Chương 15: Chapter Fifteen: Tricoloured Sands

I put my feet on the bar table, drinking in another song. SALES - Talk A Lot.

"Hey how do you use this thing anyway?"

"Apacci..." I began. "Don't you think of putting on another song. No matter how self-conscious you may feel. You do talk a lot."

She looked at me, shocked. "What? You mean you actually LIKE this crap?! I thought you were some classical old lady!"

I put my feet down and properly faced her. "Now you know I'm not old don't you? Perhaps you should correct that statement of yours."

"Hey, I'm just as surprised as she is." Mila piped up. "I had no idea you were actually liked this sort of thing to this degree, I mean, looking at you I can't really say what you might listen too." She looked a little dumbfounded. "What next? Goth stuff?"

I looked at her across the table. "Of course! What's wrong with it?"

Emilou wandered back and sat down. "Well shit, this is probably the biggest surprise yet."

"Even more than seeing the future?" Mila asked her. "I'm inclined to agree, I still can't get over what I just heard."

"Hey! Why are you two talking about me like that?!"

Mila snorted in the face of my distress. "Whatever, so..." She leaned in and looked at me. "Are we ready for this guy?"

"Us?" I replied, my mouth hidden by my right hand. "No."

"What the fuck?!" Apacci shot up from her seat, toppling it over. "Why the hell not?! We've done everything we could, even became Vasto Lordes and we still can't protect Lady Harribel!? Or even ourselves?!" She gestured angrily.

"Yes. The ugly truth is we're quite helpless." I took a sip from the bitter drink I was having.

"Fuck! Then why are you two louts just fucking sitting there with your thumbs up your asses!?"

"Look Apacci," Mila turned to her. "We've done all we can, squeezed every sucker that we could without letting those halfwits know what we were doing. Besides, its not the end of the world. Me and Sung-Sun can handle that."

"But what if that's not good enough!?-"

"My, you sure don't hesitate in talking trash about us." I butted in. Mila cast me a look, probably to tell me to shut up, even if she agreed.

"Look, we can handle him. We're a bit below Lady Harribel's original strength but Our Lady has become stronger as well, we can take care of it."

"But!-" She shouted angrily.

"My goodness, could you put a cork in it Emilou? I can't hear the song anymore."

"What?!" She turned to me, her ice blue and amber eyes wide. "How the hell can you be like that Sung-Sun!?"

"It's because we're going to find even more food later."

"It's been six months!" She shouted. "There are way too many weaklings in this place! We could stay here for another six and only barely be skimming Lady Harribel's power unless we cut one of us off!" I was about to talk when she continued. "And we can't afford that! Whatever technique we get is the only way we can survive!"

"Well...nice to know you have brains. Even if your queerly eager to rip your own arm off. It took you a very long time to recover from that blow if you remember."

"Yeah..." She poked at her jaw. "Still stings by the way. But honestly guys! What are we gonna do!"

"We wait." We said. I narrowed my eyes and glanced over to Rose, letting her speak as I returned to my bitter drink. "Sung-Sun saw a lot of Adjucha then. When we're called to this meeting with Baraggan that is. It's gonna be a piece of piss to swindle them all and take their Reiryoku, no reason for us to be so panicked, we've pushed the margin of safety as far as we can. To be honest I had thought we'd be summoned long ago."

I rolled an eye to look at Mila as Emilou talked. "What the hell? Why?"

Now I looked at our bright eyed idiot as Rose lectured her. "Because we've changed things. Who the hell was Lady Harribel to that traitor Aizen before us? Nobody. And now that we've fought the Captains and evolved right in front of them Aizen is gonna ramp us up on that list of his."

"You mean he's gonna make us loyal by making that blueberry bitch sooner?!" She had a rather fierce expression on her face.

I spoke up. "I just hope you're aware that that chair is yours now." I turned back to my drink. "It's a shame you don't treat your property better."

"Hey! I brought that in! Its not hers!" I tuned out Mila's shouting with the music. "Anyway, this guy, or even another one will be made sooner."

From there the conversation went on, I ignored it and replied only when things got interesting or when a reaction of some kind was demanded from me by Emilou. One of which was an intriguing question.

"Hey, how do you feel about being there just to drain them?"

I had stood up a while ago, so I had to turn to see her curious expression. "Just fine. Why? Did you think I'd be jealous I get to contribute more than you at the meeting?"

She looked taken aback at the realisation. "Huh? Well, when you put it like that..."

"Please Emilou, I'm not some fairy tail princess, I won't be petty over feelings of inferiority. Everyone serves their purpose in life, to ask for anything else is simply being spoilt. Do your job and do it well, replace another if you absolutely must." I gestured to the two of them with my left hand. "You two fulfill your own roles and I mine, you know this already. We all know what spot we're going to take in the upcoming fight with this sturdy idiot. Even if I didn't for Her Majesty I would still be as happy to serve her as I am right now." I turned back to my drawer, placed right next to Emilou's. "Its just such a shame you aren't as businesslike about everything as I am."

It really was, It'd get her in trouble, but it truly was charming to see. "Hey! I can be-"

"Well getting stabbed by a bone of all things suggests otherwise. If you spent less time running your mouth then you wouldn't have been bleeding from that face of yours. The only part of you that is supposed to be red is that eye."

"Hey!"

"What are you moaning about so much Emilou? You ran your mouth after cutting her arm off and bragged about it. I'd say it's fitting what happened to you." Mila interrupted.

"Oh yeah?! Well I wasn't the only one you gappy bitch!"

"What did you just?!-Do you want me to rip that tongue of yours out?! We'll see if you can recover then!"

"Try it thunder thighs!"

I gave a brief snort at that and rifled through the drawer My Lady made for me. There was no stand for my canvas, not a real problem at all for me.

I then jumped up into a little alcove, putting all needed equipment down around me, it was made for relaxing so I guess I'd use it to do just that, even if my setup had more than a few artists crying. My entire setup was as minimalistic as could be.

I looked down at the fools and observed their movements in order to burn all of their details in my memory. Where hair strands typically were, what their hands were typically doing when idle. "Hey Sung-Sun! Why don't you take a picture? It'll last longer!"

"That's what I'm doing you uppity mongoloid. By the way, are your teeth yellow?"

"Huh!? The fuck you talking about?"

"You heard me, don't you wash your teeth like the rest of us?"

I took note of the subtle panic on her face and took note to remember it for her painting. I'd get another canvas when I was done with Franceska's.

I looked down at the canvas on my legs, I'd say I had done Mila's hair justice. I looked to the top left, Toshiro Hitsugaya and his dragon were done right, drawn to scale and both having green eyes. I'm not sure if the dragon had eyes of a colour other than ice but I went ahead and added it.

I depicted her with her side and back towards me as her burnt orange Reishi and weapon held against his Zanpakutō. His dragon got larger as it came into the foreground. Hitsugaya's home in the background and himself on the precipe between background and foreground as he stared down at Mila, his dragon consuming the midground. There were some small details I still had yet to add.

I had to put him and his home in the back due to how much guesswork I had to make, I knew enough but putting the both of them on the same plane is madness. I had no idea how he compared to Mila's giant size. Frankly? I'm almost certain he's as tall as her hair. The Soul Society was mostly small details, the tower having taken up most of the background, Toshiro standing in the air next to it as small walls and buildings were done in the back. There was one intriguing feature in it however.

Blue skies...I've never actually seen one...

To be frank, I'm not entirely sure that I did it right but I carried on and made more strokes with the brush. Relax your knees more, put more distance between you and the canvas and inspect and tilt your head.

Good enough. I can continue this later. "Hey Sung-Sun! Are you done with your little nerds project?"

I jumped down from the alcove. "Well Apacci, I had no idea you were so fascinated with my work. Perhaps for your one I'll paint you being beaten hmm?" I turned around and pulled open my drawer.

"Hey wait, what's that?" Mila pointed at the painting, so I decided to hold it out for her to see.

"Hey! You decided to make one of her and not me!? Do one already and stop swooning over her!"

"Excuse me Apacci? You got a problem with me?" Mila growled out.

"How would you even want one done anyway?" I asked her. She turned to me with her eyes a bit wide and a somewhat excited grin on her face.

"Really? Alright uh, paint me kicking some guy in the nuts!"

"Are you serious right now?" I could see a sweatdrop from Mila done in sheer exasperation. "You don't want to be fighting the punk that ends up fighting Harribel like I am?"

"Eh, it could be Nnoitra or something. Ya' think I'm gonna complain about kicking some dude in the nuts?"

"Well no, no decent woman is gonna cry for 'em but I'm just surprised your content with this."

"Well," I interrupted. "I could make it Aizen, have some glass breaking effect where she kicks him."

"Haha! Yeah that'd be some good shit!"

She continued laughing as Mila turned to me. "So what's your picture gonna be Cyan?"

"Oh, I don't know." I bumped the drawer back into its place with my back. "I don't really have an idea, nor one for Lady Harribel for that matter." I leaned back on my drawer and covered my mouth with the right hand. "Perhaps I could also do Ayon, but he may come out better in stained glass rather than anything else."

"Well I have no idea what he looks like but I'll take your word for it. But I'm surprised you don't have an idea what with how vain you are."

I narrowed my eyes, more flirty than glaring if my instincts were right. "Yes well, that's what makes it so tough in the first place."

I could see the veins bulge in her face. As I calculated a comeback to whatever insult she was going to toss my way along with the remaining space in my drawer I heard the front door open.

As Mila opened her mouth she promptly shut it. Apacci threw a murderous look at the staircase and I drew my weapon.

There were only ugly flesh stump sounds as some ugly heathen desecrated Her Majesty's abode.

"If you don't identify yourself right about now then I'm going to meet you halfway up those stairs and beat you until you're covered in blood." I stated.

"Wait, you're not Harribel!"

I moved forward, Emilou and Mila doing the same. "Regardless, you've entered her home and failed to address her properly. That I think, is beyond forgiveness."

The ignorant slave continued bumbling down the stairs. "Ah, lapdogs. Get out of the way! I have a message from Lord Baraggan and you will!-" It gasped as it saw us.

"Oh?" Emilou spoke with vicious, sadistic humor. "Why do ya think he stopped talking you two?"

"Perhaps he's smart enough to recognise what we are, that'd be a first." Mila's words were a dry statement.

"If he's that smart then I wonder why he ever entered at all. Perhaps the little boy wants to feel like a man by sullying his betters household?" I said.

"Well I never said he was smart. Just smart enough."

"Ah, my mistake. So he's still a child then. Perhaps we'll clean the soiled staircase with his own blood then."

"Heh, sounds like a plan." Emilou walked up to him, her fists balled.

"Wait! Wait! I have a message for your master!" The stick limbed creature cried out. "You can't hurt me!"

"She's sleeping you asswipe, now keep quiet like a good boy...and let me turn you into a mop!" She went to punch his mask out.

"What's going on here?" Smack! I heard his pitiful scream as we all turned around to face Our Lady, who narrowed her eyes when she saw him.

"Agh, AGH! L-lord Baraggan-he-he wishes to speak with you Tier Harribel! Please! Get these foo-"

"I see, kill him." Emilou put her boot through his head as I stared at her golden eyelashes. "I guess it's time then. This will be the first time you've all seen him, so I suggest you prepare yourselves however you have to." She looked at each of us in turn, all without turning her head.

There was just some kind of charisma to her, that allowed it. "May I carve out that mask of his?" I asked. "It'd be nice to have something to hang my paintings with."

She stared at me, a typical thing for her. "Sure. Emilou?"

"Yeah, I already did that on accident, sorry. Hope their in good enough shape?" She didn't sound very sorry, something I expected from her, she didn't put emotion in a fair few lines that would end up very abrasive for anyone who didn't know her. It wasn't a hostile action, just a social flaw I suppose.

"I can always carve it into a shape later. So," I turned to Emilou, leaning on the wall and crossing my left leg over the right as I stared at her. "Are you going to eat him?"

"Huh?" She looked and sounded surprised. "Oh, no I'm okay."

Metal clinked as Mila turned to her. "Hm? I thought you would have eaten him by now and now you're refusing? What brought this on?" She looked curious. It still caught me off guard that Mila's face moved and actually emoted. Her usual face was stern however, so I suppose nothing really changed.

"Eh, no reason." She looked away with a disinterested expression.

"Well colour me surprised. Well whatever, I have a different way of getting power, so I'll let you have it Mila." I turned to Lady Harribel. "How long do we have Lady Harribel?"

"A few hours I suppose. He stands more on protocol than anything else. He's not actually busy, so we can take our time."

"Thank you Milady." I stopped resting my left leg on its other and turned to the corpse on the staircase and began to sift through its soft skull in case any Mask fragments got stuck inside.

Strangle To Death, Anaconda!

"So girls...what's our plan?" Emilou was nervous, making me sigh in exasperation along with Rose.

"We'll be dragging out negotiations for as long as we can, giving Sung-Sun as much of their Reiryoku as possible. With an array of Adjucha and another Vasto Lorde we'll be more well prepared against this." Our Lady calmly spoke. "However, we have no way to properly guard ourselves against Sōsuke proper. Strength and ability alone won't be enough to defend against his Zanpakutō. So we'll have to rely on someone else."

"And who might that be?" I asked.

"I thought you may have an idea Sung-Sun?" She raised a brow at me as we calmly walked across the land.

"My own thoughts are irrelevant in place of your own, I will of course provide you with an idea when you ask, so saying that I think we may have to fall on Arrancar techniques...I'm afraid I've forgotten the capabilities of some Espada so I suppose we'll have to ask them personally." My, this is embarrasing.

"That's understandable. Most things come under Aizen's purview regardless, we'll be fine."

We all looked a little interested at that. "Hm? How so Ma'am?"

"Sung-Sun told me that Ulquiorra kept his second form a secret even from Aizen, not only that but there's a ban on certain Espada from using their Resurrección within Las Noches. That leaves us with two options." I don't know when but we began to slow down, and eventually stop as she talked. "Either the Espada tell him themself, or Ulquiorra had identified an information network and managed to avoid it." I took in her figure with my body expressing surprise at what I heard. "There are other options too of course. Exaggeration of a positive is one of them, Baraggan would never tell him anything after all. There's only so far one can push him after all, the point is that his information on even the Espada may not amount to as much as it seems to. Secrecy will be an important thing after this. But I'll say this much," She began walking. "Techniques to counter Aizen will have to be made, that maneuver you used against Sung-Sun will be of no use against him Emilou, and most importantly, we'll need to decide on when to strike. That is no problem."

We looked at her as she calmly walked past us, as if nothing was wrong, as if our lives weren't being threatened by a man with a god complex. "Oh yeah?! Are we gonna smash his face in when he appears!?" Emilou spoke with violent curiosity.

"We'll strike when I use my strongest ability against him in my strongest form. Since we'll be sticking together you'll be able to easily tell what it is. It's only a matter of where I aim it, we will strike in Karakura Town, no sooner."

"And later Ma'am?"

"That is indeed a possibility. If Quimera Parca is around will also play a part of it, if our enemies are too weak to oppose Aizen and its out then the question of its mobility will be raised, we'll have to experiment with it. If Gin becomes the only way then we'll assist him, using Quimera Parca then may be difficult if he wasn't summoned before. There are a few more complexities we will have to discuss but those are the bare bones of it."

"DAMN! I can't wait for us to get him! He's gonna wipe his ass with Aizen!"

"My, how vulgar. I never knew you had that in you." Even my forehead wrinkled in disgust at her words. "My child has been sullied by your crude words and desires now Emilou." I was frowning behind my hand.

"Wait, you think of the thing that came from your arm as a son?" She looked freaked out.

My forehead stopped creasing. "Of course, why not? Stranger things have happened. I certainly never imagined that I would be saved by another Hollow and yet here I am."

"Well, yeah but, that's different don't you think?"

"Well perhaps so, but what else can I call it? It has a complete Hollow Mask and can only be born from us. Others can make life but our offspring is much stronger, purer. I would never degrade our creation as something lesser than another's."

"You know Sung-Sun I'm not sure how to take your language." Mila piped up. "It's honestly kind of disturbing."

"What? It's true!"

"Yeah but, you just have a really bad way of putting things, I kinda feel bad for ever using him now." Emilou said, looking down at the sand.

"And you should!" I said. "You just pictured him doing something only a miserable human has to!"

"Yeah but this is-this is motherhood you're talking about! How can you be so casual about it?!" She looked really freaked out now.

"How can you not be? Ayon is a perfectly good boy, quiet, curious and angry for his mother. What? Would you prefer to keep it off until your an old woman no longer in her prime?"

"What? No! Just-arrgh!" She kicked at the sand in front of her. "Let's just go already! Dammit I was excited for this thing and then you just had to-hey Lady Harribel! How long do we have to go till we meet this shriveled up heap of shit?"

"A while if we walk." About a week if I remember rightly. She thought.

Emilou let out a moan. "Do we...can we hurry up Lady Harribel?"

Mila let out a brief bout of pitying laughter. "You think that'll stop her from saying this crap? It doesn't stop. Almost everything is sexual with her."

"I don't think I appreciate you thinking maternity is sexual, don't you think it's holy?" Do I? Did I actually have the confidence to do it? I took a deep breath and began speaking. "What about you Lady Harribel?"

She barely turned her head to the left. "I don't view it in a sexual light, but you know what you were doing was too suggestive. Try not to make them feel uncomfortable."

"I see." Well shit I was told. I couldn't even look at the back of her head...well...I already brought myself this far, may as well go on. "Well I suppose if they don't want to admit the truth then someone will have to replace their slot. I mean...it takes two to tango?" Oh Soul King please work.

No, wait! That alone won't work! I needed another God, pronto! "Wow Sung-Sun, are you actually hitting on her?!"

I defended myself against the bewildered Emilou. "Well Emilou imminent death tends to make me a little panicked, when else am I gonna get the chance to do this!?"

"Well, someone has balls, and after all those times you accused me of having junk downstairs..."

"Shut up! I'm actually getting embarrassed and that's never happened! This is a real moment you peasants!" I shouted.

My Lady turned her head my way a little more. Making a heart beat more, making my face more and more red. "Hm? What was that Sung-Sun?"

"Well..." I glanced down, unable to handle the feelings, the fear and the love, the hope and the shame. "..." I couldn't speak. How could I possibly play it straight? How could I possibly play it otherwise? To outright admit and play it like those two were making assumptions or play it up like it was a joke? It wasn't. But my soul and my head screamed at me to abort. To try again once a year had passed. I just...couldn't speak. "..." Nothing, my voice tried to cry out, but my courage forbid me from saying it. I looked around hoping Baraggan was here but all I saw was a stupid low class Hollow that didn't attack us. I kept my face firmly behind my sleeve and didn't make eye contact. I had no idea it would be this awkward. Of course hindsight only now kicked in to say that rejection from Tier Harribel would hurt much more than dying. "Oh you know..."

It was an automatic response of mine. I went with it. I was never more glad than then that all my social knee jerk reactions were just ways to cut off a conversation. Meaningless statements that said nothing at all. I was just glad my body language didn't give away how panicked I felt. "I'm pretty sure she's asking to shack up with you Lady Harribel, how 'bout it?"

"Well you seem eager to have them get it on Emilou, what brought this on?" Mila was curiously amused. "Interested in giving our little lovebird a chance?" She cracked a grin.

I tuned out most of it until then. "Now hold on! Don't you try embarrassing me!" I desperately wanted to say don't call me short either, but I think I used my tallness against them when I was younger. Oh God! I felt like such an embarrassment.

"Yeah, it's pretty cute. And she's got balls for hitting on Lady Harribel, why not toss her a bone? Although, it sounds like she really needs to bone something."

"S-stop talking you two!" I started waving my hands in sheer helpless frustration and embarrassment before I realised it let them see my blush, by then it was too late and even the Mistress saw it.

"I'm afraid you'll have to be more specific Sung-Sun." We kept walking as My Lady posed the question and unknowingly made my heart beat faster than it was supposed to.

"W-well, i-if you want to do what these two fools are suggesting then..." Then what?! "Then I suppose I wouldn't complain." ABORT! AGHHHH! GODDAMN TOUNGE! MOVING FASTER THAN MY DAMN MIND!

"I see." She looked forward as she walked. "That's a lot of trust you place in me Sung-Sun."

It didn't seem like she was going to continue so I spoke again. "Yes well, rejection then would have been more embarrassing than dying frankly." The complete and utter truth.

"Heh, yeah that doesn't surprise me, you're a blushing bridesmaid!"

"Shut up Emilou! Ohh, if this idiot ruler wasn't coming up I'd stab you right now!"

"Haha! And now you're the one getting all flustered."

Rose sniggered. "Yeah, it's pretty great to turn the tables on her." She turned her head to look at me with a sly grin on her face. "So no more casual flirting? Normally you're full of it, I guess Lady Harribel's body left you speechless huh!?" Now it was a maniacal grin.

All I could give was a long gasp, and before I could reply Emilou butted in with her own retort.

Constantly I tried to defend myself, but my greatest defence was throwing an embarrassing tantrum.

Strangle To Death, Anaconda!

"So we meet again. What is it now?" Our Lady greeted him as he deserved.

We stood on the sands, Baraggan and his brown-nosing sycophants sitting on the elevated plains of rocks before us like chumps. Baraggan's throne of bones having caught my eye. I'd say there were about twenty chumps.

All of which were feeling their power flee them. "Why do you keep making me repeat myself? It is annoying to have you operating so independently within my sight, however it would be a waste to kill someone with your power." His posture was relaxed, his gold crown lying atop his head as a deep and charismatic voice came from him. Imperial menace would be the best way to describe both him and his voice. It was rather pleasing to the ears. "Therefore I have come to you today with two choices; the first is to accept my previous offer, join me, and become a part of my army." He held up a pointed ivory finger. A clacking noise emanated from it.

"And the other?"

"You would have to vanish to a place that is clear of my view, the problem for you unfortunately is that no corner of Las Noches exists that is beyond my reach. Hmhmhahahaha! Hehhehahahaha!" His cronies started making some horrendous wheezing noises that was supposed to be mocking laughter.

And then he trundled on over. A big fat waste of meat had the Sheer Fucking GALL to approach Lady Harribel and both threaten and mock her. It was the scumbag hammerhead. "Halibel, you understand? You have no choice but to become subservient to Lord Baraggan." He then put his hand on her...

"Don't touch me." Derision was clear in her voice. In a single swipe his forehead got a gash and blood ejected from his forehead. It was not a display of his power, since he immediately bowled over and started sobbing like a baby, but a display of restraint from her, since Baraggan would have become much more hostile if he had died.

It was fairly cathartic to see everyone slump over as the big baby finally stopped acting tough.

"Stop!" He tiredly cried out. "Slashing one of my own subordinates right before my eyes, heheheh. How bold of you, you will regret that decision I assure you."

Emilou finally walked over to the flailing infant and gave a mean grin. "You know with each pitiful wailing from you I have to say you're really pissing me off!" She slammed her foot into his torso, breaking through the meat and muscle and leaving an indent. "But to be fair, the screaming is the least annoying thing you've done so far."

"I see..." The king spoke. "That clears all doubts then, you came with her but you are most definitely her subordinates, fascinating...and how did you find these three?"

"I found them while I was wandering."

"I see, some of my people have disappeared lately, I suppose I now know where they went." And then he surprised me with his next set of words. "I wonder why? To extend such trust to them is the very height of absurdity. So what could have gotten you to do this? Clearly not me if their lackluster reaction is any indication...hmm...I demand you three tell me what I want to know..." All that without moving a single bone in his body, it made the speech that much more impressive.

I walked over as Mila stared him in the eye sockets. "That's a rather nice blow, mind keeping him still for a minute?" I asked of Apacci.

She turned to me, her head and the fur of her clothing waving in the wind. "Yeah sure, no problem."

"Thank you." I rested on him in what the easterners called Seiza and placed both of my hands in his forehead wound.

And if I do it in just the right way I-"ARRRGHGHHH!" Can take the skin for personal use.

"Thank you Emilou, you're a dear." Unbeknownst to me the Hollows shifted in discomfort.

"Yeah no problem." She glanced at what I held in my hands. "What the hell are you gonna make from that? A small purse?"

"Something or other." I looked at Rose as she began to talk. Emilou looking over too.

"We don't fall in line like the rest of your gaggle of disorganized idiots. We're not wimps like them either, if you're going to ask for something then you'll do it as an equal." I gave a polite few claps, the discount shark skin having slipped deeper into my sleeve.

"An equal you say?" His tone was the same as it was, and then it began to grow in its menace. "How arrogant...to ask such a thing when I am the king of this world! Unbelievable! You do not have the right to even dream of such a thing! Begone!" He cast his left hand out.

Harribel turned and began to walk. "Hey Sung-Sun! Can you use these?!" Emilou hoisted up her foot, various stringy pieces of his body stuck on her boot.

"Yes, those could be worth something." I replied.

Strangle To Death, Anaconda!

I stared at the wall, thinking of how to hang my paintings on the wall. I wasn't exactly swimming in high quality wires or frames after all. Every aesthetic thing I stole was hidden in our bedroom in a variety of slots in the back wall and some things were stuck in alcoves. "You know," I began talking. "There were some rather interesting eavesdroppers listening in to our talk with Baraggan."

The rest tossed me a look as some fitting music started to play. "Oh yeah?"

"Indeed." I replied to Mila's rhetorical question. "Three rather powerful people as a matter of fact. Why, if I didn't know better I would say they were Shinigami from the taste of them."

Now everyone on the room got serious with the exception of Lady Harribel, who was unfazed by almost everything. "I see. And how much strength did you gain from the trip Sung-Sun?"

I flexed my left arm, the right staying in front of my mouth. "I would say I'm fifty percent stronger or so. Mostly thanks to those Captains." I tilted my head. "Make that fifty one percent."

Emilou threw her head back and Mila gave a considering look. "What?" Emilou said.

"Did you not see? If he wasn't a man then I'd say I gave him a goodbye kiss. As it is I took a part of him with my teeth." I pulled out a Mask fragment and held it out for the others to see.

"What the hell? When'd ya even do that?!" Emilou shouted.

"After I took the skin off of course."

"So we'll know when this bastard begins to evolve then?" Mila spoke with a cautious, if victorious expression on her face.

"Maybe, maybe not. No one I've ever done this to has evolved before. I'm expecting a sudden cutoff frankly, but hopefully we'll get it all."

"It depends when she assumedly gets cut off that's a cause for concern." My Lady spoke up. "If it happens too soon then he likely passed away, anything past a day or three means he's coming for us, and playing into our hands. Gods job Sung-Sun."

"O-oh, think nothing of it Milady." GODAMNIT I WAS STILL FLUSTERED! At least it was only a slight mishap, I don't anyone noticed my slip up.

"But a question still needs to be answered." My Lady continued. "If the worst result happens and enough power isn't gathered then who do we cut off?"

"Myself I suppose..." I spoke up, earning bewildered looks from my companions and a stare from Lady Harribel.

"What the hell Cyan?! Why are you just gonna give up on that?! Are you scared!?"

"Say that again Apacci and you'll be afraid of my backhand." I retorted. Although judging from her face that wouldn't stop her.

"She's right," Rose interrupted her. "She can make up for it in the actual fight, you're the second person that can be dropped Emilou, I'm the most important."

"What the hell are you trying to say you bitch?! I can fight! You!-"

"You can't deal nearly as much damage as I can." She coldly interrupted. "Lady Harribel and then myself are the pecking order, we're the two best fighters for this guy, you two are the one who get leftovers."

"Grrrgh." Emilou gritted her teeth, I clenched my hand into a fist. "You think you're all that?!"

"It's the truth, this skill less idiot already has a Hierro, and one that's probably stronger than your own."

Emilou was still seething. "Let her have it Apacci. I understand your frustration but picking anyone other than Mila will be a detriment to Her Majesty's health." I said. "You can get back at Rose for running her mouth once this empty headed idiot is dead."

She was pissed off but these things are what they are, clearly we'll have to talk some more about this.

And most of the night was spent arguing between the three of us.

One of the most annoying nights I've had if I'm frank.

So much so I decided to go to bed early. One minute later another person packed it in and went to bed. By the sounds alone it was Lady Harribel.

She stepped next to me rather than go to the opposite side of the bed. I opened my eyes as Lady Harribel got into bed right behind me and held me.

Strangle To Death, Anaconda!

He gasped.

I see...

The dead monarch realised everything now. Those three...they must have left Hueco Mundo and found these three...

It began to make sense. Aizen Sōsuke...are you already planning to attack him Tier? No, I know you could not possibly stand a chance against him and his posse. But...

Baraggan began to think back to those troublesome women. They'll strike and die but those three will surely strike at his back. Yes...it is worth informing them of him. Knowing Harribel she will weigh them down with sheer belief in his words. You are all very lucky that you appeared this day, now how to send a message to you without Sōsuke knowing of it?

The king tried to curb the small amounts of emotion he felt spiking out of control. His disbelief and righteous anger being the strongest. No, it's likely Tier already knows. If that is the case then tell me your plans, whatever they amount to, although I doubt it will amount to much...

Strangle To Death, Anaconda!

Finished on the 5th of December. No idea when I actually started. Almost 7000 words! Just need ~65 more words or something.

I adore the English Dub if you couldn't tell, and Baraggan has an exceptional voice. But he's clearly not the best.

Antex! I notice a lot of people like it when Tatsuki gets added to the story. Personally I added her just because I thought I couldn't slide it past her. She wouldn't turn her back on Ichigo, but I guess she may have gotten shafted because she never stuck around Kurosaki long enough? Now it's very different. Her tomboy older sister has landed her in two worlds of trouble. Which is particularly impressive.

On a side note; I love the side characters in Bleach. It would have been far more dreary without them. Toshiro playing football, Ikkaku getting hit on, Yumichika and co. Baking a cake for that Plus. I love the first arc, and it is a bit of a guilty pleasure.

Strangle To Death, Anaconda!

OMAKE?

Born from Labyrinth of Refrain.

"HAHAHAHA! THAT'S WHAT YOU GET!"

The woman yelled hysterically. Her dress, black hair and cat eyes were screaming menace. Especially as she hoisted up the hammer that just crushed Yammy's skull.

"Jesus, is it that time of the month again for her?"

"DIE!" She slammed it into his chest, sending everything flying into pieces and throwing the mans breast straight into Emilou's face.

"Gah, Christ." She waved the body part away and groaned at the blood now on her. "Yeah Rose, she only just did that it's not like it's her time of the month or anything."

"I just wanna know what's going on down there. She doesn't even bleed, so why the hell's she so cranky?"

"I don't know myself." I said. "It's rather peculiar. Without fail it's 7AM on a Monday that she gets like this."

"Yeah, it's odd. You remember the problem it caused back when we were Hollows?"

"Ugh, don't remind me Mila." Emilou's face was overcome with unimaginable exhaustion. "She'd just fuckin run up to a guy and pop his head like a grape."

"It was always funny you have to admit. STOP RESISTING!" I imitated her. "Her catchphrases are the most notable trait about Hueco Mundo itself. Even Aizen is taken aback."

Mila snorted. "Yeah but godamn, we killed literally everyone." Apacci continued moaning. "Hell, she made even Lady Harribel speechless."

"Those were fairly funny." Mila said.

I chipped in. "Personally I think the greatest moment was when she insisted you could attack someone with your boobs Mila. What did she call it again? Milk Crusher?"

"Ahahahahaha! Oh yeah, she totally did that didn't she? She even tried to show it off!" Emilou mimed the "attack" with her own breasts.

"Urgh...don't remind me. That girl..." She batted away the foot that was accidentally thrown at her. "I still can believe she's saying she died to that so called attack. A giant? Yeah right."

"To be fair," I said. "It makes all her rambling make sense. Still, how long do you think Gothic Coppelia is going to go at this?"

"As long as there's corpse. From zero to nine he said." Rose snorted. "If that meathead was actually right about something then I guess she has it now."

Emilou spat on the ground. "It's still bullshit, can't believe she can just pop off a limb like that on an enemy."

"You mean Critical Gore? Yes it's rather ludicrous." I added. "Shame we can't just count on her smashing his head off."

"What Nnoitra?" Mila gave me a look.

"Everyone." I replied. "Whether we were lucky or not to pick her up is a matter of some debate. One that not even Our Lady can answer." I tilted my head as one of Yammy's giant rib bones came flying at me as the woman crushed the giant's chest. "Killing Yammy in his Resurrección is a fairly good sign."

Apacci gave a snort at that one. "Are ya sure about that one? Not even Lady Harribel can answer that question."

Just then I began to sweat. SHIT!...

"Hm? What's up Sung-Sun?" Mila asked.

In answer I merely pointed with my left hand at the figure I could see on the catwalk. A glass container, two heads floating inside the tube.

The Ninth Espada.

Godamn it...

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