Float Like A Moth, Sting Like A Dragon [Joint Training - R]

[Deleted]

(OOC: Training for CTP)

Taking some time to himself to rest and meditate, Adolf began to make his way into the White Desert from his floor in Las Noches. This was a place he actually frequented, despite not particularly caring for the rather depressing atmosphere it gave off as a whole. In fact, this was most of Hueco Mundo that he didn't particularly care for, putting aside the fact that it was his home whether he wanted it to be or not. What he really wanted was to leave this damned place, using his position of power as an excuse to do so, but that only complicated things further. For now, learning to somewhat accept this place as a whole was his plan, and as such, he needed to learn to take in his surroundings and appreciate them for what they were, as hard as that might've been.

Upon eventually arriving, Adolf held his left hand into the sky and snapped, releasing one of his favorite techniques; Pesquis. As the wave of reiatsu surged from his fingers, he began to sit down, and close his eyes. With this, he could effectively take in his surroundings, while also preventing the possibility of him being jumped anytime soon. Whether or not that would've actually happened is up for grabs, but it was a risk he felt he shouldn't have to take. Foot by foot, as the ring of reiatsu spread from its origin, he began to notice a plethora of different things, ranging from hollows consuming each other, fights that had apparently broken out, and even a Hollow's ascension into an Arrancar. From the looks of it, this hollow had to have been rather strong, as there was an absolutely massive release of reiatsu coming from that location, even for a mask break.

Taken back a fair amount, Adolf opened his eyes, and looked to pinpoint the location this seemed to be coming from. Las Noches. He sighed in disappointment. After spending this much time to make his way into the White Desert, now he had to head back? Well, that wasn't to say that there weren't positives of heading back. For one, he could get out of this hellhole, as well as take some time to introduce himself to this new Arrancar. Perhaps they'd share his ideals? This wasn't something he'd be able to bank on, but perhaps it was something he could hope for. Even most of the other Espada, save for maybe one or two of them, seemed to be the antithesis of what he believed in. Even after an effort to "toughen himself up", it wasn't that easy to change the things you believed in; what you stood for.

Following the release of Hollow reiatsu back to Las Noches, Adolf refreshed his Pesquis with another snap. He wasn't particularly well-versed in detection of reiatsu signatures, but a little bit of practice can go a long way. As such, hopefully this would not only help him with practice, but also help him with pinpointing the location of this new Arrancar. After a short minute, he was able to gather that they were in some of the higher floors; likely the Vasto Lorde floors. This took him back momentarily. This hollow had to be strong. There was absolutely no doubt about it at this point. As such, he quickly made haste in closing in on the location of them.

[Mariposa Serrato]

It was a rare occasion that a Hollow would manage to break its mask on its own. The tremendous willpower and endurance it required was lost on many of them even in the Adjuchas state, and it was often the strongest Hollows who remained almost feral throughout their lifetime. Bestial ferocity was, after all, one of the traits that could lead to them surviving for so long in this hellish world, at the constant threat of being devoured. It is said that even being maimed is enough to stop oneself from ever attaining that legendary state of Vasto Lorde - it is said that there had been only a handful of them around at any given time, and this certainly seemed true for Las Noches, for they had entire levels reserved for them to ensure their solitude.

Despite his Pesquisa, Adolf had to search for a while until he found the source of the Reiatsu signature that flooded his senses just a few minutes ago. It was not that it had moved, more that it dispersed in a way that it seeped into the walls, as if it had tainted the stones themselves. Yet it grew undeniably dimmer, as if it was only a memory, a faint shadow of the brilliant release which happened so recently. The unstable, agitated nature of the Reiatsu exuded was unmistakable however. Adolf had felt something like this before; it was definitely due to a mask break, and the epicenter of it did not lie in or around the throne room of Sonken Kouhai - another sign that this is a rare occasion, and he could perhaps be one of the bold (or foolish) ones to witness it up close.

The upper levels felt completely deserted. Surprising to say the least, as Las Noches was full of both curious and opportunistic Hollows and Arrancar alike. Despite Sonken’s iron hand, there’s still a lot of infigthing happening, and it would be prudent to assume that such a massive release of spiritual energy would attract both songbirds and vultures among the inhabitants. Maybe it was on someone’s orders that the level was cleared - it could be that this new Arrancar was some kind of pet project of one of the higher ups, for example. On the other hand, he should have at least have been somewhat familiar with the Reiatsu signature then - and while it was definitely one of his own forsaken kin, it wasn’t a signature he had ever felt before.

When he finally arrived to the corridor he suspected to find the newborn creature in, he saw something curious. Every wall, every column, every door in that forsaken corridor was crawling with a myriad of purple-black moths, softly glowing by themselves, illuminating the dreary twilight. Their triangular wings made them seem more threatening than they really were, as they lay there placid and quiet, only shuffling around a little occasionally. When Adolf took a step forward, the ones on the ground simply disintegrated upon the steps of his feet. It seems like they were some sort of Reiatsu phantoms, somewhat akin to the waterdrops forming when a gust of steam hits a cold surface. Now it made sense why it seemed like the energy had dispersed instead of vanishing, yet it provided no explanation to why the center of the “nova” was so faint.

It didn’t take long to finally arrive to the room where the event had taken place prior. The air was still heavy with Reishi, and the signs of violence were all around. The reinforced door had its frame blasted away, leaving a gaping hole in the wall with massive cracks running around it like some sinister spider’s web. Memories lingered all around, like the stones themselves were afraid and tormented. A step inside the room provided him with even more evidence of what transpired here, as the signs of this undivine birth were all around him, a grisly reminder of just how utterly painful and unsightly such a transition could be. There was some kind of palpable, magnificent darkness around here that would made the heart of any Hollow race with anticipation.

The room itself was of pristine white, the walls laced with some kind of material that would emit bright, white light by itself - yet this light did not seem to pass beyond the borders of the room, even though they removed each and every shadow that might linger. Almost as if the lone inhabitant was afraid that one of them would suddenly spring to life and assault her. This cleanliness was tainted with sweet smelling black ichor, smeared and sprayed all across the room, pooling around what seemed to be the remains of her Hollow form. A quartet of wings, similar to those of the Reiatsu-moths in the hallway, a pair of severed arms, clawed of course, but still sweet and fragile - their former owner clearly had to be female. Chips of bone that could have formed parts of some chitin-porcelain armor, or perhaps even the old mask of this newborn Arrancar.

She was nothing but a hooded, white cloak that huddled close to the farthest corner of the room. As Adolf arrived she pushed herself completely into the corner - it was evident that she was very much afraid of the Espada, and her Reiatsu immediately began to flood the room asemotions got the better of her. Her aura was dark like a starless night or a deep abyss, and yet it felt insecure and tender, like a seeping wound that refused to seal away the raw flesh underneath. And yet, it did not feel as oppressive as it should have been - was this really one of the famed Vasto Lorde? Perhaps she was left alone because the others deemed her a failure unworthy of their time.Ḑ̨͇̭̆̒͌͝o͓͔̬͚͒͊͐́n̢̢͇̍̄̋͆ͅ'̡̨͚̬̈́́̚̕t̳̪͕̫̆̑̾̂ ̰̼̀͒̋̈ͅͅc̨̼͉͕̄̔̈̓o̳̬̺̯̔̅͂̎m͙̬̖̱͛́̿͂ȩ̩̙̞͐͌͛͌ ̧͚̱̹̑̀̔́a̦̮̦̅̀̎̋ͅn̢̟̭̘̑̃̉͘ÿ̗̠̣͉̾̂̃ ̪̲͕͈͆̋͒̀c̳̣̣͕̅̇͆͠l̢̯̤̟̓̽͗͝o̰̗̠͍̒̋̐̾s͙̯̘̝̐̉̔́ẽ̜̥̖̿̋̈́͜r̡̲̖͊̈́̂͜͝.̖̳̲̥͌̇̀͒ she hissed, her voice powerless and shaking. As she pulled up her legs to her chin, a pair of ashen grey hands grabbed her white-clad knees, her slender fingers staining the fabric with her own oil-like blood.

[Deleted]

Upon hearing the hollow speak, Adolf let out a sigh. "I'm not here to harm you, let me make that apparent. I'm not here to hurt you at all. I merely came to check out the reiatsu disturbance nearby. I think it's fair enough to say that you're fairly new to this whole 'Arrancar' thing, so let me say this; welcome to the world as one of us, some of the strongest beings in existence." Even with saying this, there was still a small bit of detest in his voice, as though he was telling her some kind of scripted speech. "Might I ask your name? I'm Adolf Reinhard, Octava Espada. Pleased to make your acquaintance."

He slowly began to approach, trying not to freak her out at all. Startling someone so new to this was not the way he wanted to go about this. Taking it slow, and getting to know her was the way to do this. "Please, calm down. Fighting is the last thing I'm looking to do at the moment. Like I said before, I am not here to harm you." Eventually making his way towards her, he sat down near her, roughly five feet away. He didn't want to get too too close to her, as that would likely make the situation far worse. He wasn't particularly fond of being that close to people as it is, so there was no telling how she'd react to it.

He looked around the floor he was in, taking in the appearance of complete destruction left in the wake of Mariposa's mask break. It looked quite nice, in a rather dark sort of way. He could certainly admire the appearance of it all, whether or not that'd be the thing to do normally. It surprised him how a race that was so seemingly volatile at its core could create something so nice from its wake. It almost gave him a renewed sort of appreciation for being an Arrancar. Almost. There was still so much he detested about it, and still so much he'd continue to detest about it.

"So," he began to say, "might I ask your plan for the future? Like, what do you plan to do from here? Surely you've got one, right? Any goals or anything?" He turned back to himself, and began to ponder this question himself. He had his own set of goals, yes, but how many of them still held up anymore? How many of them still remained through his growing hatred for himself? How many of them would continue to remain as he spiraled down this path that'd seemingly continue until the day he died? Only time would tell. For now, though, this wasn't the time to worry about himself. This was the time to aid a companion in their moment of ascension.

[Mariposa Serrato]

As Adolf drew even closer to her, she jumped up and backed off even more, squeezing herself into the corner like a frightened animal, her hands painting the pristine walls black as she tried finding support. She was visibly shaking, not only from the intense fear she felt, but also from the exhaustion, her knees barely allowing her to stand. A miserable excuse for an Arrancar indeed, but the light that has fallen under the hood a pair of wide, teary eyes and the sweet face of a teenage girl, framed by jagged strands of straight black hair. If she wasn’t as pale as a corpse and her Hollow hole was in a less visible spot than below her sternum,, she could actually pass as a human being, and a fairly cute one at that.

Her behavior changed a little once she had espied herself in the pool of reflective ichor that lie before her feet. She lowered her hood and touched her greyish skin with her fragile, little hands and shook her head in disbelief. She seemed both reviled and excited about this revelation, and as she fell to the knees she drew closed to the small pond to admire her new body. The metamorphosis was complete - this was what she had been fighting for all along, the seven years of pain and suffering she had to endure, the hunger, the mortal danger, everything came down to this. To become this clawless, defanged, utterly fragile being, a petite girl with an upturned nose and curved, doll-like lips.

“This body is not mine....I stole it. I took it from a Shinigami. I tore it from her soul that I devoured. This is not how I used to look. It is but a shell, isn’t it? Will it unfurl when I exert myself in the slightest? Will these....pretty hands tear themselves apart when I fire a Cero from its fingertips? Will these fragile ankles snap when I call upon the power of Sonído? And why do I feel so weak...why am I so afraid that I can’t even bear to look you in the eye...master...what have I become…”. She spoke slowly, almost whispering, yet her voice quivered with every word as if she was suffering from a severe chill. And yet it was a remarkable achievement that she managed to form coherent sentences, or even think straight, sort of, after such a traumatic experience.

“To serve my master...to aid the one who saved me from the black-clad pretenders. To become one of you...Arrancar...an agent of Las Noches.” she answered truthfully, yet there was a part that spoke the language of the beast sinister. :To surpass, humiliate and devour each and every one of you”: - this is what the bestial impulse whispered, yet she chose to suppress it by clasping her hands on her head. Incidentally, it was then that Adolf felt something through his Pesquisa - a Hollow was approaching. Judging by its distance, relaxed pace and the rate at which its apparent Reiatsu was increasing, it had to be a monstrously strong one, lacking the refined, smooth aura of an Arrancar. A strong Adjuchas, or even a Vasto Lorde perhaps.

Yet Mariposa didn’t sense its presence before it became apparent by the crackling noise made by the stones that grinded against eachother as the very air began to vibrate with the flood of Reishi particles released by its mere presence. The corridor grew dimmer and dimmer as the little messengers were simply obliterated by the fiend’s oppressive aura, and as it finally arrived to the scene, Adolf could espy its figure in the demolished doorway. It was a tall, thin figure with a mask resembling the skull of a longhorn bull, reverse-jointed legs with massive, double-toed hooves and armored fists with knuckles sporting vicious spikes. “Ah, Deathspinner. Forgive me, that name does not do you justice anymore. This...wormlike creature you’ve become. How pathetic.”

It barely even acknowledged the presence of the Espada in the room, disregarding the laws put in place by Sonken. In his mind, might makes right, and so it was his right to deal with his former comrade as he wished. There was a sense of immediate, vibrant danger all around, and as it tilted it head sidewards looking towards Mariposa, it seemed to get even more angered by the sight of her and advanced toward the fragile female rapidly. “My master will cut you to pieces.” - she whispered, and he leaned closer. “Why would he? I’m just about to take out the trash.” The Hollow grabbed her by the arm and swung her small frame across the room, sending her crashing through the half-opened hole in the wall. It all happened incredibly fast, and as her bones gave an audible crack as she collapsed into a limp ragdoll, he turned towards the Espada, challenging his authority with his utterly arrogant tone.. “You don’t approve, Octava?”

[Deleted]

Upon sensing the presence of this monster closing in, Adolf immediately stood up, and drew his blades. As of late, he'd been rather on edge. The constant stress of everything around him was starting to wear him down. As such, taking caution over everything seemed to be his plan, and, as he could clearly tell that this being was significantly stronger than the both of the two Arrancar, caution was going to be needed. He began to respond to what the younger girl had said. "Well, welcome once again. You're going to feel somewhat weak for a little while, it's something we all had to go through. Rest assured, though, as time passes and you continue to push yourself, that will change quickly."

As he watched the foreign hollow enter the room, he assumed a defensive stance. Surely he'd be looking for a fight, no? Why else would he be entering without keeping his reiatsu under control? Perhaps it was some form of intimidation attempt? Overwhelming, certainly. Intimidating, not so much. As he spoke, Adolf made a mental note. So her name is Deathspinner? Understood. Seemed to be a rather unorthodox name, but who was he to judge? It certainly wasn't what he was expecting, but hardly an issue in his eyes. There's been names that he's heard that haven't made sense as it is, and to be frank, he rather liked that name.

All of this mental chatter was quickly interruped when the hollow grabbed Deathspinner, and proceeded to fling her across the room. Almost immediately, Adolf's face took on an enraged expression, as he charged the monster, shouting all the while. He began to lash out with a fury of unplanned attacks, mixing up between strikes with his daggers, and bala to the stomach. Whether or not one of these hit, some of these hit, or all of these hit was not of his concern. In the end, he had to have fired at least ten bala at point blank range. His breathing began to pick up, and he jumped backward.

"Just who the hell do you think you are?" He asked rather aggressively, "learn to show some goddamn respect for your superiors. You're lucky I don't end your life right here. As for the girl, you've got a lot of fuckin' nerve to think you can just get away with something like that without suffering any repercussions." While not entirely certain what this hollow was capable of, Adolf hoped that his hierro could withstand any attacks that the hollow made. If not, releasing was inevitable. He'd burn the entire floor to the ground if he needed to. Though, protecting the girl was his first priority. Sure, taking a hit didn't hurt every once in a while, but once you learned that power was needed to survive in this world, getting hit didn't need to happen anymore. Surely she'd already learnt that, as she wouldn't be where she was if she hadn't. Either way, she'd gone through enough. If she desired to fight, Adolf wasn't going to stop her. If she didn't, he wasn't about to let any harm befall her.

SPOILER: Click to show

{Adolf's Stats & Skills}Strength - [100] Points
(150 Points after type changes)

Speed - [350] Points

Spiritual Pressure - [400] Points
(300 Points after type changes)

Reiatsu Strength - [400] Points
(600 Points after type changes)

Light Aura - [30] Points

Dark Aura - [70] Points

Instinct - [300] Points
(225 Points after type changes)

Senses - [100] Points

Energy sensory - [50] Points
(75 Points after type changes)

Healing Expertise - [0] Points
(Locked at 0 Points)

Total SP: [1700] Points

[Pain Tolerance] [3]
[Strength of Will] [3]
[Calm Mind] [3]
[Poison Resistance] [3]
[Acting] [3]

[Mariposa Serrato]

Adolf’s observation about this enemy towering over both of them was frighteningly correct as it soon proved to be the case. None of his attacks have seemed to have a lasting effect on him whatsoever, even the Balas fired at him only singed the surface of his skin a little. It seemed as if he only needed to flex his viry muscles to put up a defense, and while it was probably not as sophisticated as Hierro, it was certainly enough to block most of the attacks Adolf threw at him. He didn’t even flinch, and tried to grab Adolf’s hand as the Arrancar started to run out of steam, seemingly only missing by an inch. “Trying to protect the whelp? How chivalrous of you. Tell me, Octava: is that the best you can do?”

Meanwhile, “Deathspinner” slowly regained consciousness and tried to push herself from the ground. It was clear that her left arm had suffered fractures from this exchange, and while the Hollow turned his attention to the Espada, she pointed a finger at his head and shot out a Bala of her own. While hers was significantly weaker, for some odd reason it managed to blow away a part of his horn at least, definitely getting his attention. "My name is Mariposa...Mariposa Serrato." Before the next one would hit he’d disappear into an Ulcera, only to reemerge a second later next to Mariposa. He immediately swung his hand towards her head, seeking to crush her skull with a single blow. It was a miracle that she managed to duck in time - as the white-clad fist impacted the wall, a large, round crack had formed instantly with a loud bang that would be heard across multiple levels in the fortress.

The girl began running towards the hall Adolf has passed through while traveling here. It wasn’t clear whether she wanted to flee or she preferred to fight in open space. The Hollow did not charge after her - he was vastly superior in most aspects, and seemed to know that he could catch up with her at any time. “Repercussions, hm? I think I can live with them. It is now clear that I have made the right decision of disregarding this...transformation. I haven’t got the slightest idea what merit Lord Kouhai sees in dealing with trash like you and your newfound lovebird, but I think he won’t mind your disappearance if a mere masked Hollow is able to maul your kind into submission.”

As soon as he finished the sentence he raised his arm and extended his armored fingers towards the end of the corridor Mariposa had ran into. A ball of swirling, deep orange energy formed within his palm - the orb quickly grew to a size that would fill up half of the hallway, and as it bursted, a massive ray of disintegration flooded its path, tearing apart the walls and doors with the sheer amount of brute force released, leaving the formerly tidy passage in ruins.Even though it wasn’t a Gran Rey Cero or a Cero Oscuras, it certainly had amazing destructive qualities. There was no way she could survive getting hit by this one - it would even have left Adolf in a bad shape most likely.

[Deleted]

SPOILER: Click to show

{I am so not sorry for this}

Upon hearing the familiar thundering roar of a Cero being prepared, Adolf's eyes quickly went wide. He was far from ready for what this hollow had planned. If he was able to impose such a presence already, what would that Cero be able to do? What would its destructive capabilities be? This wasn't something he'd be ready to deal with anytime soon, and, as such, quickly came up with an idea in order to prevent damage to either of the two of them. He'd start off with a Sonido into the hollow's direction, stopping just short of contact, ending up a few inches from him. At that point, he began to put his plan into action.

Almost immediately Adolf ran himself through with both of his daggers, and began to disperse the stored reiatsu within them through his body. "Dragon Up, Macht Des Drachen!" He shouted. Starting with the wound, and immediately following with the rest of him, Adolf began to be engulfed entirely in a scarlet inferno over the course of a single second. From there, the flames began to fire all across the room they were in, coating everything in a crimson flame with a blast of wind and reiatsu from the origin. If everything went as planned, the release of energy would hopefully mess with the hollow's aim at the very least.

Taking a few steps back, Adolf began to quickly adjust to his new form. All over his body, silver scales rested as protection. On his hands and feet, massive claws formed, easily sharper than his daggers. On his back, a massive, spiked tail and large silvery wings emerged. In various places across his body, multiple spikes emerged. Adolf was in Primera Etapa, and ready for the fight to come. Within a short amount of time, his wings began to release carbon monoxide from their scales, and began to fill up the room both him and the hollow were in. While Adolf's release had been completely adapted to withstand the toxic gas, the chances that the hollow would similarly have this were slim.

He began to charge the hollow, rushing him down with his newly formed wings, attempting to get off a few good slashes with his claws. It didn't matter if he was grabbed this time around, a point-blank blast of fire would be more than enough to get out of that. Worst case scenario, he'd drag him up to the sky and drop him, letting gravity do all the work. Those kind of drops were rather underestimated, from what he saw. Either way, his main priority was to protect Mariposa, who seemed to be the hollow's main target. Not only would he deny the hollow of his target, he now wanted to humiliate and execute the being before them. He was ready for war.

Resurrection Duration: 1/8

[Mariposa Serrato]

“Oh? To think that this small display of power would mean that an Espada is forced to release...it almost makes me laugh.” There was definitely something off with his Hollow - the theme they had usually matched their personality, and the loathsome, gloating, yet refined demeanor simply didn’t match the image of the bull. While he definitely seemed to be a physical fighter with a frighteningly strong Reiatsu for sure, it was more than likely that he was as dirty a fighter as they come. It seems that Adolf’s release managed to derail the Cero somewhat, as the faint Reiatsu of Mariposa was still pulsating a few rooms across - she had definitely survived and might get a chance to recoup her strength after all.

The momentuous perception of treachery was a more than accurate assessment, made apparent by the next action the Hollow took - just after he finished gloating he assaulted Adolf viciously, propelling himself forward with the force of his legs alone (400 speed), seeking to attack him head-on to ram his fist into the chest of his opponent. Just a moment before impact his seemingly armored glove lighted up with a sickening orange light and flew forward in a straight punch of frightening speed (800), even drawing a coma behind it. He didn’t seem to be intimidated by Adolf’s impressive form at all, and he sudden increase in speed was likely to catch him by surprise.

Thankfully Adolf had the wisdom to hone his instincts to the extremes and managed to avoid his destructive assault, even though he needed a step to avoid it safely. This wasn’t all of it however. He pressed on the attack regardless of his opponent’s reaction, perfectly content to demolish the entire assortment of rooms in the process. The impact of his fist caused a brutal explosion that punched a man-sized hole in the wall, the shockwave bursting through multiple of them before it came to a halt. He was faster than the Espada and forced him to exert him in using Sonído, and when he sensed that he was at his limit, he fired a pair of Balas from his fist to send him reeling, then kicked himself off from the ground and jumped directly at him with a massive burst of speed (1000), his horns suddenly curving forward mid-flight to impale him.

(Please link me the updated Release of Adolf so I can describe the effects of his Resurrección should they fight on in this vicinity)

[Shikitsuhiko Isayama]

Silent and tranquil, Shikitsuhiko effortlessly meditated while perched high above the sands of Las Noches. The sweeping balcony boasted a spectacular view of the landscape and managed to distance anyone from the chaos below. Despite the illusion of distance, the chaos of this realm vibrated in every molecule. It was carried in the wind and rested upon the sand. Shikitsuhiko found but one refuge from this: meditation. It was an escape that granted him greater freedom. He was able to transcend his body and travel far enough that even the discord couldn't reach him.

Sadly, this wasn't always a viable solution. Even his most immersive meditation was not completely shielded from the effects of his surroundings. As his mind wandered and his spirit trekked the winding roads of the universe, a energy pierced the fragile veil. The energy vibrated the interiors of his meditative world, forcing his wandering spirit back into his body and the present. The unfamiliar, yet discernible energy was enough to raise his brow in suspicion. A quiet sigh left his body as he lifted himself from the ground. His body remained still, as if he was gazing into the distance. 

His concrete stance softened as he casually stepped off the edge of the balcony. He hurtled toward the ground as the air rushed against his skin. He bent his knees and collided with the sand, causing it to cascade in every direction. He rotated his body slightly and pivoted his heels before bolting into the distance. His person seemed to vanish from view as he sped forward along the never-ending ocean of sand. Soaring across the sand, he ventured closer to his destination. He abruptly reduced his speed and transitioned to a casual walk. As he slowly progressed down the long hall, the echo of his footsteps could be heard within the room where Adolf, Mariposa, and the hollow resided. 

In the distance, cloaked in shadows, approached a vaguely tall and slender figure. His keen senses were able to immediately discern those in the room, even from his distance. His gait was devoid of urgency while radiating a subtle confidence. In truth, Shikitsuhiko had nothing to fear. There was no need for haste or caution. The inhabitants of this space lacked the potency required to prompt more of a reaction. Before even speaking, Shikitsuhiko fired a small bala that disrupted the hollow's advance, likely quieting the room. "To think you'd risk sullying your reputation by releasing for the likes of this creature. How shortsighted." Shikitsuhiko said, his voice bouncing off the walls and producing a tinny echo. 

Shikitsuhiko's poorly lit visage and disparaging words immediately arrested the attention of the towering hollow. He grunted angrily before firing a cero in Shikitsuhiko's direction. To the hollow's dismay, he effortlessly deflected the cero with a mere flick of his hand. The back of Shikitsuhiko's hand collided with the hefty cero and sent it hurtling off to the side. It struck a nearby wall, causing the room to shake and burrowing into the stone walls. Shikitsuhiko's moue came into view as the light cascaded across his face. The hollow scoffed in and effort to undermine Shikitsuhiko's strength. 

Shikitsuhiko's steely disposition dispelled the hollow's angry posturing. He didn't care how large his frame or how might his cero, he was insignificant by comparison. "I wouldn't have bothered coming if I hadn't felt your release." He said in a near scolding tone. "This hollow doesn't even register on my radar, so I'm left wondering why you both ventured here, especially you, Mariposa." He was immediately displeased with her cowardice. "If you are going to resign yourself to such a weak and sickly state, then apparently I made an error in allowing you to be my fraccion." He said coldly. 

"Look at this creature. He is but a mere hollow. He is weak and his body shamefully fragile."  With blinding speed Shikitsuhiko fired a bala that blasted a whole through the hollow's body. Blood and innards splashed along the ground and walls. The size of his bala left his frame weak, causing the fibers to stretch under the strain of his injuries. The hollow was about to split into two separate pieces. "I barely have to lift a finger and this monstrosity can be brought to its knees." He directed his attention toward Mariposa. "Why are you here? Did you seek out this creature?"

[Deleted]

Adolf was taken back to say the least by Shiki's massive displays of power. To think that there was such a disparity in their powers, how could he ever even hope to reach those levels? He took a moment to think to himself, before eventually responding to Shiki's question. "C'mon, I know you know that releasing is half the fun of a fight. Purposely holding myself back just for the sake of showing off isn't enjoyable one bit." Adolf was a firm believer in this statement. He enjoyed his release quite a lot; it was what he considered the biggest upside of being an Arrancar. His release was powerful, and he wasn't afraid to show that off when he could.

Upon hearing Shiki's comment on Mariposa, Adolf whistled in a way that represented the words "Damn, that just happened." He was surprised to say the least. "I was personally drawn here due to the massive burst of energy coming from here. I was going to go do some conditioning of my own, but was drawn here. Figured it could be interesting. How about you what brings you here?" He looked around the room, examining the murder of the hollow that was beginning to take place. It was all pretty surprising to see that a hollow that was causing Adolf to struggle to fight was blown to pieces rather quickly by Shiki.

"Honestly, I'm a bit taken back that you were able to take care of him that quickly. Really, that was quite impressive." Adolf was doing what he could to hopefully flatter Shiki, as futile as that may have been given his apparent cold personality. As long as he felt he wasn't going to die, he was fine. His main goal was to avoid a scrap with another Espada, let alone one of the top 4. He could've been taken down in a matter of seconds if his display of power on that hollow meant anything. Living up to the title of Espada was going to be something he'd need to grow into, though time could only tell if he'd need to do that for much longer. Gaining power was certainly a goal of his, no doubt, but with the Espada, Adolf felt like he didn't belong; like something was... off about being there.

[Mariposa Serrato]

The Cuarta had indeed nothing to fear from the Hollow - in spite of its formidable Reiatsu and immense strength, Shiki had managed to overpower him swiftly, asserting his sovereignity over the situation and curbing another rebellious element who disregarded the strict rules of the fortress they all called home now. He had managed to bring peace and serenity to a violent, hostile and deadly situation for everyone involved but him, acting as a beacon of stability in a community that, for the most part only respected the strong. And as she was aptly reminded of that notion, Mariposa had steeled herself and prepared facing her master.

Her face showed deep regret and embarrassment as she tried to rein in every muscle of her battered, sickly body to keep a posture as graceful as possible. She didn’t want to displease her master by looking unsightly and weak, someone who can barely carry herself forward after such a brief scuffle with an arguably inferior enemy - she pulled the cloak shut on her fragile frame, and knelt down in the demolished doorway with a faint promise on her lips, still breathing heavily. “Forgive me...my master. This form...is still alien to me...in trying to gain a better understanding...while meditating here...I was assaulted...by a former acquaintance. I faltered...due to my insecurity...I will...double my efforts...to live up to your expectations.”

She did not dare look up to any of them, but she seemed definitely curious about the interaction that would follow. It was to be seen how Adolf would react to the revelation of her being the new apprentice, the new Fracción of the Cuarta, let alone the hint of the harsh lessons she would receive during her servitude. Conversely, she had never seen an Espada release before, since Shikitsuhiko never had to flex his true power, not even against the Squad 12 group which were trying to drag her away to perform their invasive studies on a Hollow as powerful as her. She was intrigued, to say the least, and that curiosity caused her to peek at Adolf’s Resurrección when the two would begin to talk, drinking in the glory and obvious enjoyment the young Espada has felt, despite his battle having been cut short by their superior.

[Shikitsuhiko Isayama]

Shikitsuhiko silently scoffed at Adolf’s blatantly puerile attitude. While he reserved a portion of respect for his fellow Espada, he simply detested the posturing and reckless flaunting. He believed said behavior was unproductive, serving but one purpose: to comfort the fragile ego of the insecure. At the same time, they were Espada. Their aptitude and might were already recognized. They were the elite among those inhabiting Hueco Mundo. An Espada doesn’t need to flex his or her might against the rabble of Hueco Mundo. It was a matter of self-respect, a fact he suspected was lost on Adolf. 

Shikitsuhiko stoically approached the hollow’s remains, listening carefully to everything Adolf and Mariposa said. He lacked the warmth and gregarious qualities espoused by the Segunda, choosing instead a more conservative disposition. It wouldn’t be uncommon for those around him to find him unfeeling and unsympathetic, but they would be wrong. He felt a great deal but was unwilling to share it so freely with others. A voice inside him whispered words of mistrust, ultimately influencing his decision to be so cautious and unsharing with thoughts and feelings.

Perhaps this voice was the last remnants of his humanity. This was something to which he had dedicated many hours of meditation. Even now his former life was a blurry kaleidoscope of unconfirmed memories, a reality that secretly haunted him. Despite all of this, he was now an Espada and took his title seriously. This made matters all the more vexing. Honestly, I'm a bit taken back that you were able to take care of him that quickly. Really, that was quite impressive. Shikitsuhiko said nothing as he lifted the torn torso of the hollow and inspected it. “I suspect you too could have eliminated him quickly if you had been less concerned with showing-off. Unless that was your real motivation for coming here.” He said before callously tossing the hollow's body to the side.

Shikitsuhiko turned his back to Adolf and approached Mariposa. He towered over her before placing his hand upon her cheek. “You are so young and naive, but you needn't be foolish too.” He took his finger and tapped her on the forehead. “Everything you need to know about this ‘alien’ form resides in this vessel.” Shikitsuhiko was troubled by Mariposa glaring self-doubt. If he had known she was so easily paralyzed by fear and vacillation he would have thought twice before accepting her as his Fracción. All that considered, he was thankful she was not alone. "I do appreciate any kindness you offered my Fracción." He said calmly in Adolf's direction.

Despite his budding regrets, he was determined to nurture and encourage her should she stay the course. “I expect you to stand tall, Mariposa.” He said firmly before directing his attention to the long hallway from which he entered. “So you made enemies while still hollow, enough so they hunt you even in Las Noches. Trespassing in Las Noches is a grave crime, leading me to wonder what you could have possibly done to warrant such behavior from a hollow. I’m equally interested in knowing whether there are more like him who seek your demise? Shikitsuhiko asked sternly of Mariposa.