The Desert Wastes of Hueco Mundo

[Setoku]

----15 years after the Antartica Incident-----

There was a wind blowing in the desert, and it steadily grew. One dune of sand seem to stand out from all the rest. Unlike the rest of the dull gray and white sand, this sand was tinted purple, as if a Hollow had spilled blood over the top. The odd thing was, wind rarely ever touched Hueco Mundo, unless a hollow of massive reiatsu was pumping it out. But there was no Hollow, here or anywhere. The closet Hollow with the power to do such would of been well over two hundered miles away, in the rock outcroppings where Vasto Lordes roamed. Or three hundered miles off to the South, where the Espada called home - The ruins of Las Noches. The dune of sand seem to move slightly, as the building wind suddenly seem to grow into a storm - A storm of purple rain. Now this was indeed very rare, it never rained in the forbidden desert! As the rain contuined to fall, and pool around this lone dune, the sand of it swept away, exposing a figure who seemed bound by a static outline. His left eye bright orange, while his right, was a dull purple. As if he was frozen while his Ressurcion was wearing off. Suddenly, the outline of static exploded, and the figure dropped to his knees, breathing heavily. He wore no shirt, and his muscles were sheaned in glistening sweat - His hakama's ends were tattered, and whipping about his ankes in the wind. Slowly, the rain seemed to slow to a trickle, before it suddenly stopped. And the wind died down. The man fell forward from his knees, dropping onto his hands. He was breathing heavily, and only one word escaped his dry and cracked lips.

"Fujiwara...."

The man stayed in this postion for several seconds, before slowly pushing himself up. His white hair had faded, and turned to a more silver-ish hue. His muscles were still firm and taunt, and one the right of his hip, he wore a sword, which seemingly was modled after a Shinigami atsuchi The man streached his arms, and coughed. How long had he been out?

"Damnit Luke-sensei... where... are you...?"

The man's voice was deep, clearly his thoart was dry. He was in Statsis for fifteen years, though, so that was to be expected. The man took a stop forward, and shook his head.

"Shinamori Setoku.... has returned..."

He smirked as he spoke, even without an audience, and frozen for fifteen years, he still seem to hold a theatrical attitude. He couldn't sense his master though.... Anywhere. Or his.... former lover. Or.....

"Fujiwara Michiyo.... Where are you?"

The man looked around, from left to right, and suddenly shot forward, heading in the direction of Hueco Mundo. He needed to know what had happened, how much time had pass.... And where Michiyo was.

[kusaka]

Kusaka a lone shinigami awoke in the eternal waste lands known as hueco mundo confused he awoke thinking he had become a hollow he looked for a hole but found none so he decide to look around

[Azula]

A lone adjuchas was wandering about the desert, searching for prey. This hollow appeared as a large dog-like beast, and, using its sharp sense of smell, was tracking what it thought was its next meal. It suddenly stopped moving and looked around in alarm; a second later, what appeared to be a large thread snaked out of the dune ahead of it and stuck.

A yelp escaped from the hollow as it was swept off its feet into the dune, from which a large spider emerged. Grasping the dog-like hollow, the spider swiftly bit into the neck. Within seconds the dog was writhing in pain whilst the spider watched. Once its struggles had begun to weaken, she moved in and began to devour her prey.

[Sorayn]

A short distance from where this adjuchas had been simply destroyed, a figure sat - observing, his legs were crossed and his blade was stuck in the sand, with the handle facing upwards, most of the blade wouldn't be visible this way. The figure stood, and adjusted his black armour as he did.

He grinned, observing the kill from a distance, he enjoyed watching the animalistic ventures of the adjuchas whenever he could, seems this one was special.

"I'm impressed" Were the only words to leave his lips, which were also out of view underneath a cloth that covered his neck, face and nose. Seth walked forwards, towards the site of the kill, unafraid.

"Speak." He said, an adjuchas able to voice it's thoughts with intelligence would impress Seth all the more.

[Azula]

As the arrancar in armor approached, the spider-like hollow turned to face him, although at a slight angle so as to be able to attempt to leap away if he proved hostile. She knew she was no match for this one. She only considered his demand for an instant, noting that with his reitsu if she refused he would likely end her.

"What is it you want, arrancar?" She asked, her voice a low. She spoke with a strange accent, and her voice was trending towards musical. She kept a careful watch on him, waiting for the slightest movement that would be her signal to turn and flee.

[Sorayn]

"I wouldn't try and flee, if i were you. I'd catch you." Seth pulled down the cloth which covered his mouth and smiled, a comforting smile, rather than an aggressive one.

"Seems you did well here, i must say." Seth took a step closer to the adjuchas, and swiveled around to face away from it.

"I'll keep an eye on you, you seem interesting." Seth grinned, and turned to face the Adjuchas once again, as he did he pulled a piece of cloth which dangled from his left shoulder, the cloth, which was attached to the rag around his neck and face, simply pulled off and was tossed to one side. Seth felt the sides of his neck with both of his hands and turned his head to look at his sword, left sticking out of the sand, a black "2" on his neck, would then be visible.

"Does feeding ease the hunger?" Seth asked, inquisitively.

[Azula]

"I wouldn't try and flee, if i were you. I'd catch you."
She knew he was right, but the pure instinctual side of her still held on the the slight possibility she could make a run for it, even though it would be pointless. She was surprised when he pulled down a cloth covering his mouth and smiled, a comforting smile. She relaxed slightly, as it seemed to be what he wanted, but was still wary as he stepped closer.

"Seems you did well here, I must say. I'll keep an eye on you, you seem interesting."
Interesting? That was different...most hollows said she looked appetizing, and tried to destroy her, absorb her. She watched as he removed a sloth from his neck and face, revealing a 2 on his neck as he looked towards a sword sticking out of the ground. She drew back slightly. Segunda Espada....

"Does feeding ease the hunger?"
She considered this question before answering. "Not so much as it used to....Segunda. It mainly serves as a means to strive forwards, a nearly vain hope to evolve...although I suppose I can say I do feel my strength increase just a little more with each pathetic adjuchas I devour."
She laughed, recalling memories of her past dozen, ten dozen kills. "It really isn't even fun anymore. They put up such a pathetic fight."

[Sorayn]

"That's impressive.. Very impressive." Seth smirked inwardly, before rubbing his face slightly. Seth would remember this moment, remember the Adjuchas he had taken an interest towards, and the time would come when he would make use of such a growing entity, as it should be used.

"Many here have lost the true base of what we are to do, which is destroy the Shinigami. The powers that be in Las Noches are all smitten with infighting and political or social power struggles. It's pathetic, do not follow suit as you rise." Seth smiled, before his form would disappear, with a strong vibration - the sand where he stood before would be cast up slightly, just from the pure speed of his Sonido.

One would also notice that Seth's sword, had also vanished with him.

His voice echoed across the dunes, "Until next time."

[Azula]

The adjuchas watched as he vanished and considered his parting words. Not to involve myself with a power struggle, eh? Not too hard to do...I prefer to work from the shadows anyways. If I do get to that level...

She made a noncommittal hissing sound. The adjuchas the turned and moved off, in search of her next victim.

[Avathos]

The Adjuchas ran across the desert, still near from the ruins of Las Noches, he knew the first one was near, somewhere, he could feel it's smell reaching the mask holes he had for nose, and finally, after 10 minutes searching, he got to find him, a lion shaped Adjuchas.
Kiiro sneaked behind him, and stalked the beast for another five minutes, on which he studied his opponent, until he finally walked towards him, crawling in all fours and finally jumping into the creature, with his claws up and about to reach down into the back of the creature, yet, something unexpected happened.
The lion covered his back on a metalic fur, that deflected the attack of the humanoid, and directing his claw to the ground, where the sand was lifted on an explosion and the lion jumped back.
-You really thought you would get me like that??
He asked confident, Kiiro didnt know how to respond, he knew his opponent guard was low... yet why?
The lion walked, drawing a circle around Kiiro, preying on him with bloodshot eyes.
-All this time, ive learnt something in Hueco Mundo, and its this.... to focus not on my senses, but on the reiatsu nearby, and yours is just too wild, like a gillian... no not even that...
The beast grinned.
-Like just a mindless hollow... ive seen berserk creatures with a better hold on their energy than yourself!
The lion mocked.
-And you, plan to challenge me?
The beast jumped towards Kiiro, but he reacted fast and put his arm under the neck of the lion, preventing the beast from biting his mask off.
Rabid, the animal kept closing his jaws near his face, trying to finish the battle quick, using his weight and strenght on advantage, pushing down the already fallen Kiiro, with big paws that pressed his chest with overwhelming power, right now he could remember his state... he was tired form the spar with Setoku, with almost no reiatsu left, not enough to even cause a single explosion on the neck of this creature to finish this fight... but he reminded something... not an enemy... but himself.
Setoku, the one he fought, wasnt too strong physically, or at least didnt show that but... he managed to counter attacks of brute force like this... not by the strenght of the moves, but by the mechanic and grace of them, using that strenght in favor....
Kiiro imitated the move Setoku did against his kick, but on his own version, using his elbow as a bridge in diagonal, leading the head of the creature dangerously close to him, yet also leading it to the sand at his side, he used his knee to lift the body of the lion on the same motion, to make the lion stand on a half way lifted position, and finally, concentrated his strenght on a fist that landed right in the middle of it's chest.
The monster was sent flying as Kiiro slowly stood up, realizing how beneficial was to fight like that.
I see... so, you save energy only for certain blows, making the body assume positions to have less cost over your body... thats the true fighting style....
Kiiro breathed and assumed a fighting position for the first time in his life, with one hand in front open, preparing the palm for incoming attacks, a fist on the side, that prepared the incoming blow, his legs separated, front loose and back firm, to move and attack efficiently.
The lion roared and jumped towards him, Kiiro's eyes turned red, and his body reacted almost for instinct. His front leg contracted as he dashe diagonaly to the front, avoiding and encountering the beast, leaving Kiiro crouched at it's side, then, his open palm softly pushed the lion up, messing up with it's trayectory and leaving it open for the final blow, which struck as a lightning, as his claw, charged with the strenght of his back leg pierced the toraxic cage of the Adjuchas, and end with it's life almost instanctly.
Kiiro stood in front of the immovile creature for a few seconds, which were an eternety for him, just like that moment... the one who finished the creature wasnt himself... true, it was his body... but while he executed the move, while he stood in front of the menace, he saw another person, his eyes saw lines of red hair, his hands looked human, with leather bracelets... was that... his past?
The Adjuchas decided to stop thinking about it, and concentrated on the meal in front of him, regaining strenght, maybe now he would be able to use his abilities, and beat something better than just a lesser adjuchas, he just thanked on that moment, he met Setoku, the one who not only gave him a purpose, but also, saved his life on this moment.
Having finish the meal, the Adjuchas realized that half hour passed, at this rate, would he make it? There was no time to doubt, he was sure the other ones would be harder to find, so he wasted no second and ran deeper into the desert.

[Azula]

The spider-like adjucha sensed another nearby, drawing nearer. Not wishing to become the next meal for this one - and perhaps wanting just the opposite - she hid in the shadow of a dune, also making some of it partially bury her as cover. She crouched there, waiting.

[Avathos]

The Adjuchas eventually ran pass the place, not even five minutes after he finished the last one, but something made him stop... a feeling. His eyes gasped, he knew... something was here, but... where?
Kiiro started looking around as he hold his head, this was so weird... he was used to smell things and see beyond the obvious... but this trascended anything like before... the image of the lion palpitated on his head, like crawling form his subconscious... Kiiro fell on his knees holding his head, and breathing heavily as he slowly recovered his senses.

[Azula]

She paused, observing this one. He was more humanoid form than animalistic, and she could tell he was strong. She hesitated a moment longer before shooting out a long, sticky strand of web in an attempt to ensnare this adjucha, her thoughts to reel him in and bite him in order to inject her venom, hoping to be able to incapacitate him before he could fight her.

[Avathos]

As he was kneeled, something sticky covered his body and he gasped, with one eye he looked to the side and saw the source of all the pain, a spider, adjuchas too, that was releasing some kind of energy... was that reiatsu? He could tell it was strong, strong as his actually, but on this condition, battle was impossible, so he tried to end the battle before it could even start, roaring from the bottom of his lungs and releasing a contacto that blew off the spider web off his body. With a buzz still beating inside his head, the monster stood up slowly, staring at the spider with fiery red eyes.
-You....
Was all he muttered, concentrating all of his attention to her, or at least trying.

[Azula]

The web was blown off by the adjuchas's powerful roar, which also left her ears ringing slightly. She narrowed her eyes behind her mask, analyzing him. He seemed to be having trouble concentrating, perhaps something was ailing him? He didn't act like a normal adjucha, though, as he didn't seem to wish to fight back just yet...

She hissed before saying, "Impressive...but how will you deal?"

She stopped talking and began to charge a cero, intending to blast him away.

[Avathos]

He recognized the light from Zak's attack.

-Cero....

He muttered and ran towards her, still having a bit of double vision from the buzz on his head, yet trying to focus.
Kiiro stopped at prudent distance from the spider and kicked sand right towards her eyes while she was charging, trying to create confusion as he repositioned himself, rolling behind her.

[Lust]

From the shadows, Zak stood, watching. Stopping himself from interfering. This was kiiro's fight. But he would not let him get killed. He hid his Reiatsu, and positioned himself 40 feet to kiiro's right. But something was wrong. His vision, slowly fading. It must be that Adjuchas kiiro is fighting, he said to himself.

His vision kept blurring. He was now at almost zero visibility, this wouldn't help. Now he just had to wait, listen and hope kiiro finishes this soon. He grew weary as he did big know if these effects were permanent.

[Azula]

(uhm what the crap is with the fading vision? O.o not my doing)

As the sand flew into her eyes, the adjucha closed them, blinking rapidly to try to clear them. She heard her opponent nearby and fired the cero in his general direction. Hopefully, it would hit him, and her fight would be all but over.

[Avathos]

(It was supposed to be me, slowly unlocking reiatsu perception)

The Adjuchas gasped as the cero slightly missed, but catched him by surprise, making him loose his composture. Kiiro was breathing hard, from using his reiatsu, the physical stress, movement and mostly, for the buzz on his head. Clumsily, he started to stand up, was the only way to live to kill her...? Damn, even if he survived, it would take him long to beat this sole enemy, it wasnt really worth it, and most important, it would endanger his life.
Kiiro kept glaring at her, recovering, and prepared for her next move, if he oculdnt beat her, he would focus on dodging every single of his moves

[Lust]

(I needed to make my damn post longer xO Stop judging)

[Azula]

She paused now, eyes cleared of sand, and regarded him carefully. He hadn't made a single offensive move other than attempting to blind her, thereby throwing off her aim.

"Why do you not attack? Are you unwilling to face me in battle, adjucha?" She hissed.

[Avathos]

-I wish i knew the reason myself....

Kiiro grinned defiant.

-My head is just not feeling well right now... and...

He pointed at her limbs.

-Judging by your composition, if i miss a physical attack, im most likely screwed....

He put his hand down again, with eyes half hooded from exhaustion, yet still forcing himself into battle position.

-I would love to avoid this fight, honestly... but i dont mind continuing it if we must...

The monster grinned behind his mask, as he saw some sort of blue fire covering his body, that slowly made the buzz dissappear... he recognized it as the same that covered the spider.... this was his own energy.... and in order to relase hiself form his pain....
He reminded the words of the lion, the mention of his wild aura... so what he needed basically was... control.
Kiiro breathed and slowly raised his reiatsu, muting the pain on his head with physical pain as he took the hold of what was inside of him all this time, also fleaving an opening though, but it was necessary, to fight on his fullest, he needed to control this new acquired ability.

[Azula]

She was surprised by this. An adjucha, not wishing to fight? Strange.

"Interesting. And yet you hunt through the desert...although you are right about the missing an attack part." She chuckled.

She noted that his reitsu seemed to fluctuate slightly before steadying. He seemed to be learning better control of his reitsu - which before had been rather out of control.

She also noticed that while he seemed rather worn out that he was still a powerful opponent. She was confident she could win, but that would leave her weakened for the next adjucha to come along...and as a female, she often found herself the target of males who believed her easy prey.

"Very well....I suppose we can put this off...but if you attack you can be sure I will kill you." She said, ending her statement with a warning and threat. Then she had an idea, but decided to see if he stayed true to his statement to with avoid the fight first.

[Avathos]

He charged his energy silently and finished with a blow that sent the sand around him flying up, as he breathed softly.
He looked at his claws, he brought up his energy to the maximum, and now was slowly bringing it down to normal, he felt his nerves hot, and his skin steeming off pure energy, slowly he raised up his eyes to the spider.

-I thank you...

He replied, panting a bit until he finally could relax. He noticed he wasnt watching the blue fire anymore, but could if he forced his senses, he looked at one direction, where his friend Zak was and muttered.

-You never left me, did you?

He grinned to himself, and looked back to the spider.

-This might be very ahead of myself, considering my position, but i need your help...

[Azula]

She was intriuged, he was nearly voicing what she had just thought of. And he seemed to have sensed another..now that she knew where he was looking she followed his gaze, focusing her senses until she felt the slight presence of another....one hiding themselves.

"I was having an idea myself, adjucha. I suppose you are about to ask to group up to slay more quickly?" She asked him, head cocked to the side.

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