Lyneth glanced around the police station, feeling horribly alone. Vicente and Azura had been taken into custody as they had other charges along with Teresa and Starrk had fallen quiet.
Please... wake up, she tried again, but still nothing...Starrk, I need you right now! We are back where we started!
Lyneth felt something twitch in the back of her mind, nearly making her cry.
I am here, Lily. What do you need?
I... I am scared.
Of what? Starrk yawned, not sure what she was so scared of. They were the Primera Espada and they had already defeated Aizen once. We still have Coeur and Pagan. They are at the hotel where we left them. We are still ahead of Aizen.
I know that! I am not as scared about that! It's my mom. I... I didn't mean to run awa-wait...Lyneth frowned as it dawned on her, her blood beginning to boil as she sat in the plastic chair. You made me run away, Starrk!
Yes. I did.
Why?! Why did-
You did not want your friends to die. Now, Lily, it's not so bad... It will all be over soon. We have more important things to worry about.
I know, I know! And I don't know what to do! Lyneth cried as she saw Karri, Connor and Gabriel walk into the station, her mother coming to instantly embrace her. Half of Karri's lecture unheard as Lyneth glanced at Gabriel who was trying to act casual, but she could tell he was starving. And he's all we have now...
Don't give up so soon, cowboy. Starrk said, switching out for a moment, making Lyneth more annoyed than ever. And stop doing that! And don-
"Howdy, Ma'am," the Primera began, making Karri jump and let go of her daughter. "I'm Coyote Starrk, pleasure. We've got a problem. We got a few of our companions in the pokey."
Karri glanced back at Gabriel not sure what to say in return. Her sweet daughter's voice suddenly sounded like a... a man's. This wasn't the weird she signed up for! Or was it?
'Is this normal?' she mouthed, only to have her older son smile a bit.
"Howdy, Starrk," he said with a sigh. "Yes, I gave into your stupid cowboy obsession... Now, can you come over here to talk?" Gabriel didn't want to say why and thankfully he didn't have to as Lyneth nodded and swiftly came over.
"What do you need?" Starrk asked, not quite so shocked to see that Szayel hadn't changed much. Still had white glasses, an evil look in his eye and an annoyed tone of voice. "And don't lecture me."
Gabriel rolled his eyes and sighed, "I am not going to. That's Mom's job. What I want to know is, the others, they are here, right?"
Starrk nodded.
"Who?" Gabriel knew they couldn't have found everyone in about a week. "Tell me."
"Aaroniero and Harribel," he replied smoothly. "Along with Nnoitra," he finished, instantly grabbing Gabriel's arm as he saw a dangerous spark in his eye. Even if he couldn't stand, Starrk knew he was still dangerous. Especially to one who left him to die. "And Grimmjow and Ulquiorra. But he's not co-operating." But his words did nothing as he watched them go in one of Gabriel's ears and out the other as his mind was set on one thing and one thing only. "Hey, cowboy, don't make me do this."
"Let go of me," Gabriel demanded, glaring at the Primera. "Everything has-"
Starrk's hand connected with his face.
"Everything has changed and nothing will be changed if we don't get along," the Primera stated, frowning a bit as he realised he had accidentally broken a cheekbone. "And sorry, friend, I didn't mean to do that."
"Yeah," Gabriel muttered, his hand coming to gingerly touch his face where he knew a bruise was forming as he tried to regain his footing. "It's okay. Thank you. Now... You're right...Do as you wish, Starrk."
"Thank you,"
"Are you okay?" he added a moment later seeing that Gabriel still looked hurt in more than one way.
"I...I will be fine," he replied, his heart hurting more than his face. "It's just my pain tolerance went down levels... I'll be okay, Starrk. It only hurts a little to talk. Go talk to Mom and please don't freak her out..." he glanced up to see Karri and his younger brother staring at the scene before them. "And..."
"And what?" Starrk asked as he let go of Gabriel's arm, wincing as he realised he left a bruise there as well.
"Don't worry about Connor. It's..." he wasn't sure how to put it in a way the Primera would believe it. "Different."
Starrk frowned a bit, making Gabriel sigh. He understood and Yyfordt was dead anyway, it was Nnoitra he had to deal with next and how he didn't want to.
But he knew he had to.
And that hurt more than anything.
"Just..." he nodded towards the others, "go. I will be okay... I just... I have to..."
Starrk glanced over his shoulder before reaching out to wrap an arm around Gabriel's shoulder. "Hey, I'm here. And let's go talk with them together..." Starrk waited for a moment and much to his pleasure, Gabriel nodded and the two made their way over to Connor and Karri who opened her mouth to lecture about hitting when Starrk held up a hand. "It's okay. We apologised. Let's get the others."
Karri nodded and went over to the clerk's desk.
The ride home was quiet. Too quiet from where Gabriel sat in the backseat, wishing he could curl up around the phsyical pain his heart, the stabbing sensation along with the hunger he was feeling making it nearly impossible to listen to the conversations around him.
Vicente, also known as Aaroniero was talking to Karri in the front seat about how he owed her for bailing him out; Connor cutting in every so often to complain that he wanted to go to the store now and get Pokemon Cards and Lyneth back to her usual self and speaking at a non-stop pace with Azura about make up or something...
Gabriel didn't really care.
Nnoitra was still back at the police station and surely not in the mood to talk.
Not that it would be much of a talk.
It was more a: listen while I lecture.
Not that it mattered.
The chance was over now and besides...
I don't know him in this life... oh, what is going on here?! I... I hate someone I don't even know. And that... Isn't fair, is it?
Gabriel sighed and climbed out of the car as they arrived home, Karri heading there as she knew she would need more than a hotel room for all of them to sleep in. Or something like such, the whole conversation missed, but Gabriel didn't really care. He showed Vicente and Azura to the living room where they would be sleeping before heading upstairs where he shut the door to his room.
It was such a horrible...punishment.
He who hated so many, didn't have to right to hate at all.
I don't know Nnoitra or even Aaroniero. I can't hate them... and why am I even thinking this?! This is human morals and I am not... I am not...
Gabriel opened his eyes to find himself staring into the full-length mirror. The one hanging on the back of his open closet door, his image staring back at him, both with the same question:
What...What am I? I am not human and yet I-
A knock on his door interrupted his thoughts.
Gabriel sighed and closed his eyes.
"Who is it?"
"It's Vicente." came the reply. "Dinner's ready."
"I am not hungry," Gabriel said, not feeling like telling Vicente he didn't actually need to eat human food. "You can go on without me."
"Are you sure?" he asked, "Adjuches are hard to resist..."
Gabriel paused, making Vicente snicker a bit, much to his annoyance. "Fine...give me a few minutes."
"Got it," the Novena nodded from where he was standing in the hallway before heading downstairs to help his sister slice up the hollows she and Lyneth had found roaming the streets outside the house. "And so," he began as he set down the plates of oddly-coloured meat on the table. "Wh-wait a sec, kid," Vicente nabbed the plate out of Connor's hands. "That isn't for you."
"Aw," Connor frowned and crossed his arms. "Why not?! It looks cool!" It was every ten-year-old boy's dream to eat creepy gooey food!
How dare Vicente take it away!
"This is hollow food," Vicente replied with a sad sigh. "I understand, but this would make you sick."
"Are you sure?!" Connor asked, feeling ever so slightly jealous.
"Yeah. Sorry," he replied, setting a plate of spaghetti in front of the ten-year-old. "All you get tonight is some brains..."
Vicente smiled a bit as Connor cheered, making him feel better. When he was ten, he didn't worry about what he ate, he worried about tomorrow and if he would see the sun rise...It's nice to see him so happy... Vicente thought as he sat down at the table and glanced at Azura who seemed hesitant to join him. "Azura, do you want sit or not?"
"I..." she crossed her arms. "I have sat enough."
Vicente wasn't sure what she meant, but whatever. "If you insist."
He heard her exhale as if she was nervous about something so simple. What it was, he didn't know, but knew from the tone in her voice, not to ask.
Soon everyone whom wished to sit, was around the table, Lyneth was the first to speak as she watched Gabriel shiver as he finally joined them as if remembering something. Something she remembered as well, but dare not say.
"So, are Coeur and Pagan going to join us?" She asked the group once he had sat down next her and Connor who was sitting next to Vicente.
"Who?" Gabriel asked.
"Coeur and Pagan, also known as Ulquiorra and Grimmjow," Azura stated from where she stood in the corner, not sure how they could enjoy sitting around at a table once again. "They are at the hotel and Murcielago seems to not agree with Coeur. Ideas?"
Gabriel instantly nodded. "I do. It is a simple solve. He just has to release and then, they shall synchronizes to their current state. Do you want me to call and tell him that?"
"If you will," Azura walked over and handed Gabriel her phone. "Their numbers are in there."
"Wait," Karri began from where she was sitting at the head of the table, "no phones at the table."
Gabriel nodded and was about to hand it back to Azura when she glared down at him. "It's an order."
He sighed and glanced at his mom.
If only she understood what that meant...
Author's note: Yes! A double-update! Why? Because I love you my readers! :)
