-Forenote-

So. This took a while. I finished that last chapter, took a couple days of relaxation, went to start this one...

Only to realize real quick that the things I had planned didn't work anymore for the entire next section. Segment. Arc?

Anyways, I apologize for the long delay. Busy times at work where I would usually get my writing done, other distractions, and the fact that I'm just real bad at being consistent made this take way too long.

Good news, this little hiatus let me plan things out in a much better way than before. I like the way it works, it's going to be really interesting to write for me, and the hope is that you all like it as well.

In other news, I think that with my own faults in mind I'm going to adopt a 'when it is ready' schedule for releases. I don't want to promise anything regular when I'm just not good with being consistent, as I said. But worry not, unless I actually just die or something, I will keep working on this whenever I can. It's on my mind a good portion of the day even if I'm not writing.

Also, I was definitely planning to release this chapter yesterday, but April Fools is definitely a thing, and I'm not a fan.

Otherwise, I want to thank everyone who stops by to read this. As always, enjoy.

-Forenote end-

Chapter 7: Refinement

Quick blows rained down with a steady rhythm, forcing Shin backwards step by step. He dodged some with a swift and easy motion, others darting in close enough he had to parry them by hand, sparks flying from the contact with his skin.

Stay focused...breathe...

His opponent switched to a more aggressive attack pattern, blade sweeping in at high angles and forcing him to improvise. Taking a strike hard on one forearm, he immediately shifted his weight to the opposite angle, sliding the weapon off to the side and leaving their stance wide open. Wasting no time he stepped in, claws whipping forwards.

They vanished with the soft noise of a sonido, leaving him to stagger, unbalanced. In the split second it took to regain his stance, he took three light smacks to the ribs. Shin grunted, shaking off the stinging pain and ducking under another swipe, one leg darting out to intercept. With a start, he found a sandaled foot kicking off of his mask a second later as they vaulted up with enviable grace.

Heat rose in his blood as he let out a snarl, rushing after mindlessly. His swings became sloppy and wild in his frustration, his opponent sidestepping and deflecting his claws effortlessly. With a sigh, they locked one of his arms wide with no apparent struggle, leaning in to strike-

Their eyes widened as the blocked hand glowed an ominous red, barely flashing away in time as energy vaporized the ground they had been standing on. Shin leapt through the haze an instant later, vibrant crimson reiatsu wreathing his form as he attacked. Every other clash was now punctuated by a cero blasting out, some point-blank, others used to close distance when they got too far out of arms reach. He seemed to be finally gaining ground, each hit landing closer, when they vanished again.

Now!

Shin performed a sonido of his own, blurring away - several stories up. To his satisfaction, he saw his surprised opponent poised to strike where he had been an instant earlier. Too late. The reiatsu he had been gathering swiftly built in between his hands, growing to size in a flash. It erupted out with a terrific noise, straight down...

With a horrible realization, he saw a smug smile the instant before his own cero blasted him out of the sky.

--

Shin grumbled in annoyance while wiping sand off his limbs, wincing as he touched the burns that remained. He heard a chuckle, looking around to see Nel walking up. She gave him an amused look as he stood from the crater he'd landed in.

"That was a good move."

He snorted, gesturing to his singed body. "Maybe against someone who couldn't just toss my own cero back at me."

She nodded, examining him slowly. "At least you still have your clothes...mostly." He had abandoned the rags he had been wearing in favor of a pair of the standard white hakama pants, though both the talons on his feet and the fiery red patches on his shoulders and hands prevented him from comfortably wearing much else. Sadly, the blast had charred away most of the lower sections, though leaving him thankfully decent.

Several weeks had passed since his first arrival at Las Noches, and perhaps unsurprisingly, without much change. With no particular reason to leave, he had mostly remained in Nel's palace, only venturing out with Nel herself or during the occasional times Pesche managed to persuade him otherwise.

He had made quick friends with the easygoing arrancar, helped by the fact that the man appeared to simply lighten any mood in a room by existing. A witty quip or odd joke served to that purpose, but he would instantly switch to being impressively calm and disciplined whenever the need arose, serving to aid Nel however he could. Dondochakka, however, was still terrified by Shin; no matter how much they all tried to convince the adjucha that the horned hollow wasn't going to eat him.

When asked why she kept the fearful man around, he received a frosty stare and the words, "At least he doesn't make trouble for me."

In the idea of self-preservation he had abandoned that line of questioning, instead asking about the ascension to becoming an arrancar, something that still nagged at him constantly. Nel had attempted to explain it to the best of her abilities, but ended up only with vague feelings and theories.

Eventually, at Nel and Pesche's somewhat reluctant advice, he sought out answers from elsewhere.

--Las Noches, one week earlier--

Shin spat out a violent curse, shuddering in discomfort as a long, thick needle pulled out of his neck. The man wielding the massive tool smirked a bit, pulling the syringe away and storing in a blocky device behind him. "What did you expect? Only a needle of that size and strength can get through the hierro." He glanced back at Shin, who was rubbing the wounded spot gingerly. "Especially yours."

"I get that, but did you need to stick it in my neck, of all places?"

"Quit complaining. This is required of all hollows in Las Noches, vasto lorde and arrancar alike."

Shin scowled under his mask, though he would swear before whatever gods existed that this strange man could tell anyways.

Szayelaporro Grantz stood only slightly shorter than Shin himself, wreathed in white as every other arrancar was, though he seemed to wear the clothes in a rather elaborate fashion: a simple, yet elegant set of pants and a long-sleeved shirt, all tailored to appear almost overly simplistic. A pair of thickly-rimmed glasses adorned his thin nose, and Shin got the odd suspicion that it was his mask fragment. His features always seemed to hold a hint of casual disdain, as if he held the world and everyone in it in slight contempt. Styled pink hair crowning his head completed the appearance of a strangely civilized man, almost scholarly - if not for his actions.

"Strip."

"...Excuse me?"

The scientist turned, one pink brow raising as if surpised. "What? I'm not interested in men, if that's what you think. Strip, I need you in here," he drawled out, gesturing to another tall machine to the side. Shin stared, causing him to huff impatiently. "It's to analyze your reiatsu on a deeper level, surface data only tells me the basic details."

A sigh of his own and a minute later, Shin was inside the device, Szayelaporro tapping away at a keyboard on its surface. Metallic whirs and hums were heard, and Shin suddenly felt an odd probing sensation, accompanied by a faint searing feeling, like his skin was steaming.

"Am I supposed to feel this?" He called, voice echoing.

"Hmm?"

"It's like I'm being stung all over. And it itches like crazy."

The scientist frowned, hitting a rapid succession of keys and causing a small screen on the side of the machine to light up. A moment of study, and his amber eyes widened. He made another keystroke and the hum intensified, a pained expletive ringing out from the interior. Fingers blurring, his eyes were fixed on the screen with almost feverish intensity as he leaned in.

"Extraordinary..." he whispered.

Another bout of swearing from the machine and it shuddered from an impact. "What the hell are you doing?!"

The bespectacled man glanced over, glad he'd had the foresight to reinforce the doors. "Nothing, nothing," he replied, hitting another key as the machine shut off with a small beep. "A problem with the scanner is all." The front slid open a moment later, Shin stalking out and glaring daggers. Hiding his findings, the scientist led his charge through another few tests, none incredibly strange or painful, as Shin looked ready to snap at any moment.

Finally the examinations were done and Shin sat near the entrance, dressed once more and arms crossed moodily.

"You're free to go," Szayelaporro said, striding back into sight. Shin narrowed his eyes dangerously. He stopped, regarding the vasto lorde with a sigh. "What, you want the results? They're not particularly unique."

"Humor me."

The scientist rolled his eyes dramatically. "Fine then." Holding up one hand, he raised a finger for each point. "You have an excess of raw power, nothing particularly interesting, as I said. Your hierro is quite strong, enough to stop most attacks even if your high-speed regeneration doesn't render most injuries a moot point. The only noticeable thing otherwise is your cero. The one you fired at Nnoitra was rather strange, but as you have no recollection of being a hollow prior to appearing in Hueco Mundo, I cannot say if that is an ability or not; though as it only appears to empower the destructive force of the blast I can only conclude it is also fairly boring. Until proven otherwise, of course."

Shin nodded, taking the criticism in surprising stride. He looked back up after a moment of thought. "And my other question?"

The man cocked an eyebrow. "How to become an arrancar? Is that not obvious?" He shrugged at the low growl that provoked. "Fine. You are not lacking in strength, so what exactly precipitated your change into the form you currently possess?"

"I got one of my memories back."

Szayelaporro leveled an obvious stare his direction, waiting for it to dawn.

"...So all I need is to remember more."

"Ah, understanding is true joy." The man raised his thin arms wide in exaggerated bliss. "To be exact, I would assume you need more than simply a single memory. Most likely, for a change like this, you will require full comprehension. Becoming an arrancar is to truly know ones self in the first place. I would assume even more so in your case."

"I need to know exactly who I was," Shin finished, a sense of hopelessness washing over him. The human world was massive, there was no telling where he might find a clue. And what if he had been in the Soul Society? The chances of learning anything were miniscule.

Szayelaporro studied him for a minute, a strange fascination in his eyes, before speaking again. "If you wish to improve other ways, I suggest you refine yourself in the meantime. You resemble a beast already, no reason to fight like one as well. Unless you want to, of course." With that last statement the man walked away without a backwards glance.

Shaking his horned head, Shin walked out of the strange building, still deep in thought.

--Present day, outside Las Noches--

Taking the advice into honest consideration, he could only think of one way to improve: sparring.

After a time, he asked Nel when she had returned from some other task. She had looked at him in surprise.

"Pesche won't help?"

"He said something about keeping his pride -and limbs- intact. And Dondochakka..."

They both heard the sound of panicked whimpering from another room.

"...Right. And of course you haven't exactly made friends around the palace much, hmm?"

A day later they both ventured out into the desert surrounding the palace so they wouldnt damage it in their training. In between bouts Nel would lecture him on different fighting styles, most notably against longer weapons, polearms and the like. Shin had laughed when she'd brought it up

"Like a certain gigantic crescent...thing?"

"...That is entirely up to your discretion. I'm just making sure you are prepared, Shinigami can have very odd weapons as well."

She frowned at the thought. "All you have is your cero and claws right now. You need to know exactly how to fight someone with a weapon instinctively, without thinking about it. And I don't mean just flailing around, you need technique. That's why we're out here."

The only problem with that was the unavoidable fact that while his cero were his strongest attack by far, he was still training against the single being who could redirect those attacks with relative ease, and it made this training all the more frustrating.

Shin had still learned quite a lot in the time they had been out here, and his form had improved by miles. Performing sonido was now second nature, and using it to effect in battle was becoming easier by the minute; not that it had enabled him to land a real hit on the nimble Espada yet.

Every time he got close she managed to either evade or maneuver her blade in front of the strike without fail. And the times that he cornered her with a cero and wouldn't matter even if she did block, she simply swallowed the energy and launched it back even stronger. Thankfully it appeared that this was her own special technique, the cero doble, and not something others could perform as far as she knew.

Even without that, something had been bothering him for a while.

"Hey, Nel."

She made a questioning noise, glancing down from where she had been gazing up at the moon. They had been taking a small break, his minor scrapes and cuts healing quickly. Shin didn't meet her eyes, trying to find the right words. "In these spars, you're still holding back. Obviously."

She nodded easily. "Of course. I'm trying to train you, not kill you." Pausing, she saw his look trail over to her unsheathed sword.

"But that's not even the half of it, is it?" he asked, sounding oddly subdued. He was remembering the arrancar he met before his arrival at Las Noches. The man had used some sort of technique to transform, gaining immense power. He hadn't particularly cared at the time, but he'd noticed that all the arrancar appeared to have a weapon, while other hollows did not. It couldn't be that they needed to carry a blade, they were the strongest a hollow could be. There had to be something more.

Nel grimaced, realizing what he meant. "No, it's not," she admitted. "All arrancar have their own blade. A zanpakuto, not just a piece of metal. When we become arrancar we become more human, more like a Shinigami. Thus, our more primal essence is stored in the shape of a blade, to be released at our command, and to restore us to our full power. Much like the blades of Shinigami, but most of their power is solely located in it. Ours act as more of a seal."

Shin let out a deep breath, nodding slowly. "Can you show me?" He noticed her startled expression, turning to face her fully. "Please."

Nel stared him down for a minute, then nodded somberly. "It's good you asked me out here; Espada at my rank and lower aren't allowed to perform resurrección within the palace."

"Lucky me."

Shin watched intently as she backed away, assuming a rigid stance, sword held parallel to the ground.

"Praise..." The blade began to glow, a dim haze appearing. Shin felt a massive spike in her reiatsu as she spoke the final word.

"...Gamuza."

The mist exploded outwards, hiding her form as it swirled into a concealing shroud, shaking Shin to the core with waves of power that he could practically taste.

The soft sound of movement emanated from the cloud, and he finally saw the results.

She appeared as a tall centaur with a furred, four-legged body, her upper torso emanating where the head would normally be. The curling horns on her mask had straightened out, jutting backwards several feet, while small segments had grown down to frame her eyes. Rounded sections of bone armor covered her shoulders, elbows, and hands, her exposed arms sheathed by some black material. Her normal clothes seem be unchanged on the rest of her torso, disappearing at the junction between human and animal. Her weapon had changed as well, shifting into a long double-ended javelin. Pale white, it flared sharply from the handle in the middle, tapering down into fine points at each end.

Shin let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding, to which Nel gave a small smile.

"Good enough, I assume."

"Yeah, thanks. I just needed to confirm something."

"Oh?" She tilted her head to one side curiously. Shin nodded, taking a seat in the sand as he spoke.

"You've done all you can to make me better in a fight, and I do appreciate that. The problem is that you can only really teach me one way."

Her expression turned rather miffed, and he waved his hands in panic as her lance tip moved ominously. "No, wait, hear me out! What I mean is that you can only really show me how to fight somebody far stronger than I am, only because you can do this. Right?"

After a tense pause, she planted the weapon in the sand, crossing her arms and motioning for him to go on.

Breathing easier, he continued. "From what I've been seeing, you can only hold back so much. In the end, you can achieve this form," he nodded her direction, "...and even without it I'm nowhere near your level."

Nel let out a long breath. "Yes, I see what you mean. Against me you will always have to fight a defensive battle."

"Exactly."

"So...what, you find someone around the same level to spar with? I hate to say it, but you're in a rather unusual spot for a vasto lorde. Almost no others of the same rank are like you, and many arrancar or Espada are too high up." She grimaced. "Plus, I have my doubts any of of them would agree to it."

"I don't know, Nnoitra seemed to like a good fight."

"You can't be serious!"

"I'm not."

Shin grinned at her dumbfounded look before they both burst out laughing, the sound echoing around the dunes as Nel glowed again, sand whirling into a cloud as she shifted back into her human form. She sat across from him, still smiling.

"Well then, I suppose our little training session here is complete."

"I guess so."

They sat for a time, watching the night pass by in silence, each holding to their own thoughts for a time.

"You know..."

Shin looked around to see Nel standing, an unusually animated grin gracing her lips. "While it is a shame, seeing you actually wanting to venture out on your own is nice."

Shin snorted out a laugh, which only made her smile widen. Gesturing for him to stand, she stepped away a fair distance as he looked on, curious.

"Now, you've been a rather good student. And a quick learner."

"Good to know I got my ass handed to me for a reason."

"...and with that, I've one final lesson for you. Something special, something I think you of all people might be able to try."

Interest piqued, he watched as a vibrant orb of green energy hummed to life in her palm. Her expression turned unsettlingly toothy.

--Las Noches, the next day--

Shin stalked back towards Nel's section of the city in a particularly foul temper, sending various hollows scurrying out of his way. Only a day into his search, and he'd run into an unexpected obstacle of his own making: a very dangerous reputation.

It turned out that in any large group, even hollows, that making your first appearance by manhandling the one guarding the gate doesn't give a friendly impression; not to mention his scuffle with an Espada shortly after. Shin had heard whispers of the like on his occasional walks around, but until now - to his own admittance - he hadn't really given a damn. So far, every single hollow with the exception of arrancar had given him a wide berth; even then, the few maskless he'd seen had made a point of avoiding direct contact.

In any other situation this might be useful...'sir', my ass.

It seemed that due to his inherent demeanor and the fact that he was under the direct command of the third Espada meant that most treated him with something between respect and terror, regardless of his actual strength. Even starting a conversation was difficult, and when any heard the reason for his search was in the first place, most turned rather pale and immediately made excuses.

He swiftly turned a corner, accidentally bumping into a huge figure. The man grunted in annoyance, four thick legs turning with loud thumps, bulbous and clubbed tail barely missing taking a chunk out of the wall. He gazed down at Shin through a heavily ridged and lined mask.

"Watch it," he grumbled out, words slow and careless. Shin felt a muscle in his temple twitch, and had to make a conscious effort to simply step to the side and keep moving - only to be held back by one wide arm from the larger hollow.

"And where do you think you're going?"

With a shove, the man positioned himself directly in the middle of the corridor, leering down.

"I know who you are, you cocky little shit. You're the new guy that's been scaring the piss out of everyone." The man gave a booming laugh, not seeming to notice the reaction his words were having. He assumed a wide stance, arms set to the sides aggressively. "Do you know who I am? Huh?"

The tiniest possible shake of the head in response had him laughing again, cracking his huge knuckles. "Then let me teach you-"

That was the last word any bystanders heard as a collossal crash rang out and the entire hallway erupted in smoke and dust, tinged by an ominous red glow.

--

"Please tell me you didn't kill him."

"No."

Nel narrowed her gaze dangerously at the response. Shin heaved a long sigh.

"I mean no, I didn't kill him. I just...moved him out of my way. He should still be alive."

"Should?"

"He was acting like he was some big deal, so I figured he could probably take a hit or two."

Nel lowered her head into her hands, massaging her temples. "You had only recently mellowed out some, why did I think it was a good idea for you to roam the palace alone..." she moaned tiredly. "Please tell me that's all the trouble you got in today?"

Shin crossed his arms moodily. "Yes, mom."

He received a wry expression for his sarcasm, continuing on to go over his progress.

"No luck so far on finding anyone wanting to help. I ran into one of the other Espada though. Dor...Don...I can't remember. He kept calling me 'niño'."

Nel hid a small smirk at the petulant tone Shin was using. "Dordoni?"

"Yeah, him. He wouldn't shut up."

"Yes, that sounds like him," she nodded in thought. "But it's fairly rare to see any Espada out and around like that. Were you looking for them specifically?"

"Nope. Apparently he came out of his area to see why everyone else was so scared of me."

Nel assumed a shocked expression; he wasn't fooled.

"He said I looked like a demon."

At that precise moment, Pesche walked into the room looking rather chipper. "Now why would he say that? How rude."

Shin tossed a cup at the arrancar, who easily caught and set it on a nearby table with a smooth motion and a wink from one amber eye.

"Well he isn't particularly wrong, is he?" Nel said, giving her lanky friend a smile as he sat. "You do look rather..."

"Intimidating? Fearsome? Savage?" Pesche offered.

Shin shot the man a look, one that only earned him another quick wink.

Sighing, he leaned back in his chair. "My point is that I didn't have any luck. Dordoni wouldn't give me a straight answer, I ended up leaving as he was winding into some speech."

"Any other possibilities?"

"Well, maybe that big one I put through the wall earlier. But he was annoying enough already."

Peshe rubbed his chin for a moment before raising one finger in question. "Four legs, clubbed tail, impressively cocky?"

"Bingo."

"Aha. I believe that would have been Yammy...you know I can't seem to remember his last name? It was something difficult to pronounce."

Nel shook her head at their levity, motioning for Shin to go on. He listed off the more noticeable people he'd met or heard of throughout the day, trading comments with the other two as he did.

"I heard about one insect guy, blades for arms?"

"He died several months ago, got caught by a group of shinigami while out on a raid."

"Well, what about that weird tentacle...thing? Luppi?"

"After my training, he wouldn't last even a minute against you." Nel sniffed haughtily, giving Shin the impression she wasn't terribly fond of the person in question.

Pesche made a thoughtful noise. "There is that other new recruit. He arrived not too long before you did with a group of other adjucha in tow, like he was their leader. While not a vasto yet, he's a cut above the rest."

"That cat guy? Yeah, I met him, for about five seconds. He told me to piss off, just...not as nicely as that."

"You call that nice?"

"Compared with what he actually said?" Shin barked out a laugh. The corners of Nel's lips rose in a sad sort of smile.

"You can't expect pleasantries and kind words from every hollow you meet. That's just not our way, you know that."

"What, so we're all just tolerating each other for now?" For some reason he couldn't place, the thought bothered him more than he wanted to admit. For all his aggression or particular disinterest in socializing, having allies was...nice. Simply abandoning that whenever their so-called leader was done with them seemed pointless.

Nel noticed his darkening mood, rising out of her seat. "In any case, you should get some rest. You've only been looking for one day. You should relax."

"I don't do relaxed."

She tossed a grin his way. "Yes, I'd noticed. You should try it sometime."

--

Much could be said for the titanic size of Las Noches, its long halls and cavernous rooms evidence enough that it was meant to house a truly incredible amount of people. What was not normally realized was that it was constructed in the fashion of castles of old: large, open, yet subtly confusing in design. It was built to harry those foreign to the interior, both in entering or leaving. It took time for any being to learn the nuances of navigating this labyrinth.

"Son of a bitch," Shin swore, stomping away from yet another dead end.

Why do I get the feeling that I was never very good at finding my way around?

Shin had been wandering for hours, more keeping to his own thoughts than asking around this time. Unfortunately, it had placed him in what seemed to be a remote section of Las Noches, a warren of hallways and rooms that seemed to be abandoned. And he couldn't find his way back.

"I'll eventually find the way I came from, this place isn't actually endless."

An hour passed.

"I'll only turn left," he muttered. "I can't possibly stay lost forever if I only turn left."

A second.

"It would help..." he growled to himself, voice echoing through the passage he was jogging through, "...if everything wasn't god-damned white."

He was deeply considering what Nel would do to him if he just blasted a hole through to the outside, when the echo of footsteps drew him around a final corner, into a wide hallway filled with hollows. All chatter died in the area died out immediately.

Well, that was sudden. Shin turned slowly, trying to recognize where he was, noting the flinching and fearful looks his gaze still caused. Nel's previous words came back in a flash, and he paused before simply barking out orders.

Relax.

"Uh...hi."

--

Several surprised exchanges and wary sets of instructions later, and Shin found himself along an entire separate wing of Las Noches. Considering the distance, it was a fairly impressive feat to get so sidetracked in such a short time. Keeping in mind the reason he was out in the first place, he kept an eye out for anyone promising as he made his way back along the outer halls. He passed by many that barely even spared him a glance. It was almost refreshing.

Due to this, he wasn't particularly paying attention as a silhouette approached from behind.

A tap on the shoulder a moment later caused him to spin in surprise, having been absorbed in thought. Shin found himself at a loss for words at the sight of a familiar swaying form.

"...Sung-Sun?"

He was greeted by a distinctly pleased glimmer from one lavender eye as her head lowered down to his height.

"Ah, so you do remember me." The serpentine adjucha coiled her long body down. "I must admit I wasn't sure you would, considering your mental state the last time we spoke."

Shin felt a smile growing behind his mask. "Of course I remember, you're one of the only reasons I'm still sane. Thanks for the advice."

"My pleasure," she said graciously, tilting her spade-like head down in that odd smile of hers. "And thank you for making it alive and not disappointing me. Though I have heard some rather shocking rumors since your arrival..."

Shin grimaced, shifting slighty, but her keen eyes missed nothing.

"There were...circumstances."

"I'm sure the guard at the southern gate learned a valuable lesson from your treatment."

"That was-"

"And I have heard the tales of the seventh Espada being rather grating at times. Especially considering your first meeting with him, no?"

"Well, I-"

"Yes, when you trample over anyone in your path, you certainly do create quite the terrible reputation, wouldn't you say?"

Shin crossed his arms grumpily. "Okay, I get it. Are you done?"

A silent, smiling nod was his response.

"Anyways, it's not like I wanted to cause any rumors, and I'm not doing anything to make it worse. I don't need any more complications."

"Hmm? Then just yesterday..."

He threw his hands up in exasperation as she laughed softly. "Word travels fast in Las Noches. Though to your credit, the other hollow in question is quite known for causing trouble."

His surprised expression made it past the mask enough to prompt another laugh. "Not everyone here is terrified of you. Just most, from what I've heard. And I've heard worse."

"Flattering, thanks."

"I'm being quite serious. You should have been here when the primera first arrived. He barely does anything, yet some have died from the reiatsu he emits. There is always quite a stir when he ventures out."

Conceding the point, he cast a curious eye back her way. "What about you? If I remember right, you mentioned that you don't stay here that much."

"Why yes, we were planning to stay at least a few days, unless new orders arrive in that time. Which, actually, they have not in quite some time." Sung-Sun hummed in thought for a moment.

"Your...master," Shin began, making her swing back around. "She's a vasto lorde, right?"

He received an obvious stare for the question, sensing his leading tone.

"Well...I want to ask for a favor."

--

"Get out. GET OUT, YOU FOOLS!"

The Espada's scream sent his fracción scrambling away in a frenzy, modified bodies twisting and turning in unnatural ways. Normally, he might enjoy such a spectacle.

But not now.

Szayaleporro tapped away at his instruments at a feverish pace, hands strained to a painful level. But he couldn't stop. How could he, when such uniquely interesting data was presented to him on a silver platter?

The man muttered to himself constantly, bloodshot eyes fixed on the displays he was currently occupied with. He had not rested in days. Not since that hollow had entered his domain, filling his mind with little else. He could not remember the last time an experiment brought him such joy, the last time he found something truly new and exciting. The exultation of discovery was...intoxicating.

Entering one last command to the machine, he darted across to another screen, waiting as it hummed to life, showing the readings he had been longing for.

"Aaaaaaaaahhhh..." An ecstatic moan echoed in the otherwise silent chamber. Bringing himself back to a modicum of composure, he smoothed the front of his clothes, straightened his glasses, and leaned back in. An eerie smile danced over his lips.

"Now..." He murmered softly, one long finger caressing the side of his face, "...what exactly is a hollow doing with both Shinigami and Quincy genes?"