Abyssal Angels (Luca and Abbadon JTT)

[Akira Hinosai]

Moonlight was Luca's best friend. He didn't have the shinigami's magic ability to be invisible to onlookers. So, he had to get practical when he performed his heroic deeds. He had to look like a complete basket case to any onlookers. Luca typically wouldn't care, but at a certain point, he was bound to be tossed into some asylum to be lobotomized or something. It was all practical. Though it wasn't practicality that brought him out while the sun still shined. Uzaki had left him loaded with free stuff. All of which was very useful in protecting the streets. If a hollow forms, I'll know about it.

Of course, there weren't any notifications, but if there were, he'd be ready. He was out in the town, surely that had to translate to being closer to likely spawn points. It seemed the city of Karakura was finally waking up, and when it did Luca was going to be stronger than anyone. Everyone was going to know his name. I already dispatched some crazy serial killer. It's only up from here. In truth, he only knocked her out, but that wasn't important. He won a fight with his own strength. That was something. The wounds hadn't scarred either, which was cool too. Luca would hate for his face to be marred by some stupid gash. 

Hollows would start spawning any minute, and he'd be ready to kill them all. Until then, he could take it easy. He technically was training as he walked. His backpack had his shovel and some particularly heavy books. That had to be making him stronger. More blocks than he cared to count later, he figured he earned a break. There was one of those open-air cafe things where one sits outside and orders.

Luca took off his sunglasses as he sat down. It took his eyes a moment to adjust to the light, even if it was late afternoon. He placed his order for a frappé. He did so love those. Waiting for his order to come to him, he could have sworn he sensed something spiritual. Not a hollow, but something. Doubtless, Luca would stick out like a sore thumb with his recently increased power. They'd have to come to him, though. Luca had met so many people like him the initial wonder had worn off. If they wanted to talk, he wouldn't complain...

[Abaddon]

Abaddon was currently looking over a few books that had been brought before him. It wasn’t the first time that his reputation for buying rare and old books had gotten him in a situation like this. He had been approached by a seller while he had been trying to go a nearby café. He sighed as he looked over the books none of them were exactly that rare or really exotic enough to warrant him wanting them. The best of them was a third edition of the divine comedy , however that book in and of it’s self was in poor condition, the second and first edition in the original Latin he had at home were in much better shape . In all honesty he really didn’t see anything that he wanted nor was worth preserving.

Still Abaddon did humor the man as he had gone through great lengths to speak to the quincy, that and Abaddon could clearly see that this man wasn’t in the best shape, besides the books the rest of the man looked like he had seen better days. Still Abaddon wasn’t about to give someone a hand out to everyone that came across his path. Abaddon was about to leave however he did remember something that would help the man. With a soft but firm voice Abaddon spoke “Listen sir, I apologize however your wonderful collection of literature contains books that either I have no interest in or I myself already have in better condition or rare editions. These books are worth a decent amount, however I am not the right buyer. I have a contact in a few cities over that maybe interested in them, I will give you their contact information, but our business with these books is over, do I make myself clear?”

Abaddon had been dealing with man for a few days now and while his persistence was something to be admired, he was clearly done with being harassed over books that he had no interest in purchasing. Abaddon had no idea as to who had sent this man his way, however it was time to cut that contact as they clearly hadn’t done a proper job of informing him or this seller. The man simply nodded and said thank you to Abaddon as he pulled out a card from his coat pocket with information about a secondhand rare book dealer. Abaddon knew that this man didn’t pay the best for books, however this seller seemed desperate for money and it was the easiest way for him to get rid of this person. “Now I do bid you farewell and have a pleasant day.” With that Abaddon stepped away from the seller and off to the café that he had been trying to get to for the past hour or so.

Abaddon came walking to the café fully dressed as he normally was, wearing a long black suit with a white shirt and a black tie covered by a black dress cloak that ended near his ankles. Around his hands he had his white gloves that he always had on. To be sure he was clearly overdressed for the area, however that’s how he liked to carry himself, even if it was spring he didn’t feel the heat in the layers of clothing. As Abaddon ordered his coffee and a few biscuits to go with it his mind went back to that seller and how annoyingly persistent they were. This sadly caused him to unintentionally leak out his reiatsu into the air around him. To those that could feel the reiatsu they would note that while yes there was clearly a quincy there the reiatsu reeked of hollows as if it had been bathed in it for years. It was a result of his rebirth and his time in Las Arenas.

Sitting down Abaddon pulled out a small jewel fragment. The fragment was dull and dim, while from afar it was clear that it was a gem stone, it lacked the luster that other gems had. He let out a heavy sigh knowing full well what it looking like that meant. It was with him when he was reborn, it was the gift from Las Aernas and now it was dead, just like that place. All he knew about that event was that it happened when he was gone in the human world meeting a potential ally. Putting the fragment away he pulled out a small black book and started to write in it, noting the events of the day totally absorbed in what he was doing he failed to notice a few things. The first is that he never stopped his reiatsu from leaking out making it clear from where the reiatsu was coming from, the second is that he sat down in a table right in front of the only other person in the café that was spiritually aware.

Training for 345 CTP rest for SP

[Akira Hinosai]

Luca focused his senses to zero in on whoever this source was. Though there were no doubts in his mind when he found the conspicuously dressed man a few tables down. It was odd. He looked nothing like a hollow, but he seemed to reek of them. He couldn't be an arrancar, could he? Luca may have told himself he wasn't going to get excited, but that was because he expected the other guy to take an interest in him. It was a completely different story if he was just going to ignore the obvious spiritual pressure he was exerting. What the hell are you? Slow? Luca leaned forward on the table, gritting his teeth. 

Really, REALLY uncool. You dress like that and you don't want attention? Getting some real mixed signals here, pal. Luca would try and wait for his frappe to arrive. It wouldn't do to confuse the wait staff by moving around. Yet even the passing of a minute felt like it took a year. It was cool though. He still had the books in his bag to pass the time. The Iron Kingdom  was interesting, but Luca could hardly focus on any of the words. Quickly, he abandoned the idea of reading.

The Frappe arrived almost kind of quickly. Luca pulled the waitress aside. "See that guy over there? He's actually a close friend of mine. I'm gonna sit with him, so could you bring the bill over there?" Now it was time for the fun part. He took a slurp as he walked over to the conspicuously dressed special-power-haver. Of course, he'd have to make an impression. Unlike the man he sought, Luca was dressed far more casually. He wore a beige button-up shirt and brown linen vest. The shirt's sleeves were rolled up and in place of a tie, he wore a burgundy colored paisley scarf tied as to make it look almost like a ribbon. Though it appeared Luca stopped caring about his outfit bellow the waist. His jeans had many holes, and his tennis shoes were incredibly scuffed up.

Arriving at the table, Luca slammed his hand down on it to get the man's attention. "Hey, friend! What's up?" Though his words were friendly his face and tone told another story. The words were harsh and forced, as though they were meant to mock. Regardless of if the well dressed man wanted it or not, Luca would take his seat opposite him.  He leaned forward and began again in a hushed voice. "Let's skip the games and lies, why don't we? You've got some powers, don't you?" before the man sitting opposite him could respond, Luca began again. "Names Luca, by the way. You wanna tell me your's or what you're up to?"

[Abaddon]

Irritated, that was a good word for the mood that Abaddon had been in before sitting down and getting to work recording the events of today and it certainly the way he was feeling after this person sat down like an oaf at his table without being invited. Abaddon hadn’t even gotten his order yet and now there was someone else sitting at his table acting like he owned the place. At first, he assumed that it was probable that he knew the individual, however looking at the man he drew a blank to the face. Was this due to his memory loss? Had he met with this man before? If so then it was clear that it wasn’t exactly a friendly interaction, given the tone and body language that he gave off.

As the man introduced himself and leaned over Abaddon slowly turned back the pages in his black notebook, going through the pages to see if the name he gave was one he wrote down or sketched down an image of the man. Sadly no there wasn’t anything in his notes about this man. He was sure that at the very least this book ran back a few months as he was nearing the end of the empty pages in this book. Letting out a sigh Abaddon tucked the book back into his jacket pocket and looked the man in his eyes. Abaddon’s gaze was that of contempt and anger towards the man who rudely sat down and interrupted the moment of peace he was having for lunch. “I am sitting down having a coffee and a brief snack. Not that I need to tell my personal affairs to anyone, especially one who lacks basic manners.”

At this time the waitress brought over his coffee and a few biscuits to go with it. As the woman set down the tea and before she could even say anything Abaddon interjected and cut her off from offering anything that would keep her here longer. “Thank you my dear, I don’t require anything else at this time.” He really just didn’t want her to be around when they spoke about the spiritual world, it wasn’t exactly a law but it was a taboo to tell non aware humans about the truth of the world. “Luca, was it? Congratulations, you’ve ran into someone with spiritual power, in Karakura town of all places.” Abaddon said in a mocking and condescending tone. “Let me give you some advice child, if you don’t know who or what you’re speaking to approach with caution if you value your life.”

Without saying anything else the whole area around Abaddon started to feel heavy, as if something was pushing down and crushing those inside of it . Abaddon was careful not to let it spill out too far from the table, as not to affect the normal humans. Luca would feel as if a massive weight would be pushing down his entire body and all he would see is Abaddon slowly sipping on his coffee his gaze still fixed on the fullbringer. It was at this point that Abaddon felt his reiatsu leaking out more so than he allowed, it was this that probably caused this person to walk toward him and start this whole exchange. After a few moments of keeping the fullbringer under the effects of gravitational pressure he stopped, pulling his reiatsu back trying to hide it. Now those around him who could sense reiatsu wouldn’t feel the quincy reiatsu however their would be a constant faint aura of hollow reiatsu around. “My name is Abaddon, you would do well to respect your elders and mind your manners, especially when you’re so new to this world and it’s truths.”

[Akira Hinosai]

Putting away the stupid book he had, Abaddon wasted no time showing his true colors. A complete prick. His eyes were cruel, like those of a tyrant. Luca would not be intimidated by this pompous Doctor Who reject, however. He met contempt with audacious arrogance. To show how little he was intimidated, he took a loud sip of his drink. The waitress came and left, and when she did, the man was right back at being completely full of himself. He had the gall to insist that Luca was playing with dangers he knew nothing of. Who does he think he's talking to?

Even so, he was speaking like he had decades on Luca, even if he looked roughly the same age. Maybe he was one of the longer lived races, kind of like shinigami. It didn't matter. Luca wasn't some weakling to be crushed under heel. If this asshole kept it up, he might just learn that the hard way. Luca was about to read him the riot act when suddenly, the air felt heavy. Before he knew it, his upper body slammed into the table. Speaking seemed to be beyond him, let alone moving. You stupid bastard. His eyes were affixed on Luca like how one might look at a beetle they meant to kill. When Luca was let go, it was with a sigh of relief.

The man's name was Abaddon, which seemed odd. Even soul reapers didn't have such strange names. No matter how old he was, he probably didn't even know who or what Abaddon was. When he spoke of manners, Luca had officially had enough. "Oh, I know well enough about this world. I know I'm worth a lot to some powerful people, and they'd chop whoever killed me into tiny pieces while they were still breathing." Luca had to establish he had protection, even if it was a half lie. Outside of the gravity trick, which caught him off guard, Luca didn't sense power much greater than his. 

Even so, he had to be taught that he wasn't holding all the cards here. "You would like to avoid that, wouldn't you? Then I suggest we be civil, but don't expect manners from me. Respect is earned, and I don't know you from Adam." his smile was as crooked and his eyes as devious as ever. Luca was in charge here, even if Abaddon didn't know it yet. "So why don't we try this again? You reek so bad of hollows I'm surprised my scanner didn't pick you up as one. Are you some kind of Arrancar?"

[Abaddon]

Abaddon let out a heavy sigh and looked the man in his eyes. “In this world strength is all that matters, even though you claim to be important to strong people they may only care about you as long as you’re useful to them. Also given how weak you were to not even resist my spiritual pressure I can only assume your concept of strength is lacking.” Abaddon himself knew that he wasn’t the strongest quincy, heck right now he was weak in terms of what he could actually do, so for him to be able to force this fullbringer down with his own spirutal pressure it was a clear sign that this person was green to the whole world.

“As I said before my personal matters are none of your concern and as for why I as you put it ‘reek of hollows’ it is a personal matter.” Abaddon was really done with this conversation, however there was something that the man said that caught his attention, a sensor. Where had he heard that there were sensors….. shingami had them, but he didn’t give the feeling of a shingami… no they were more attack happy than this individual… no someone else had a sensor…. It came to him in a fuzzy but warm memory a name of someone that he did need to speak with. Yoko, she had a sensor and if he wasn’t mistaken she had been head of security for Kazura or was it head of personal, his memory for those facts were really failing him still he had an idea of who this person worked for.

“ Honestly if Yoko is allowing you to run around like this, she really is failing her job for Kazura. Honestly next time I’m by Uzaki enterprises I should speak to both of them. It has been a while since I’ve had the pleasure of being in the same room as her. Oh but wait were those the people who as you so lovely put it would cut me up into tiny pieces.” If it were the two of them that this person was talking to then he knew it was empty threats. He had been researching UE for a while now, while yes Yoko would lay a smack down on someone he was more than confident Kazura wouldn’t resort to revenge for anything.

Abaddon waited to see what the reaction would be of this man after he named dropped two of the high level staff of UE. While on the surface he knew very well that it appeared to be a normal company the truth was that place was a secret organization of spiritually aware people in Karakura. He had to give it to Kazura to be able to maintain so many powerful individuals under one roof. The one thing he wasn’t expecting was the possibility was that the newcomer hadn’t heard of Yoko, she had been so important to UE for such a long time that he didn’t think that she had been gone for a long time now.

[Akira Hinosai]

Abaddon clearly didn't know who he was talking to. Calling Luca weak, and still refusing to give up anything meaningful about himself. To think I'm trying to be civil, that's the worst part.  He wasn't trying to kill Luca, at the very least. Yet he was caught off guard for a bit when Abaddon mentioned Kazura. The name Yoko meant nothing to him. If he had met someone by that name, they failed to make an impression. Though if he did know Kazura, he would know he'd look out for his own skin instead of avenging Luca. Amare might do something, but it would probably be a stern talking to.

Luca had quite enough of this. Though the statement he fixated on in his response was that of strength. "You think you're so great because you figured out that strength is all that matters? Of course it is! That's why I'm out here waiting for hollows to spawn so I can get stronger! Sit here and play high and mighty all you like. You're not much stronger than me, and when the hollows come, I'll protect this city, and maybe...I'll bridge the gap between us." Luca's voice quivered ever so slightly with passion. Strength being all that mattered was a universal truth he had accepted long ago. Yet it took him so long to realize his potential. I'm a rising star. I'll never be powerless again! I will stand on the top!

Luca wasn't some doormat who would take this sitting down. He was seconds from taking his bag, frappe, and leaving. He was in the mood to bludgeon a hollow, and if he was lucky his stupid sensor would start beeping soon. The sun wasn't so far from setting, anyway. Here he was thinking this guy'd be worth talking to, but no. It was fine though, he could do his training on his own. Kick ass and chew bubblegum.  If any part of Luca's unconscious thought Abaddon could be an ally or teacher, they were silenced. 

[Abaddon]

Abaddon simply shook his head at this fullbringer, with his talks of slaying hollows and that’s how he was going to get stronger. That idea while not entirely wrong was so inconsistent with a better way of getting stronger. Training, he knew that there were plenty of people in UE that would be more than helpful at training, yet this hot head wasn’t exactly taking advantage of those offers that he had. Honestly after this I’ll have to go and ask Yoko who’s in charge of training the new recruits that come into UE, this kid is just asking to die going around hunting hollows left and right, does he not know…. I wonder if he’s ever seen a menos.

Abaddon took a calm and collected sip from his coffee and he decided what he was going to do, to not only teach a lesson to this kid, but whip some humility into him. “Tell me, you preach about waiting around for hollows and killing them here, being a so called ‘hero’ yet you don’t understand the dangers you run towards each time a hollow arises do you?” Abaddon was talking to distract the fullbringer as he accessed a parting gift of Las Arenas. If the fullbringer turned around he would have noticed that behind him a hole in reality had opened up. This was a garganta a portal to and from worlds, and in this case Abaddon was forcing it to rip open into Hueco Mundo, more specifically nearby the menos forest.

In the same motion Abaddon used gravitational pressure to pin Luca down and stand up. Grabbing Luca by his collar he dragged him into the portal and closed it behind them. Suddenly the fullbringer would find himself in a world vastly different than the one he had been in before. Surrounded by darkness, sand and massive dead trees taller than skyscrapers. “You wanted to be a hero, well here you go, the menos forest. Filled to the brim with hollows, more specifically filled with Menos Grande.” Abaddon stopped the gravitational pressure on the fullbringer and allowed him to take in everything that was around him. He knew that this should be a shock to any rational human.

Abaddon could see exactly at what he wanted Luca to see, back in the trees it was rocking towards them, each step slow but creating a loud thumping sound as it’s feet connected with the ground. It let out it’s infamous roar as it’s glowing red eyes came out from behind a tree. This menos was massive standing easily fifty feet tall. “Go on hero, go kill that hollow, if you can.” Abaddon knew that doing so was a fools quest, but in his own way he wanted to teach this fullbringer that it wasn’t always about fighting, sometimes learning from others was better than going to straight up fight every threat that came their way.

[Akira Hinosai]

Finally, it almost seemed like Abaddon was saying something of value. Smelling like a hollow, it only made sense he knew a lot of them. Luca heard a sound behind him and looked to see a gaping void. He tried to get up, but Abaddon used his gravity trick again, and Luca was as good as paralyzed. The next thing Luca knew, he was in a dense forest. The trees were blackened, and the ground was a blanket of fine white sand. "What the hell?" was all he could manage to say. It hadn't been something he expected. This...this couldn't be Hueco Mundo, could it? 

Luca quickly realized these were no mere trees. Every one of them was a hollow. Luca understood the meaning of this very well. He understood how large they were, but he wouldn't give Abaddon the satisfaction of watching him despair. With his lighter, he used simple soul command to make flames shoot out towards a Menos Grande, to no effect. He tried punches and kicks. He clawed with all his might. He bit down on one until he felt like his teeth were going to fall out, to no effect. 

Yet Luca couldn't help but laugh. He hadn't conquered his very present fear of this place or being left in it, but he laughed all the same. "This doesn't exactly prove anything. The hollows on the streets aren't like this. I'm fighting to help people! Why are you trying to stop me? His voice was restrained. He couldn't get emotional. Luca wouldn't be changed for some prick like this. He would never be humbled.

"If you mean to leverage abandoning me here, don't bother. A friend of a friend lives in Los Noches. She'll take me in." Luca almost believed the lie as he told it. Asuka trained Amare. Surely she'd take him in if it really came to that. Right? He wasn't alone, even now! He could still get strong and not die horribly here! Pained laughter leaked from his mouth again. He gripped his lighter so tight he thought it might burst, but it didn't. Flick...Flick...Flick... Be cool, Luca. You got this. You're the alpha monster here.

[Abaddon]

Abaddon was rather shocked that the fullbringer decided to actually attack the menos,, little good that it did, it was as if an ant was attacking a lion, a total futile effort. Still if anything Abaddon was rather impressed at the fact that the man was still putting on a strong front, even if the panic tone in his laughter was clear as day. While this didn’t turn out the exact way he had hoped he did accomplished what he set out, take down the man a peg or two, there was no reason to stay here, well at least not for the fullbringer. To Abaddon the darkness, the faint smell of blood that lingered in the air and the white sand reminded him of the home he had lost. It’s a shame really if it wasn’t for the hunger that hollows had Hueco Mundo would be a beautiful world to stay in.

“You are right, the hollows on the streets of karakura are nothing like the menos. That one there is rather docile and dim. Most hollows are vicious and have some form of intelligence, but don’t think that just because you haven’t had to fight a hollow that was actually strong that they’re weak. That sort of thinking will get you killed and eaten by a hollow.” Abaddon slowly pulled back a hand and in the space between his hands he summoned his quincy bow, from his wrist his quincy cross hung. “You lack real experience in fighting and that is your largest weakness. You don’t know where to hit, or when something is sneaking up on you.” Abaddon notched one arrow and fired it out striking a smaller hollow that had been creeping up behind the Menos. It had been eyeing Luca and was waiting to strike.

“Your options are limited Luca, you can learn from this and the sacrifice that hollow gave so you lived or you can keep your world view limited and end up dead sooner or later.” Abaddon lowered his hands and dispelled the bow that he had summoned. Behind Luca would be the fading body of the hollow that Abaddon had shot an arrow right into the dead center of the mask. Abaddon had killed the hollow and he knew what that really meant, when others kill hollows their souls either reform in hueco mundo or if done by a shingami they simply are purified, but a quincy, when a quincy kills a hollow they destroy the soul of the hollow as well as every soul it ate. That was the main reason his race was hunted, why they were seen as an imbalance.

[Akira Hinosai]

Luca had met people like Abaddon before. Each one of them thought they were so great. They thought they knew best, while at the same time separating from those beneath them. Luca wasn't going to submit to anyone. If he ever did, it was because he was holding more cards than they believed. Luca waited for Abaddon to say anything he needed to hear, but nothing of the sort came. Luca couldn't change himself for this man. He wouldn't. Strength was all that mattered, and it would be like losing that strength to submit to anyone. 

"You haven't taught me a damn thing! Do you really think I'm so delusional that I believe I can beat every hollow yet? If I can't beat one, I'm not getting killed for it. I'll get out of the situation somehow. I lack experience? Maybe getting experience by fighting hollows is how I get past that!  You say I've got two options? What a crock! You think you know everything, including what's best for me, don't you? I'm not your grandson. If you really wanna help, show me how I can fight instead of wasting my time with your humility crap!"

 Arguments had winners and losers. Everything in life had winners and losers. If this worthless geriatric scumbag thought he could humiliate Luca, he was wrong. Dead wrong. Luca had powers. He was on the way to becoming strong. He deserved to live and he deserved to meet his needs. Power is what one needs to change the world outside their minds. Luca was getting it. He wasn't some powerless weakling like those mundane idiots from California. 

[Abaddon]

Show him how to fight? He wasn’t a trainer, nor did he owe anything to UE to train their new recruits especially one so hot headed and arrogant as this one. Luca wasn’t getting what Abaddon was trying to tell him. He took a deep breath and sighed. “You don’t get it Luca, why are you in this position right now? Think about it what brought you here?” Abaddon kept an eye on the menos watching it, while it was docile it was still a menos and it could turn at any point to try and eat them, something which while Abaddon was familiar with didn’t want to go through again, mostly due to how long it would take to become human once more, if he could even do it.

“Luca when you felt my reiatsu instead of waiting to see what I was doing or would do you rushed right over and antagonized me, without even knowing what or who I was. Then when I told you it wasn’t your business and to watch your tongue you turn to petty insults and vague illusions of threats. You dove right into someone else’s life without even a second thought and when shown that the other person is stronger you keep antagonizing them, just by that alone I doubt you would run from a hollow. Even now, I came here to show you the difference in strength between what you’ve been ‘hunting’ and a real hollow and the first thing you do is try to attack something which is clearly stronger than you for no reason other than it was a hollow.”

Abaddon stopped for a moment to catch his breath and scan the area around them, the two of them were being loud and he knew that could draw unwanted attention to the two of them. “Even if I were to teach you the way I fight, I doubt it would do you much good, but if anything is going to stick in your head from today let it be this. Luca stop rushing into everything, take a breath and study what is going on before you act.” Abaddon stopped as the menos started to move once more it was heading towards them and it was slowly starting to charge up a cero, Abaddon could seen the faint traces of reiatsu slowly gathering in it’s mouth. It wouldn’t fire off the cero right away, it still needed time to charge however Abaddon didn’t want to be here when it would fire off.

Abaddon held onto the gem he once wore around his neck and focused, a tear in the world ripped open before Abaddon once more. It was time to leave, Abaddon would leave even if Luca for some unknown reason wanted to stay here and try and fight the hollows that were all around. “I’m leaving this place, you can stay if you want, but I doubt there will be anything left after it attacks.” With that said Abaddon slowly started to walk into the Garganta, it would hold for a few moments after Abaddon walk thourgh it, leaving plenty of time for Luca to get to it and return back. The garganta would land Abaddon in the café, luckily there weren’t that many people around at this time so he wasn’t going to cause a panic in the mortals.

[Akira Hinosai]

"You...You..." was all Luca could manage to say. He was just like those assholes who wrote him off, except he was supposed to be different. He knew about the spirit world. So why didn't it work? Luca was acting cool! It was Abaddon who took it too far! Think things through? Luca fought smarter, not harder! His words fell on deaf ears. Was that why he said nothing else? Luca could hear the hollow behind him charging up, but Abaddon opened the gate to the human world and left it open for Luca.

Luca grabbed his bag and drink. He didn't care that he hadn't paid. He didn't care the hollow detector still showed no signs of activity. "I'm not worthless. Up yours, Dracula." With that, Luca walked off. He didn't know where he was going. He didn't care. Just walking helped him gain power. Luca ducked into and out of alleyways, hoping to find a mugging to stop. Karakura wasn't the type of town for more serious crimes to happen in daylight. Maybe that was another thing Luca had to look forward to when the sun set. He sipped his frappe as he walked. It had melted somewhat, but he didn't care.

He came across the construction site for...something. He only cared that there was enough of a building to shield him from onlookers and that the workers had gone home for the day. He'd been meaning to work on soul command. By the time he reached the building, his bag had made his shoulders feel like they would fall off, but he was safe to drop it here. He was safe to do whatever the hell he wanted here. Luca threw his shovel and brought it back with soul command. He tried his cool dodge-jumps. Quick side steps, upward leaps, until he'd run through a satisfying number of scenarios in which his skills were sufficient to dodge attacks.

He tried going through his drills while incorporating his powers into the old European manuals he'd studied. Every strike was angrier and more forceful than the one that came before. No matter how hard he tried, the faces of the enemies he imagined turned into Abbadon's. He imagined giving in to his instincts and just punching him over and over until his face was bloody and swollen. His throat punch had been what won him the fight with that crazy bitch. He could use it again. He pretended he was a boxer, striking, dodging, and blocking with his fists.

Though after a while that seemed like he was wasting his time. He was better with his shovel. He was beginning to feel fatigued creeping up on him. So he took a break. He sat down, leaning against the unpainted wall as he looked at his phone. His heart still was heavy from Abaddon's treatment of him, but he wasn't going to tell anyone. He didn't think he could handle if someone he liked told him to get over it. That worthless piece of filth just wanted to see Luca brought low. He hadn't disproved that. Luca could be arrogant if he damn well pleased. It was who he was. Why should he have to change that? Changing himself for others was like losing to them. It was like being worthless and weak.

Luca practiced for a few more hours. Blips came up on the hollow detector, but they were dispatched before Luca could analyze further. The sky was dark as he walked home. He liked that. Moonlight was a shroud that made him feel safe. Even if evil lurked in the shadows, he wasn't helpless. There were more evils now, Luca realized. The city was waking up, and he was going to be a key player when whatever was going to happen finally did. He imagined some great climactic battle. He could save everyone. He could be strong and protect a lot of people.

He was really only ever alive when he was doing something relating to spirits. The spirit world was the one who mattered. Luca mattered for being able to see it. It didn't matter what anyone thought. He WAS special. He could change the world when he was strong enough. Meanwhile idiots like Abaddon would regret ever writing him off. That was a nice thought. He laughed a bit as he walked. The night was young, but Luca still wanted to lay in bed until the sun came up again. Maybe he'd do something with Amare tomorrow. That was a nice thought too. True to his plan, he plopped down on his bed almost as soon as he got home. He didn't want to think about Abaddon or the home he left across the ocean. He just wanted to relax, only for a bit.

[Abaddon]

Abaddon simply ignored the words of the man as he simply stormed off without paying for his meal. It seemed that not only did the man lack manors he was also a dine and dasher by the looks of him simply storming off. This wasn’t any real concern of Abaddon’s as he wasn’t friends or really even knew the man, however when it came time to pay he noticed that the waitress had placed the Luca’s order on his own. Abaddon had to go through a very long and difficult discussion with her and the managers about that the man wasn’t his friend nor did he knew him or would cover his bill.

After all was said and done Abaddon left the shop rather annoyed at the day’s events honestly it was something that he really didn’t want to record in his journal for the day, however out of habit he did so. Also taking time to note that he should eventually swing by UE for a talk with Kazura, it seemed that besides this he had been invited for an offer to join UE, while he wasn’t exactly sure if he would or not it was still proper manors for him to simply hear out the offer in full. With everything written down he was free to enjoy the rest of his day. For Abaddon the rest of the day came and went without anything too eventful happening, a few greetings to shopkeepers he knew and the occasional sense of someone with spiritual power who kept to themselves.

Back at home Abaddon was getting ready to turn in for the night, there wasn’t much else to be done and staying up any longer wasn’t really going to due him any good. That’s when he sensed it, a hollow, it was strong, stronger than most of the ones that had been spawning lately. Still it wasn’t his problem, he wasn’t a shingami, he wasn’t a protector of this town the hollow would be dealt with by the proper people. Abaddon had made up his mind and was about to put the thing behind him when he felt the building shake slightly and heard the sounds of something falling over. Going to the window he saw what was happening and he couldn’t believe his eyes.

There in the night sky as clear as day was a menos attacking Karakura town, this wasn’t the same menos that had been in the menos forest earlier that day. This one was much smaller standing only around twenty feet tall, however it was much more aggressive and attacking things at random. He wasn’t expecting for a menos to attack Karakura town, normally they wouldn’t even bother, however this one seemed to be rather starved as it was smaller and easily skinner than the ones in the forest. If anything at first glance one would call it the runt of the litter, but seeing it in action it was clear that, that wasn’t true at all. Still it wasn’t as if this was his own issue, Karakura had their own shingami here to deal with things like this.

Sure enough as Abaddon thought those things a Shinigami approached and tried to strike down the menos from the front. It would have been a quick kill, however the menos reached out with one of it’s arms grabbing the shingami’s body keeping him from being able to do anything. With a roar the creature opened it’s massive maw and chomped down on the shingami’s upper body ripping flesh and bone from it’s body. The shingami was dead as the menos had bitten the reaper in half. “Fuck….” Abaddon while not exactly fully detailed with the inner workings of the Soul Society he did know one thing, usually towns only had one soul reaper and how the one left here had been turned into a meal for a rather anemic looking menos.

Abaddon couldn’t just let this thing roam now, while Karakura was full of people with spiritual power a lot of them were like Luca, bold, rash, and weak. If he didn’t act this hollow could possibly eat more than enough to further evolve a thought that made Abaddon worry given that hollows who evolve past base menos become much smarter and stronger, something that if left unchecked could feast on this city before the shingami could properly act. Reluctantly Abaddon left his home and headed towards the hollow taking care not to be seen by this monster before he got close enough. Without warning the beast let out a massive roar that shook the windows of most buildings, it was calling out to everyone who was spiritually aware, it was challenging them because it was hungry.

SPOILER: Click to show

{Hollow Stats Class 5 untyped }

Strength – [300] Points

Speed – [200] Points

Spiritual Pressure – [200] =Points

Reiatsu Strength – [100] =Points

Instinct – [100] Points

Senses – [100] Points

Energy sensory – [0] Points

Healing Expertise - [0] Points

[Akira Hinosai]

Luca thought his window would burst into transparent shrapnel, the screech was so loud. He jumped up. He didn't change into pajamas before collapsing, which was good. Whatever the hell made that noise, he'd have to get there fast. The lighter was still in his pocket. He shoved his shoes on a few violent motions, grabbed his shovel and ran out. If his host family heard him, he'd deal with the consequences when lives weren't on the line. He banged his fist on the elevator button only to decide it was taking too long. 

He practically flew down the stairs, and before he knew it, he was out on the streets. Not many people were out, which was good. This fight would require a wide berth. He could sense the vague location, and Luca was taking every conceivable shortcut he could. Alleyways and jaywalking, he didn't care. He took a moment to catch his breath as he checked his phone. He wasn't far. When he finally got a visual on the hollow, his blood turned to ice water. It looked like the Menos Grande that Abaddon had shown him. It didn't matter if it was smaller than them, he could identify it as being of similar caliber. His first instinct was to duck back into the alley he'd run out from. Hopefully, since he came up behind it, it wouldn't notice him. 

Luca grabbed the back of his neck in fear as his breathing turned heavy. "Oh shit Oh shit Oh shit Oh shit" his words were hushed as though anything louder than a whisper would give away his position. Luca tried to calm himself down. Think Luca, you complete idiot! Losers panic where heroes act. Come on, just...remember the steps of engagement. He hadn't gotten the chance to consciously use them since arriving in Japan. He had the jump on the hollow this time. That was the nicest thing that could be said about his situation. That was all besides the point. He planned for stuff like this. Planning made him safe. Fight smarter, not harder. 

Step one: Identify an out. Luca looked back down the alley he came through. The hollow might not be able to fit, and Luca could get a lot of distance very quickly. Step two: identify your surroundings. Is there cover? What can you use to your advantage? There was a dumpster in the alleyway he could move, and along the road, there was a fire hydrant and sign. Someone was already engaged with it. Maybe this situation wasn't completely hopeless. A plan formed in Luca's head. He'd use the element of surprise to make an entrance worth remembering. If the other guy was smart, he'd take advantage and score a good hit. If Luca drew more attention than he could manage, he'd flea and try again.

Luca had to go for it. He kept his steps quiet and his head low as he made his way to the fire hydrant. With soul command, he weakened it enough that a good kick would knock it from the valve. As water flooded into the air, Luca used soul command as an impromptu fire hose, hoping the water pressure would do something to it.