Little ghost [JT | Akira]

[Deleted]

The streets of Karakura were empty. A cold winter breeze howled through them, wrapping itself around telephone poles and traffic signs alike. It was almost eerie how void of people they were. Perhaps during summer, with better weather and less things to do, more humans would be out and about. But a cold, winter night, in the middle of the week? Few people were out in the streets at that hour, and even less would be able to sense, let alone see, the small wanderer that traversed them.

Taking one tiny step after another, a little Hollow ventured through the streets without making a sound. Its white mask, unlike so many others of its race, was void of any and all features save for two big circles that allowed one to peek into the darkness contained within. It had no mouth, for it had no voice. The rag with which it covered its pitch-black, almost void-like body fluttered with the cold breeze of the night. Something felt strange on its hand, if one could call its little black stubs such. Perhaps it was the lack of a weapon that made an uneasy feeling arise within? Still, this tiny Hollow, which we may call Caballero, kept going, over and over, always in search of something.

What that something was, even they did not know. After waking up in Hueco Mundo, Caballero had been confused. Confused about their own nature, about their own origin, about its circumstances. What was that place? What were the others? And, perhaps most importantly... what exactly were they? They were not given time to ponder any of life's most important questions; they were soon hunted down by the other creatures that lived in that strange world. Forced to scurry around to survive, taking advantage of its tiny size to hide into any nook and cranny of Hueco Mundo, Caballero managed to survive while keeping itself isolated. For a while, at least. Only after hours, or days, or weeks, or whatever time meant to a creature like them, had it experienced the hunger. A ceaseless voice that was less instinct for survival and more of a command to eat and devour, to grow stronger. For many Hollows, this voice was the bane and drive of their existance, the one that turned them into killing machines that clash against the Shinigami. For Caballero, however, that animalistic drive seemed far, far away. Silenced. Suppressed. It had taken far more time until it was so unbearable that it was forced to scavenge and eat one of its own kind. Again, unlike the rest of its peers, Caballero did not yearn for more.

Without that primal drive to consume and evolve, Caballero had aimlessly wandered the sands of Hueco Mundo. Whatever it was that they were seeking, they did not find it there, at least not so easily. By pure chance, they came across other Hollows. Instinct made them hide--they did not like those creatures, entirely unaware that it was one of them. From the crevice, it watched them use cross from Hueco Mundo into the Human World, craving for nourishment, for those souls that, unlike them, were not empty. Watching their method to disappear, Caballero instinctively fumbled around, trying to do the same. Hours were spent to no avail, with the little Hollow plopping onto the sand time and time again, only to push themselves back into their feet to give it another try. In the end, Caballero managed to copy--or, more accurately, to learn--Ulcera. Using it with the drive to 'escape' or 'get out', the little Hollow was soon pulled in by a place with strong concentrations of Reiatsu, the same place their kind was naturally driven toward: Karakura Town.

Caballero's steps came to a sudden halt. Hueco Mundo was far darker than the Human World, so even under a moonless sky, the tiny Hollow could easily take in the beautiful sight that was... a human park. Plain as could be, with just a couple of benches, a few trees around, some structures for children to play around in under the strict vigilance of their parents. Of course, Caballero did not understand what a park was, but coming from a world where things were nothing but sand or quartz made it naturally curious. The few remnants of icy snow crunched under its tiny legs, making it jump back in confusion, as if expecting a threat that never came. Then, it felt cold, colder than Hueco Mundo even. Surprised, the tiny Hollow poked the snow with its little leg a few more times before its attention was caught by something else that was lying around.

A small, malleable stick, nothing that could be damaging in any sort of way unless you were a human child. For some reason, the little Hollow instinctively reached forward, the black stub breaking into little tendrils to grab the stick, enveloping the 'hilt' in its darkness as if it actually came out from its body. Plucked from a nearby mound of snow, it was also cool to the touch, but nothing the Hollow could not handle. They stared at it with those big, black and seemingly empty eyes, as if their mind was trying to remember something. Driven by that feeling, Caballero moved the stick around slowly, tilting their perhaps-oversized head in curiosity. Then, they took a more forceful movement, a swing to the left. Whoosh, the branch sang with the wind.

Something lit up inside Caballero.

That one swing turned to another, and then a third one. To the right, to the left, to the right again. Still, it felt weak, flimsy. As if it was lacking something. "One stroke. Both hands above the head", a voice from a distant memory echoed inside them. Doing such, Caballero brought the stick down with force, stopping it, and waiting one second before bringing it up again. Then, a footstep to the right. A second one to cut the distance and reposition. A few moments later, the tiny Hollow had begun to drill a very simple Zanjutsu technique. Far from flawless, their execution would seem like a child waving around a toy attempting to play warrior, endearing if not taken seriously, pathetic otherwise. However, the more they repeated the movement, the more they became sharper. Soon, that was not the innocent swing of a child, but the fundamentally flawed attempt of a failed academy student.

Caballero danced around the park with the little stick in their hand, still invisible for those spiritually unaware, but far from stealthy for those who were, be them their own kind... or Shinigami.

[Akira Hinosai]

The poetic coincidence wasn't lost on Akira. Cold winter night. Snow. Unable to find any hollows. Though instead of amusing Akira, it only served to piss him off. Right back where he started. It wasn't even his fault! It was the fucking vandenreich! They sent someone after him, and when he dared to defend himself, they put a hit on all of UE? It was totally unfair! In the end, Luca had to sacrifice himself to end the feud before UE was wiped off the map. As far as the world knew, Luca Castabella died. The quincy got him. Now, as a reincarnated soul-shinigami-vizard-thing, Akira was back to square one.

He thought back to the night he met Amare. He was practicing his shovel swing in the park when that idiot showed up. They fought a hollow together and Luca was invited to join UE. I wonder how Amare is doing... Luca stoped himself from dwelling on it. He couldn't tell anyone from UE what really happened. He couldn't risk the Vandenreich believing Luca Castabella's soul wasn't destroyed. Besides, Akira didn't come back to Karakura just to reflect on his past.

He had a mission. One given to him by Ken'ichi himself, and Akira wasn't about to return a failure. This mission involved looking for hollows. Ordinarily it would have been piss easy. Now, though? Akira felt like he'd been struck blind and deaf. He never thought he'd miss having the eyesight of a fighter pilot. Somehow that part of his skillset always came second to the laser shooting part. He really missed shooting lasers too. Now? He had no lasers, slightly myopic vision and a complete deafness to energy readings. He didn't except to miss that either. It was just something so integral he never thought about it. Without it, finding hollows was next to impossible.

"I CAN'T SEE SHIT!" Akira screamed. He didn't care who heard him, which was easy, since no one was around. Once, Akira was deadliest beneath starlight. Now? He was struggling to make out fine detail in a world that lost most of its clarity. Akira was disgusted by his own weakness. Everything was wrong! In a fit of rage he kicked a trash can, but only succeeded in hurting his foot where once he might have launched the thing into orbit. "OWWWWWW!!!" Luca hopped back and grabbed his wounded foot. "DAMN IT!" Even in the cold night, Akira felt his cheeks flush hot with shame. It was a pathetic display from someone who used to pride himself on his strength.

Akira limped in search of a nearby bench, but found none and instead sat on the sidewalk. Akira's first official mission to the human world was shaping up to be a dismal failure. So far, he'd seen no signs of hollow activity. How am I supposed to prove myself to Ken'ichi if I fuck up a simple mission like this one?!? Akira groaned. One day, Akira was going to be stronger than Luca ever was, but that was of limited comfort when "one day" wasn't today. Akira picked himself up. He had to keep moving if he wanted to find anything. After all, with his reiatsu senses dulled, he had to do this the old fashioned way: look till he found one.

He knew this city like the back of his hand, but one place somehow seemed relevant to visit. The park. As much as it pissed him off, part of him really did appreciate the thematic parallel at play here. If nothing else he could practice his swordplay. Maybe it would kindle a few memories of his fullbring or something. Maybe some weak ass hollow would think it a cool hangout spot.  Akira walked until he reached an enclave of wilderness in the urban sprawl of Greater Tokyo. He walked past trees he used to climb and playground equipment he used to use when no one was around. That's when Akira's danger sense kicked into overdrive.

Without thinking he drew his zanpakuto, not wanting to be taken unawares. "Who goes there?" the words sounded more boyish and unsure than intimidating. Was this it? He really hoped this was it. Caballero would see a young shinigami dressed in a modified shihakusho worn over a white turtleneck sweater. With gloved hands he nervously grasped a zanpakuto, but from his form, it might be clear he didn't know how to use it very well.

[Deleted]

So engrossed on their own drilling, and perhaps owing to a dismal ability to sense the energy of those around it unless they made a complete display of it, Caballero did not notice that someone had gotten to their little spot in town. It took the Hollow a few more rounds of spinning while practicing their swinging motion until their eyes, if one could call the two big, black open holes in its mask such, finally caught a glimpse of someone in the dark. After their limited experiences in Hueco Mundo, Caballero's survival instinct promptly brought their individual training to a sudden halt. The little Hollow turned its attention toward the new, possible threat, taking a small leap backward and landing with its 'knees' slightly bended, as if ready to act. Only then did the Hollow really take a look at the newcomer.

As far as appearances went, Caballero had very limited experience dealing with anything else other than the monsters that populated Hueco Mundo. Thus, they didn't wonder whether the person in front of them were man or woman, and they certainly didn't know that their features were easy on the human eyes, if slightly confusing to whoever was interacting with them. The tiny creature paid no attention to those details, but they certainly took a long, lasting look to what the stranger was wearing... and the weapon that he was carrying. The modified Shihakusho may have been confusing for a moment, as it was not something they had seen during their previous life, but the sword the man was carrying was unmistakeable for a Hollow. At that very moment, Caballero should have ran for dear life. In fact, their instincts as a dweller of Hueco Mundo most certainly told them to: it was unfeasible for a creature as small and weak as them to be able to best a Shinigami in battle, so a flight response was the only sensible option.

However, Caballero did not move. As their big eyes remained fixed on the newcomer, two different emotions awoke within the Hollow, emotions that they were still too young to understand: a sense of yearning for a dream etched into their soul, and an itch to test both their mettles in battle. Even so, the creature relaxed their stance, and they took slow, tiny steps toward the newcomer. They did not drop the stick, but they were no longer holding it as if they were a weapon. As they walked, the little rag body fluttered ever so slightly, revealing glimpses of the dark body under it--even though it may be difficult to distinguish it from the dark of night. Even when the distance between them became shorter, Caballero did not attack, not even when, after closer inspection, they finally became fully aware that what was in front of them was a Shinigami. Instead, the little creature jumped up and down in excitement, not unlike a puppy when their owner returned home, only to stop all of a sudden as if remembering that the man in front of them was owed something. Thus, Caballero looked up at Akira again, as if trying to catch his attention; they then bowed their oversized head in respect, just as they once had done to the Shinigami that they admired so much.

That bow lasted for three full seconds before Caballero returned to their previous stance. With due respects paid to the Shinigami, the wish to test themselves took over. The tiny Hollow took two steps back again, and pointed at the newcomer with the stick it had picked up from the park. Then, the creature swung it down to the left, issuing Akira a challenge. That was the only thing they could do; they had no voice to actually ask them for a friendly battle. It did not matter whether Caballero was out of their league against an opponent with formal training, or that they had little to no actual combat experience. The Hollow would not take the first move, however, and would instead patiently wait until the Shinigami responded accordingly. While any other Hollow may have immediately set off the Shinigami into attacking, Caballero's approach to the interaction, as well as the overwhelming positivity of their aura, may clue Akira into knowing that they meant well. The hunger that drove a Hollow insane was far and away from overpowering the little creature's strong will, so there was no risk in them falling to their most base instincts either.

[Akira Hinosai]

All of Akira's battle sense told him there was something coming. He couldn't explain how he knew, especially not when his sight and hearing couldn't provide proof, but he knew. Akira almost thought he could hear something, a soft skittering noise. He checked behind him, and saw nothing. He checked his left and his right side, nothing. All the while the noise almost seemed to grow closer and closer. If that was true, why couldn't he see it. Having exhausted all other options, Akira turned his gaze forward, and found...nothing. At least, not until he looked down. Before him stood the smallest hollow he'd ever seen. Its head was comically over-sized and lowered in what Akira could only assume was a show of respect.

"W-what?" was all Akira could muster. Was he being filmed for one of those hidden camera shows? No, that was impossible. No camera would detect him and no film crew would be able to create something like this. Maybe it was a trick. Any second the hollow would turn into a big scary monster and take advantage of Akira having lowered his guard... Only such a time never came. The little creature had a stick, which upon rising, they did a sort of flourish with. Akira had read enough fantasy novels to know what this meant. "Oh, you're challenging me?" Luca's confusion turned to amusement. He had to stop himself before he struck a pose. Why am I indulging this little twerp?

Yet when Akira looked at the little hollow, he couldn't bring himself to hurt it. Something about it rekindled old memories. A weak and sentimental part of Akira wished he spent more time with Amare, maybe indulged the guy instead of judging him all the time. The small hollow didn't remind Akira of just Amare and all his dorky gallantry, but the kids Akira used to babysit. He never thought he'd miss those little brats either, but...What the hell am I doing? This isn't like me at all! Try as he might to retain some cool factor, his brain had made the connection. This hollow was like a child. Akira could never bring himself to hurt a child. "You are a brave warrior to challenge me, hollow." Akira sheathed his steel. "But you have made the parameters of this duel clear. You have no sword to wield, so I shall fight with a stick as well!" Akira had never been the honorable warrior, but when kids wanted to play something, it was best to play along.

"Before we begin, I will find a suitable stick and we may begin our melee." Akira searched the ground around a fallen branch or some such. If necessary he would use his zanpakuto to cut a branch into a suitable beat stick. He would try not to take long. After all, it wouldn't do to keep this little warrior waiting. "So, um, what's your name, little guy?" It seemed polite to ask during Akira's quest for a stick. "My name is Akira Hinosai, by the way. If you were wondering." Upon the finding or creation of a suitable weapon, he would mimic the flourish the little one performed earlier. Then Akira would match the decorum the hollow showed with this duel. "Dance with me, then!" 

Akira would drop into a forward guard, trying to apply his knowledge of zanjutsu to a stick. At first he would adopt a mostly defensive style, allowing the small hollow to come to him and swaying back when it benefited him.

[Deleted]

Caballero patiently waited on position as Akira, the newcomer, finally discovered them. The tiny Hollow was blissfully unaware that its pint-sized body made it very difficult not just to take them seriously, but to find them in the first place. Shinigami were expecting Hollows to be bigger, badder monsters, all the way until their final evolution to the small, yet ungodly powerful Vasto Lorde. Of course, Caballero was as far from that level as could be, perhaps thankfully for everyone involved--a being with a mind so young, and that much strength?--so nobody could blame the Shinigami for believing this had to be a joke. However, Caballero was not joking; they actually did not understand what a joke was just yet. The little Hollow waited patiently, never taking the first move, until Akira finally acknowledged their challenge.

Caballero nodded enthusiastically, its oversized helmet-like mask bobbing up and down a few times. There was a brief pause, but all of a sudden the Shinigami also struck their own pose. The tiny Hollow's mood lit up immediately as Akira readily accepted their challenge, saying how the creature was brave to try to duel him. Concepts like bravery were somewhat lost on the Hollow's mind for the time being, so they did not puff up or become proud at the compliment. Instead, Caballero hopped back a short distance, leaving enough room for Akira to take the first strike... although, of course, a weapon was needed first. With their stick firmly secured in its 'hand', if one could call it such, Caballero watched silently as the Shinigami sheathed their Zanpakuto. The Hollow did not really understand, but they were sure the challenge had been indeed accepted. Thus, they remained passive as Akira searched the nearby grounds for a stick of his own with which to do battle.

Then, he asked for Caballero's name, introducing himself as a courtesy The little Hollow's stance shifted, becoming less ready to battle. A few seconds passed before they lowered their head ever so slightly, almost lost in thought. A name. The word should have meant nothing to them, but it sparked something within them. Unbeknownst to the creature, names were important. In fact, for a Shinigami, they were absolutely crucial. But Caballero was no Shinigami, so they could not understand. Feeling like giving an answer, the creature took a few steps forward and quickly drew something on the snow. It wasn't anything that made sense, more of a rigmarole of uneven traces that corresponded to no shape whatsoever. Then, Caballero returned to their starting position and got ready again, hoping the answer would have been satisfactory.

After finding a suitable branch, the Shinigami mimicked Caballero's own gesture, paying respects in a similar way before finally initiating their duel. As a sort of ingrained courtesy, Caballero extended the opening move--they were the challenger, after all. However, Akira did not come at them directly, instead waiting to respond to their initial attack. Since the battle was already underway and he would not take that first strike, the Hollow took it upon themself to get them started. Like a little bug skittering around, the tiny Hollow moved as fast as their lower limbs allowed without using Ulcera. They could not have replicated the step technique right now as they were, anyway; it would take something else to take that instinctual ability and engrave it in their mind. A battle like this one, perhaps.

At any rate, Akira would find the Hollow moved deceptively fast, specially considering the apparent imbalance between head and the rest of their body. However, given their smaller overall size, its strength could be concentrated on a lower surface area, so it could at least jog around with certain ease. Caballero's first strike would consist in a quick feint to the right, then lunge up in an attempt to strike directly at the Shinigami's chest. Easy to intercept, but then again, the creature had no formal training and nobody to teach them anything. Although undoubtedly outclassed in sheer strength and trained technique, perhaps the punch they packed at that weight class would give them the element of surprise. As of that moment, only their natural power as a Hollow could give them any advantage.

SPOILER: Click to show

{Caballero's stats}Type: Soldier Version 2

Stat	SP	Type
Strength	50	35
Speed	50	50
Reiatsu Strength	50	75
Spiritual Pressure	50	50
Senses	40	40
Instinct	40	40
Energy Sensory	0	0
Healing Expertise	10	10
Light Aura	100
Dark Aura	0

[Akira Hinosai]

As Akira searched for a suitable weapon, he couldn't help but notice the lack of answer from the little hollow. When he looked back, he saw them tracing something in the snow. He hadn't considered the possibility they were mute. Feeling bad, Akira walked over and tried to make out what they etched into the snow. It was completely illegible, but he wasn't about to tell them that. "That's a cool name." Akira lied. Then he went back to looking for a stick, hoping he could fake his way through not knowing the little one's name. After all, calling them something like "squirt" or "kiddo" or something would suffice. The hollow would never know Akira didn't know their name.

...

When the fight began, Akira quickly realized he was a fool to underestimate the little hollow. Despite looking like a small child, they were roughly an even match in terms of skill and physical prowess. To make things worse, its small size made it harder to hit. When they came in towards Luca's right side, he raised his stick to parry, only to fall for the feint, and be poked on the chest for his trouble. "Ahhhhg!" Akira made the noise more out of surprise than actual pain. It was just a stick after all. It was clear he couldn't approach this like he had been. Akira saw the little hollow in a new light. It wasn't just a child, it was a reasonably strong opponent. If Akira was going to win here, he had to take this way more seriously.

Realizing a defensive stance would get him nowhere, Akira decided to shift gears. Leveraging his advantage in reach, Akira would launch a new offensive trying to keep the little hollow off balance. With his longer arms Akira hoped his quick flurry of thrusts would allow him to keep the little hollow at bay, too busy dodging or parrying his attacks to try anything. However, if the little hollow could get past Akira's guard, they would find their small size put them at a great advantage as Luca's long arms made moving in close quarters difficult by comparison.

SPOILER: Click to show

{Akiras Stats}Strength - 50
Speed - 50
Spiritual Pressure - 40 (50)
Reiatsu Strength - 40 (50)
Instinct - 50 Points (37)
Senses - 50 Points (37)
Energy sensory - 0
Healing Expertise - 0
Light Aura - 45
Dark Aura - 55

280 SP

Analyzing: 1
Strength of Will: 1
Weapon(Prima Materia):1
Battle Analysis: 1
Mental Incantation: 1
Acting: 1
Kido Mastery: 1
7/15 SKP

[Deleted]

Caballero's first efforts were rewarded as their feint managed to fool the Shinigami, allowing them slip past the Unseated officer's guard and deliver a clean blow on his chest. The Shinigami let out a surprised sound: perhaps Akira had underestimated them because of their size, or because they seemed pretty much harmless at first glance. However, it would not do him well to forget the fact that Caballero was still a Hollow, no matter how strangely they behaved or how they presented themselves.

Still, even after being struck by Caballero's initial move, Akira was undamaged, but that was to be expected from using sticks to fight. All the better, because there was no ill intention behind the tiny Hollow's attacks; they just wanted a way to test the newcomer's mettle. Well, that, and they subconsciously also wanted to impress the Shinigami with their battle prowess, despite the fact that they were a complete novice on that front. Caballero felt a stab of pride that their first attack had landed, but Akira would not give him quarter and shifted from a defensive approach to an offensive one. Immediately, he retaliated with a flurry of thrusts, perhaps because it was the best way to keep the creature at a distance. Of those thrusts, Caballero managed to dodge one by shifting to the left, and a second one passed through the rags that clad their tiny body and hit nothing other than the makeshift 'Shihakusho' the Hollow took so much pride on. The third one, however, smacked them square, right on the center of their mask.

At this time, Caballero's tiny size proved to be a disadvantage, as even though the two were proportionally similar in strength, the Hollow was still far lighter than the Shinigami. The impact made them slightly dizzy as they flew back a few meters, although Caballero still managed to land on their tiny 'feet'. The distance created between them served to reset the playing field; the ball was now in both their courts and in none of them at the same time. The time for extending courtesies was over, however, and Caballero brandished their blade once again, positively giddy and reveling in their duel. Their excitement was such that they had failed to consider the area they were fighting in. These were not the sands of Hueco Mundo, where it was slightly more difficult to move. No, this was a snowy park, and the Hollow had not stopped to think about their surroundings. As such, just when Caballero broke into a run again, one of their thin lower limbs punctured a mound of snow that by no means was deep for the average normal person, but it was to someone their size. The sudden imbalance caused their level to lower, and the other limb stepped right on top of their ragged cloak.

The result was that Caballero tripped and landed on top of the small pile of snow, in a rather anticlimactic moment for a battle that had only just begun. Had they had a voice to speak, an 'eep' would have been the sound they would have made. Mere seconds after their fall, a cold, slightly numbing feeling spread through their pitch-black, void-like body, causing them to push themselves off that strange, freezing white sand, even before they managed to process what had just happened. If Akira did not take advantage of that opening to strike again, Caballero would bring a 'hand' to the front of their mask rubbing the solid area between both eyes for a moment. It should not have been embarrassed, for a creature like them had no use for such emotions; regardless, there was something about that happening to them in front of one of the Shinigami that made the Hollow feel some sort of shame.

The falling onto the pile of snow had served to literally cool Caballero's head. Instead of taking the offensive, they would now wait to see what their opponent would do. An advisable move, although mostly motivated by the fact that they did not want to fall on top of their own mask again, not when a Shinigami was watching. Still, the duel was far from over. There were still more songs to be played, and Caballero would dance over all of them.

SPOILER: Click to show

{Caballero's stats}Type: Soldier Version 2

Stat	SP	Type
Strength	50	35
Speed	50	50
Reiatsu Strength	50	75
Spiritual Pressure	50	50
Senses	40	40
Instinct	40	40
Energy Sensory	0	0
Healing Expertise	10	10
Light Aura	100
Dark Aura	0

[Akira Hinosai]

Akira quickly turned things around after his first loss. He was successfully able to put the hollow on the back foot, and kept the pressure up until Akira could finally land the "killing blow". To his surprise, the trust of his stick sent the little hollow flying back like a cueball. Holy shit! Akira was half in awe at his own strength and half worried for his sparring partner. However, despite this the little hollow quickly recovered before Akira could press the advantage. As it began to charge...it promptly tripped into the snow. Akira tried very hard to stifle a laugh. With the hollow's charge disrupted, Akira approached the struggling creature.

"Bang! You're dead!" Akira didn't need to stab them again to drive the point home. Instead he knelt down to be closer to eye level with the hollow as they recovered. "Sorry about that. It's just that in a real fight, you can never leave your guard down. After I knocked you back you got right back up. That's good. I mean sure, you then immediately tripped but it's a good start!" It seemed like an important lesson to impart. After all, the world was full of monsters who would suck out your innocence through your brain stem if you showed the slightest weakness. Akira didn't want this small hollow to endure what Akira had. People like Ailene and Abaddon and Alastor. Cruel people who delighted in causing pain. Just thinking those names was enough to make Akira's blood boil.

He had to exhale deeply. This little hollow had to know how to defend themselves. "It's easy to get tunnel vision when you're fighting someone, but where you fight is just as important as how you fight. Try and think of ways you can use this environment to your advantage." Akira, sensing the hollow probably wanted to get back to fighting got up and offered the hollow a hand. "One last thing. If you stay out of your effective range while still being in mine, you're leaving yourself open to attack. Try and close that gap quickly." Akira wasn't sure if these concepts were too complicated for the little hollow. He wasn't a good teacher so he just sort of rambled about tangentially related battle concepts.

Akira had to admit there was something nice about being the one in the sparring pair who actually knew more. It was a welcome change of pace from the daily thrashing he received as part of his squad 12 duties. "Ok, well, anyway, the best way to learn is by actually practicing your swordplay, so let's get back at it, yeah? Round whatever because I stopped counting, let's go!" This time Akira would continue to leverage his advantage in range. "Try and get past my guard." With this instruction, Akira hoped he would get better practice keeping opponents at bay and that the little hollow would get better at using its small size to its advantage.

"Get used to downward strikes. In melee people won't have many alternatives to hit you. That can make your opponent predictable." To demonstrate Akira would demonstrate some downward thrusts, hoping to show the small hollow how to get used to their height and start taking better advantage of it. As the hollow approached Akira would try his best to keep them at bay, but their small size would make his attacks predictable. Perhaps the hollow could determine the attack pattern and get in before Akira knew what was up. Then again, perhaps they couldn't. Either way, this sparring match was far from over.

[Deleted]

Caballero's tripping with their own Shihakusho was an opening that did not go unexploited by the Shinigami they were facing. Akira stepped in, not taking advantage of the Hollow's momentary confusion to strike, but just telling them that they were dead. As Caballero put themself back on their feet, Akira knelt in front of them so he could talk eye-to-eye with them. Understanding this to be a moment of respite in their duel, Caballero set aside their branch for a moment as they listened intently to what the Soul Reaper had to say. The young Hollow was growing and growing by the minute, their mind absorbing everything around it like a sponge. Thus, they were able to capture and process Akira's well-intentioned advice. They could not just fall and drop their guard, just like that, or they would die; and that was only truer for a species whose members cannibalized one another to become more powerful. Looking straight at the Shinigami with their big, black, empty circles that passed as eyes on their mask, Caballero listened to him, entirely focused on understanding the words that might very well save them one day.

Stay on your feet and do not drop your guard down. Focus on the environment, not just on who you were fighting. Closing the gap quickly is imperative if your opponent is out of your effective range while you are still in theirs. Far too obvious information for any Shinigami that had gone through the Academy, or any human with a bit of combat training and experience. However, for Caballero, these were nothing short of invaluable nuggets of wisdom that would serve to improve their abilities, and so the Hollow listened with all the power of their conscious mind. After that teaching moment, Caballero's sparring partner decided that it was about time they returned to their friendly match, and told the Hollow to get past their guard to begin with.

Thankful, the little Hollow jumped up a few times in happiness before giving Akira two quick nods. Caballero brandished their stick again, but they did not immediately attack. Instead, they skittered over to the side of their improvised arena, where a larger mound of snow had accumulated. There, he drew a big, straight line in the center, and put one shorter line on the left and two on the right side of that division. The tiny Hollow's mind had just come up with a punctuation system, and the Shinigami was winning. Once they were done keeping tally of their blows (and Caballero's embarrassing failure), the Hollow returned to where the challengee was, and got back into their battle stance. They would wait until Akira was ready to continue, and then rushed forward from the starting position.

This time, Caballero did not trip on the snow. In fact, it weaved between the mounds that would've been an obstacle because of their tiny height. All the while, the creature did not lose sight of their rival, just as they had been told. In spite of their difficulties comprehending abstract concepts, they understood everything Akira had just said--almost if they were intended to learn these things by design. Hollow instinct, perhaps? Or something else entirely? The Hollow had also learned that it would do them no good to stay out of range when the Shinigami could still attack, and that they'd need to get past their guard.

Get used to downward strikes. People won't have many alternatives to hit you. Caballero cut the distance until he was right in front of Akira, right inside their effective strike range. Instead of jumping up and clashing against the Shinigami, or attempting to take a strike at any of his limbs, Caballero tumbled forward once again, as if they had tripped for a second time. However, this was not the unintentional, shameful fall of the previous round, when he had fallen face first. This time, their back was against the ground. Keeping themselves so low, even a downward attack would not hit them unless the stick was brought all the way down to the ground... which would most likely cause their opponent's posture to break unless they squatted down.

Try and think of ways you can use this environment to your advantage. The thin layer of snow, combined with Caballero's momentum and the rags that covered their body allowed them to harmlessly slide on top of the snow. Their intention was to slide under the gap between Akira's legs, a possibility born of Caballero's build and the Shinigami's advice.

If you stay out of your effective range while still being in mine, you're leaving yourself open to attack. The opposite was also true. The little Hollow could stay in their effective range while being out of Akira's. If Caballero's quick slide stunt was successful, the little Hollow would turn as fast as possible and attempt deliver a back strike with their stick weapon. In the event that they hit, Caballero would land a short distance away from Akira. They would not have time to run back, so they'd need to be ready to contend with the Shinigami's riposte.

[Akira Hinosai]

Surprisingly, the little hollow had a much better memory for how many rounds they'd done. Then again, they were playing fast and loose with what constituted a round so Akira just decided to roll with it. He was winning 2-1 and he wasn't about to let this hollow get the better of him. Akira gave the hollow tips on how to beat him, sure, but he wasn't just doing it out of the kindness of his heart. The harder Akira made this for himself, the faster he could unlock the power that was locked away in his soul. When the bout began in earnest, Akira was weary to say the least.

He wasn't sure how well the hollow would take to instruction. When he saw the little creature ducking and weaving through snow drifts he realized he may have created a monster. He almost lost track of the little thing, and didn't dare press the attack. He couldn't risk overextending himself this early. Akira found himself having to fight his own dulled instincts to use soul command to lift up the snow and erase the little hollow's advantage. He was so in tune with the world, and now he was utterly deaf to it. Right before Akira could curse his misfortune, the hollow appeared past the snow, and clearly in his effective range. Akira thrusted, only to see the little hollow tripped again.

"Ha!" Akira couldn't stop himself from laughing at that. It was a good effort, but ultimately pointless. Yet something stirred in Akira. Something about this didn't add up. It wasn't until he heard the hollow moving behind him that he realized he'd been played. Akira couldn't even turn around before being hit with a fatal stick strike. In a more traditional martial arts lesson, they would have stopped the round there. However, Akira had another lesson to teach the hollow. Akira turned to face the hollow and tried to land a clean hit on an opponent who had overextended themselves. If the little hollow was able to get back some momentum afterwards, Akira would then try to stop them in their tracks with the oldest trick in the book. A classic feint.

Regardless, Akira would try and offer some instruction again. "You're a quick study, and that trick you pulled was great. Just keep in mind that if you take a risk like that in a real fight, you'd best make sure it kills your target or you'll leave yourself vulnerable to counter attacks." It was less of a correction and more of a helpful tip. After all, there would be no killing blows in this training exercise so it was stupid to chastise the hollow for not landing one. In a way, Luca envied the little hollow. It seemed like they were learning way faster than he was. They had no old habits to unlearn in addition to relearning from scratch. They were just a blank slate.

The thought of being outdone and left in the dust by such a childlike creature made Akira feel sick to his stomach. Sure, he was trying to help them not get viciously traumatized and or killed by the multitudes of genuine monsters in the world, but still. He was hoping he could learn something too. "Hey let's pause for a bit and update the scoreboard, yeah?" Akira would allow the little hollow to do the honors. Considering this was a park, Akira walked over to one of the benches, and patted the spot next to him for the little hollow to join once they had properly kept tally the number of hits scored. If the hollow chose to join Akira, he would try and start a dialogue with them.

"You...Aren't like most hollows, if you don't mind me saying. Like I've met some who were smart, sure, but you...You don't have the same bad vibes they do. How'd that happen? Like don't you constantly hunger for souls and stuff?" There was a time when Akira liked to meet others and hear their stories. He figured no harm could come from indulging that desire again.The little hollow may have been mute, but it understood yes or no questions. Besides Akira was genuinely curious, and it was a real possibility they'd never meet again. Just like Amare, Akira would have to leave this hollow too. It wasn't like he could just give the little guy his cellphone number or something. Hollow's didn't have cellphones, and this one was mute anyway so talking on the phone was kind of pointless. Akira didn't want to think of that either.

[Deleted]

A feeling of triumph and glee spread within Caballero as their improvised maneuver managed to get them a hit. However, Akira was faster than they had anticipated, and managed to also strike them back. Overextended as they were, there was little they could have done to protect against it anyway, so the Hollow took the hit without any other choice. Afterward, their duel came to a halt again, with Akira explaining that if they wanted to survive, they needed to make sure to incapacitate an opponent after such a risky maneuver. The enemy may not be as courteous, after all. The little Hollow nodded, absorbing that new knowledge. Then, the Shinigami asked for a brief pause--which the Hollow interpreted to mean that the battle could very well be over.

Caballero happily pranced over to where they were keeping score of their friendly bout. Without any hesitation, they added one stripe for their own total, and one more to Akira's, effectively putting the score 2-3 in the Shinigami's favor. Looking at the score for a few seconds, Caballero's oversized mask bobbed back and forth in a sort of a content nod before he turned back and returned to Akira, who by that time had sought a bench to sit on.

Caballero buried the tip of the wooden stick in the snow, leaving it there. Then, they gave the Shinigami a deep bow that lasted for a few seconds, acknowledging their victory. Sure, the little Hollow hadn't exactly communicated the rules of the game--even they were not exactly sure what those were--but they had decided that best-of-five was the way to go, and thus that the Soul Reaper was the victor. Despite their loss, that did not mean that they would leave that fight empty-handed. Even if the Hollow's young mind was not fully cognizant of the lessons Akira had imparted, they would remain part of their limited battle experience, never to be completely forgotten.

After they lifted their head again, they saw Akira tapping the spot right next to them on the bench. While Caballero had quite some trouble with verbal communication, at the very least they understood non-verbal cues. The tiny Hollow climbed onto the bench, the seat of which was about as high as they were tall, and turned to sit facing toward the park, seeking to imitate the Shinigami. Silence filled the air of the park for a little while, only perturbed by the wind singing as it weaved around the naked branches of the trees surrounding the space. It was one of the first times in Caballero's short life as a Hollow in which their instincts would not remain on guard, trying to smoke out any of their kin that might have had its sights on them.

This world was nice. Even if it was a bit cold.

Then, Akira turned to Caballero and talked to them, as if they were any other Plus in the world. Granted, the Hollow knew little of such distinctions, so it did not stike them as particularly odd or antinatural. Instead, they listened to them saying how they were a strange kind of Hollow, one that did not give off the same vibes. So far, Caballero had only fought other Hollows, so they did not really understand the distinction. The Shinigami then asked how exactly how that happen, how was it that Caballero didn't seem to hunger like the rest of their kin did. The little Hollow lifted their head up for a moment, one tiny, stubby arm reaching for the lower part of their mask and rubbing it, as if they were lost in thought. While it had been estabilished that there was actually some sort of coherent mind in that big head, it was very difficult to say whether the Hollow had fully understood the scope of the question. After all, it involved a past that they were blissfully unaware of.

What they could tell, and what they interpreted they should tell, was what they had experienced so far. So, Caballero turned toward Akira, waving their arms around as if they were recounting the tale of their adventures in Hueco Mundo. However, a little Hollow flailing did not do much in terms of conveying a vivid, life-like story to Akira. In fact, even they seemed to understand this, as they slowed down their movements until they came to a complete halt. Then, Caballero used as much brain power as they could muster in their current state, every single brain-cell, if the Hollow even had one to begin with, to come up with a way to properly communicate with Akira.

The big, black circles that served as "eyes" glanced around the park, until they saw both the footprints they had both left on their battle, and the point scoreboard Caballero themself had created. While the skill was not the exact same, it was still transferrable, so the Hollow jumped off the bench again and picked up their stick once more. Just as Akira had tapped the space next to him, Caballero did the same to an even layer of snow covering the ground a short distance away. The tiny creature then proceeded to begin tracing lines on the snow, only this time, they had meaning. First, a flat one for a floor. Then, a big circle for a head and a small body under it, lying on said floor. Caballero's tiny arm reached up to the side of their mask, touching the base of their left horn. As if understanding, they also drew two horns on the big circle, and two smaller circles inside the big one. That would be their head. Last, but not least, an inverted C-shape above: the crescent moon of Hueco Mundo.

Caballero turned toward Akira, immensely proud of their art prowess. They wanted to see if he could understand that. In case the Shinigami could interpret some meaning out of it, Caballero would go on to draw a second, similar picture, only this time they were standing up. Next to them, they painted a scary face with a bigger body: one of the Hollows they'd first had to run away from.

[Akira Hinosai]

Akira watched as the little hollow told a story as big as their imagination. It was too bad Akira didn't have the slightest clue what any of their arm gestures meant. He watched intently without shouting out his interpretation like some especially bad game of charades. Fortunately for Akira, the little hollow realized that there may have been a better way to convey this information. They hopped up and began drawing a tapestry of their life, or at least one part of it, anyway. It occurred to Luca that he sort of muddied the waters on this one by asking two questions at once. So rather than a "do you get hungry" Akira got what seemed to be the answer to "How did you being different happen, exactly?"

Akira recognized the little hollow's likeness in the drawing, and the crescent moon he'd know anywhere. "Hueco Mundo?" Akira guessed. He'd only ever been there twice. One of those times, he even did so on purpose. Though neither time was especially fun for him. The little hollow continued their story, his guess apparently being correct. There was something about a bigger, meaner hollow terrorizing the little hollow. "Hueco Mundo is a dangerous place. You'd do well to avoid it." Akira meant it as a genuine piece of advice. If the little hollow encountered some menos, or worse, an arrancar, it would be all over for them.

Akira had some feeling he was missing the point by immediately going into advice-mode. This memory meant something to the small hollow. It was important enough for them to draw for Akira. Still there was a barrier of communication Akira wasn't equipped to cross. He could try though. "So...You were in Hueco Mundo and the hollows there thought you were easy pickings? I guess they were mistaken in that, because you're still alive." In all his adventures, Akira had never gotten to just sit down and talk with a hollow. Sure, he could recognize intelligent patterns of behavior, but didn't mean they were willing to talk. When fighting for one's life, scientific curiosity tends to take a backseat.

Akira pondered over this new information. When given the prompt "How did you end up so different" the hollow drew this specific memory. Maybe this memory held special significance or something. "Hold on, wait a sec!" Akira's mind had connected the dots. It was so clear now! "Are you like a good hollow that hunts and eats evil hollows? Like Blade but a hollow?" Akira couldn't hold back his excitement at figuring that out. "That is so cool!" Hollow that hunts evil hollows to save people. Why didn't Akira think of that sooner? It was right up there with "secret agent interdimensional fugitive man" but Akira couldn't tell this hollow that.

"I am SO writing a report on this! This kicks total ah-" Akira barely corrected himself in time "Butt. It kicks total butt. Anyway, this is like the find of the century! Man, I'm good!"

[Deleted]

As expected, Caballero's flailing around did little to convey any meaning, although it was at least fun to watch the little Hollow struggling to communicate. It turned out they must have been better at art than anyone might have expected in the first place, because their childish drawings at the very least managed to share the beginning of their for now short tale: Hueco Mundo. The Shinigami had been spot on with their guess, causing Caballero's head to bob rhythmically in a happy nod. The Shinigami told them it was a very dangerous place that they would do well to steer clear of. It must have been strange, telling a Hollow to stay out of the place that was supposed to be their home. Having experienced the desolate wasteland filled with their cannibalistic kin, Caballero would have to agree.

Then, they moved on to the second drawing, in which they had depicted one of the many Hollows that had attempted to eat them, but from which they had managed to escape thanks to their little size. They were not all too sure how to explain that, so Caballero skittered underneath the bank, their big head popping from under it a few moments later to look at the still sitting Akira. Then, they got out of there as if the danger had finally passed. The Shinigami mused over hte information the tiny Hollow had somehow communicated, only almost jump on his seat. The sudden reaction surprised Caballero, making them hop back a very short distance in shock. Akira excitedly asked Caballero whether they were a good Hollow that went around hunting other Hollows, saying that it would be very cool if he were.

The enthusiasm for that idea was met with a head tilt from the tiny creature, signalling their confusion. Unfortunately for Akira, they still did not understand at a conscious level what they were. Rather, they just 'were', in a sense. However, while Caballero did not know about what they were, they did know about what they wanted to be. Thus, the Hollow returned to the Shinigami's side for a moment, jumped on the bench, and harmlessly reached a tiny arm toward Akira. They tapped a couple of times on his Shihakusho, and then another couple of times on his Zanpakuto before jumping back onto the ground and moving in front of him, careful not to step on any of their previous drawings. Caballero proudly puffed out their chest and tapped at their own 'Shihakusho' as well, the now-slightly-wet rags draped around their body. Afterward, they took up their stick again and tapped it as well.

This way, Caballero attempted to draw a haphazard connection between their junk and the Soul Reaper's gear, in a declaration that was nothing if not laughable: that they, too, were a Shinigami. Or at least, that they wanted to be one, since they seemed to understand when they met the real deal and not just some impostor. That burning desire was etched so deep into their spirit, perhaps as a result of their past life, that it just would not go away--not even after becoming a Hollow. Hoping to have made their point across, the little creature picked up their stick again, attempting to figure out what to draw next. In the meantime, Akira did mention that they would write a report on Caballero, although they needn't worry about foul language in their presence. It was not like the little Hollow could speak, right? At this point, writing really was not a possibility either. How would the Shinigami react, however, if the Hollow's first coherent written word was the simpler form to say buttocks that he had just bit his tongue not to say?

A bigger concern that the Hollow did not really consider was the fact that Soul Society getting information about them may be dangerous. Without meeting them first, a Hollow was still a Hollow, and thus a prime target for elimination. One that was abnormal and deviated from the other monsters' behavior was even worse. After all, how could they know how they would react? It would be drawing attention to Caballero, deadly attention at that. However, Akira's excited tone was enough to make Caballero's two brain cells fire together. For the second time, they puffed out their tiny chest and bobbed 'yes' again before moving onto the third picture and fourth pictures... which would comprise the rest of their story, really.

Caballero drew the third one as the same stick figure representing themselves, next to a bigger circle, with the crescent moon of Hueco Mundo still drawn above. They then traced a line from their 'portrait' to the circle, as if to tell Akira that they had crossed into the human world like the rest of the Hollows.

The fourth drawing, however, would be a little different. Caballero took a long, lasting look toward Akira before dipping the stick into the snow again. With care, they drew their best bench--two small vertical lines and a horizontal one, then the small figure representing itself, and a bigger figure with a smile. The two were sitting there together. They couldn't really give any further level of detail to that, and they were running out of snowy space to draw anyway. Thus, in those four successive pictures, Caballero had summarized their entire tale to the Shinigami. They would not return to the bench this time, and instead looked at the four pictures for a little while as well.

There was something strange about recounting all that. What came before the first drawing? And what would come after the last one?

[Akira Hinosai]

Akira thought calling the little guy a "Hollow Blade" was high praise, so he was confused when the little hollow started tapping his shihakusho and zanpakuto. "What? What are you-" As if to answer his question, the hollow struck a pose showing off its own cloak and sword. It look Akira a moment to figure out the hollow's meaning. "You're a shinigami?" Akira smiled, but there was no mockery in it. "I get that, I totally get it. I... I really wanted to become a shinigami too. It was all I ever wanted. It's a pleasure to meet a fellow officer of the Gotei 13 out here." Akira stood and bowed his head. He had lied, but the hollow didn't need to know that.

Well, maybe there was some truth to it. Akira knew very well what it was like to want something impossible. He remembered being told time and time again he was wrong and he had to accept they way things were. People in this world delighted in crushing the dreams of others. Akira would never be a part of that. From the bench, Akira watched the little hollow add more panels to their life story as etched into the snow. Akira couldn't begin to guess what any of it was until it was done, so he sat back on the bench and thought to himself. He wasn't stupid. The Soul Society's methods and thinking were outdated. No, that was putting it lightly. They genocided the mod souls, bounts and who knows what other atrocities they committed.

However, Aramis and Ken'ichi made up Squad 12's ruling body and they were no strangers to breaking the rules if it meant getting the job done. They wouldn't kill the hollow. They'd just want to study it. Akira thought of the little hollow trapped in a cage like some kind of animal being put through a gauntlet of tests. Surely that wouldn't happen. If I just tell them to leave it alone, they will, right? Akira was pretty sure he could convince them it was for the greater good of science or something. Pretty sure? Are those odds I want to take? He was talking about the creature's life here. It wasn't as though either Captain or Lieutenant would do it because it was the right thing to do.

I'm fucking dating Ken'ichi Shihoin! I'm sure if I stressed how important this was to me-

As Akira snapped back to reality, he looked and saw the little hollow standing proudly in front of the 4 panels indicating its life. Akira got up and stood beside it, taking a better look at the new panels. It didn't take an art degree for Akira to determine what these pictures meant. "Is that me?" Akira was amused. This one doesn't have much of a past. Hanging out in Hueco Mundo, then coming here, and then meeting Akira. Then again, nether do I. After all, what good was a past you could share with no one? It wasn't like it was worth remembering anyway. "I like this. Thanks for sharing with me." Akira couldn't think of anything else to say. What was he supposed to do? Say something like I'm sorry you can't remember your past life worth a god damn.

Instead, he latched onto something else. The hollow had no past, it's true, but it had a future as big as its imagination. "I meant what I said about you being a shinigami. Dreams are what make life worth living. I mean, if folks like us are immortal we gotta have something getting us out of bed in the morning, right?" There was a quiet sadness in his voice. He couldn't stay with this hollow forever. He couldn't keep them from suffering. He just wanted to do everything he could to make sure the hollow never fell victim to the cruel people in the world. Even if it was just to ease the burden on his conscience he wanted to at least be able to say he did everything he could.

[Deleted]

Caballero practically beamed once Akira acknowledged that they, too, were a Shinigami, blissfully unaware that the Soul Reaper had just indulged them because they didn't have the heart to tell them otherwise. Well, perhaps 'beamed' was a term that hardly applied to a creature with two big black holes for eyes on their mask, but hey, the intention is what truly counts, is it not? He even said that it was a pleasure to meet a fellow member of the Gotei 13, making Caballero's chest puff out so much that they had to wave their tiny little arms around to keep themselves from falling backwards. The fact that they shared a dream of becoming a Shinigami, no matter how misguided in the Hollow's case, was enough to draw yet another bridge between Caballero and Akira. Since the tiny being did not understand much else and had the innocence of a child, anyone that treated them kindly would immediately be placed into the 'friend' camp, completely skipping past acquaintance. They would not stop to think that they'd only known the Shinigami for about fifteen minutes, because Caballero's brain-power was entirely focused on making sense out of their own story to tell it as best as they could to Akira.

While they drew and drew, they failed to notice how pensive he had become all of a sudden. Again, the little Hollow was blissfully unaware of the conflict within their new friend. To report the creature's existence, or to leave it alone? What would be the correct choice there? Certainly, watching Caballero as they were right now would make it clear that they held no intrinsic malice. However, one should never forget they were a Hollow. Their existence was an inherently painful one, devouring even their own kind to survive. Even if Caballero could somehow elude the fate of becoming the next meal for one of their kin, they would still had to contend with threats such as more traditional Shinigami, Quincy, and who knew what more. What was worse, as of right now, the Hollow was a blank slate. The possibility that someone might take that blank slate and corrupt it into something else entirely was all too real. And then one had to consider that, as a Hollow, they may end up attacking other souls as well just because of sheer nature.

But alas, none of those complicated matters even crossed Caballero's big empty head as they happily represented the story of their life. After drawing the fourth picture and showing it to the Shinigami, Akira asked whether the bigger figure sitting on the bench was meant to be him. Caballero nodded enthusiastically, tapping at the stick figure with the tip of the stick. The Shinigami thanked them for sharing the story, understanding that it was complete. As such, Caballero moved back to their spot on the bench, climbing and sitting in such a position that their little legs were hanging from the border. They idly kicked back and forth as they turned their big head toward Akira, who spoke to them once again, saying that he meant what he had said about Caballero being a Shinigami.

But of course he meant it! Caballero was a real Shinigami, after all. Silly Akira! Their Shihakusho was just slightly modified as well to suit their smaller size, and their Zanpakuto was wooden... because reasons. Their mental gymnastics were not strong enough to pull that, but they didn't need to considering Caballero had fewer coherent thoughts than most. The Shinigami also said that immortal beings such as them had to had something to get them out of bed in the morning. Caballero didn't really understand what immortality was, or what it was meant by it. They saw Hollows kill and die every hour they spent in Hueco Mundo. The concept of dreams was also far too abstract for Caballero to know, despite their own burning desire to be a Shinigami.

What they did understand, however, was that all of a sudden the Shinigami's mood had dampened a little, and that was not good. It was as if he had become sadder all of a sudden, and Caballero did not like their friends to be sad. Thus, the little Hollow reached forward with their tiny arm and lightly tapped Akira on his own, as if to tell them that everything would be alright, despite them having absolutely no idea what that "everything" was. Again, the Hollow could not know that the reason the Shinigami was so pensive now was because they were concerned about their well being, so they just sat there, looking up at him.

The silence that filled the park once again was shattered not by the wind blowing, but by the sound of a snarl that sounded not too far away from where they were. Of course, this awoke every instinct in Caballero, who quickly stood up on the bench and flexed their little legs while they looked around for any sign of the source. Given their dismal Energy Sensory, they would not be able to perceive the threat, if there was actually any, that was. Thus, they turned to Akira for guidance. Maybe Caballero's senior Shinigami would know what to do.