I'm going to get myself in trouble and I don't want to deal with that annoying brat again.


Around the battle field, several small Ayon clones stood a distance far enough away from them they could observe the fight without being noticed. The Tres Bestias were taking advantage of the fact that most fighters will be concentrating on their opponent, and not on their surroundings.

Lurk rose to her feet after getting blindsided by the tail. She pointed her sword at him and slowly began to approach him. Matthias slashed down at her. She leapt to the side then shot in toward him with a stab.

Suddenly he let go of his Nodachi with his right hand and grabbed her wrist. He began to charge up another cero in his mouth, then he threw her as far as he could into the air. As she was flying the cero flew right at her.

No time to dodge. She thought. So she used a bala in each hand and one in her mouth in an effort to defuse the attack. It worked, but only barely. She landed on her back in the sand. At this rate, I won't be able to fight this warrior, or the other warrior Baraggan mentioned. I'll need back-up.

"Finish her off." Loly ordered.

"As you wish." He walked toward her.

"No." Solomon said. "She's done fighting. There's no reason for us to put her down."

Loly turned and glared at him. She considered his words. "Fine. Don't kill her."

He nodded.

Solomon suddenly Sonido'd over to one of the Ayon clones and lifted it up. "It would seem someone wanted to watch your fight." He dropped it to the ground and slashed it in half with his polearm. He chased the other clones away, killing only one more.

In the mean time, Lurk Sonido'd back to Baraggan's forces.

"So you failed." Baraggan said. "I can still feel both their spiritual energies. Which means you didn't kill either of them. Did you at least kill the girls?"

"No. I was over powered too swiftly. I couldn't get a single attack in on that man. He had too much range on me. Our spiritual energy levels were around similar, so should I battle him again I might win. However, I need someone that can fight the other Arrancar. I cannot take them both out."

"How incompetent. However, I didn't even expect you to come back alive, so I suppose I will offer you a position as a member of my forces. Ichimaru."

"Hmm?" Asked the Soul Reaper.

"Choose someone that can go with her."

"Yes, sir, Lord Baraggan."

"Do I sense sarcasm in your voice, Soul Reaper?"

"Sarcasm? I would never!" Ichimaru's grin didn't waver.

"You test my patience. The only reason why I haven't killed you yet is because you're a powerful person."

"Oh, I'm very thankful for that, sir. Please don't kill me, that would be very bad for my health."

Notes: I am still open to whatever suggestions you guys might have for the plot. As the readers, your opinions matter to me.