A/N: While it was a bit of a wait, I assure you that this chapter will more than speak for itself in depth and character. As here we have something of a powerful piece within the next chapter of this epic. As Kousou's parents have patiently waited for their chance to follow Kurosaki Ichigo and his friends into the depths of the desert world of Hueco Mundo, the first signs of these threats reach Kou's notice, will he act upon his fraccion duties should they conflict with the path of his human friends? Where do the loyalties lie within the youth who has been tainted by his time amongst the Espada's fraccion? Wait and see in this upcoming chapter. Without further adieu, here we go!
(End A/N)
Chapter XI: Commanded by a Shark Empress
As Kousou awakened to another morning, the first thing that fell across the shincy's lap were words of an intruder that had been engaged by the Numeros and Privaron Espada, even though he had not seen these intruders at first hand, he was no fool. 'Kurosaki-san…you came for Inoue-san as I knew you would…' the thought had not been upon him, he knew that he and Ichigo had been friends; even if not very close ones. He knew that this would be reason enough for the brave youth to come and fight for his sake.
The thoughts caused him much of an issue…as for months he had altered his state of mind, his focus, and everything that was given to him…he had come to accept as his reality. He was the fraccion of the Tres Espada, Tia Harribel and that his world ended with her shadow. Her order was sovereign and the guidelines that he needed to understand. The one thing he hoped that he could prevent from piercing his psyche had done just that, it had become one of the things he prided himself on following to the letter.
'I have ruined my own mind…what am I to do now?'
'You ignorant moron! Get your wits back in order, you know as well as I do just how right this feels. So why not just accept it?'
'Because you know as well as I, Yami-Kou, that our parents would not appreciate it…not my father, my mother, or the one who has claimed you as a son.' Kou knew full well that Yami-Kou despised his father's hollow. After all who wanted a father when they were spawned essentially on purpose?
'That bastard has nothing to do with me! I told you to stop bringing that up, though I hate you for being right. Your parents suck, kid, big time. Coming here to ruin our fun, what a buzz kill.'
Kousou winced at the thought, was this honestly what he thought? He didn't need to ask that…he knew it was a fact. But he could not afford to break the union that they'd come to have, not the harmony that he'd found by extending his hand out, allowing a taint to spread through his reiatsu. By this point he felt just like them, he felt as an arrancar with the reiatsu of both a Shinigami and a Hollow running through his body; empowering his every activity and surely nothing could change that.
'I will figure something out, until I absolutely see my parents…I will not betray Harribel-sama.'he spoke the words with a resolve that seemed sure enough. But Yami-Kou mentally scoffed at him.
'Sure kid, if she tells you to destroy the intruders, you won't manage.'
'…We will see.' The coldness in the tone was certainly not what he expected, even from himself.
With the youth entrenched in his mental turmoil, he headed out to the main area of the fraccion rooms within Harribel's palace. Wondering what today's mission was, he expected to be met by either Mila-Rose or Apache, but to his surprise neither of them were present.
At first it seemed that the quarters had been completely abandoned, but a soft spoken voice alerted him to the fact that they were not.
"Today, Kousou, you and I will be partnered up. We are to crush an uprising that is south of Hueco Mundo. We will head out at once, Harribel-sama hopes that we can quell this with as little causality as possible." The elegant Sun-Sun had spoken before disappearing in a flash of Sonido.
Following her without a moment to lose, Kou looked after her and wondered what the rush was? Perhaps it was to see that he was no where near any of the areas involving intruders? His mind wandered and Sun-Sun called him on it.
"Your mind is going astray, focus Kousou…our opponents will not be kind."
Kou nodded gently and looked ahead, he said nothing as this would not serve him, she was right.
By the time the two of them had reached the archaic looking village of cave dwellings, there had been little chance to react to the emergence of the red eyes upon the group; ultimately the odds were against the two managing to talk with any leaders. The hollows were lead by three tall standing members; one arrancar and two pseudo arrancar flanking him.
"It seems we're slaughtering them, watch yourself Kousou." Sun-Sun's words held great meaning, as she stepped backwards gracefully and evaded the full frontal claw of the pseudo arrancar who attacked her.
Within an instant of the hollow's approach on him, Kou wasted no time in bringing his zanpakuto to rise; catching the powerful slash of the pseudo arrancar's blade arm against Kazashiryuu.
While the shincy grunted under the effort of keeping the blade arm of the hollow from reaching his shoulder, gradually his reiatsu rose and shook the immediate surroundings as he unleashed a fair amount of its bulk.
"Just who…do you think…I am!" Kou's roar came as he threw the blade arm of the arrancar back into the air, sweeping past the beast's side in a flash of shunpo; only the monster's cry of agony and a spray of its blood.
It had taken only a minute before the beast fell over, body distorting as it faded from Hueco Mundo's area, completely crushed by Kou's use of his hollowfication. While Kou had finished the first of the pseudo arrancar, the ball fell to Sun-Sun who was gauging her opponent.
As the snake princess nimbly avoided the clumsy swings of the second pseudo arrancar, her free hand kept before her face, the long sleeves hiding any signs of actions being taken. She made no effort to show the beast what her effort was. The only thing that she offered was her words towards this creature, as she appeared beyond its reach.
"Pathetic." No extra words, just a second blur of Sonido leaving the creature standing in her wake, frozen in place as if it never stood a chance.
Within moments, countless slashes formed along the beast's form, all a result of the fraccion's sai-like Zanpakuto finding its mark. The near effortless defeat of both of his lieutenants taught the leader of this colony that he would have to release.
As Kou observed their next opponent, he removed his hollowfication. Not taking chances with his limit, he pointed Kazashiryuu at the arrancar and took an offensive stance, with his right foot forward and zanpakuto placed off to his side; prepared to meet him.
"Impressive…the two of you are powerful but I fear it will not be enough. I am the leader of this village for a reason. I, Guiterrin Landalos, will crush the both of you without fail." The words had no sooner left his lips before he had been upon Kousou.
With his Rapier-styled zanpakuto in hand, Guiterrin had thrust his blade towards the shincy's right side, grazing the youth with the sharp edge. The force of his thrust had thrown the fraccion off to the right of the missed strike.
Whereas Kousou had managed to recover from it after tumbling backwards twice, he could see that this leader had been in his position for sometime. His reiatsu was incredible, with a single thrust had blown him back with such ease? He couldn't afford to hold back.
"Slash with the four winds, Kazashiryuu!" upon the release's incantation, Kou unleashed the stylized chokuto and holding it firmly as he prepared one of his techniques.
While Guiterrin met Sun-Sun in for a display of passing clutches, with her sai meeting his rapier midway across the desert sands; while she showed no signs of letting up, it soon became clear who was the stronger of the two of them. The village leader had been incredibly powerful and showed little mercy to her. And with a simple violent clang from the meeting of Sun-Sun and Guiterrin's weapons, she now lay in a small spread of sand; rising up with some effort and beyond a grunt showing no response to the blow.
Kou was angered by the sight of it, his comrade had just been defeated as easily as he had…they needed to do something or possibly face oblivion.
"You have fought valiantly, but it ends here…it is a shame that I must kill you both. But any traitors to our kind must be killed. You work for Aizen, prepare yourselves for the great beyond." His voice spoke with a finality that backed the dropping speed of his sword.
It was met by Kousou's shikai; sure enough he stood in front of Sun-Sun, more out of his sense of duty than anything else. His pressure had been building since Guiterrin's assault on his partner, now he was going to unleash it…point blank.
"Kadou…Kyuutai(Vortex Orb)!" the attack name being shouted had released an even greater force than he'd been showing prior to that point, revealing the sphere of tornado pressure at this range was madness; but to his hope he forced the village elder back in his tracks.
Guiterrin met the wicked orb of energy and attempted to cleave into the orb, despite being throttled backwards by the sheer wind-pressure. He had almost no means of reacting to it shy of growling and digging into the sand as he was staggered by the orb. So many different angles of the wind had been driving him back, attempting to find a weak point in it; he was summarily beaten by the force. The Orb slammed into his body and ripped across his hierro by the powerful crosswinds, as the sphere of crushing winds slammed him into the far off wall of the hollow encampment, it exploded into a wide blast range of vortices; made of both various tornadic pressures and reiatsu swirling from the wind itself.
As Kou panted softly from his efforts, he immediately began to build pressure once more, unwilling to chance waiting, he knew that Guiterrin's power was back building, Kou would need his Bankai…he had no doubt of this. With a voice snapped him from his train of thought.
"Kousou, it is time we ended this game; I am going to release my zanpakuto…you will use your Bankai or Hollowfication respectively, this leader shall not be spared. That time has passed." It sounded most cold, but it had been a fact now as the law of Hueco Mundo took over: kill or be killed.
As Sun-Sun's pressure rose her eyes focused upon their target with defiance in mind, would it be enough? It was almost doubtful at best, but she had her pride and her no intentions of standing down to death without fighting back. She expected just the same from Kousou, the snake princess spoke her words with dignity. "Strange them, Anaconda", the splash of flaring pink reiatsu seemed to entwine finely with the navy and dark gold aura burning around her counterpart.
The shincy was releasing all he had been holding back, this person, this enemy, this foe would not allow anything less. "Bankai!" the words were shouted with distinction, as the energy soared around him and the source was put off to another location. It was nothing but a difficult path to see, but he would no less justice to those present: he looked forward.
As the display was quite unexpected, Guiterrin was frankly impressed…this amount of reiatsu from them both? The pressure that was given in the place here, it made his skin crawl as if he felt something gnashing at him. He would not be intimidated by this display; not from mere lackeys.
"Impressive but pointless." He said as he gathered up a swirling mass of gray cero within his hand, he would eliminate them both with one powerful blast.
As Guiterrin forced the cero into a condensed ball within his palm, forcing it into a stable form for release; the little window he'd had for attack had ended. As two blasts of reiatsu struck the arrancar village leader's center, his own cero was released and exploded into the air as he was sent to the floor.
While the smoke cleared, Sun-Sun's matter-of-fact tone emerged. "You know…you should never let your foes have the chance to fight back, it fails miserably when you attempt to kill them without mercy."
"Bankai: Daibaishin no Sansai Kazashiryuu," Kou's words were standard shinigami standing, announcing the new phase of his final release.
His reiatsu was impressive, as a realm fed by scarcely the amount of pressure that Soul Society was, he had trained to withstand it better and to hold his powers for a decent amount of time despite what he felt. The presence of the excessively sized red Fu Dragon above the fraccion pair had invited clouds and a soft drizzle to begin to fall from those clouds of the thunderhead that Kazashiryuu was resting upon.
After a roar Kousou moved forward, while the Fu Dragon's left claw swept down towards Guiterrin's fallen body; for a moment it almost seemed as if it would hit.
But a heavy crash of reiatsu from Guiterrin meeting the shincy halfway in his movement proved that he had no intention of being hit.
"Impressive boy, you a traitor to your kind do wield a Bankai, remarkable for your age…but pointless; without practice you shall fall easily!" his words had made the intent clear.
While he avoided another slash of the large dragon's right claw, he was met by Kou's Yari hand-spears, in direct opposition to his plan.
A set of clashes along the desert sand spoke of the intensity of combat, as the spreading sand revealed the speed of the battle raging on; a powerful slash sent Kousou to the ground once more. While Guiterrin stood with a small smirk on his face, the impressive show of his skill at wielding his spears showed him the spirit of this lackey.
It was a shame that he was not a hollow; he had to die for being a shinigami and a lackey of Aizen. Guiterrin had been too preoccupied with the rising Kousou and he paid for his negligence.
"Aaghh!" a shredding set of bites from several white snake heads ripped away Guiterrin's flesh as Sun-Sun struck the elder from behind and gracefully landed, with the use of her now serpent lower-torso she had been virtually soundless.
Offering the leader no quarter, a previously charged cero was released across the path where he fell; as the wide pink cero enveloped his body and pierced a wide half-pipe formation out of the sand as it engulfed him.
Turning briefly to Kousou, she raised the hand that had the several snake heads revealed from it and brought it before her face before speaking. "Do not act so recklessly Kousou, I may not be there to rescue you, should such an event be repeated."
Kou just nodded to her, since he knew that with her help he had been able to survive that encounter without much trouble if at all; his body was aching from the few slashes he'd taken from the Elder.
While the shincy got to his feet and moved back towards his partner, he'd had only a few moments to dread the words he had hoped never to hear.
"Sing their death knell, Nocturne Sickle." the words of release had frightened both fraccion, as the heavy trembling of his pressure could be felt.
As it seemed despite Sun-Sun's mortal wound to the elder and the charged cero aimed to kill him; had failed to complete the job. "You've caused me quite…the trouble little ones,"
This was the last word that either of the two heard, before Sun-Sun and Kousou suddenly erupted into a spray of blood. It seemed unreal…as the snake princess fell to the ground she spied the shincy who had once again moved into the path of the attack; had he seen it?
'Harribel-sama…' were the final thoughts that passed her mind as her eyes shut slowly.
Even with Kousou's selfless guarding attempt, both he and his Bankai were crushed evenly and the attack had found its mark on them both.
'Y-Yami…we're finished…eh?'
'The hell is wrong with you Kousou? Don my power you idiot! Get up and fight, stop fading, I can't have us die like this!'
'I-I'm sorry...Not as much as I am kid…'
While the two of them rested in the sand and Guiterrin headed over to finish the job, his smug attitude after having defeated them in a single slash had his guard down. To this disregard for his on safety, he would know only the regret of that action.
"Ola Azul!" as if spoken in a whisper, the refined blast of the Tres Espada soared through the air with amazing accuracy and from above, striking the released arrancar elder.
As the blast took him completely by surprise he would only have moments to feel the violent bite of the Espada's zanpakuto as it tore across his back, violently raking the hierro of the released arrancar and spilling his blood across the sand.
Unwilling to give him any quarter Harribel's heel spun into the side of his waist and sent him barreling through the desert sand face first. As her right heel touched the sand, she wordlessly looked to both of her fallen fraccion and turned back to him. They had sacrificed themselves to this mission and tried to complete it. The elder was far stronger than anticipated and had she arrived a minute later, she'd have lost two loyal fraccion.
"I must say…you are as strong as they say but why do you serve Aizen? Kneeling before a shinigami is shameful! I will make you see the light if I must."
His words fell upon deaf ears as she kept her eyes on those that fell for her orders, she would erase this cretin, and she would avenge the honor of her fraccion.
"Sun-Sun…Kousou…you fought well." With her decision made, her icy demeanor met the confident gaze of the fool who would soon be dead. "Your life has already ended…Destroy, Tiburon!"
While the elder watched the dancing spiral of water swirl around her graceful body as she activated her resurreccion. The battle had ended in a single slash of her zanpakuto following her change, as Tia Harribel had not offered so much as a word to pass from her lips. Sun-Sun and Kousou would never know what happened to that elder, for Harribel was far more concerned with returning them to Hueco Mundo.
-Two hours later-
Sun-Sun and Kousou had been returned to their prospective rooms since the conflict, with their wounds healed; Harribel simply awaited the slightest shift in either of their reiatsu patterns. The desire to understand what happened within the battle, where the information might have proven false; as she had been told the task would be enough for her fraccion to take care of. The fact remained simple: that it was not the case.
Using her pesquisa to monitor them both as she sat within her chambers, awaiting the first of them to awaken, either would do to answer her questions. After some patient sitting her thoughts would ease slightly as Sun-Sun came to wake, the elevation in her reiatsu served as the acknowledgment of it.
Wasting no later moments, the Espada made her way into the snake princess's room and stepped to the side of her bed; eyes mildly concerned despite her having already seen the healer. It was the sacrifices that Sun-Sun had made for her sake, this strengthened her resolve to end the struggle with the Shinigami. Aizen-sama had to be right, she had to believe in that some sacrifices were absolutely necessary.
"Harribel...sama...I apologize for...the failure." her words were weak, full of the shame that she bore from the miserable end of the mission.
A single look spoke the volumes of the Espada's respect for her fraccion and their dedication to their duties.
"You fought well Sun-Sun, that was all that I could ask of you." her voice was soft, but acknowledged the concerns of her fraccion quietly; they need not speak on the incident further.
Bowing her head respectfully, the snake princess awaited her commander's next word: be it an order or question. The silence was simply Sun-Sun's way of showing her will to continue her duties.
Harribel gave her a simple nod in response to the bow while placing her gloved hand on the side of the bedside, before she spoke again. "I want to ask you what is the last thing that you remember? What did that arrancar say to you before fighting? Any reasons for his actions?"
It took the snake princess a moment to gather her thoughts, as several things crossed her mind first. However, she cut to the chase without wait, "His actions were without remorse, he held both myself and Kousou in contempt for working for Aizen-sama. Stating so smugly that we are lackeys and Kousou himself a traitor to his kind."
Harribel listened to her words and shook her head, as it was another hollow who believed things were that simple. It seemed so few could truly understand Aizen-sama's plan. "Thank you, Sun-Sun, get some rest now."
With what she needed from her fraccion there was no need to stay, she left the room and decided to wait for Kousou's awakening.
-Within Kousou's chambers-
Slowly as his eyes opened up, Kou felt the aches all across his midsection, the dull pains radiating through his body was proof enough that he was alive. There was no doubt in his mind that he was unable to do anything shy of sitting up partway.
'I'm alive...thank goodness...'
'You're still a moron.'
'It's great to hear from you too Yami-san.'
'I told you to use my power, didn't I? Thinking that stupid Bankai was gonna stop him?'
'Y-you know that I haven't the reserves of greater combatants, I had to conserve.'
'Yeah and look what it got you.'
'Heh...nice to know you care'
'...'
Saying nothing more, both inner-hollow and shincy alike were exhausted. Kousou's mind had simply let him catch up to the pain that had run through his body. Though at the sound of a voice, one he recognized well; he was sure that before he went to rest he had some explaining to do.
His leader was present, he would show her the proper respect.
"Kousou, how do you feel?"
"I am achy, but physically healed from the damage. I must apologize, for the shabby performance Harribel-sama. With Sun-Sun's leadership, there should not have been any failure...," his fingers curled into weak fists and clenched while he shook his head in frustration.
But the Espada's words spoke again, not wishing to hear him speak negatively of both his and Sun-Sun's efforts.
"You fought well Kousou, standing with Sun-Sun before an opponent of a superior strength and caliber, do not speak ill of the sacrifice that you made. Moving to protect your partner on mission is a selfless act, even if it was to no avail. Your actions are worthy of praise."
To his credit, the youth held his composure in battle, even in defeat. He was becoming an asset to her fraccion, surely he was no leader; but two of her fraccion had been involved with him and very protective of his safety. With one who seemed to keep her distance, on occasion even she took comfort in his company.
Her analysis of the shincy's presence was reflecting mostly positive: Kousou had gained a great deal of improvement [in techniques, control, and power] from training with the fraccion, he established bonds with each of them, and her ladies had gained some improved strength and ability from time with him.
There was nothing on her mind except curiosity about the shincy, though she was unsure of how to proceed with it. It wasn't as if she held plans of any kind beyond her questioning, with that information satisfied, what more was there to do?
"Would you like some tea, Harribel-sama?" the shincy broke the silence with his question, as he reached to the nearby side of his bed-like couch and adjusted the kettle in its position on the edge of his makeshift hotplate (heated by reiatsu).
She gave him a soft nod and sat herself at the end of his bed, tea would be nice while she made her judgments mentally.
As Kousou waited for the tea to finish heating up on the small hotplate he'd been given, his mind wandered slightly how far had he fallen? He had changed and knew it deep down, there was nothing that was hiding that fact from him; his attempt to feign loyalty had resulted in his bonds, now what would he do with himself?
The kettle's whistle broke his train of thought as he just sat back, there was no need for him to try and question such things now. As he poured his Espada her cup of tea, he set the kettle down and held up her cup to be taken. "Here you are, Harribel-sama," the polite offer was accepted as she took the cup from him and nodded in quiet thanks to him.
The two silently shared their respective cups of tea, though there were no words, it was clear that Harribel was coming to some sort of decision. What was this boy fighting with? The power of his sacrifice had not only changed but had grown. He fought with reasoning that seemed to defy logic as it was, she could see that he fought for her will with a conviction rivaling her original fraccion; but a bond he'd forged with the women had changed him.
It was something that she had not known personally, amongst her subordinates rested a bond, and they all owed thanks in some way. They served her out of duty, so why were things odd between her and her last fraccion? The tension could be attributed to the facts she knew: He was male, he respected and admired her greatly, he had a strong attraction to her. Nothing that she didn't understand logically.
But something gnawed at the back of her mind, why not just enjoy his company? It was not proper to fornicate with one's subordinate was that not the rule? Though it was something about the young man that changed her mind, bonds were forged...if lost the sacrifice was greater. Her attribute, the aspect of death that she represented. Her conscious present...what she fought for was the dream of a world where none had to fight...where sacrifice was not necessary.
Harribel's thoughts were to herself, while Kousou himself was not certain of what to feel, he felt that his leader had been staying longer than she had in the past. Something was on her mind, was it better to talk about it? He dared not to pry, he knew that she would mention it if it were to be talked about. There the thoughts of a proper fraccion echoed in his mind.
As she set her empty teacup to the side on its small tea dish, her eyes passed back to her kind host and nodded to him in thanks for it. He smiled in turn and had taken the dishes to the side, he would wash them at the sink in his bathroom later.
"Kousou."
His name being spoken had stopped him from heading into the bathroom, instead his eyes returned to his Espada; showing the proper respect with a partially lowered gaze.
"Harribel-sama?"
"This evening, we shall spend the evening together." her words were not of a command, just letting him know her intentions.
Her fraccion's face lit up with nervousness, she noticed he didn't speak a moment and his cheeks were red. The reactions were what she thought they might be, she knew that his feelings towards her clearly defined his devotion towards his service to her.
"Do you require my bed? I can rest on the floor, as I do not wish to crowd you."
"That will not be necessary Kousou, your bed is large enough."
She walked just past his side and sat on the edge of the bed-couch cushion.
"Act as if you were normally retiring to sleep."
Kou stopped and took a deep breath, heading into the bathroom to wash his dishes and freshen up for the evening. His mind forced to relax by his conscious thought, he had no reason to be on edge; he was probably thinking on that too hard he thought.
Meanwhile, Harribel settled onto his bed, laying back and looking out the window off to the right, he had a nice room view. She felt that resting with him tonight might give her some insight on what made him so different. Perhaps she could observe him and witness more of his activities as he slept. She often stayed up in thought, this night was likely to be no different.
Kousou soon emerged, dressed in his night clothing, he bowed to the moon and then spoke a few words of some kind. After a few small necklaces being removed from his neck, he moved to the empty side of the bed and laid himself out straight on his back; it would be good to grow used to this he thought. The ability to fall asleep was uncanny in one like him, he could truly test it while in the presence of someone who made him feel off balance. His Leader, Tia Harribel.
As he fell into what was a pristine sleep, the Tres Espada rolled over and watched the youth at rest. Spying the placid look on his face and just sampling the purity he gave off. Something about him drew her fraccion to him like a candle, she knew very well they fed off of this innocence, as no matter the feelings felt between them with him; he was very well what their kind devoured.
Even if he walked amongst them and had carried himself like an arrancar, they were separated in a way that was but a thin barrier of kinds. His mind exuded nothing, seeming not to betray the gentle appearance; she knew that he had a sight gift. Picking up on his powers and exploring useful avenues of advancement, sure he lacked the power that they had, but his ingenuity and talent for control...that was where his power lay.
"Kousou...sleep well, for tomorrow I will break your barrier...you will become like us." her decision was probably one of the most severe in nature, whatever it was about this child, she felt it necessary to force his survival; someone who knew the avenues of his powers could learn to wield his hollow powers diversely.
With the factor decided, the Espada allowed herself to lay down to sleep, letting the eternal darkness take her; much like it held all of its children. Tomorrow Kousou would start to walk as an arrancar.
-The Next Day-
The day was a little stranger than usual, as Kou awakened to find his Espada still very present, what was he to do with it? He proceeded as if she wasn't there and slipped out of bed, bowing towards the moon again, he stretched his body out and began to do various stretches, all the ones he could think of during the morning, after all he always proceeded to train if having a free morning. He had a feeling today was not one of these similar cases.
As Harribel watched her fraccion do his morning stretches and then heading into the restroom to get ready, she on the otherhand rose and headed into the hall, leaving Kousou with some words through the bathroom area.
"Kousou, take what you can of 20 minutes and meet me in the center desert region of Los Noches, we are going to train your powers today." Harribel had been very vague with purpose, since she knew his sharp mind would try to determine what kind of training it might be ahead, but she would expect nothing less than his acceptance of it.
While she left Kou to his devices, she could not help but wonder how he would prepare himself if at all for it.
Although once Harribel had left the room, Apache snuck herway inside and waited at the door, as she'd watched the shincy's habits long enough from his bed. She knew that he was about ready to emerge and once he had stepped out, she grabbed him by his collar and drew him into her arms.
"Damn it Kousou, what the hell was all that? Harribel-sama was in your room! Did you sleep with her?" what was she feeling now? Welling up inside of her was immense irritation towards him and jealousy was eating at her by this point.
She pinned him to the wall and looked him in the eyes, fury burning inside of her, she wanted to slug him! But she dared not to, she knew he was needed by Harribel-sama and so she waited for him to explain himself.
"No, we did not couple...she rested in my bed, for whatever the odd reason itself was; it was unusual but nothing happened." his face not once losing the innocence presence.
It took only a few moments before Apache's grip on him loosened, she knew he wouldn't lie to her face. This sweet youth didn't have it in him to speak one false word back to her. She squeezed his waist and kissed him somewhat roughly, it was not something that she had done usually.
The rather awkward form of aggressive affection from Apache was unexpected, but nothing that Kou was not prepared to return, in that fact he kissed her softly in return while feeling lips pressing hard; likely in effect bruising them. Well it wasn't bad if this was truly an attempt at what he assumed it was.
She pressed him to the wall and slowly drew back, her hands at either side of his face while she just remained there, staring at the strange boy that had done something, why had she changed...when did she become so weak? She wanted to try and hurt him somewhere inside, just to blame him and make this feel easier...would it? She didn't know.
Given that he had a small window to move off, he leaned forward and stroked Apache's cheek and spoke gently to her.
"I have a duty to attend to, Apache-san...Harribel-sama is waiting to train me." his words direct, knowing he needed to make the point.
She stepped off to the side and grumbled lightly.
"Don't be gone all day." her words seemed to reflect how she currently felt, since this and tomorrow were the only days off this time...she did not want to have felt it lost; even if she couldn't stop say something to him, she wanted all that she could take and that was really it for her.
Though her words would have little impact on how Harribel-sama would use her time, this would be a matter of what her plans were and what the aim of this was. She honestly wondered what their Espada planned to do with Kousou?
While her thoughts ended there, Kou proceeded to gather a quick snack and gather his zanpakuto; he was as ready as he would be. The shincy was on guard about something since he knew whatever it was, this would be tied to his hollow powers. Harribel-sama had been directly responsible for the initial exercises with his hollow powers and his coming to use it more directly without the need of his zanpakuto in hand.
-Out the Center Dome Desert-
Harribel stood quietly with her arms folded under her chest, her eyes shut as she listened to the soft breeze blowing across the dunes. This was home, this was their home, and now she had to bring this feeling to Kousou. Her astute estimates of his range of gains in skill had been fairly accurate. But she imagined the reason why he hadn't felt as confident with his hollow powers still was because of his mindset, he was very even tempered and accepted what he was; but what he had not done was allow himself to bask in his hollow powers.
"Welcome Kousou, today we begin a new page in your growth." her words were calm but made him feel idly tense, she sensed his reiatsu's fluctuation.
She turned to face him and uncross her arms, since he believed he was ready, it was time to start.
"The rules are simple Kousou: Use onl your hollow powers when you do battle with me. I will see nothing else of your shinigami or quincy powers, you are to use all that we've taught you: cero, bala, sonido, pesquisa. I want to see what you were hiding all of this time, your hollow is strong; I have seen his reflection in your blade and I wish to see you wield that now." she made this clear, as her body relaxed and prepared for his move.
Kou moved immediately to the aggressive edge of his hollow, as he donned hollowfication and allowed Kazashiryuu to surge with the excitement of battle, the thrill of embracing his power at one point.
As there was nothing but an intense explosion of the sand around the space where Harribel met his zanpakuto, the Espada observing her opponent quietly. The second slash was swifter than Kou's normal choice of attack, as the slash lacked any actual form; it was little more than an awkward angled slash. She deflected it to her right with the flat of her blade, her eyes coolly watching the blade sweep in a horizontal arc aimed for her waist; to which was counted by her lowering the blade's hilt and catching his sword's edge.
"Is this sub-par battle skill really Kou's hollow?" her words obviously intended to insult as she hoped to find something more than the power than he was showing to her right now.
The reiatsu was impressive but it offered her nothing else, as she forced his zanpakuto away and brought her zanpakuto down on his shoulder, catching his neck partway in her slash. Spying the blood and the crazed look on his face, a small fraction of her pressure thickening the air around them. This was not what she asked him for.
"Kousou, I don't expect you to just leave me to fight your hollow, I asked for you specifically to wield it, do not disappoint me." her words following a swift kick to his ribs, while she resumed her relaxed approach to the practice match.
Leaping backwards from Harribel, while on his retreat, Kou slashed a flair of reiryoku at her direction.
'Well that wasn't working, so its time a bit of strategy is thrown in...yami-san, your wild antics won't get anywhere with her, she's far too skilled...'
He knew better than to try a direct attack, so he'd try some of his tactics and see how they worked out against her.
Harribel slashed right through his reiryoku and gave chase, using Sonido and appearing at Kou's back, while she brought the edge of her zanpakuto; something that Kou stopped by flaring out his reiatsu, the gold and navy aura bleeding harshly into a solidified wall in the area of her slash; slowing the blade enough for him to descend out of the reach of the sword.
Landing on the ground with Harribel's path quickly chasing him down, he turned to meet her and grunted at the impact of her blade; quickly acting to keep her from slicing him, he dropped to his knees and caught the edge of her blade with the flat of his. Using the turn of the blade in a clockwise direction while tilting his blade to the right, to help force its edge away from cutting into his shoulder.
The danger remained high, but he felt that he might be able to do something if he could keep it right in front of him. Leaping from her again, he raised his right hand and quickly solidified some of his reiatsu; forcing it into a projectile shape was something that came from his quincy nature, firing it was done with the same efficiency. While it was a weak blast in nature, his focus on the shape had made it faster than traditional bala blasts.
Harribel was still quick to deflect the blast with the tip of her blade, she looked up at him and had given him a light nod; not too bad so far. Though she had been playing at the beginning chase, did he really think this was what she was like in battle? The shark's nature would show itself in time. For the first day, she would show him that she expected nothing but more from him.
The nod had made him smile, though he had missed her use of sonido, instead finding her right in his face. Her left fist was nothing but a blur and all Kousou felt was an explosion of pain as she slugged him.
While the blow for her was next to nothing in effort, she watched Kousou roll on the ground and hold his face a moment. She expected him to draw back, though to her surprise he did not.
"Umou Kattou Kinai(Feathers Cut, In a Plane)!" much as the attack was spoken, his hollow reiryoku had swirled around her in a steady flair, forming some kind of a heavily fortified wall.
Something that Harribel herself hadn't been sure the purpose of, since as she attacked the wall in an attempt to disperse the attack, it persisted in reshaping itself and growing denser. She felt that it was absorbing energy from somewhere while it built up. Though she knew that its overall greatest strength would likely come from whatever Kou had decided to do with it.
"Umou Kattou Kinai: Keishamen (Feathers Cut, In a Plane, Inclined Plane)!" as the strange reiatsu flared around her in a giant swirling pillar-form, from above a massive feather-shaped partisan of reiatsu crashed into the pillar base nearby her and forced itself to collapse inward on itself like a balloon. The resulting shockwave that formed, had come from the reiryoku imploding on the place of entry from the feather-shaped blade and then proceeding to expand violently. The thickened waves rippled along the sand and scattered it, while shoving Kousou harshly along its own edge.
As the attack had calmed itself in that following instant, Kou found himself face first in the sand, rolling over and leaping up to his feet. He hadn't even been sure of where he was standing, the instinct yelled at him to be ready and it served him well; as his zanpakuto met his Espada's partway.
"Now that is what I expect you to do, show me the true nature of your hollow powers Kousou." her words were calm, but so cut-throat as now Kou understood what she would be looking for. Something that he was now determined to show that he had access to it, even as his body grew tired; his spirit was willing to throw all he had into it.
Inside of him, seeming to be quite proud of how well Kou was doing at wielding it, all yami-kou could do now was grin and watch the show.
'Not half-bad Kou, you seem to do almost as good a job as me there! Keep it up, we'll show her our true power!' this was what he desired to do, for once yami-kou could taste the desire to do more than he did in his life; something that the hollow grew weary of. He held back and that restrained all of the potential, even if his other half was weak...he did have a lot of utility and that was his greatest attribute.
While the inner-hollow had no use for such ingenuity, he could not deny that the way Kou had defeated him soundly every time that he'd been challenged for control of his body; it was something that was respectable. The kid knew well about his instinct and did not deny it when it had taken root and cried out to him.
Instead it was something that he would use to further the effort to bring himself from point A to point B. It was a level of tenacity that was cold and calculative...very unusual in his line of thought, but effective to no end really.
The sand splashed wildly around the two as Kou met the great force of another of Harribel's swings, it was hard to conceive that this swing could be one of her weaker slashes. The sheer force oppressing his muscles as he held her blow back astonished him, then again he knew that it was the known gap between them. He knew that he had to think harder, this had to be rolled into a display of his skill and great control over the power that he had brushed up with every now and then.
His body flinched from her attacks, though he leaned his body back to the side as he rolled over to her side, turning and sweeping his foot down at her feet in an attempt to put her down to her back.
While Harribel easily evaded the sweep, she thrusted her sword down at Kou's face, leaving the shincy to throw his head back and evade the slash while using the momentum to try and kick her side. The Espada eased her forearm down and caught the edge of his foot, though found herself being stricken by several Bala blasts.
Brushing through the smoke, she thrust her zanpakuto straight for Kou's heart, attempting to kill her fraccion, the brutal but simple training tactic was simple but effective: Real-life combat and death situations to bring the best out in the target.
She was met by a powerful storm of hollow reiatsu, the blade mere inches from his chest and blocked only by the powerful surge of his navy blue and dark golden aura. The tactic stalled the hollow-centric zanpakuto long enough for Kou to block her with a cross slash; as the streams of his reiatsu crossing the force of his slash quickly resulted in a mighty explosion.
Kou's body sent flying across the sand violently as he rolled rapidly before managing to catch himself and rise to his knee with one foot up. He was already preparing for his next move since he had escaped the initial deathblow that she aimed for on him.
Without a word the pressure in the air picked up around him and Kou sank into his basic kenjutsu stance, he would take the initial opportunity and dashed at her; as his reiatsu covered him in a mantle-like form, the peak of the surging reiatsu taking the shape of a Raven with three high crest feathers. The shincy maintained his charge without hesitation and while in awe of the massive pillar of yellow light around his Espada leader...he met her blade as the explosion of raw reiryoku on the air surged in an awesome spectacle. Kousou would not leave this practice unscathed and he knew it was all for the best.
-Several Hours Later-
The shincy returned to his room a sheer mess, with his clothes torn in various places and wounds visible now, he knew he had faced only what was the beginning of the serious training sessions. He felt that some progress was made but couldn't place just how much had been achieved. It was enough to say that his connection with his hollow had improved somewhat and deep inside he felt satisfied by the ferocity he was able to experience.
'That was fun you know, I hope we do more of that Kou.'
'I imagine you would find it fun, brutish as you are Yami-kou...honestly. But needless to say Kousou, it was interesting to witness you attempting to channel him through my blade. We are all one power to you, but...he is differently handled.'
'As so I noticed, Kazashiryuu, it is quite a challenge to wield him through you carefully. But its one lesson I learned today, several tactics that I shall keep in mind. When wielding you again, I will use all reserves at once when necessary; as any needless engaging of excess strength is a waste of that extra power.'
As usual the shincy had already began to plan how the use of his power would play out. It wasn't until all of his concentration and thoughts were broken by the arms that wrapped tightly around him from behind, as usual he had forgotten what day it was and that Apache had been waiting diligently after finishing with her duties some time ago.
"Look at you...ruined your untouched skin...tch." her words were edgy with her lust, she bit his ear and rubbed along his stomach while holding him to her tighter than a moment ago.
Her senses roared to life the instant she sensed his reiatsu, the dark taint had done nothing to ward her and instead drew her in. He was feeling more desirable than usual and she couldn't place why.
Dragging her tongue up the side of his neck she ushered him into his room and kicked the door closed. Determined to make up for the entire day having been wasted away. The fraccion began to skillfully undress him without ruining his attire, keeping her promise the best she could to him; she didn't rip his clothing off.
A wish to have him bare and pressed to her form was something that she did not deny. She had already removed the bothersome attire he wore and rubbed his lean and muscular features over with a hiss in his ear.
"Come Kousou...we have an entire day to make up for, its time to show me your worth." her words inviting and holding the slightest hint of need before them. She held herself inward, but felt her control gradually disappearing.
It felt too good to touch another that always made the feeling different. Today was no exception, it pissed her off to no end how the youth could affect her on so many different levels. There was no way that she would allow him to be apart from her now. The deer arrancar pressed her face to his neck while she moved him back to the bed-couch that he rested on in the room. Sighing gently as Apache dragged her tongue up his smooth skin, all the while slipping from her top and removing it from her body with ease.
For reasons unknown to her, she was acting with more grace than would be believed that she had. Apache had far more sinister plans for her captive, as her body cried out with a desire to be close; to be held and filled. She would not stop until this was the result and she was certain that she'd get more than what she asked for; it was a wonder that she had not struck sooner.
Falling back upon the moonlight touched boy, soon flesh touched flesh as she moved up his body; aligning their faces and letting her lithe-warrior figure press into his with a knowing authority. Apache leaned down and bit on the side of his neck, tracing his sides with her fingertip before pursing her lips and suckling on his throat.
As he felt the attentions of his evening lover, Kou's mind drifted into a cloudy place, as the pleasure from her lips and her fingers roaming his body; he suddenly felt very vulnerable. There were no words to describe the way that he'd felt, almost that he was truly here this one night, realizing that once more Apache would have at his vulnerability. That she would drag him into the darkness of the place that he lived. A realization that he was truly present and that this foggy place was indeed his Hueco Mundo.
(-Mature scene up ahead- Skip to next set of Parenthesis to avoid-)
Tired of her own hesitation, Apache's ferocity was without warning, as she groped the youth's member and began to knead it within her fingertips. Rolling her digits up and down the tender flesh, her lips stole the freedom of his with demand behind the pressure she applied. Silencing anything else but the need to cure her of a lower ache that throbbed with a need unlike any other; she raised the half hardened flesh and promptly pushed the head into her lower lips, a gentle sigh breaking her lips as she felt a familiar warmth and hardening beginning to fill her sacred area.
With her hands moving to rest on Kou's chest as she mounted him in one lowering thrust, she took a moment to marvel at the feeling of his expanding length starting to fill her out. She delighted in the fact that he seemed dazed, she had rarely taken the opportunity to enjoy him while taking him completely off guard. There would not be a moment of hesitation for the deer woman, she raised her hips slowly, enjoying the every inch of veined flesh as it teased her inner-cavern and her plump petals. She was swollen with need and would happily take of the nectar that her fellow fraccion offered her this night.
With nothing by a soft grunt, Apache's great ride began, as her hips once more descended upon Kousou's shaft until he was sheathed completely within her. Her spine going rigid for but a second as she arched her back ever so slightly as her hips rocked on their own, churning his spire around within her tight-lipped walls.
"Ah..." the gentle wind that broke from her lips had formed that syllable as her rhythm slowly began to develop. The arrancar woman was proud, strong, and held a grace that seemed different from both Mila-Rose and Sun-Sun; she was in this fact as graceful as a deer and it showed.
With the grounding of buttocks into the lap of the groaning shincy beneath her, with a soft huff she drew her hips up once more and bucked back down onto him. With a slick veil of her hot fluids running down the well sized length that pierced her, one could be sure of one thing and that was the punishment was just about to begin. Due to Apache's worry, her anger at worrying, seeing Kou in his present state; she had fallen into a strange bi-polar mood at which the soft had now passed and upon her face rested a look of lust.
"Since...you are so hurt, I will heal you in a way that we arrancar always take on the world: through one's harshness." the words did not leave chance for Kou's response, for as soon as they ended did her hips descend in one heavy slam.
The heavy pace that she took was having its due effects on them both, as her skin became aglow with the beads of sweat from her working body as she continued riding the shincy beneath her. She took great care to keep a slow but hard thrusting pace, this allowing her to savor every single motion made by Kou as he squirmed and tried to get a hold of himself. Her cavern clutched him tightly, with a taste for his rich essence; her snatch worked with a growing need for his release.
As Kou's body was under heavy assault from Apache's domineering actions, his shaft was pulsing helplessly within her heat, assaulted by her massaging grip; which was both tight and rippling. The actions without mercy as her hips rose slowly, with her silken purse clenching around him and urging him towards release. Though as he neared it, her walls clutched him firmly in a way that forced him to continue on in suffrage. Her grip kept him on edge and her pace forced him to remain at a high point, just before his peak; even though she refused to allow him release.
This continuing torture of Apache's continued for well over 15 minutes, as she worked herself into a potent frenzy, the arrancar female rode him clear through her first two climaxes; now with a slickness unrivaled she made her pace faster and yet did not yield to let him release. She did not desire it to end, there was something about it; that made her want it so badly that she could taste it.
It was not until her hips descended one last time that her walls and control of them suddenly ceased, as she suddenly hit a third peak; her rapture her caused her to spasm instead of holding a firm grip and this helped give way to a heavy flow of the shincy's essence into her most sacred depths. She held herself tall, refusing to fall as she felt the violent climax eating at her will to stay up; the feeling of Kou's inner-secret that had filled her now began to flow onto their laps and proceeding to ruin the sheets.
(-Mature scene over-)
As she finally fell against his arms, the deer arrancar nestled into the chest of the unconscious boy, knowing at some point she caused him to faint. That had not been the matter it seemed, she had wanted to enjoy a part of him, something that she had felt she forced out of him tonight.
"You...boy...how can you make me this way? It matters not, I'm never leaving you to part from me." the words of someone who demanded much, almost the words of a bond that she held; something that she would protect as fiercely as she did Harribel-sama. Only then did it just become true to her. As the fraccion took moved Kou's resting body to the chair, she made quick work of changing the sheets and wiping them both down; she'd take a bath with Kou in the morning or so was the plan.
Both of them knew little, what was racing ahead of the times, Kou's fate as well as all fraccion who worked with Tia Harribel...would be determined by the end of a flipping coin. So it had been done.
(End Chapter)
Well this took far too long to get out, I'm going to catch up one day, curse you real life! You do not pwn me, I pwn you!
Well with that aside I will share this little tidbit: Kou's parents will be running wild in the next chapter, soon the inevitable meeting between Fraccion/Espada and two very protective parents will come...next chapter or the following? stay tuned.
