Beginning of the End, Pt. 2 [Kuroi]

[Schultz Silverhult]

((OOC: This is the second of what will be 3-4 rebellion threads to sort of organize the rebellion off-handedly. The real rebellion will begin shortly after all members have been contacted and have assented or chosen to rebel.))

Crimson eyes stared through the windows as Schultz looked over the barren wasteland of Heuco Mundo. His room was situated at one of Las Noches’s many sides, looking out into the perpetual night that shrouded its sandy locale. The moon rose full on the horizon, its sickly pale light shining over the sands, a haunting eye that watched over the land of Hollows below it. In his more poetic moods, the Septima Espada would wonder what the moon would think as it stared down at those beneath it; would it feel pity and scorn at those weak fools who sheltered beneath its constant gaze? Would it feel triumph at its lofty position in the heavens above? This was all sentimental nonsense, of course, but sometimes Schultz almost had to wonder.

If he could say that the moon felt anything, however, the scholar would have to say that he felt its anger at a Shinigami leading the ranks of the Hollow, a contradiction of almost cosmic proportions. Perhaps Schultz was just projecting his own feelings onto that of the lucent orb above, but nonetheless he could sense a general aura of resentment around Las Noches; though there were those who were content with the status quo, there were those who also felt a hatred towards the enemy of all Hollows reigning over them. Schultz almost shivered as he thought about the general discontent that filled the rooms of their headquarters. It was a wonder that nothing had occurred before now, with everyone too in awe of the King of Hueco Mundo’s power to begin to consider moving against him.

Kouhai was evil, there was no doubt about that, but that in no way made him a suitable leader for the Hollow race. Hollows weren’t inherently evil, in a philosophical sense; rather, many of them were just human souls who had given into their despairs, their grief, and their hatred, lost because the Shinigami had failed to save them and the people around them in life had done just as poorly. Instead it was more of a survival of the fittest; Hollows ate human souls and attacked humans because they needed to feed as much as any other living being. Hollows were only as evil to humans as said humans would be to the livestock they raised and slaughtered in order to eat; one could almost say that of the two races, humans were the truly evil ones. There were those within the ranks who reveled in destruction, death, and madness, but that was true of every species.

But this was why Kouhai was unfitting; there was something about him aside from being from the ranks of their mortal enemies, the Shinigami, which made him an undesirable ruler. It wasn’t just his evil intentions, which he never once concealed and displayed openly, that made him unsuitable. But there was something almost unnatural with his rule that left Schultz perpetually uneasy around the man. And as a scholar who was obsessed with the Truth between life and death, the Septima Espada valued a natural environment in which to observe and study, to learn and be educated. Kouhai disrupted that order, just as any scientist openly and actively observing a pre-designed experiment with human subjects would ruin it with bias. And that was why Schultz had finally decided to make the first move.

Without a word the scholar turned his eyes from the moonlit desert, reaching out to grab his grimoire from the table it rested on as he passed. He made his way out into the hallway, closing his eyes for a moment to call up a mental map of Las Noches, and then headed down towards the nearest path towards his destination. Snippets of conversation raced through his mind as he very carefully planned out his next few steps, knowing that what he was about to propose could easily get him killed for treason. What was worse, there would be no escaping from the individual that he was making the proposition towards; the person that Schultz chose to approach first with his plans was his superior in rank, both in the eyes of Las Noches and that of their designation. The first step was the riskiest of all, but if it succeeded the rest of his plan would fall into place.

Schultz stopped as he drew before the door of Kuroi Naito, the Segunda Espada and one of the most powerful within the elevated Arrancar ranks. He took a moment to summon his courage, for committing himself like this would be the point of no return. Things could snowball from here on, for better or worse, but Schultz knew the consequences of his actions, and he was prepared to make the next move towards upsetting the entire balance of Heuco Mundo.

With his decision certain, Schultz reached up to rap his knuckles against the door in a brief knock. “Kuroi Naito; I would speak to you about a serious matter.”

[Zou ۞]

Just as Schultz began to knock on Kuroi’s door the arrancar would notice a figure behind him. If the Septima turned he’d be greeted by a visage possessing midnight-black hair and a long, white khaki shirt underneath a three button blazer suit jacket. The other espada’s zanpakutou was nowhere to be seen. That was because Kuroi used special summoning gloves to store his zanpakutou away inside himself. Schultz would notice the darkness of Kuroi’s aura fill the area as he turned and faced what could be immediately recognized as the one and only Segunda espada. The Septima would feel the harsh gaze being directed at him as the other espada did not even open his mouth to speak. Both espada present would recall the fight that happened awhile back. Kuroi was well-aware of Schultz’ abilities and skill. The espada took a moment to remember how Schultz had tried to imitate the terror of hell with his illusionary capabilities only to have the memories backfire and drive him to madness.

The taller of the two arrancar closed his eyes without so much as a reply and passed both Schultz and the door, continuing down the long, white hallway. It seemed like he wanted Schultz to follow him so that he wouldn’t have to take time out of his precious day to deal with whatever unimportant things that the Septima was about to bother him with. It was fine though. There was hardly ever anyone walking in this particular hallway that wasn’t either Kuroi or one of Kuroi’s fraccion. But on this day in particular there would be no one except the two of them. Besides, even if someone did show up then Schultz would be able to sense them sooner rather than later. His energy sensory and senses were certainly above-average. Assuming Schultz followed him, the man would finally open his mouth and speak. “What do you need with me, Septima espada Schultz Silverhult? I was of the mind that we had finished our business last we met.” If Schultz wasn’t thinking of the beating he’d been handed before, then he surely would now.

It was up to Schultz to respond now. It would be wise of him to consider his words carefully. Whether Schultz told Kuroi of the fact Cierro had agreed to help in the rebellion was completely up to him and would or would not help him convince the other espada to cooperate. It may have helped to know what Kuroi’s opinion of Cierro was before he said something like that, but it was ultimately up to Schultz what he said. Their footsteps could be heard echoing down the empty hallway as they walked. It was abundantly clear that Kuroi did not care much for anything and would wear a bored expression even while physically stomping on someone else. Perhaps it was this lack of emotion that encouraged Schultz to approach him, for he would not have to fear a sudden, emotional reaction after he said what he had already told the Octavo. Schultz had indeed come to recruit Kuroi to join his rebellion against Sonken Kouhai. The espada had suspected that from the very beginning.

[Schultz Silverhult]

Schultz wasn’t surprised by Kuroi’s demeanor as he passed his fellow Espada; the two of them had met previously, as the Segunda had referenced briefly in what Schultz almost thought was a snipe. They had clashed in the past as Kuroi had attempted to measure the new Septima’s position within the other Espada—few outside the group knew that rank was not by one’s number, but by one’s power compared to the others—and Schultz had lost horribly. Of course, that was to be expected considering Kuroi’s immense abilities, but the scholar hadn’t even been able to coax out his opponent’s Release despite using everything he had available to him. It had been a humiliating and quick defeat.

But that was why Schultz wanted to recruit Kuroi into his plans to bring down Kouhai. The Segunda’s sheer power made him an ally to be reckoned with, someone who would be able to help deal with any opposition brought on by Kouhai’s forces. Alone, Kuroi would not be enough to deal with the King of Las Noches, but if he joined, it would be a strong incentive towards the other Espada to join in the rebellion as well. However, if the Segunda refused, then it would potentially be the straw that destroyed them. Even if most of the Espada ended up on Schultz’s side, there were two or three key ones that would turn the entire rebellion on its head if they didn’t join; Kuroi was one of them.

The Septima quickly moved to follow his superior; though he was loathe to admit it, Schultz accepted the difference in power between himself and Kuroi and simply saw himself as inferior in terms of the man’s strength. It still pained him to consider anyone his superior, but that was just the way of things now. There was no point in deluding himself in the difference, when instead he could use that knowledge to his gain. Rather, he had to think of a way to approach this conversation and steer the Segunda to a place where they could have more privacy in order to get his intended message across. This was not something to be discussed in the halls of Las Noches, where anyone could hear the two of them speak. Though Schultz could sense others approaching due to his high senses, he didn’t like the risk.

“As I stated, this is an urgent matter. It involves the future and not the past, but it isn’t something I wish to discuss in public. I regret asking you to take time away from whatever it is that you are doing right now, but this is an important discussion that I believe warrants your attention above all else. It concerns the future of the Espada and Las Noches, and as a result, concerns you. If you do not wish to listen, then I’ll wash my hands of this now, as much as I’d hate to. But if you are willing to turn an ear to my sentiments, then please let us adjourn to somewhere more secluded so that we may speak more freely.”

[Zou ۞]

The espada heard the Septima speak and allowed his words to reach him. With stoic coldness, the arrancar turned to Schultz. His eyes were disinterested and his mouth maintained the absence of expression. It seemed that Kuroi would be willing to listen to Schultz for the time being because as soon as the Septima finished speaking, the other espada said only one sentence. “Follow me...” came the reply with a dry voice and distant emotion. With that, the dark-haired espada turned and began walking down the hallway. His fancy shoes made loud stepping noises as he moved down the stone cavern and towards his destination. Assuming Schultz decided to follow him, he would soon recognize where they were headed. It appeared that Kuroi was leading him outside into the very sands of Heuco Mundo.

Before long, the two espada had travelled quite a distance from Las Noches. Confident that they were out of earshot of even the arrancar with the best hearing, they stopped. “I will ask this once more. What is it that you wanted with me, Septima espada, Schultz Silverhult?” The Espada’s arms crossed and his eyes narrowed on the other. Schultz had better get to point quickly. Kuroi wasn’t someone who liked to mindlessly sit around and wait on behalf of people less intelligent than him. If Schultz didn’t want to waste his fellow espada’s time, then he’d say what he needed to say in a well-worded way and concisely. The demeanor that Kuroi gave off was one that revealed he did not really care about anything anyone else had to say.

So as the two espada stood in the middle of Heuco Mundo’s sands, events would begin to be set in motion. Events that would change the hierarchy of Las Noches forever. It would be a story of betrayal and stabbing one’s own superior in the back. This was a rebellion that had been instigated by Schultz and would only end with the death of Schultz or the almighty Sonken Kouhai. Was it time for a change in leadership? Was Schultz going to be able to gather the necessary espada? It all depended on what the Septima said next to his fellow espada. Kuroi Naito would be a valuable ally in Schultz’s plans and would actually provide a slight glimmer of hope to this suicidal plan of his. What would happen next?

[Schultz Silverhult]

It seemed that Kuroi was inclined to listen to Schultz’s reasoning as the senior Esapda took note of the scholar’s request for privacy, leading the two of them towards the exit to Las Noches. Out in the desert of Heuco Mundo they traveled, eternal night and the swirling sands their only companions. Silence reigned between the two Espada, each with his own thoughts; Schultz couldn’t even guess at Kuroi’s as he followed him across the windswept dunes. The Segunda Espada was an unusual mystery, a man that very little information existed about, and Schultz wanted to pierce that veil of anonymity. Unfortunately, given the antisocial nature between many of the Espada and their lack of camaraderie, it was unlikely that they would breach these gaps. In fact, Schultz’s attempt to rally them against Kouhai was likely a highly unusual event, maybe a once-in-a-lifetime situation. History was being made.

The two of them stopped once Kuroi deemed them far enough away from Las Noches, and made his point rather quickly and bluntly. Schultz was expected to give his case quickly and concisely, arguing for his side without drawing it out with unnecessary detail. The Septima was forced to reconsider his argument briefly, trying to sum it up simply, before he decided to take the risk of just saying it straight out. Sometimes it was necessary to expose oneself to danger in order to win; this sort of gamble was not unusual. In an allusion to chess, one might say that Schultz, as the king, was exposing himself to potential checkmate, or else paving the way for a clean victory; it all depended on how Kuroi took his words and the Segunda’s own stance on the matter.

Schultz took a deep breath, and then began. “Very well, I suppose it would be most efficient to just say what I intend. What I have planned, Segunda, is a rebellion. This will not be a simple matter, either; this is a rebellion against the King of Las Noches himself, Sonken Kouhai. I am not alone in my dislike of a Shinigami ruler above the Espada, but I cannot speak for all in the group. Rather I am forced to speak to each individually, risking myself in the process. This is how dedicated I am to the cause. This man is unnatural, but his position within Las Noches is secured by enormous power; this is not something that can be done by one Espada, particularly one of little direct power like myself. I am forced to rely on the services of the more powerful and influential Espada like yourself, but I am not disinclined to this; each Espada by my side in this confrontation will be one less enemy I will have to face to meet my goal.”

The scholar paused here, letting the words sink in as he considered how to move this forward, to convince Kuroi to join his cause. He could not predict the man’s loyalties, whether they would lie with Kouhai, with the Espada, or even simply to himself; rather, he had to keep talking and trying to find the one weak point that would convince the Segunda to attempt this rebellion. Kuroi was a key player, in Schultz’s eyes; if he could be convinced, it would be sufficient strength behind the rebellion’s cause to convince more of the Espada to join. Adalo, Asuka, Zeruel, and Rio all had to be approached in the near future as well, but having Kuroi would be a good argument for at least three of them; Adalo would be difficult, seeing as he was the Primera and in a way could be seen as above the others. Then there was the Decima, the quiet and mysterious Cain, as well as the Exquias Leader, though the latter made Schultz suspect he would remain in Kouhai’s camp. There were many hazy lines to cross in the future!

“I will not lie; this is a suicidal venture as it stands right now. There is little support, but that is due only to this plan being in the opening stages. You are only the second to be approached, though you will not be the last, but in recruiting you I am hoping to lend a semblance of weight to my actions. Much rests on your decision, Kuroi. I only can hope you do not oppose this plan.”

[Zou ۞]

Schultz’ words hung in the air for many moments. The cold, judging gaze of the Segunda was being aimed directly at the Septima. Schultz would likely feel afraid or worried that Kuroi wasn’t going to join him or that he’d simply be executed right here, but after a few moments of silence, the other espada spoke. “The gall you’ve displayed by approaching me is impressive, to say the least,” he said with a tone that was hard to judge, “Whether this bravery is out of desperation or foolishness I suppose I will never know... What I do know, however, is that your plan is doomed to fail. Sonken Kouhai is not someone who can be defeated by the espada. There is his right hand to account for. Guujin Karai will be a fearsome opponent, though there are much more frightening soldiers under his command.” Schultz may have heard of Grimoire Acero, the Primera Envainar that was staying in Las Noches under Sonken Kouhai’s temporary command or he may not have.

Kuroi had firsthand experience of what Grimoire was capable of. The Envainar himself had taught the Segunda a few sword techniques that Kuroi implemented with the help of his Kakucho Cero. Schultz’s mission was truly a hopeless plight, but it was not impossible. Kuroi could provide hope if the Septima could convince him to join. The black-haired espada thought for a few moments as he let his words hang in the air like a snare ready to catch and bind the Septima. “While you may have initiated such a movement, you will not be the one who leads the espada. That role will fall upon someone more worthy than yourself. If you wish to gain my support, then there is but one thing I require of you,” said the unarmed arrancar with a fearsome gaze and an intimidating build, “And that is your undying loyalty and obedience, as well as control over every other espada you’ve convinced to join you in this hopeless movement.”

Schultz would feel the other arrancar’s breath on his face as the suit-wearing espada closed the distance and leaned so that he was mere inches from the Septima’s own face. The demands were laid out clearly. If Schultz wanted the person in front of him to join him against Sonken Kouhai, then he would need to submit to him first. It shouldn’t be too hard for the Septima, after all, he’d already lost to Kuroi once. He was only asking Schultz to recognize his superiority. It was only natural. Someone like Kuroi, who was stronger than Schultz, would likely never agree to follow someone weaker than him. While Schultz had convinced Cierro to obey him, it was unreasonable to expect the Segunda to take orders from the Septima. “So... Do we have a deal, Schultz Silverhult?” he said in a cold, callous tone. Schultz would still be in charge of recruiting more espada if he agreed to surrender his authority. That aspect would not change no matter what. It was simply a matter of recognizing superior power as the commanding force.

[Schultz Silverhult]

Schultz paused, his whole body tensing as Kuroi spoke. The Segunda believed that his plan was doomed to failure; that spoke of his potential opposition to the rebellion. The Septima knew that this was a risky and potentially foolish venture, yet believed that it was a necessary step to combating Sonken Kouhai. The scholar was ready to fight, if needed, though he would not kid himself; combat against Kuroi would be a certain loss. Yet what had to be done would be done; Schultz could live under Kouhai’s rule, but he did not like it. It was unnatural for a Shinigami to rule Hollows, just as it would be unnatural for a Hollow to reign over the world of humans. Schultz opposed such a situation.

But then the Segunda’s whole attitude changed, and a sly smile crossed the scholar’s face. Kuroi wanted to take lead of this mission? So be it. The scholar was a tactician, a strategist; he was not a frontline fighter, a general, or a leader. Kuroi could guide the rebellion as he wished, and give orders as he chose, which would make Schultz’s job that much easier. Without any form of hesitation, the Septima made his decision, ignoring Kuroi’s close proximity. Instead, he just simply knelt; humility came easily to one who had already lost previously. In fact, Schultz was rather relieved that he could give his acquiescence so easily, because he remembered his loss to Kuroi Naito. How could he forget it? Without even forcing the man to draw his weapon, he had lost. Thankfully, another battle was not in order.

“Very well, Kuroi. If you wish to assume leadership of this operation, then it is yours. I have no desire to lead, but I do wish to see Kouhai removed. I don’t care what happens to the hierarchy of Las Noches afterwards; I leave such decisions to those more ambitious.” So easy, just to give up leadership! “I feel obliged to tell you that I have already spoken with and convinced Cierro to join; last I saw him, I had sent him with a letter to the Escudo. Essentially, this is a chance for them to disrupt the order of Las Noches, since they’re not fond of our rule anyway. Of course, plans for them are simple, as we need foot soldiers, frontline fodder. I expect betrayal, so I put the betrayers in the most expendable position. I cannot guarantee their usefulness but… two birds with one stone, I suppose.”

The scholar paused, then looked at his new leader with his usual intense expression. “So then, what are your orders?”

[Zou ۞]

Schultz went along with the other espada’s plans to usurp control surprisingly easily. “So then, what are your orders?” came the Septima’s reply after revealing that the Octavo had joined in rebellion against Sonken Kouhai as well. The tall, black haired man responded with a voice as cold and wretched as Antarctica itself. “So, the Octavo has thrown his life away in this hopeless brigade of mine? Very well... We can use a man of his talents. As for you, I want you to continue speaking to the rest of the espada. If you get found out in the process, I do not know you, this meeting never happened, and I will most certainly not stand in your defense. You will be executed for your traitorous actions and will be forgotten, and I will emerge untainted and unscathed. You will accept this assignment as well as its terms. Speak with the new Cuarta as well as the Tercera. I would postpone speaking with Adalo until later, but Rio can be approached sooner rather than later.”

This was all that he had to say about rebellion matters. Schultz would see Kuroi’s form turn majestically as the espada headed back towards Las Noches. “Don’t speak to me about any of these matters until the day of reckoning is upon us. If you do, I will pretend that I don’t know what you’re talking about as a means of self-preservation. Also, the Octavo mentioned something about a 70-inch plasma screen television. Do you know anything about this?” said the espada as he walked through the never-ending sands. Just what had the Octavo been saying about the Septima? What rumors had Kuroi overheard? These questions would undoubtedly be floating in the other espada’s mind as they both headed back.

It didn’t matter what response Schultz retorted with, the taller of the two would not respond for the rest of the walk. It would be apparent that this meeting had adjourned. Schultz would notice that as they headed back, his new leader did not even glance in his direction. Was it the newfound sense of superiority that he’d acquired or was it simply because he thought of himself so far above Schultz? Kuroi’s face had always been one that reflected little emotion or care, and this time was no exception. Perhaps the Septima was better off not speaking to Kuroi for awhile as was suggested by the other espada.