Starrk was working hard, practicing his kido. Narrowing his eyes he licked his lips before firing off a deliberately low powered Red Flame Cannon. It obliterated the target and he cursed mildly to himself. He had a power control problem. All of his kido were massively destructive. Glancing around he sighed to himself. All around him, young shinigami cadets were conversing, helping each other, laughing softly at jokes. Some were working on their swordsmanship.
In this crowd, he was alone. Starrk was aware that it was largely his own fault. He'd made some critical errors when he'd first joined the Academy. It had all been cultural… even if he was shinigami, Starrk had been immersed in hollow culture. Lilinette was exactly the same. Her appearance as a feral child reflected his soul, his lack of any true mother and father. Starrk had been raised by wolves, and they had been called Espada.
So when he'd felt the need for physical intimacy, he'd done what was expected… found a likely young man and asked if he was interested. Starrk liked both men and women but in general, he preferred the male gender. He'd been expecting either quick acceptance or equally quick refusal. No one ever got upset about that sort of inquiry. Why would they? So the last thing he'd been expecting was a violent refusal followed by a fistfight.
That had been exactly what he'd gotten. And when the dust had settled, filthy rumors began spreading. Most of them were simply that he was a pervert. Apparently, enjoying your own gender was considered perverted here. Starrk thought that was setting the bar extremely low. He was experienced in things these children likely couldn't even name. Some of the rumors, though, were more elaborate and less truthful. Starrk preferred not to know the content of them. Some things were better left unsaid.
So he practiced alone, except when the instructors paired him against another student. And that brought him to the other reason for his isolation. New though he might be to his shinigami powers, Starrk was still an Espada. He had the full measure of skill that Aizen and his cronies had pounded into him. He could easily form those raw reiatsu blasts that mimicked cero and his 'sonido' had actually been shunpo. He pretended to be worse than he was, but his swordsmanship and speed were still excellent and kido came readily to his hand. The only thing he had trouble with was the healing arts. His overwhelming reiatsu was too rough for most people, although there were exceptions. A taichou could likely take healing from him but until he learned to gentle his power, no one else could.
All of that helped serve to isolate him. Starrk was aware of the envy and disgust the other students felt for him. Twice now, groups of them had tried to corner him and beat him into a bloody mess. He'd beaten them instead, but that only further isolated him. Starrk tried to maintain his indifference but he could honestly say he did not have a single friend.
Finally practice was finished and they went to lunch. Starrk sat by himself, at the end of one of the tables. No one, male or female, sat anywhere near him. He slowly, methodically ate his lunch, his mind very close yet very far as he spoke to his other half.
You know, this is really sad. You had more friends in Los Noches. Lilinette observed and Starrk nodded before taking a long drink of his water to wash the food down. It was a bento box of rice and chicken with a flavorful sauce and pickled vegetables.
"It is ironic." He agreed. Aizen had created an identity for him as the Espada of loneliness. His aspect of Death had been solitude. Now, despite being surrounded by life, he was more alone than he ever had been. "Perhaps matters will improve when I graduate." He said in a low tone. Surely not all shinigami were as close minded as these. There was a soft sigh from his zanpakuto.
If it doesn't, what will you do? She asked and Starrk considered it. Then he spoke in a low tone.
"Go back home." Hueco Mundo was, in so many ways, his home. Sometimes his spirit longed for the cold sands, the interactions that were so simple and direct. Certainly, there had been plotters among the Espada – Barragan came to mind – but most hollows were very straightforward. Starrk understood them, understood the play of dominance and submission, eat and be eaten. "Although I do like this place. I just wish I liked the people." Soul Society did have some huge positives. As a cadet Starrk was given food, shelter and a small allowance. So far he'd used that money to experience some real culture. He didn't understand everything in the play he'd seen, but he had enjoyed it.
Finishing the last of his meal, Starrk rejoined his fellow cadets. The lessons that followed were the ones he had to struggle with… book learning. This was, without a doubt, his great weakness. He'd been taught to read and write but nothing more. Math had been a closed book to him but now he was expected to master it. And while he was trying, Starrk knew his efforts would never get a passing grade. Although…
Let me do it for you Starrk. Lilinette whispered and he hesitated. He knew it was wrong, relying on his zanpakuto that way. They were not supposed to be a crutch. Oi, it's math Starrk. You're never gonna need to know this urgently. And I'm in your head, I can see how your mind works. You're never going to get this.
"…" Starrk looked over his sheet hopelessly. He knew it would come back to him covered in red. Every single answer would be wrong. The instructor had been making sounds about finding him a tutor but that was the last thing he wanted. It would be one of the other cadets and awkward at best. "Please, if you could." He said, surrendering to the inevitable. Deliberately switching gears, Starrk let himself take the backseat in his body. Soon his hands were working busily as Lilinette completed the pop quiz. Unlike himself, she had a knack for numbers.
There, done! You'll get a good mark for a change. She said cheerfully and Starrk tried to smile, although it bothered him. Why couldn't he understand this? Why did the numbers seem to flow together in his mind? Oi, don't worry about it. You can't be good at everything.
"I suppose not." She did have a point. The next class was devoted to the history and legal system of Soul Society. Starrk gave it his full attention. He enjoyed it and thought it might be useful, to help him avoid any gaffes in the future. Although it was largely too late. Starrk was reasonably sure his reputation would haunt him forever.
Later, after supper, most of the cadets went to bathe in the communal pools. Starrk deliberately waited until the others were largely done before going for his own dip. He was agile enough to avoid shoves and other physical expressions of distaste, but the glares and the whispers did become wearisome. When he arrived in the pool, there were only three other cadets remaining. They ignored him and he returned the courtesy, sliding into the hot water with a sigh. For a time he just enjoyed it, feeling the tensions of the day melting away.
You know, Starrk, I've been thinking. Sosuke was Aizen's first name. We forgot the naming convention thingy. Starrk grimaced slightly. He'd forgotten that several times in the beginning. Fortunately it was a fairly common mistake. So that would make you Aizen Starrk.
"…" They both considered that for a moment as the steam rose up around them. "That's… bad. Really bad."
I know. That's like, bad-bad. Bad on toast. I wonder why he named you Starrk? I guess he never planned to give you his last name. And Coyote reflects me. She said and Starrk nodded. Aizen had named him with his zanpakuto in mind. If you used your momma's name you'd be Hinamori Starrk.
"That's not bad." Odd, but not bad. Then Starrk looked up as he felt someone looking at him. One of the other cadets was about to exit the pool and was looking at him with a frown.
"Who are you talking to?" He asked, an unspoken freak implied by the tone. Starrk rolled his shoulders before giving the young man a level look.
"My zanpakuto." He replied. The cadet looked at him in complete disbelief.
"You can talk to your zanpakuto?" The tone of the question clearly implied that he was a liar. Starrk paused before smiling gently at the young man. He couldn't know, but in that moment he looked very much like his father.
"Can't everyone?" He asked sweetly and chuckled to himself as he saw the cadet flush. Snorting at him, he left the pool and Starrk turned his attention back to the warm water. He didn't care what they thought of him.
And if he told himself that long enough, perhaps he would come to believe it.
You really are good at this, Lupe. Lilinette said approvingly and Starrk chuckled.
"Thank you." He was standing on the bank of a river in the Rukongai. It was night, but the full moon and the stars provided plenty of illumination. He was trying to capture the beauty of this spot on canvass. And as he worked, Lilinette watched his back. It was handy, having such a deep bond to his zanpakuto. It left him less vulnerable to ambush. Starrk wished he thought that was an idle concern, but he knew it wasn't. He was coming to hate his situation here. Did the positives really make it worth it? Perhaps he should think hard about that…
Then someone stumbled out of the bushes just as Lilinette hissed a warning. Starrk dropped his paintbrush and drew his sword, stepping back from the easel to give himself room to meet the coming attack. But it didn't come. His eyes widened as he realized the person in front of him wasn't a cadet, he was a full fledged shinigami. The insignia he was wearing indicated he was a member of the Eighth Division.
"P-Please! My taichou… an arrancar… please help him…" The man stumbled towards him and Starrk lowered his sword, bewildered and faintly relieved. At least this wasn't another attempted ambush. Then he dropped his sword and caught the man as he wobbled on his feet.
"I'm just a cadet. How could I help a taichou?" He said soothingly. "I'll get you to – oh." Starrk had just caught a glimpse of the man's back. The blood there… easing him to the ground Starrk began to check the injury and swallowed. How had the man even been walking? He was no medic but he thought the shinigami was dying rapidly. Reaching out, he attempted healing but had to stop as the man jerked in agony. His reiatsu was simply too much. "Your taichou, where is he?" It seemed he was the only one available. The man pointed with what strength he had left.
"The way I came… please…" Starrk nodded before picking up his sword. He left the easel and painting without a thought, following the shinigami's backtrail. It was easy for him. He'd played a game with Grimmjow, once, stalking the cat and being stalked in turn. It had been a fun way to pass the time and infinitely more challenging than the simple trail this shinigami had left behind.
When he reached the end of the trail, Starrk's lips tightened in dismay. A white haired taichou was fighting a rather powerful arrancar. It was no one Starrk recognized and from the reiatsu levels, he was on the cusp of Espada strength. Had he managed to evolve after the war? It was possible, they weren't sure how much arrancar could evolve after their masks were broken. Still, the taichou should have been destroying him. Starrk recognized the man as the one who'd played with Lilinette. He was no pushover… but there was blood on his face and his uniform. Had he already been wounded somehow?
Then the taichou went down and there was no more time to think about it. Starrk intercepted the blow that would have killed the man, taking it on his sword and grunting with the strain. The arrancar was already in full release and he wasn't even using his shikai. Green eyes locked with steel grey and the arrancar leapt back, shocked.
"Coyote Starrk?" He queried and Starrk nodded, looking him over. He was a tall male, long and lean and deadly looking in his armor of bone. The wings on his back and the mask on his face made him think of a mosquito. A long, golden braid of thick hair flowed down his back.
"In a manner of speaking." He answered, raising his sword. "Scatter, Lilinette!" He commanded and she giggled before answering his words. The original command he'd used had been another manipulation, designed to make him seem like an arrancar. This was the true command of his shikai. There was no great explosion of power, but a moment later he was holding his guns. His clothing changed but only slightly, giving him a wolf pelt around his shoulders. And then the battle was on.
It didn't entirely go his way. Starrk yelped as the arrancar surprised him, managing to catch his left arm in a powerful grip and snap it with a single twist. Painfully aware that it was entirely his own fault for underestimating his opponent, Starrk's eyes narrowed as he got serious. Abandoning his efforts to use unfamiliar kido, he shaped is power like a cero and unleashed it. The arrancar dodged, but barely. And then he used another power of his shikai.
"Wildfire." He commanded, using the gun he had remaining. Once, that had been cero metralleta. But this was the true command and that did matter. The buckshot of power was gold instead of blue and the power and speed were both increased. The arrancar managed to dodge some of it but then abruptly was hit by almost a dozen blasts. He was falling from the sky when Starrk finished him off with a single shot.
Starrk landed beside the body, making sure he was dead before hissing. As the adrenaline wore off the pain hit and he glanced down at his arm, grimacing. He was still managing to hold onto his other weapon, somehow, but the damage was bad. It wasn't really a clean break. Dismissing his shikai he managed to put his weapon in his belt before going to the fallen taichou. He was unconscious and not looking very good. The blood wasn't from a wound that he could see, which was puzzling. Starrk tried to give him healing but found nothing he could touch.
"…" Puzzled, Starrk looked around and considered what to do. "This would be an excellent time for a helpful member of the Fourth to appear." He said out loud. Unfortunately, the universe was not listening. "…Hm." Taking a deep breath, he began the incredibly painful process of getting the shinigami onto his uninjured shoulder. He had to manifest Lilinette to help him.
"I could carry him for you." She volunteered and he shook his head.
"No. Can't risk it. Besides, you're too short." He said and she made a face at him. It was the truth though. As strong as Lilinette was, the shinigami was much too large for her. "I don't want anyone to know I can manifest my zanpakuto." It was bad enough that they knew he could speak to it. He didn't want to betray anymore of his strength. There was a great value in being underestimated and besides, he was enough of a freak already. Lilinette made a face and nodded.
"Okay, but be careful. I sense little hollows everywhere!" She warned before vanishing and Starrk blinked before he began to walk, hissing with every step. Little hollows? What did that mean?
He would probably find out.